Top Beautiful Black Actresses
This is my list of the top beautiful Black actresses in entertainment past and present.
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Halle Maria Berry was born Maria Halle Berry on August 14, 1966 in Cleveland, Ohio and raised in Oakwood, Ohio to Judith Ann Berry (née Hawkins), a psychiatric nurse & Jerome Jesse Berry, a hospital attendant. Her father was African-American and her mother is of mostly English and German descent. Halle first came into the spotlight at seventeen years when she won the Miss Teen All-American Pageant, representing the state of Ohio in 1985 and, a year later in 1986, when she was the first runner-up in the Miss U.S.A. Pageant. After participating in the pageant, Halle became a model. It eventually led to her first weekly TV series, 1989's Living Dolls (1989), where she soon gained a reputation for her on-set tenacity, preferring to "live" her roles and remaining in character even when the cameras stopped rolling. It paid off though when she reportedly refused to bathe for several days before starting work on her role as a crack addict in Spike Lee's Jungle Fever (1991) because the role provided her big screen breakthrough. The following year, she was cast as Eddie Murphy's love interest in Boomerang (1992), one of the few times that Murphy was evenly matched on screen. In 1994, Berry gained a youthful following for her performance as sexy secretary "Sharon Stone" in The Flintstones (1994). She next had a highly publicized starring role with Jessica Lange in the adoption drama Losing Isaiah (1995). Though the movie received mixed reviews, Berry didn't let that slow her down, and continued down her path to super-stardom.
In 1998, she received critical success when she starred as a street smart young woman who takes up with a struggling politician in Warren Beatty's Bulworth (1998). The following year, she won even greater acclaim for her role as actress Dorothy Dandridge in made-for-cable's Introducing Dorothy Dandridge (1999), for which she won a Golden Globe for Best Actress in a TV Movie/Mini-Series. In 2000, she received box office success in X-Men (2000) in which she played "Storm", a mutant who has the ability to control the weather. In 2001, she starred in the thriller Swordfish (2001), and became the first African-American to win Best Actress at the Academy Awards, for her role as a grieving mother in the drama Monster's Ball (2001).- Actress
- Soundtrack
Dorothy Jean Dandridge was born on November 9, 1922 in Cleveland, Ohio, to Ruby Dandridge (née Ruby Jean Butler), an entertainer, and Cyril H. Dandridge, a cabinet maker and minister. Under the prodding of her mother, Dorothy and her sister Vivian Dandridge began performing publicly, usually in black Baptist churches throughout the country. Her mother would often join her daughters on stage. As the depression worsened, Dorothy and her family picked up and moved to Los Angeles where they had hopes of finding better work, perhaps in film. Her first film was in the Marx Brothers comedy, A Day at the Races (1937). It was only a bit part but Dandridge hoped it would blossom into something better. She only appeared in another film in 1940, in Four Shall Die (1940).
Meanwhile, she dropped out of high school and became part of a musical trio which performed with the orchestra of Jimmie Lunceford. During the late 30s, she dated music composer Phil Moore, who was instrumental in launching her career as a nightclub singer and big band vocalist.
Her next few screen roles in the early 1940s tended to be small stereotypical roles of black girls or princesses - such as Bahama Passage (1941) and Drums of the Congo (1942), She was the singing star of the western themed all-black-cast "soundie" (short musical) Cow-Cow Boogie (1942) and appeared in movies that showcased her talents as actress and singer, like Hit Parade of 1943 (1943) as the vocalist of Count Basie's Band, and twice as the vocalist of Louis Armstrong's Band in Pillow to Post (1945) and Atlantic City (1944).
Those brought her headline acts in the nation's finest hotel nightclubs in New York, Miami, Chicago and Las Vegas. She may have been allowed to sing in these fine hotels but, because of racism, she couldn't have a room in any of them. It was reported that one hotel drained its swimming pool to keep her from enjoying that amenity.
In 1954, she appeared in the all-black production of Carmen Jones (1954) in the title role. She was so superb in that picture that she garnered an Academy Award nomination but lost to Grace Kelly in The Country Girl (1954). She did not get another movie role until Tamango (1958), an Italian film. She did six more films, including, most notably, Island in the Sun (1957) and Porgy and Bess (1959). The last movie in which she would ever appear was The Murder Men (1962) (1961).
Dandridge faded quickly after that, due to an ill-considered marriage to Jack Dennison (her first husband was Harold Nicholas), poor investments, financial woes, and alcoholism.
She was found dead in her apartment at 8495 Fountain Avenue, West Hollywood, on September 8, 1965, aged 42, from barbiturate poisoning. She left $2.14 in her bank account, and a handwritten letter: "In case of my death - whoever discovers it - Don't remove anything I have on - scarf, gown, or underwear. Cremate me right away - if I have any money, furniture, give it to my mother, Ruby Dandridge - She will know what to do.". She was cremated and her ashes were interred in the Freedom Mausoleum at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale, California.
She was posthumously awarded a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6719 Hollywood Blvd. on January 18, 1983.- Actress
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Jayne Kennedy (born Jane Harrison on October 27, 1951 in Washington, D.C.) is an American actress, model and sportscaster.
Jayne was crowned Miss Ohio USA 1970 (she was the first African American woman to win the title), and was one of the 10 semi-finalists in the 1970 Miss USA pageant. It was rare for an African American woman at that time to be in the contest. While starting her modeling career, she met Leon Isaac Kennedy, who was a DJ and a struggling actor/writer. They fell in love and married in 1970. Motown's Smokey Robinson served as best man at the wedding. They moved to California to pursue careers in acting. During the 1970s, she had over 10 notable TV guest appearances, and roles in seven movies. In 1978, she was one of the first women to infiltrate the male-dominated world of sports announcing with a role on The NFL Today.
In the early 1980s, she produced exercise videos; however, she was later diagnosed with Endometriosis. She and Kennedy were divorced in 1982; she married actor Bill Overton in 1985. In spite of the prior problem with endometriosis, they have three daughters, Savannah Re (b. Nov. 20, 1985), Kopper Joi (b. May 17, 1989) and Zaire Ollyea (b. Sept. 15, 1995).- Actress
- Soundtrack
Lena Calhoun Horne was born June 30, 1917, in Brooklyn, New York. In her biography she stated that, on the day she was born, her father was in the midst of a card game trying to get money to pay the hospital costs. Her parents divorced while she was still a toddler. Her mother left later in order to find work as an actress and Lena was left in the care of her grandparents. When she was seven, her mother returned and the two traveled around the state which meant that Lena was enrolled in numerous schools. For a time she also attended schools in Florida, Georgia and Ohio. Later she returned to Brooklyn.
Lena quit school when she was 14 and got her first stage job at 16 dancing and later singing at the famed Cotton Club in Harlem, a renowned theater in which black performers played before white audiences immortalized in The Cotton Club (1984)). She was in good hands at the club, especially when people such as Cab Calloway and Duke Ellington took her under their wings and helped her over the rough spots. Before long, her talent resulted in her playing before packed houses.
If Lena had never made a movie, her music career would have been enough to have ensured her legendary status in the entertainment industry, but films were icing on the cake. After she made an appearance on Broadway, Hollywood came calling. At 21 years of age, Lena made her first film, The Duke Is Tops (1938). It would be four more years before she appeared in another, Panama Hattie (1942), playing a singer in a nightclub. By now Lena had signed with MGM but, unfortunately for her, the pictures were shot so that her scenes could be cut out when they were shown in the South since most theaters in the South refused to show films that portrayed blacks in anything other than subservient roles to whites. Most movie studios did not want to take a chance on losing that particular source of revenue. Lena did not want to appear in those kinds of stereotyped roles and who could blame her?
In 1943, MGM loaned Lena to 20th Century-Fox to play the role of Selina Rogers in the all-black musical Stormy Weather (1943), which did extremely well at the box office. Her rendition of the title song became a major hit on the musical charts. In 1943, she appeared in Cabin in the Sky (1943), regarded by many as one of the finest performances of her career. She played Georgia Brown opposite Ethel Waters and Eddie 'Rochester' Anderson in the all black production. Rumors were rampant that she and Waters just did not get along well, although there was never any mention of the source of the alleged friction. However, that was not the only feud on that picture. Other cast members sniped at one another and it was a wonder the film was made at all. Regardless of the hostilities, the movie was released to very good reviews from the ever tough critics. It went a long way in showing the depth of the talent that existed among black performers in Hollywood, especially Lena.
Lena's musical career flourished, but her movie career stagnated. Minor roles in films such as Boogie-Woogie Dream (1944), Words and Music (1948) and Mantan Messes Up (1946) did little to advance her film career, due mainly to the ingrained racist attitudes of the time. Even at the height of Lena's musical career, she was often denied rooms at the very hotels in which she performed because they would not let blacks stay there. After Meet Me in Las Vegas (1956), Lena left films to concentrate on music and the stage. She returned in 1969 as Claire Quintana in Death of a Gunfighter (1969). Nine years later, she returned to the screen again in the all black musical The Wiz (1978) where she played Glinda the Good Witch. Although that was her last big-screen appearance, she stayed busy in television appearing in A Century of Women (1994) and That's Entertainment! III (1994).
Had it not been for the prevailing racial attitudes during the time when Lena was just starting her career, it's fair to say that it would have been much bigger and come much sooner. Even taking those factors into account, Lena Horne is still one of the most respected, talented and beautiful performers of all time.- Actress
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Thandiwe Newton was born in London. She is the daughter of Zimbabwean mother Nyasha, a health-care worker from the Shona tribe, and British father Nick Newton, who worked as a lab technician. She lived in Zambia until political unrest caused her family to move back to the UK, where she lived in Cornwall (in southwest Britain) until she was 11 and enrolled in London's Art Educational School to study modern dance until a back injury forced her to quit dancing. This led to her auditioning for films. Her first role was in John Duigan's Flirting (1991). She then moved to Los Angeles, California to pursue acting. When her British accent limited the amount of work she was getting, she returned to Britain, studied at Cambridge University, and earned a degree in anthropology. Between semesters she continued acting and became noticed in in- demand for future film roles.- Actress
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Gabrielle Union was born on October 29, 1972, in Omaha, Nebraska, to Theresa (Glass), who managed a phone company, and Sylvester E. Union, a military sergeant and business executive. When she was eight, her family moved to Pleasanton, California, where she grew up and attended high school. There, Union was an all-star point guard and a year-round athlete participating in soccer, basketball, and track. She graduated from Foothill High School (Class of 1991).
After high school, Gabrielle attended college at University of Nebraska, where she played on the soccer team; and then later transferred to Cuesta College. Eventually, she ended up at UCLA. On her way to law school, just planning on being a working stiff, things started to happen during her senior year. Gabrielle had a college internship at a L.A. modeling agency, she thought it would be an easy way to pick up some extra credits. Little did she know that clients were eyeing the help. Upon the completion of the internship, she was asked to become a client with the agency. Gabby thought of it as a great way to pay off a stack of college loans, and modeled until her agent found that she could actually act. Her first audition/job was landed without any headshots, on Saved by the Bell (1989). Since then, she has gone on to have many small but substantial film roles and has guest-starred on several hit TV shows, all before landing the role of "Dr. Courtney Ellis", on CBS' short-lived medical drama City of Angels (2000).
Although she plays parts that are opinionated and strong, Gabrielle believes that, "Hollywood needs to recognize all shades of African-American beauty." Gabrielle is a 1996 graduate of UCLA with honors in sociology.- Actress
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Kerry Washington is an African-American actress, television show producer and film director who is known for her roles in Scandal, Ray, the Tim Story Fantastic Four film series, Mr. and Mrs. Smith, Confirmation, Django Unchained, Little Fires Everywhere, Cars 3 and The Last King of Scotland. She had two children from Nnamdi Asomugha.- Actress
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Salli Richardson-Whitfield is a 30-year industry veteran. She has been featured in 20+ major motion pictures and has starred opposite a number of Hollywood's top actors, including Samuel L. Jackson in 'The Great White Hype', Denzel Washington in 'Antwone Fisher', and Will Smith in 'I Am Legend'. On television, Salli starred in the long-running SYFY network hit series 'Eureka' as well as three seasons of 'Stitchers' on Freeform. Her acting resume includes dozens of popular series, highlighted by 'Criminal Minds', 'Bones', 'House MD', 'NYPD Blue', 'Castle', 'Being Mary Jane', and 'CSI: Miami'.
Changing gears to a role behind the camera, Salli has established herself as a director and producer. Ava DuVernay was one of the first to recognize Salli's skill as director, offering Salli two back-to-back episodes of the first season of 'Queen Sugar'. Her now incredibly extensive directing resume includes Amazon's 'Wheel of Time', Hulu's 'Reprisal', Apple's 'See', Netflix's 'Dear White People', 'Luke Cage', 'The Punisher', and 'Altered Carbon', Starz' 'American Gods' and 'Survivor's Remorse', Showtime's 'The Chi', ABC's 'Scandal' and 'Black-ish', Fox's 'Lethal Weapon', Freeform's 'Shadowhunters', BET's 'Rebel', SYFY'S 'The Magicians', 'Eureka', 'Black Lightening', and The CW's 'All American'.
Salli's work is award-nominated for a NAACP Award for Outstanding Directing In A Drama Series for 'Luke Cage', for a Hugo Award nomination for her work on 'Wheel of Time', and for a Black Reel Award for directing 'Black-ish'. She won the AAFCA Best TV Directing Award for her work on HBO's 'The Gilded Age'. Most recently, she won two The Gracies' 2024 awards for Director - Drama ('Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty') and Producer - Entertainment ('The Gilded Age').
Salli's successful run as a director and producer was punctuated by the announcement of her first Overall Deal with HBO for whom she Directed and Executive Produced Julian Fellowes' period drama series 'The Gilded Age' and also directed the final two episodes of the first season of Adam McKay's critically acclaimed series 'Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty'. Salli has since renewed her relationship with HBO and HBO Max with a long-term Overall Deal. Since then, she has served as Executive Producer on season two of 'Winning Time' and season two of 'The Gilded Age', to much success. She is an Executive Producer and Director on HBO's Brad Ingelsby Task Force Limited Series starring Mark Ruffalo.- Actress
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Renee Goldsberry was born in San Jose, California, and raised in both Houston, Texas, and Detroit, Michigan. She graduated from Carnegie-Mellon University with a bachelors degree in acting, and went on to attend graduate school at the University of Southern California, where she received her masters in vocal jazz performance.
She has worked in numerous Broadway plays, including a production of Disney's "The Lion King" in 2003 (as "Nala"). She also appears in the daytime drama One Life to Live (1968) as the determined lawyer Evangeline Williamson.- Music Artist
- Actress
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Janet Damita Jo Jackson was born on May 16, 1966 in Gary, Indiana, to Katherine Jackson (née Katherine Esther Scruse) and Joe Jackson, a musician. She is the youngest of ten children. Before her birth, her brothers formed a band later called The Jackson 5. She lived at home with her sisters, while her brothers and father lived an extravagant life in Los Angeles. She later moved in with them while her brothers were making a name for themselves, and signed a deal with Motown. Janet was in the shadow but later also made a name for herself.
As she was touring, and making appearances with her brothers, and the rest of the family, she co-starred with the rest of them in "The Jacksons". In 1977, she got the part of Penny Gordon on "Good Times". That showed her acting abilities early on. She also made a few memorable appearances on the hit TV show "Diff'rent Strokes" as Charlene Dupree. Soon afterwards came her role on "Fame".
She married boyfriend James Debarge, but they divorced just months later. She signed with A&M Records, and recorded her first solo album titled "Janet Jackson". The album did poorly on the music charts. Two years later she recorded "Dream Street" which turned out to be another disaster. A year later she signed on Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis to record a third album, this time called "Control". It was a hit, selling 5 million copies in the U.S. alone, spawning six hits, and the #1 "When I Think of You". Afterwards, she fired her father, her manager to truly gain control.
Janet was determined to make this happen again. She then recorded "Rhythm Nation 1814". This time it sold 9 million copies in the U.S. - a bigger hit than "Control"! She happened to fall in love with a dancer named René Elizondo, Jr. from one of her sister's, LaToya Jackson's music video and later secretly married him in March of 1991. The year before she got a star on the Hollywood walk of fame. Janet went to work on her fifth album simply called "Janet.". It was her biggest hit to date selling over 10 million copies in the U.S. alone and includes her biggest hit single to date, "That's The Way Love Goes". Two years later she released a Greatest Hits album "Design of a Decade" which included two new hits "Runaway", and "Twenty-Foreplay". Her sixth album "The Velvet Rope" clarified her pop culture status.
In the midst of the release of "Nutty Professor II", René Elizondo filed for divorce, which is when it emerged they had been secretly married. Janet recorded her seventh album "All For You". Another hit. She was honored by MTV as an MTV Icon. In 2003, Janet went to work on her next album "Damita Jo" - it was another hit.- "Daily Variety", many publications and critics called Judy Pace one of the most beautiful women to ever appear on screen. In the 1970s she was the personification of black beauty, but restricting her to just being a "black" beauty is a slap in the face because she's a beauty, period. Most importantly, however, she was a fine actress. She became a familiar face in the 1970s on the big and little screens, appearing in the most popular blaxploitation movies and popular television shows like Batman (1966), Bewitched (1964), The Flying Nun (1967), I Spy (1965), The Young Lawyers (1969), Mod Squad (1968), Brian's Song (1971), That's My Mama (1974), Sanford and Son (1972) and What's Happening!! (1976), among others. Her presence was always welcoming, warm, sexy but innocent. She was truly graceful and a vision of loveliness. But don't make the mistake of knowing her for just beauty. She was truly a grand actress. Her dark-brown complexion is always mentioned because she was the first dark-complected beauty on-screen. She proved to whites and blacks alike that beauty doesn't discriminate and a woman with dark skin can be a beauty, too.
Judy Pace was born and raised in Los Angeles, California. She came from a humble upbringing. After graduating from high school, she attended Los Angeles City College, where she majored in sociology. Always striking, she was taught modeling by her sister, then got an offer to join the prestigious Ebony Fashion Fair; she auditioned and became the youngest model for the show. Modeling was something new and adventurous for Judy. She went on to model in many leading publications that catered to both black and white audiences. Judy had no aspirations to be a movie or TV star until director William Castle saw her pictures in "Ebony" magazine and chose her for a part in his film, 13 Frightened Girls (1963). She received favorable reviews and showed great potential as an actress. She realized that she was meant to be an actress so she began taking acting classes and performing in L.A. theater. Small parts on television and films started coming her way, leading to bigger and better roles, such as Three in the Attic (1968), in which she played one of three femme fatales who band together to turn the tables on a white gigolo by loving him to death. This film was one of Hollywood's first interracial love/sex movies. Judy played her part so daringly, enticingly and erotically that you forgot her race and color and were hypnotized by her powerful aura.
Judy had nothing but success from then on. After losing out to Diahann Carroll for the lead role in Julia (1968) that seemed meant for her, Judy found TV success in the nighttime soap opera Peyton Place (1964). She played "Vickie Fletcher", television's first black female antagonist. Judy was excellent as the manipulative, lying, cheating, backstabber who ruins the life of everyone who crosses her path. When the series was canceled, others found it hard to find work but Judy didn't. She was given the lead in a made-for-TV movie called The Young Lawyers (1969). Judy played one of three young lawyers who took on cases dealing with the poor and oppressed. The film would later be turned into a weekly series, with Judy reprising her role.
The 1970s was the start of a new, exciting, experimental era that'll never be seen again. It was the era of black power and black beauty. Judy, more than anyone, exemplified that era of thinking. She was black and beautiful, truly. She was the "new" black woman--confident, strong, sweet, sexy, vivacious and beautiful. She was referred to as "The Black Babydoll" or "The Black Barbie" because she looked just like a perfect doll.
Judy became the ultimate favorite of the 1970s on the big and little screens. She was one of many gorgeous black leading ladies of blaxploitation films of the 1970s. Cotton Comes to Harlem (1970) was her big break and the film was the start of the blaxploitation era. It was about a black leader who plans to steal poor blacks' money with a bogus "back to Africa" movement, basically a remake of The Black King (1932). It was an all-star cast, with Godfrey Cambridge, Raymond St. Jacques, Redd Foxx, Cleavon Little and Calvin Lockhart, directed by the legendary Ossie Davis.
She never acted "black" or "white", she simply just acted and her portrayals were moving to anyone watching her; she made you become deeply involved in her roles. Even as a bad lady, she made you hate her but love her a little. Judy was a natural, versatile actress; she could play the sweet, innocent girl next door or an evil femme fatale. She could also play the "dumb" beauty and make it believable. She made you understand her and have a little heart for her. That's an actress! No one else of the screen of her time was so versatile; other black actresses were monotonous.
"Cotton Comes to Harlem" should have made Judy an iconic blaxploitation movie star, as it did the black male actors, but it didn't. Pam Grier was the only black female to enjoy major success in blaxploitation films. Perhaps Judy was too much of a lady for blaxploitation, though. There was no sign of stopping for her. Roles followed in movies and TV. She had guest appearances on such hit shows as Sanford and Son (1972), Good Times (1974), That's My Mama (1974) and What's Happening!! (1976), where she had significant parts and left a lasting impression on viewers. She always was the most popular TV guest star. Judy was in her 30s during the 1970s, which was her prime, but she still flaunted youthful beauty and zest.
Judy Pace went on to conquer the stage. She was in the well-acclaimed Las Vegas production of "Guys and Dolls" that had a successful run. It was a black version, in which she played "Adelaide". Judy's first marriage was to actor Don Mitchell, who had success on Ironside (1967). She had two children from that union and, later, she married baseball legend Curt Flood. Since Flood's death in 1997, Judy has been a major spokesperson for her husband's role in establishing free agency in professional sports. Judy is also the founder and supporter of the Kwanzaa Foundation with "Star Trek" legend, Nichelle Nichols. Judy's sister, singer Jean Pace, was married to music legend Oscar Brown Jr..
Throughout her career Judy broke the color line in TV and Hollywood. She was the first to do many things that helped future black actresses. Not many, as of yet, have filled her shoes. Judy appeared on many successful TV shows and had parts in movies where she was the only appealing presence. It's also historic to mention she was one of the first black bachelorettes on the legendary The Dating Game (1965).
Judy Pace is starting to get her well-deserved recognition with the help of loyal fans. She's been honored through the years also. People who are becoming fans are surprised at the fact that they hadn't known of her earlier. - Actress
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Vanessa Lynne Williams was born on March 18, 1963 in Tarrytown, Greenburgh, New York and raised in Millwood, New Castle, New York to Helen Williams & Milton Williams, both music teachers. Vanessa and her brother grew up in suburban New York in comfortable surroundings. Vanessa sang and danced in school productions and signed her high school yearbook with a promise to "see you on Broadway". After winning a performing scholarship to Syracuse University, she left school and tried to make it in New York show business. She began entering beauty contests in 1984, eventually winning Miss New York and then becoming the first African-American Miss America. During her reign, some nude girl-girl photos, taken while she was in New York, surfaced in Penthouse magazine. Although the photos were taken before her beauty contest victories, she was forced to resign her crown. Many predicted that her future in show business was over. She went on to land a recording contract and released several albums, including "The Comfort Zone" and "The Sweetest Days".
Vanessa made her film debut in 1986 in Under the Gun (1987) and appeared in the films The Pick-up Artist (1987), Another You (1991) and Harley Davidson and the Marlboro Man (1991). She starred opposite Arnold Schwarzenegger in Eraser (1996), opposite Laurence Fishburne and Andy Garcia in Hoodlum (1997) and the box office hit, Soul Food (1997). She also starred in Dance with Me (1998), Light It Up (1999), Shaft (2000), opposite Samuel L. Jackson and Johnson Family Vacation (2004). She starred recently in the independent features, My Brother (2006) and And Then Came Love (2007) (aka "Somebody Like You"). On television, Vanessa starred in such movies and mini-series as Stompin' at the Savoy (1992), The Kid Who Loved Christmas (1990), The Jacksons: An American Dream (1992), ABC's revival of Bye Bye Birdie (1995), Nothing Lasts Forever (1995), The Odyssey (1997), Don Quixote (2000) and Keep the Faith, Baby (2002), and she executive-produced and starred in Lifetime's The Courage to Love (2000) for Lifetime and the VH1 Original Movie, A Diva's Christmas Carol (2000).
Her albums "The Right Stuff", "The Comfort Zone and "The Sweetest Days" earned multiple Grammy nominations and have yielded the Academy Award-winning single "Colors of the Wind", from Disney's Pocahontas: The Musical Tradition Continues (1995). Her recordings also include two holiday albums, "Star Bright" and "Silver & Gold", "Vanessa Williams Greatest Hits: The First Ten Years" and "Everlasting Love", a romantic collection of love songs from the 1970's. In 1994, Vanessa took Broadway by storm when she replaced Chita Rivera in "Kiss of the Spider Woman", winning the hearts of critics and becoming a box-office sensation. She garnered rave reviews and was nominated for a Tony Award for the 2002 revival of "Into the Woods". She also headlined a limited special engagement of the classic, "Carmen Jones", at the Kennedy Center and starred in the Encore! Series staged concert production of "St. Louis Woman".
She stars in ABC's critically-acclaimed hit series, Ugly Betty (2006), for which she has won or been nominated for numerous individual and ensemble awards, including the Emmy, SAG Award, Golden Globe and NAACP Image Awards. Vanessa achieved a career pinnacle, with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for her accomplishments as a performer. Her charitable endeavors are many and varied, embracing and supporting such organizations as Special Olympics and many others.- Actress
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Vanity was a glamorous Canadian model and lead singer of the all-girl group "Vanity 6." She specialized in playing sultry female characters often in trouble with the law.
Vanity was born Denise Katherine Matthews in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada, the daughter of Helga Senyk and James Levia Matthews. She was of African and German descent. Vanity first appeared on screen in the biographical tale of writer Jack London titled Klondike Fever (1979), before venturing into more gritty territory such as the slasher film Terror Train (1980), the very odd chick flick Tanya's Island (1980), a B-grade martial arts film entitled The Last Dragon (1985) and the totally weird Never Too Young to Die (1986).
However, her best two performances were as the naive stripper assisting blackmail victim Roy Scheider in the under-rated thriller 52 Pick-Up (1986) and as a seductive, smart-talking nightclub singer teaming up with cop Carl Weathers to defeat murderous car tycoon Craig T. Nelson in the violent Action Jackson (1988).
Unfortunately, the remainder of Vanity's film work was of the "straight-to-video" variety and she only scored minor roles in several low-budget thrillers such as Neon City (1991) and Da Vinci's War (1993). In late 1995, Vanity turned her back on Hollywood and the entertainment industry, and dedicated her life to the Christian faith.
Vanity, who suffered from sclerosis encapsulating peritonitis, died on February 15, 2016 in Fremont, California.- Music Artist
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Talented. Beautiful. Modest. These three words described R&B singer-turned-actress Aaliyah perfectly.
Aaliyah Dana Haughton was born in Brooklyn, New York, to Diane (Hankerson) and Michael Haughton. Her uncle was music manager Barry Hankerson and her brother is director Rashad Haughton. Aaliyah was raised in Detroit. She got her first major exposure appearing on the syndicated television series Star Search (1983), where she awed the audience with her amazing voice and talent, singing "My Funny Valentine", a song which her mother had sung years earlier. At age 11, she sang with Gladys Knight in a five-night stint in Las Vegas. Withdrawing from the celebrity scene for a few years, Aaliyah lived the life of a normal teenage girl, attending Detroit's Performing Arts High School, where she majored in dance. It was around this same time that Aaliyah met singer/composer R. Kelly. Kelly assisted Aaliyah with the production of her debut album "Age Ain't Nothing But A number", which scored several number hits, specifically "Back and Forth." The album's title was a brief reference to her short-lived marriage to R. Kelly (she was 15 years of age at the time, and he was in his 20s). Thir marriage was annulled due to her status as a minor.
During her senior year, Aaliyah went on to record "One In A Million", which featured the songwriting talents of major R&B producers/writers Missy Elliott and Timbaland. The album was a major success and sealed Aaliyah's fame forever.
Aaliyah recorded the single 'Journey to the past' for the Anastasia (1997) soundtrack. After seeing her at an awards show and in the video for her hit song "Are You that Somebody?" (from the Eddie Murphy film Doctor Dolittle (1998)), film producer Joel Silver (producer of The Matrix (1999) and other major actor films) asked Aaliyah to audition for a role in an romance/action film, Romeo Must Die (2000). With her determination and sex appeal, Aaliyah won Silver over and was cast in her first major film role. Romeo Must Die (2000) was a hit at the box office. This film led to her being cast as one of the stars of the film based on Anne Rice's Queen of the Damned (2002), and in the two sequels to the major box office hit, The Matrix (1999), The Matrix Reloaded (2003) and The Matrix Revolutions (2003).
During the busy schedule of her film career, Aaliyah took time to record her third album, the self-titled "Aaliyah". July 2001 was a busy time for Aaliyah. After the success of her song "Try Again", for which she was nominated for a Grammy Award and won several MTV Video Awards, Aaliyah finally released her "Aaliyah" album. Debuting at number two on the Billboard charts, "Aaliyah" was a sales success, despite some lackluster reviews.
In August 2001, Aaliyah took time off from her busy album promotional tour to fly to the Bahamas to film a video for the song "Rock the Boat". The video, filmed on Abaco Island, was directed by Hype Williams, a major music video director known for his style and wit.
On August 25, 2001, after filming the video, Aaliyah and about 9-11 of her entourage took off from Marsh Harbour airport at 6:50pm EDT in a small Cessna 404 en route to Opa-Locka, Florida. A few minutes after take-off, the plane crashed about 200 feet from the runaway, killing Aaliyah and many others instantly. Four passengers were pulled alive from the wreckage, and one later died at a hospital in Nassau. Aaliyah was only 22 years old. Her funeral was held on Friday August 31st in New York, and 22 white doves were flown to celebrate each year of her life. Soon after her death, the hit singles 'More Than a woman' and 'Rock The Boat' were released, from her third album. In 2002, the film Queen of the Damned (2002) was released, in which Aaliyah played Queen Akasha. She was nominated for best Villain at the MTV Movie Awards 2002.
Aaliyah's short-lived, but brilliant career, was a true success story for a young African-American woman who went against all odds to be herself in an industry where originality is scarce. Truly missed by her family, friends, and fans, her music and film contributions will live forever. It's no wonder that her name means 'Highest, most ex-halted one; the best' in Hebrew. She had achieved so much in her twenty-two years.- Actress
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Lela Rochon was born on 17 April 1964 in Los Angeles, California, USA. She is an actress and producer, known for Waiting to Exhale (1995), Any Given Sunday (1999) and Gang Related (1997). She has been married to Antoine Fuqua since 9 April 1999. They have two children. She was previously married to Adolfo Quinones.- Stacey Dash was born in the Bronx, New York. Stacy knew that she wanted to act, and from an early age began to act professionally. She made regular appearances on The Cosby Show (1984), The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (1990), and also St. Elsewhere (1982). At 21 she made her feature film debut in Enemy Territory (1987), which was quickly followed by Moving (1988), in which she played Richard Pryor's teenage daughter. Four years later she was in Mo' Money (1992), with Damon Wayans. In 1994 she starred with Mark Wahlberg in Renaissance Man (1994). In 1995 she did the provocative erotic thriller Illegal in Blue (1995) and later that year got her big break when was cast as Dionne in the hit comedy Clueless (1995). She went on to star in the UPN sitcom Clueless (1996) that was based on the movie, and which lasted for two years. During that time she completed Oliver Stone's Cold Around the Heart (1997) and also the independent film Personals (1999). After leaving "Clueless" in 1999, Stacey seems to be moving along nicely. She has recently appeared in The Painting (2001) and Paper Soldiers (2002).
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Vivica A. Fox was born in South Bend, Indiana, on July 30, 1964, and is the daughter of Everlyena, a pharmaceutical technician, and William Fox, a private school administrator. She is of Native American and African-American descent and is proud of her heritage. She is a graduate of Arlington High School in Indianapolis, Indiana, and, after graduating, moved to California to attend college. Vivica went to Golden West College and graduated with an Associate Art degree in Social Sciences. While in California, she started acting professionally, first on soap operas, such as Generations (1989), Days of Our Lives (1965) and The Young and the Restless (1973). In another early role, she played Patti LaBelle's fashion designer daughter, "Charisse Chamberlain", on the NBC-TV series, Out All Night (1992). Her first big break was in the film, Independence Day (1996), along with Will Smith, and also Set It Off (1996). She has earned critical acclaim for her portrayal of "Maxine" in the 1997 motion picture, Soul Food (1997), which netted her MTV Movie Award and NAACP Image Award nominations. In 2000, she was casted in the medical drama, City of Angels (2000), as "Dr. Lillian Price". She has had roles in many other movies ever since, such as: Teaching Mrs. Tingle (1999), Two Can Play That Game (2001) and Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003). In 2004, Fox was in an episode of Punk'd (2003), where her pregnant friend pretended to go into labor, but they became angry when a paramedic appeared to care more about taking pictures than delivering the baby. Vivica also took another television role, from 2004 to 2006, as she starred in the drama series, 1-800-Missing (2003), on the Lifetime Television Network. In 2007, she was a contender on Dancing with the Stars (2005) and stayed until she was voted off in the fourth week. In 1998, Vivica A. Fox married singer Christopher Harvest (aka Sixx-Nine), whom she later divorced in June 2002. She also dated rapper 50 Cent, however this was a brief relationship.- Actress
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Rochelle Aytes was born in New York City. She attended LaGuardia High School and graduated with a Bachelor's of Fine Arts degree in Dance from SUNY Purchase College Conservatory for Dance in 1998. She is best-known for her role in White Chicks (2004) as Denise Porter; her role in Left 4 Dead 2 (2009) as a news producer; and more recently in the TV series The Forgotten (2009) as Detective Grace Russell, who teams up with a volunteer group, including a former Chicago police detective played by Christian Slater, to solve cases of missing or unidentified homicide victims. Rochelle also played Lisa Breaux in Tyler Perry's Madea's Family Reunion (2006), in which she plays a woman who is caught in a relationship because of which which her fiancé (Blair Underwood) beats and threatens her.
In 2006, She played Nicole Jamieson in the pilot episode of Tyler Perry's House of Payne (2006). In 2007 she guest-starred in the hit Fox series Bones (2005) as Felicia Saroyan, the sister of lab supervisor Cam. She also played Leigh Barnthouse in the Fox series Drive (2007). In 2009 she played Tara Kole in the CBS TV show NCIS (2003) and had a role in the independent film Trick 'r Treat (2007). In 2010 she played Eva in the hit TNT series Dark Blue (2009). In 2011 she had a recurring role in the ABC series Detroit 1-8-7 (2010) as prosecutor Alice Williams, until her character was murdered in the 1-11-2011 episode "Key to the City." She also plays the part of Amber James, the former girlfriend of Keith Watson, on ABC's Desperate Housewives (2004).
She is represented by Ryan Daly of Zero Gravity Management.- Music Artist
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- Music Department
Beyoncé Giselle Knowles was born on September 4, 1981 in Houston, Texas. Her mom, Tina Knowles designs their glittering costumes & her dad, Mathew Knowles manages Destiny's Child. Solange, her sister (they're 4 years apart) has released her debut album. She dances with her big sister during DC-3 concerts. Beyoncé's of Louisiana Creole & African descent.
She and her group were discovered by Whitney Houston. One of her favorite songs is "Lovefool" by The Cardigans. Her favorite item of clothing is a pair of path work metallic boots. She writes & produces many of the group's songs, including smash hits "Jumpin Jumpin", "Bootylicious", "Nasty Girl", "Independent Women", "Happy Face" and "Apple Pie a la mode".- Actress
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Zoe Saldana was born on June 19, 1978 in Passaic, New Jersey, to Asalia Nazario and Aridio Saldaña. Her father was Dominican and her mother is Puerto Rican. She was raised in Queens, New York. When she was 10 years old, she and her family moved to the Dominican Republic, where they would live for the next seven years. While living there, Zoe discovered a keen interest in performance dance and began her training at the prestigious ECOS Espacio de Danza Dance Academy where she learned ballet as well as other dance forms. Not only did her training provide an excellent outlet for the enthusiastic and energetic youngster, it would also prove to be a fortunate precursor for the start of her professional acting career. At age 17, Zoe and her family moved back to the United States where her love for dance followed and an interest in theater performance became stronger.
She began performing with the Faces theater troupe which put on plays geared to provide positive messages for teens with themes dealing with issues such as substance abuse and sex. These performances not only gave her valuable experience but also a source of great pride knowing that she was making a difference in the lives of young people like herself. While performing with the Faces troupe and also the New York Youth Theater, Zoe was recruited for a talent agency and her dance training years before coupled with her acting experience greatly helped her land her first big screen role as Eva Rodriguez, the talented and headstrong ballet dancer in the film Center Stage (2000). Since her professional career began several years ago, Zoe's talent and determination have allowed her to be involved in blockbuster films and act with major actors, actresses and industry insiders at a pace that very few young professionals have experienced.
Zoe has not only held her own in major motion picture productions but gained the respect and praise from industry insiders such as Jerry Bruckheimer and Steven Spielberg and actors/actresses such as Tom Hanks, Bernie Mac, Keira Knightley, Ashton Kutcher, Kirsten Dunst and Orlando Bloom. According to many of her co-stars, producers and directors, the sky is no limit for this young star who has incredible range, intense concentration, and a steely determination to be involved with projects that challenge her professionally with wide-ranging subject matters and characters. Just to ask practically anyone who she has worked for or with about her, glowing comments abound and earned friendships and respect are readily revealed. A star has been born, and growing every day.- Actress
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Named one of People Magazine's highly coveted 50 Most Beautiful in 2014, Haitian-born actress Garcelle Beauvais immigrated to the United States at the age of seven with her mother and sisters, and has since charmed audiences with her dramatic and comedic abilities. A seasoned actress, Garcelle Beauvais starred in the indie film, "A Girl Like Grace," from executive producer Dan Garcia.
Garcelle was also seen as the host of "Window Warriors," a store front skill-based design reality series on GSN. Her latest film role includes starring alongside Michael Keaton in "Spider-Man: Homecoming."
In addition to all of the above, Garcelle served as host on Fox's daytime talk-show, Hollywood Today Live, where she breaks down the latest in entertainment, pop culture, and celebrity news. Above all, Garcelle's most important job is being a mother. She has been inspired by motherhood to write a children's book series entitled 'I AM,' addressing identity issues relevant to many children today.
Garcelle got her start when she began modeling at the age of seventeen and easily transitioned to acting in the Aaron Spelling series "Models, Inc." After that, she co-starred opposite Jamie Foxx for five years on the popular WB sitcom "The Jamie Foxx Show." For four seasons she also starred on the highly rated Emmy© Award-winning series "NYPD Blue." In between her acting projects, she also co-hosts for shows like E!'s "Fashion Police" and "Access Hollywood Live" on NBC.
Garcelle supports the Step Up Women's Network, a national non-profit that empowers women and girls to be strong and reach their full potential. She is also active with March of Dimes and Fonkoze. She resides in Los Angeles and has three sons, Oliver, Jax and Jaid.- Actress
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Captivating, gifted, and sensational, Angela Bassett's presence has been felt in theaters and on stages and television screens throughout the world. Angela Evelyn Bassett was born on August 16, 1958 in New York City, to Betty Jane (Gilbert), a social worker, and Daniel Benjamin Bassett, a preacher's son. Bassett and her sister D'nette grew up in St. Petersburg, Florida with their mother. As a single mother, Betty stressed the importance of education for her children. With the assistance of an academic scholarship, Bassett matriculated into Yale University. In 1980, she received her B.A. in African-American studies from Yale University. In 1983, she earned a Master of Fine Arts Degree from the Yale School of Drama. It was at Yale that Bassett met her husband, Courtney B. Vance, a 1986 graduate of the Drama School.
Bassett first appeared in small roles on The Cosby Show (1984) and Spenser: For Hire (1985), but it was not until 1990 that a spate of television roles brought her notice. Her breakthrough role, though, was playing Tina Turner, whom she had never seen perform before taking the role, in What's Love Got to Do with It (1993). Bassett's performance earned her an Academy Award nomination and a Golded Globe Award for Best Actress.- Music Artist
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Alicia Keys was born in Hell's Kitchen, Manhattan, to Terria Joseph (née Teresa M. Augello), a paralegal who was also an occasional actress, and Craig Cook, a flight attendant. Her father is African-American and her mother, who is Caucasian, is of Italian and English/Irish/Scottish ancestry. Alicia began taking piano lessons at age 7 at her mother's insistence. She proved to be such a prodigy that she was later accepted into the prestigious Professional Performance Arts School of Manhattan, where she majored in choir. Not only her musical talent but also her grades proved to be so exceptional that she was allowed to graduate, as valedictorian, at age 16. In 1998, she signed with Arista Records, and wrote, produced, and recorded her own albums. In 1999, she left Arista to join J Records, headed by legendary music impresario Clive Davis, and her success has been meteoric. Her 2001 debut album, "Songs in A Minor," sold 6 million copies and garnered five Grammys. Her album "Diary" won her four more Grammys in 2005.- Actress
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Paula Patton was born in Los Angeles, California, to Joyce (Vanraden) and Charles Patton. Her father is African-American and her mother, who is caucasian, has German, English, and Dutch ancestry. Her family lived across the street from the 20th Century Fox lot when she was growing up and she was a fan of films from her earliest years. Her mother, who also appreciated good films, was a schoolteacher, and her father was a lawyer. Paula claims that as a girl she would escape by "pretending to be someone else" so it was not a surprise that she acted in high school plays at Hamilton Magnet Arts High School. Her favorite role was that of "Abigail" in "The Crucible". However, she went on to study film at the University of Southern California in a summer program, and won a 3-month assignment making documentaries for PBS. This led to her working as a production assistant for TV documentaries, and also for Howie Mandel's talk show. She progressed to actually producing documentary segments for Medical Diaries (2000) airing on Discovery Health Channel. Paula now professes that she liked what she was doing, but her dream remained the same as when she was small so she took acting lessons and shifted gears to become a performer. She was almost immediately successful and, within three years, had played parts in major features, Hitch (2005) and Idlewild (2006) and the female lead in Deja Vu (2006) opposite Denzel Washington.- Freema Agyeman is a British actress who is known for playing Martha Jones in the BBC science fiction series Doctor Who (2007-2010), Alesha Phillips in crime procedural drama Law & Order: UK (2009-2011), Amanita Caplan in the Netflix science fiction drama Sense8 (2015-2018), and Dr. Helen Sharpe in the NBC medical procedural series New Amsterdam (2018-2022).
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Kenya Moore was born on 24 January 1971 in Detroit, Michigan, USA. She is an actress and producer, known for I Know Who Killed Me (2007), Dolls of Voodoo (2013) and Life Twirls On (2015). She was previously married to Marc Daly.- Actress
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Sanaa Lathan is an actor, director, producer, and activist, well-known for starring in such hit films as LOVE & BASKETBALL, THE BEST MAN and BEST MAN HOLIDAY, BROWN SUGAR, ALIEN VS. PREDATOR, and NAPPILY EVER AFTER.
She recently made her feature directorial debut for Paramount Pictures' ON THE COME UP, based on the New York Times best-selling novel of the same name. Premiering at the Toronto film festival to stellar reviews. Currently streaming on Paramount Plus.
Coming soon: MACRO Films' YOUNG WILD AND FREE which premiered at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival.
She is currently starring in the 3rd season of the Emmy Award-winning HBO series Succession. For which she was nominated for an Emmy award.
Lathan can be seen starring in REPLAY, an episode of the Jordan Peele's remake of The Twilight Zoneon CBS All Access. She also stars in Showtime's The Affair and Fox's Shots Fired created by Gina Prince- Bythewood, and Rashid Johnson's Native Son on HBO.
Lathan is the voice of 'Donna Tubbs' on Fox's animated series Family Guy and The Cleveland Show, as well as the voice of 'Catwoman' in the DC animated series Harley Quinn.
On stage, Lathan was nominated for a Tony Award for her performance on Broadway in A RAISIN IN THE SUN and starred as 'Maggie the Cat' opposite James Earl Jones in the Olivier award winning revival of CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF at the Novello Theatre in London's West end.
Lathan made her directorial debut with the short film LEAP for Maven Pictures, which she shot during lock down, about a Zoom therapist who suffers from OCD and panic disorder. It premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival.
She also stars in Peacock's MAN: FINAL CHAPTERS limited series with the original cast for which she was nominated for an image award.
Later this year she will be starring in the Fox Searchlight film: SUPREMES AT EARL'S ALL YOU CAN EAT based on the book of the same name.
Her lengthy list of credits also includes Steven Soderbergh's CONTAGION, NOW YOU SEE ME 2, AMERICAN ASSASSIN and Focus feature's SOMETHING NEW.- Actress
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Stunning pop culture icon, Hollywood leading lady and three-time NAACP award winner Nia Long returns to the big screen this fall in the highly anticipated Universal Pictures sequel The Best Man Holiday (in theaters November 15th) where she reunites with original castmates Taye Diggs ("Private Practice"), Terrence Howard (Hustle & flow), Morris Chestnut (The brothers) and Harold Perrineau ("Lost"). Additionally in Spring 2014, Long will star in Tyler Perry's Single mom's club alongside Wendi McLendon- Covey (Bridesmaids), Tyler Perry (Madea) and Amy Smart (Crank).
Early this year, Long joined the all-star cast of Showtime's "House of Lies" alongside Golden Globe Award winner Don Cheadle & Kristen Bell as "Tamara," a business school classmate and former flame of Marty's (Don Cheadle) who has been hired by the same consulting firm Galweather Stearn after taking time off to raise a family.
Long made her film debut in the poignant film portraying the social problems in inner-city Los Angeles, Boyz n the hood , and continued on to star in Friday, alongside Ice Cube and Chris Tucker, as well as Love Jones, which won the prestigious Audience Award at Sundance. Other notable film roles include Soul Food, Alfie opposite Jude Law, The Best man, Are We There Yet?, Big Momma's House 1 & 2 opposite Martin Lawrence, Stigmata, the Broken Hearts Club and Made in America.
On the small screen, Long's portrayal of "Officer Sasha Monroe" on NBC's hit crime drama "Third Watch" awarded her two NAACP Image Awards for Outstanding Actress in a Drama series. Long's other TV accomplishments include "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air," "Boston Legal," "Judging Amy," and "Big Shots." Long also voiced "Roberta" in the first season of the Fox hit "the Cleveland Show."
Making her directorial debut on Ashanti's music video "Baby" and Yolanda Adam's "This Too Shall Pass," Nia continues her work behind the camera and is developing a feature film that centers on renowned world champion boxer and trainer Ann Wolfe.
In addition to her film and TV work, Long's passion lies in serving her community. With her family roots planted in Trinidad, Grenada, and Barbados, Long's long term goals are to connect women in the US to those of the islands and to mentor young girls to regain their self-esteem. Additionally, Long lends her support to Black Girls Rock, an organization that promotes the arts for young women of color and encourages dialogue on the ways women of color are portrayed in the media. In 2012 she was named an official surrogate to the Barack Obama reelection campaign.
Nia was born in Brooklyn, to Talita (Gillman), a teacher and printmaker, and Doughtry Long, a high school teacher and poet. She now calls Los Angeles home where she lives with her 12 year old son, Massai, 14 month old son, Kez and partner Ime Udoka, an Assistant Coach for the San Antonio Spurs. Long loves to cook organic farmers market fresh meals adding a twist of her Trinidadian heritage. When she's not juggling between her career and motherhood, she enjoys staying active by doing pilates, boxing, hiking, and horseback riding. Long also finds pleasure in traveling and experiencing different cultures throughout the world. One of her favorite locations to visit is Jamaica, a place she calls her second home where she can reflect and refuel.- Actress
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Joy Bryant was born in a modest home in The Bronx, New York and as a young woman, was enrolled in an inner-city outreach organization called "A Better Chance," designed to encourage minority talent. Joy was also blessed with brains as well beauty and remained an excellent student throughout her high school years. As a result, she was awarded a full academic scholarship to Yale University.
While enrolled as a full-time student at Yale, Joy was discovered by a modeling scout from Next Models Management and subsequently pursued a career as a fashion model in Paris. Her slender yet classic beauty got her an exclusive contract with prestigious brand names such as Tommy Hilfiger and the Victoria's Secret lingerie catalogue.
Joy's acting debut came about in 2001 in Robert Townsend's Carmen: A Hip Hopera (2001). An MTV production, the film also starred Beyoncé and Mekhi Phifer, along with several hip-hop superstars. After a small role in the Eddie Murphy action comedy Showtime (2002), she made her big breakthrough in Denzel Washington's directorial debut, Antwone Fisher. Bryant played Cheryl, the beautiful and supportive girlfriend of Antwone (Derek Luke). In 2003, she co-starred with Jessica Alba in Bille Woodruff's romantic drama Honey (2003). That same year, she appeared in Mario Van Peebles' _Baadasssss! (2003)_, based on his father Melvin Van Peebles' autobiographical novel. Projects for 2004 included the crime drama Three Way (2004) with Gina Gershon.
The year 2005 turned out to be an even better year for the actress. Joy appeared in high-profile films such as The Skeleton Key (2005), London (2005), and Get Rich or Die Tryin' (2005). Her performances as the sassy Mallory in London (2005) and the strikingly pretty Charlene in Get Rich or Die Tryin' (2005) were critically acclaimed, and re-enforced her reputation as a versatile actress.- Actress
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This stunning and resourceful actress has been primarily a film player thus far. Only recently has she been opening herself up more to doing television (the series Gemini Division (2008), which she executive-produced), and animated voice-overs. Dawson's powerhouse talent stands out the most in edgy, urban filming that dates back to 1995 when she was only sixteen.
A rags-to-riches article entitled "Rosario Dawson: From Tenement to Tinseltown" probably says it all. Rosario was born on May 9, 1979 in New York City. Her mother, Isabel Celeste, of Puerto Rican and Afro-Cuban descent, is a singer, and her stepfather, who raised her, Greg Dawson, of Irish descent, is a construction laborer. Her parents, who married when both were teenagers, eventually divorced. Rosario and her younger brother, Clay Dawson, had it hard while growing up, and were cared for by family members, most of whom were poverty-stricken, and some of whom were HIV-positive.
Her career actually started as a child when she made a minor showing on the children's show, Sesame Street (1969). As the story goes, she was "discovered" as an adolescent on her front porch step by two photographers. One of them, Harmony Korine, was an aspiring screenwriter who thought the inexperienced sixteen-year-old was ideal for the controversial cult film Kids (1995), in which she would portray a sexually active adolescent. It took time for Rosario's film career to kick in after that, but by the late 1990s, she had nabbed several independent films. Since then, she has moved into main-stream hits (and misses) and has surprised viewers with her earthy, provocative, uninhibited approach to her roles.
Reflecting New York's tougher, tawdrier side as assorted streetwalkers, homeless mothers, drug addicts, etc., her film highlights have included Light It Up (1999), Edward Burns' Sidewalks of New York (2001), Spike Lee's 25th Hour (2002) and Shattered Glass (2003). For Oliver Stone, she portrayed the duped bride of Colin Farrell's famed B.C. Macedonian warrior, Alexander (2004) (as in "...the Great"), which featured a notoriously violent-tinged nude/sex scene.
Expanding her horizons beyond film, she has always expressed interest in singing. She hooked up with Prince for the re-release of his 1980s hit "1999" and appeared in The Chemical Brothers' video for the song "Out of Control" from the album "Surrender". She is also featured on the Outkast track, "She Lives in My Lap". On stage, she co-starred as Julia in a revival of "Two Gentlemen of Verona" at the Public Theater's "Shakespeare in the Park" and appeared in "The Vagina Monologues".
She lucked into and got to show off her singing chops in the film adaptation of the hit New York musical Rent (2005), when Daphne Rubin-Vega, the original Mimi, became pregnant and was unable to reprise her exotic dancer role. Rosario also appeared as a prostitute in the adaptation of the graphic novel Sin City (2005). Of late, she has turned to producing. One of those, Descent (2007), had her playing a college coed who is brutally attacked and raped by a fellow student. Her more popular ventures have thus far included the role of Valerie Brown in the live-action version of the comic strip Josie and the Pussycats (2001), the Will Smith starrer Men in Black II (2002), Eagle Eye (2008) with Shia LaBeouf and Seven Pounds (2008), again with Smith, in which she offered one of her more tender-hearted performances as a woman with a potentially fatal heart condition.
More recent millennium films opposite some of Hollywood's top leading movie men include the tense actioneer Unstoppable (2010) with Denzel Washington and Chris Pine; the comedy/fantasy Zookeeper (2011) opposite Dalekmania (1995); romantic dramedy 10 Years (2011) with Channing Tatum; crime drama Fire with Fire (2012) with Bruce Willis; romantic comedy Top Five (2014) with Chris Rock; and action adventure Zombieland: Double Tap (2019) with Woody Harrelson. She has also top-lined independent films with her own feisty characters such as the thriller Unforgettable (2017) and the title role in the dramedy Krystal (2017).
Focusing also on TV projects, Rosario has graced such action series/mini-series as Daredevil (2015), Iron Fist (2017) and The Defenders (2017), as well as the comedy Jane the Virgin (2014) and animated cartoon series The Last Kids on Earth (2019).
Off-camera, the still-single Dawson is highly active in political, social and environmental causes and has been involved with such organizations/charities/campaigns as the Lower East Side Girls Club, Global Cool, the O.N.E. Campaign, Oxfam, Amnesty International, Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays, Control Arms, International Rescue Committee, Voto Latino (which she founded), Conservation International, Doctors Without Borders, National Geographic Society, The Nature Conservancy and Save the Children. In October 2008, she lent her voice to the RESPECT! Campaign, a movement aimed at preventing domestic violence.- Actress
- Soundtrack
One of television's premier African-American series stars, elegant actress, singer and recording artist Diahann Carroll was born Carol Diann (or Diahann) Johnson on July 17, 1935, in the Bronx, New York. The first child of John Johnson, a subway conductor, and Mabel Faulk Johnson, a nurse; music was an important part of her life as a child, singing at age six with her Harlem church choir. While taking voice and piano lessons, she contemplated an operatic career after becoming the 10-year-old recipient of a Metropolitan Opera scholarship for studies at New York's High School of Music and Art. As a teenager she sought modeling work but it was her voice, in addition to her beauty, that provided the magic and the allure.
When she was 16, she teamed up with a girlfriend from school and auditioned for Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts show using the more exotic sounding name of Diahann Carroll. She alone was invited to appear and won the contest. She subsequently performed on the daily radio show for three weeks. In her late teens, she began focusing on a nightclub career and it was here that she began formulating a chic, glamorous image. Another TV talent show appearance earned her a week's engagement at the Latin Quarter.
Broadway roles for black singers were rare but at age nineteen, Diahann was cast in the Harold Arlen/Truman Capote musical "House of Flowers". Starring the indomitable Pearl Bailey, Diahann held her own quite nicely in the ingénue role. While the show itself was poorly received, the score was heralded and Diahann managed to introduce two song standards, "A Sleepin' Bee" and "I Never Has Seen Snow", both later recorded by Barbra Streisand.
In 1954 she and Ms. Bailey supported a riveting Dorothy Dandridge as femme fatale Carmen Jones (1954) in an all-black, updated movie version of the Georges Bizet opera "Carmen." Diahann later supported Ms. Dandridge again in Otto Preminger's cinematic retelling of Porgy and Bess (1959). During this time she also grew into a singing personality on TV while visiting such late-nite hosts as Jack Paar and Steve Allen and performing.
Unable to break through into the top ranks in film (she appeared in a secondary role once again in Paris Blues (1961), a Paul Newman/Joanne Woodward vehicle), Diahann returned to Broadway. She was rewarded with a Tony Award for her exceptional performance as a fashion model in the 1962 musical "No Strings," a bold, interracial love story that co-starred Richard Kiley. Richard Rodgers, whose first musical this was after the death of partner Oscar Hammerstein, wrote the part specifically for Diahann, which included her lovely rendition of the song standard "The Sweetest Sounds." By this time she had already begun to record albums ("Diahann Carroll Sings Harold Arlen" (1957), "Diahann Carroll and Andre Previn" (1960), "The Fabulous Diahann Carroll" (1962). Nightclub entertaining filled up a bulk of her time during the early-to-mid 1960s, along with TV guest appearances on Carol Burnett, Judy Garland, Andy Williams, Dean Martin and Danny Kaye's musical variety shows.
Little did Diahann know that in the late 1960s she would break a major ethnic barrier on the small screen. Though it was nearly impossible to suppress the natural glamour and sophistication of Diahann, she touchingly portrayed an ordinary nurse and widow struggling to raise a small son in the series Julia (1968). Despite other Black American actresses starring in a TV series (i.e., Hattie McDaniel in "Beulah"), Diahann became the first full-fledged African-American female "star" -- top billed, in which the show centered around her lead character. The show gradually rose in ratings and Diahann won a Golden Globe award for "Best Newcomer" and an Emmy nomination. The show lasted only two seasons, at her request.
A renewed interest in film led Diahann to the dressed-down title role of Claudine (1974), as a Harlem woman raising six children on her own. She was nominated for an Oscar in 1975, but her acting career would become more and more erratic after this period. She did return, however, to the stage with productions of "Same Time, Next Year" and "Agnes of God". While much ado was made about her return to series work as a fashionplate nemesis to Joan Collins' ultra-vixen character on the glitzy primetime soap Dynasty (1981), it became much about nothing as the juicy pairing failed to ignite. Diahann's character was also a part of the short-lived "Dynasty" spin-off The Colbys (1985).
Throughout the late 1980s and early 90s she toured with her fourth husband, singer Vic Damone, with occasional acting appearances to fill in the gaps. Some of her finest work came with TV-movies, notably her century-old Sadie Delany in Having Our Say: The Delany Sisters' First 100 Years (1999) and as troubled singer Natalie Cole's mother in Livin' for Love: The Natalie Cole Story (2000). She also portrayed silent screen diva Norma Desmond in the musical version of "Sunset Blvd." and toured America performing classic Broadway standards in the concert show "Almost Like Being in Love: The Lerner and Loewe Songbook." She then had recurring roles on Grey's Anatomy (2005) and White Collar (2009).
Diahann Carroll died on October 4, 2019, in Los Angeles, California.- Actress
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Teresa Graves started her career as a singer with The Doodletown Pipers. She later turned to acting, appearing regularly on Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In (1967) as the "Mod, Mod World" bikini girl in 1969 and 1970. She had supporting roles in several films during the 1970s, including Black Eye (1974), That Man Bolt (1973) and Old Dracula (1974), with David Niven. On Get Christie Love! (1974), which ran during the 1974-1975 season, she played the first black woman hired by a big-city police department. She left acting shortly afterward. She died tragically in a house fire in 2002, aged only 54.- Dawn earned her B.S. in Theatre Performance from Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville (SIU-E) and has been a proud Equity member since 1987. Early in her career she worked in St. Louis and Chicago markets where she earned her AFTRA, AEA, and SAG union cards. Dawn moved to Los Angeles in 1996 which began a seventeen-year television acting career which includes six pilots, three series regular gigs and over twenty-five guest star appearances. Her highlights include: a series regular on Viper, 413 Hope Street, Starhunter and Nobody -a recurring role on the Young and the Restless and notable guest star appearances including: Star Trek: Enterprise, Ally McBeal, Profiler, Beverly Hills 90210, Profiler, and True Blood. A few of her favorite guest stars include working with Damon Wayans on My Wife and Kids, Steve Harvey on the Steve Harvey Show, Wanda Sykes on Wanda at Large and Monique on The Parkers. Her film credits include: The Fugitive and Original Gangstas. On the professional stage, some of Dawn's favorite stage roles performed have been: Lady Macbeth in Macbeth, Kate in Taming of the Shrew, Olivia in Twelfth Night, Paulina A Winter's Tale, Goneril in King Lear and now Margaret of Anjou in a Shakespeare adaptation she co-wrote with Stephan Wolfert called She-Wolf.
Dawn is most proud of her role as COO of the 501-c3, De-Cruit, the only veteran created, interdisciplinary, strengths-based, scientifically validated theater-based program in the country that supports military veterans by treating traumatic stress and associated problems encountered by veterans as they navigate the transition from military life to civilian life. The treatment program is designed specifically to address the range of military, pre-military and post-military traumas that veterans need to work through in order to move forward with their lives. - Actress
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Pam Grier was born in Winston-Salem, NC, one of four children of Gwendolyn Sylvia (Samuels), a nurse, and Clarence Ransom Grier Jr., an Air Force mechanic. Pam has been a major African-American star from the early 1970s. Her career started in 1971, when Roger Corman of New World Pictures launched her with The Big Doll House (1971), about a women's penitentiary, and The Big Bird Cage (1972). Her strong role put her into a five-year contract with Samuel Z. Arkoff of American-International Pictures, and she became a leading lady in action films such as Jack Hill's Coffy (1973) and Foxy Brown (1974), the comic strip character Friday Foster (1975) and William Girdler's 'Sheba, Baby' (1975). She continued working with American-International, where she portrayed William Marshall's vampire victim in the Blacula (1972) sequel, Scream Blacula Scream (1973).
During the 1980s she became a regular on Miami Vice (1984) and played a supporting role as an evil witch in Ray Bradbury's and Walt Disney Pictures' Something Wicked This Way Comes (1983), then returned to action as Steven Seagal's partner in Above the Law (1988). Her most famous role of the 1990s was probably Jackie Brown (1997), directed by Quentin Tarantino, which was an homage to her earlier 1970s action roles, She occasionally did supporting roles, as in Tim Burton's Mars Attacks! (1996), In Too Deep (1999) and a funny performance in Jawbreaker (1999). She also appeared in John Carpenter's Ghosts of Mars (2001) and co-starred with Snoop Dogg in Bones (2001). Her entire career of over 30 years has brought only success for this beautiful and talented actress.
A sister of Grier's died from cancer in 1990 and the son of that sister committed suicide because of his mother's illness. Pam herself was diagnosed with cancer in 1988 and given 18 months to live, which has had an effect on how she has chosen to live. She has never been wed, although she has been romantically linked to Richard Pryor and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in the past.- Actress
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Meagan Monique Good was born on 8 August 1981 in Panorama City, California, USA, to Tyra Wardlow-Doyle, who worked as her manager, and Leondis "Leon" Good, an LAPD officer. She began appearing on commercials at the age of four. Then she started guest-starring on series like The Parent 'Hood (1995), Touched by an Angel (1994), Moesha (1996), The Steve Harvey Show (1996) and The Division (2001). She also starred in Raising Dad (2001) with Bob Saget.- Born Lawrence Vonetta McGee, she got her break in Melinda (1972) and Hammer (1972) and hit paydirt as the love interest of the vampire in Blacula (1972), then starred with her then-boyfriend Max Julien in Thomasine & Bushrod (1974). In 1978 she starred opposite Bernie Casey and Ron O'Neal in Brothers (1977). Other movies include Repo Man (1984) To Sleep with Anger (1990). She has also done much work on television. She was married to actor Carl Lumbly.
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Jazsmin Lewis was born on 22 March 1976 in Cleveland, Ohio, USA. She is an actress and producer, known for Barbershop (2002), Traci Townsend (2007) and My Sisters World. She has been married to Brian Kelly since 2005. They have one child. She was previously married to Jesse Saunders.- Actress
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Ella A Thomas was born to an Eritrean mother and a US Air Force Officer who was stationed in the country at the time. Her parents moved to Germany while Ella was still an infant yet continued to return to Asmara frequently to visit family until the civil war made it unsafe for them to travel. The family lived off base in small town called Kindsbach, where Ella was enrolled in a German school, learning to speak both German and French fluently while her mother continued to teach her Tigrinya and English at home. Kindsbach was where she first discovered her love for performing, partaking in local theater and school productions. It wasn't until she was a teenager that her mother made a decision to move the family to the United States. By this time her younger sister Angela had been born and her parents had divorced. They settled in Connecticut where Ella attended both High School and College earning a BA in Biology. While a junior in High School a local modeling scout discovered Ella. She spent the next two summers traveling to New York and Paris but waited until graduation to pursue her career full time. She was represented by Elite and had been steadily working for a year when a severe accident forced her to reconsider her long-term goals. Ella opted to take a break and finish her degree. Three years later she moved back to New York and returned to the modeling world where Ella appeared in numerous international print ads for the Gap, L'Oreal, Tiffany & Co, and in editorials for magazines such as Elle, Glamour and Vogue and is still now represented by Wilhelmina Models. During this time she continued to travel back and forth to Los Angeles for print as well as commercial work. It was on one of these trips that she auditioned and booked her first role in the Artist View Film Disturbance. During this same trip she met Brenda Hampton, creator of 7th Heaven, at a charity event who at the time was looking for an East African actress for an upcoming episode. She booked Ella for a guest star spot off of family pictures with her in traditional Zuriya. She has found continued success in both film and television since then and has built a strong body of work with numerous roles ranging from starring opposite Zoe Saldana in Nina , Kyra Sedgewick on ABC's Ten Days in The Valley to Antoine Fuqua's drama series Ice, NCIS LA, Mistresses, 911 and many more. In 2023 she will star opposite Garrett Hedlund in "Desperation Road" directed by Nadine Crocker as well as the Marielle Heller directed "Nightbitch" helmed by Amy Adams.- Actress
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Lauren London first appeared in the film, ATL, opposite actor and recording artist, Tip "TI" Harris. Due to London's breakout success in ATL, she received an offer to star in the film, This Christmas, with Loretta Devine, Idris Elba and Regina King. Her next film role was in the teen romantic comedy, I Love You, Beth Cooper, opposite Hayden Panettiere. London made her television debut on Everybody Hates Chris. Her other television credits include a recurring guest star role on HBO's Entourage, a recurring guest star role on CW's 90210 and a special guest star role in the VH1 series, Singles Ladies, executive produced by Queen Latifah. London's next feature film is Madea's Big Happy Family, directed by Tyler Perry. She is a Los Angeles native.- Actress
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With roots leading back to Louisiana southern aristocracy, lovely leading lady Lynn Whitfield was born in 1953, the eldest of four children and a third-generation BFA graduate from Howard University. Her dentist father was instrumental in developing Lynn's initial interest in acting as he was a prime figure in forming community theater in her native Baton Rouge. She is of African American and Native American descent, specifically Cherokee.
First garnering attention on the stage by studying and performing with the Black Repertory Company in Washington, D.C, she married one of the company's co-founders and pioneers of black theatre, playwright/director/actor Vantile Whitfield in 1974. She eventually moved to New York and appeared off-Broadway in such shows as "The Great Macdaddy" and "Showdown" before earning acclaim in the 1977 Los Angeles production of the landmark black play "For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide...When the Rainbow Is Enuf" co-starring Alfre Woodard. Lynn eventually became a force to be reckoned with intelligent and principled roles on quality film and TV as well
Lynn's Hollywood career unfolded under a talent development program at Columbia Pictures in 1979. Appearing on such established TV shows as "Hill Street Blues" and in a 1982 PBS version of her "For Colored Girls..." stage hit, she made her film debut with Doctor Detroit (1983) and doled out a number of support roles in other popular films as well such as Silverado (1985), The Slugger's Wife (1985), Jaws: The Revenge (1987), and Dead Aim (1987). It was TV, however, that garnered her the most attention, working her way into top lead and co-star roles. The topical social dramas The George McKenna Story (1986) co-starring Denzel Washington, Johnnie Mae Gibson: FBI (1986) opposite Howard E. Rollins Jr. and Oprah Winfrey's historical miniseries The Women of Brewster Place (1989) were her early highlights. In addition, she found some steadier work on series TV playing classy professionals, including two for ABC (a doctor in Heartbeat (1988) and a news anchorwoman in Equal Justice (1990).)
The peak of her acclaimed career arguably came in the form of highly popular but deeply troubled Follies Bergere headliner-turned civil rights activist Josephine Baker. In the HBO biopic The Josephine Baker Story (1991), Lynn played the legendary entertainer with Emmy-winning gusto, a role that stretched her to the limits as she played the role from age 18 to 68. Earning an NAACP Image Award in 1992 for her role in the miniseries Stompin' at the Savoy (1992), she later appeared in Pauly Shore's comedy In the Army Now (1994) and went back to series TV alongside Bill Cosby in the short-lived The Cosby Mysteries (1994).
Lynn had an upsurge in the late 90s with roles in the films A Thin Line Between Love and Hate (1996) with Martin Lawrence and Gone Fishin' (1997) with "Silverado" co-star Danny Glover. She also earned excellent reviews for her supporting work in Eve's Bayou (1997), a role that drew on her Louisiana heritage. More quality TV came her way when she starred as Sophie in Sophie & the Moonhanger (1996), a mini-movie that focused on the relationship of the wife of a Klansman and her longtime black housekeeper. She kept up the momentum with an unsympathetic role in the Oprah Winfrey miniseries The Wedding (1998), where she again had to cover a long life span, this time from 19 to 47.
Into the millennium, Lynn has continued to find prolific work both on film and TV. Big screen credits include a co-starring role as a party advisor in the Chris Rock/Bernie Mac political comedy Head of State (2003), written and directed by Rock; star/writer/director Tyler Perry's romantic comedy Madea's Family Reunion (2006); the urban film Redemption (2004) starring Jamie Foxx that chronicles the turbulent life of (now) imprisoned L.A. Crips gang founder Stan "Tookie" Williams; a featured part in an updated version of Clare Boothe Luce's The Women (2008) headed by Meg Ryan and Annette Bening; a co-starring role opposite singer/songwriter Ciara in the family musical drama Mama I Want to Sing (2011); another co-star role opposite another musical artist, rapper/songwriter 50 Cent, in the sports drama All Things Fall Apart (2011); a starring role as a woman who loses her police officer son and takes in a young parolee Crawford Wilson in the social drama King's Faith (2013); and the Sean Astin action comedy Espionage Tonight (2017).
On the TV front, Lynne has made guest appearances in such regular programs as "Boston Public," "Strong Medicine," a recurring role in "Without a Trace," "Shark," "Flash Forward," How to Get Away with Murder," "Hit the Floor," "Mistresses" and, more recently, as Lady Belle Greenleaf, the matriarch of a rich, unscrupulous Southern Baptist, mega-church family in the dramatic series Greenleaf (2016).
Divorced from Vantile Whitfield in the late 70s, Lynn later married British director Brian Gibson in 1990, by whom she has a daughter, Grace. They parted ways in 1992.- Producer
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Jada Koren Pinkett Smith was born in Baltimore, Maryland, to Robsol Grant Pinkett, Jr., a contractor, and 'Gammy' Adrienne Banfield Norris, a nurse. They divorced after only a few months of marriage. Her father is of African-American descent and her mother is of Afro-Caribbean ancestry (from Barbados and Jamaica). Jada majored in dance and choreography at the Baltimore School for the Arts, where one of her classmates was Tupac Shakur. She spent a year at the North Carolina School of the Arts before dropping out to pursue her career in acting. Her big break came in 1991 when she was cast in the part of a college frosh on the television sitcom A Different World (1987). She made her feature film debut two years later in Menace II Society (1993). She did not gain widespread recognition, however, until her role opposite Eddie Murphy in The Nutty Professor (1996). In addition to being in front of the camera, she has spent time behind it directing music videos. Pinkett-Smith is married to Will Smith, and they have a son, Jaden Smith; and a daughter, Willow Smith.- Actress
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Jennifer Beals is an internationally renowned actress who has over 90 credits to her name, including critically acclaimed feature films and some of the highest rated television series to date. Beals is currently executive producing and returning as a lead cast member in the revival of her hit original series THE L WORD: GENERATION Q. The highly anticipated series will launch in December 2019 on Showtime. The ground-breaking lesbian-focused drama THE L WORD originally aired for six seasons. For her performance as Bette Porter, Beals received the prestigious GLAAD Golden Gate Award, as well as two NAACP Image Award nominations and a Satellite Award nomination. In 2012, Beals was presented with the Human Rights Campaign's Ally for Equality Award for her support of the LGBT community. Additionally, Beals and The L Word's Ilene Chaiken are set to executive produce the Freeform series "The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo," an adaption for Taylor Jenkins Reid's acclaimed novel.
Beals and filmmaker Tom Jacobson created the concept for the new novel, The Hive. The book is a gripping thriller set in the near future that focuses on escalating mob violence that ensues from online shaming and internet bullying. Released in September 2019, the novel was named one of People Magazine's 'Best Books of Fall 2019.'
Throughout her accomplished film career, Beals has worked with many of the industry's most acclaimed filmmakers and talent. She co-starred alongside Denzel Washington and Gary Oldman in the blockbuster THE BOOK OF ELI and starred opposite Garry Marshall, Faye Dunaway and Brendan Fraser in TWILIGHT OF THE GOLDS, for which she won a Golden Satellite Award. Beals was featured among an all-star cast including Dustin Hoffman, Gene Hackman and Rachel Weisz in the crime thriller RUNAWAY JURY. She also starred in THE MADONNA AND THE DRAGON from legendary film director Samuel Fuller. More recently, Beals co-starred in the feature film MANHATTAN NIGHT, opposite Adrien Brody and Campbell Scott, as well as AFTER, the film adaption of Anna Todd's series of bestselling young adult novels alongside Josephine Langford and Hero Fiennes Tiffin.
On the television side, Beals recurred in the Amazon series THE LAST TYCOON, receiving critical acclaim for her performance as Hollywood starlet Margo Taft. Los Angeles Magazine proclaimed "Beals stole every scene she's in as a ball-busting, piece-of-work Joan Crawford goddess with a very American secret" and Indiewire named her "the shows biggest stand out." Beals was also seen as the female lead in TAKEN, NBC's straight-to-series adaptation of the hit movie franchise, and co-starred in the Warner Bros TV/DC series SWAMP THING, released in May 2019. Beals starred in the TV movie A WIFE'S NIGHTMARE, for which she received a Canadian Screen Award nomination. Notable television credits include TNT's PROOF, NBC's medical drama THE NIGHT SHIFT and the FOX series THE CHICAGO CODE alongside Jason Clarke.
For her role in the iconic film FLASHDANCE, Beals earned a Golden Globe nomination and an NAACP Image Award for Best Actress. Beals starred in A HOUSE DIVIDED, for which she was nominated for a Satellite Award. Some of her acclaimed independent film projects include IN THE SOUP opposite Steve Buscemi, which won The Grand Jury Prize for Best Dramatic film at the Sundance Film Festival, and CINEMANOVELS which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival. Beals extensive credits include films such as RODGER DODGER, MRS. PARKER AND THE VICIOUS CIRCLE, FOUR ROOMS, BEFORE I FALL and DEVIL IN A BLUE DRESS, which earned her another NAACP Image Award nomination. Beals received the Maverick Tribute Award at the Cinequest San Jose Film Festival in 1999.
In addition to her work on-camera, the C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group recently named Beals a 'C40 Goodwill Ambassador.' Beals' partnership with C40 will help raise awareness about the bold climate action underway in leading cities driving forward solutions to the climate crisis worldwide. Through her ambassador role, she will support and amplify the voices of inspiring young climate activists in raising awareness of the current climate emergency. Additionally, Beals will also play a leading role in C40's Women4Climate Initiative, helping to celebrate the incredible leadership being delivered by women around the world in climate action.
Originally from Chicago, Beals attended Yale University, where she graduated with honors.- Actress
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Tony Award winner Anika Noni Rose recently finished filming the lead role of the pilot episode Beast Mode (TBS / Macro), which is based on life of legendary boxing trainer Ann Wolfe. Anika is also serving as Co-Executive Producer.
In 2018, Anika starred in the title role of 'Carmen Jones' in John Doyle's production at the Classic Stage Company in NYC. She was also seen in the film Assassination Nation (dir. Sam Levinson) alongside Bill Skarsgard, Bella Thorne, Suki Waterhouse, Maud Apatow and Joel McHale, and the film Everything, Everything, based on the popular young adult novel by Nicola Yoon, opposite Amandla Stenberg.
Anika starred as the lead of the television series The Quad, which ran for two seasons on BET (2017-2018). Anika also starred in The History Channel's adaption of Roots as Kizzy (NAACP Image Award nom for Outstanding Actress).
Other television credits include the Starz series Power, CBS's The Good Wife, ABC's Private Practice, CBS's Elementary and FOX's The Simpsons; the A&E mini-series Stephen King's Bag of Bones opposite Pierce Brosnan; and starring in The No.1 Ladies Detective Agency for HBO opposite Jill Scott and directed by Anthony Minghella.
Anika's many film credits include: Dreamgirls, The Princess and The Frog (voice of Princess Tiana), A Day Late and a Dollar Short, Half of a Yellow Sun, Imperial Dreams, and For Colored Girls.
Anika has won the Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical for her role in Caroline, or Change and has also starred in Broadway productions such as A Raisin in the Sun (Tony Award nomination and Outer Critics Circle nomination), and Cat On A Hot Tin Roof.
Additionally, Anika has received The Theater World Award, The Clarence Derwent Award, a Drama Desk nomination, the Los Angeles Critics' Circle Award, an Ovation Award, an Obie Award and four NAACP Image nominations, including the NAACP Lifetime Achievement Award for Theater.
Anika was the youngest performer to be honored as a Disney Legend when she received the honor in 2011.
March, 2019- Actress
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Regina King was born in Los Angeles, California, to Gloria, a special education teacher, and Thomas King, an electrician. She began her career in the television show 227 (1985), followed by a role in Boyz n the Hood (1991). She began to be recognized by a mainstream audience after her role as Cuba Gooding Jr.'s character's wife in Jerry Maguire (1996). She co-starred in Enemy of the State (1998) as Will Smith's character's wife.- Naomi Ryan was born on 24 May 1977 in Bournemouth, Dorset, England, UK. She is an actress, known for Guardians of the Galaxy (2014), Doctor Who (2005) and Hard Time Bus (2015).
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Renée Jones was born on 15 October 1958 in Opa-Locka, Florida, USA. She is an actress, known for Days of Our Lives (1965), Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives (1986) and The Bold and the Beautiful (1987).- Tracey Ross was born on 27 February 1959 in Brooklyn, New York, USA. She is an actress, known for Passions (1999), Mr. Payback: An Interactive Movie (1995) and Providence (1999).
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Tyra Banks was born on 4 December 1973 in Los Angeles, California, USA. She is a producer and writer, known for Coyote Ugly (2000), Tropic Thunder (2008) and America's Next Top Model (2003).- Actress
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Born and raised in Cape Town South Africa, Brandt immigrated with her family to Auckland, New Zealand in her late teens. Discovered by local casting directors, Brandt took on the role of "Naevia" in the Starz hits, "Spartacus: Blood and Sand" and "Spartacus: Gods of the Arena." Working with producers Steven S. D Knight and Sam Raimi, she captivated audiences with her performance and became one of the show's breakout stars.
She starred in the hit Netflix series, Lucifer which had a 6 year run, playing the fan favorite Vertigo/DC comic book character, Mazikeen. Lucifer went on the break binge records and was named the top binged show in 2021 by Forbes.
Brandt can next be seen opposite Andrew Lincoln and Danai Gurira in the 6 episode limited Walking Dead spin-off which airs in 2024. She is also starring opposite Jason Ritter, Anthony Carrigan and Chris Meloni in the adult animated comedy, Captain Fall which airs July 2023 on Netflix.
Lesley-Ann is now permanently based in Los Angeles.- Actress
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Michael is the eldest of two daughters. Her white father, Jerry, is an entrepreneur. Her African American mother, Thersa, is a corporate manager. In high school she played volleyball, basketball, and ran track. After high school, she moved to New York and quickly got commercial work. This led to a role in Eddie Murphy's 1989 film Harlem Nights (1989). But that role dissolved when she spurned his advances and she filed a sexual harassment suit against him. The suit was ultimately settled out of court. She went to work at The Gap to make ends meet. That ended in 1991, when she got her break in New Jack City (1991) and followed with a role on "1st & Ten". Regular TV roles followed. On the set of ER (1994), she is known for shooting baskets between takes.- Actress
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Sophina Brown was born in Saginaw, Michigan, USA. She is an actress, known for Because I Said So (2007), Shark (2006) and Numb3rs (2005). She has been married to Henry Simmons since May 2010.- Actress
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Tika Sumpter was born in New York and graduated from Marymount Manhattan College. Sumpter began her career as model, before she landed the role of "Layla Williamson" in ABC's daytime soap opera, One Life to Live (1968) (2005-2010, 2011).
After she left the soap, Sumpter won a recurring role in the CW series, Gossip Girl (2007), and appeared in the BET sitcom, The Game (2006). After supporting roles in the films, Stomp the Yard 2: Homecoming (2010), Salt (2010), What's Your Number? (2011) and Think Like a Man (2012), she was cast alongside Jordin Sparks and Whitney Houston in the 2012 musical film, Sparkle (2012). In 2013, she was cast as vixen "Candace Young" in the OWN drama series, The Haves and the Have Nots (2013).- Yvonna Kopacz Wright is known for Perfect Stranger (2007), Nash Bridges (1996) and Blue Bloods (2010). She has been married to Brett Wright since 18 July 2003. They have two children.
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Gugu Mbatha-Raw was born Gugulethu Sophia Mbatha in the John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, England. Her father, Patrick Mbatha, is a Black South African doctor, and her mother, Anne Raw, is a Caucasian English nurse. Her parents separated when she was a year old, and she was brought up by her mother in the town of Witney, Oxfordshire (she is still close to her father). She joined the local acting group Dramascope and, from the age of eleven, appeared in the pantomime at Oxford Playhouse every year. A talented singer and dancer as well as playing the saxophone, she joined the Oxford Youth Music Theatre in her teens.
In 2001, she won a scholarship to the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) in London. Since graduation in 2004, she has appeared in all media, including as an acclaimed Juliet Capulet in "Romeo and Juliet" at Manchester's Royal Exchange Theatre in 2005, opposite Andrew Garfield as Romeo Montague. Mbatha-Raw was nominated for Best Actress in the Manchester Evening News Theatre Awards for her portrayal of Juliet Capulet. She also appeared as Octavia in "Antony and Cleopatra" at the same theatre in 2005. In 2009, she was cast as Ophelia in "Hamlet" on London's West End and Broadway, opposite Jude Law as the title role.
Mbatha-Raw appeared on such varied television series as Bad Girls (1999), Doctor Who (2005), Marple (2004) and Touch (2012). She had a supporting role in the romantic comedy Larry Crowne (2011), written and directed by Tom Hanks, who also played the title role. She was acclaimed for her performance of Dido Elizabeth Belle in Amma Asante's Belle (2013), which earned her a British Independent Film Award for Best Actress, and a nomination as Most Promising Newcomer. She was also nominated for a Satellite Award for Best Actress.
She starred in the romantic drama Beyond the Lights (2014) and was nominated for a Gotham Award for Best Actress for her performance. In 2015, she was nominated for a BAFTA Rising Star Award. That same year, she had a supporting role in Jupiter Ascending (2015), played Prema Mutiso, the wife of Dr. Bennet Omalu (played by Will Smith) in the biopic Concussion (2015), and the title role in Jessica Swale's play "Nell Gwynn", playing the actress who became the mistress of King Charles II of England. She was nominated for an Evening Standard Theatre Award for Best Actress for her performance in the play.
She played Rachel in Newton Knight's biopic Free State of Jones (2016), directed by Gary Ross, playing Knight's common-law wife, a freedwoman he had a family with after the Civil War. She also played Esme Manucharian in Miss Sloane (2016), Sophie on Netflix's series Easy (2016), and played Kelly, one of the leads in "San Junipero", the fourth episode of Season 3 of Black Mirror (2011). Her other films are the live-action remake Beauty and the Beast (2017), playing Plumette, A Wrinkle in Time (2018), directed by Ava DuVernay, and The Cloverfield Paradox (2018).
Gugu Mbatha-Raw was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) by Queen Elizabeth II in the 2017 Birthday Honours for her services to drama.- Actress
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Gloria Reuben is an actress, singer and published author whose impressive credentials in television, film, theater and music include portraying the HIV+ physician assistant Jeanie Boulet on the hit NBC series ER (a role that garnered her two Emmy nominations and a Golden Globe nomination) and many other television series including Raising The Bar, Falling Skies, Marvel TV's Cloak & Dagger, City On A Hill and The First Lady.
Gloria completed her role as Krista Gordon (the therapist to Rami Malek's Elliot Alderson) in the hit TV series Mr. Robot. As Rolling Stone wrote in their review of the Mr. Robot series finale: "...what makes the scene so powerful are the performances by Rami Malek and Gloria Reuben (who delivers a masterclass in how to convey so much information while making it feel emotionally resonant)."
In film, Gloria portrayed Elizabeth Keckley alongside Daniel Day-Lewis & Sally Field in the Steven Spielberg film LINCOLN, appeared with Paul Rudd and Tina Fey in Paul Weitz's Admission, and starred opposite Samuel L. Jackson in Reasonable Doubt. Gloria's portrayal of Condoleezza Rice in David Hare's play Stuff Happens at The Public Theater in NYC garnered her a Lucille Lortel Award for Best Actress.
In music, Gloria's career includes being a backup singer for Tina Turner in 2000, which led her to record her solo record Just For You. Gloria released her first jazz album Perchance To Dream in 2015 on the iconic Mcg Jazz label, and her new album For All We Know was released on Valentine's Day 2020, again on the Mcg Jazz label, to rave reviews.
Gloria's non-fiction book My Brothers' Keeper: Two Brothers. Loved. And Lost. (an intimate tribute to her two brothers who have passed away) was published by Post Hill Press in November 2019.- Actress
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Born in Los Angeles in 1964, Theresa Randle began her performing career by studying dance (traditional, modern, jazz) and comedy. She entered Beverly Hills High School, with a special program for the exceptionally gifted. At the end of college she earned her first role at the Los Angeles Inner City Cultural Center and was seen in commercials. Theresa was also involved in acting on the stage, with roles in such productions as "In Command of the Children", "Sonata", "6 Parts of Musical Broadway" and "Fight the Good Fight".
In 1987 she got her first big-screen break with Maid to Order (1987). For the next three years she appeared (in small roles) in such movies as Easy Wheels (1989) and Heart Condition (1990), with Denzel Washington). She continued in small roles by great directors such as Abel Ferrara (King of New York (1990)) and Spike Lee (Jungle Fever (1991) and Malcolm X (1992)). In 1995 she starred in Beverly Hills Cop III (1994) and Bad Boys (1995) (with Will Smith). In 1996 she earned her first starring role in Spike Lee's Girl 6 (1996), playing a young, out-of-work actress who gets caught up in the seductive, yet dark, world of phone sex.
She has also appeared in Space Jam (1996), with Michael Jordan (and a bevy of classic Warner Bros. cartoon characters) and recently in the film adaptation of the comic strip Spawn (1997), with Martin Sheen).- Actress
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Morrow grew up in Miami, Florida. She made her television debut appearance in 1992 as Wendy Mallow on the popular television program, Baywatch. From 1995 to 1996, she portrayed Rachel Gannon on the ABC soap opera One Life to Live. Morrow also had a recurring appearance on the sitcom, Family Matters as Darius McCrary (Eddie)'s girlfriend and then ex-girlfriend, Oneisha, from 1992 to 1997. Other television and film appearances include, Living Single, Soul Food, Conan, The Parkers, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, and The Jamie Foxx Show and appearances in films such as: Uninvited Guest, Children of the Corn III, Book of Love, Restraining Order, Def Jam's How to Be a Player, Traci Townsend, National Security and Today You Die (2005).
Morrow is also a real estate agent in Los Angeles, California- Actress
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Cynda Williams was born on 17 May 1966 in Chicago, Illinois, USA. She is an actress and producer, known for One False Move (1991), Mad As Hell (2021) and Mo' Better Blues (1990). She has been married to Roderick Plummer since 26 July 2001. They have one child. She was previously married to Arthur Louis Fuller and Billy Bob Thornton.- Chenoa Maxwell was born on 16 November 1969 in the USA. She is an actress, known for Hav Plenty (1998), Cold Feet (1999) and G (2002).
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LisaRaye McCoy-Misick was born September 23, 1967 in Chicago, Illinois. She is of African American and Native American descent and is proud of her heritage. She later attended Eastern Illinois University but she never really took the idea of a career in acting seriously until persuaded by an insistent roommate to attend a local audition in Chicago. Her screen debut was in the low-budget action movie Reasons (1996), she received numerous critical kudos despite the fact that the film went largely unseen. LisaRaye is known for possessing a charmingly seductive smile and a distinctively vibrant but laid-back personality. She first caught the eye of television viewers with an appearance on the popular television series In the House (1995). Though the movie never did find a distributor, director Monty Ross convinced the budding young actress to move out to L.A. during pilot season, and she soon landed minor roles on such shows as Martin (1992) and In the House (1995). She also made an appearance in rapper Tupac Shakur's final music video, her memorable appearance caught the eye of rapper/actor Ice Cube, which led to her being in the movie The Players Club (1998). Her memorable performance as a troubled stripper left a solid impression on audiences. Her appearances thus far were impressive, but LisaRaye's career truly began to ignite after her appearance in the movie The Wood (1999). In 2000, LisaRaye found her widest audience yet as the host of Source: All Access (2002), a popular series dedicated to exploring hip-hop culture. She quickly gained a loyal following with her winning smile and extensive knowledge of all things hip-hop. As film roles continued to roll in, she came across her biggest role to date in the 2002 film Civil Brand (2002). A harrowing look into life in women's prison, the film took home top awards at both the American Black Film Festival and The Urbanworld Film Festival. Soon following her little sister Da Brat into a career in music, LisaRaye next began collaborating with Benzino to record a song to be featured in the film Redemption (2004). 2003 proved an equally lucrative year for LisaRaye as she prepared for the release of the Barry Levinson comedy Envy (2004), the female-driven Western Guns and Roses (2000), and her new sitcom, All of Us (2003) which was ran from 2003-2007.- Actress
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Rae Dawn Chong was born February 28, 1961 in Edmonton, Canada. After a few film and television spots, Rae Dawn earned a Genie for her performance in Jean-Jacques Annaud's prehistoric-drama Quest for Fire (1981). She played the young, Ivaka prisoner, Ika. Other notables roles include Harpo's girlfriend "Squeek", aka, Mary Agnes in Steven Spielberg's five-time Academy Award-nominated film, The Color Purple (1985), and James Remar's beautiful and mysterious wife, Carola in Tales from the Darkside: The Movie (1990).- Actress
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Sharon Leal is a military brat. She was born in Tucson, Arizona. Sharon then moved with her parents to the Philippines, till she was 6 years old. She went to prayer-school there. Then, her parents packed up to move back to the US and settled in Fresno, California. Her mother, Angelita, who is Filipino, is a homemaker, and her father is African-American. She has a step-father, Elmer Manankil. Elmer and Angelita have a daughter, together. So, Sharon has a younger sister, Kristina Manankil.
How she got started with the desire for performing. At the age of two, Sharon sang into a microphone, and her parents taped her. This later led to acting, which she began doing in community theater productions as a teen. Sharon graduated from "Roosevelt High School of the Arts" in Fresno. In 1993, she won a vocal scholarship at the "Santa Cruz Jazz Festival", which enabled her to study with Seth Riggs (Michael Jackson's voice coach). Sharon has also performed in various rap and R&B music videos. She has sung in cabaret productions at B. Smith's, The Violet, and Steve McGraw's, all in New York City, and played teenager "Dahlia Creed" on the daytime soap opera, Guiding Light (1952), in the mid-90s. At New York Theatre Workshop: "Bright Lights, Big City". Regional credits include "Little Shop of Horrors"-Arizona Theatre Co., "Into the Woods"-Theatre Works CA and other shows like "Ain't Misbehavin", "West Side Story", "Me and My Girl" and "Nunsense", to name a few. Last performed on Broadway as "Mimi" in "Rent".- Actress
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Aisha Tyler is an award-winning director, actor, comedian, New York Times bestselling author, podcaster and activist. She is an Emmy-winning television host and multiple award-winning voice actor for Archer (2009).
Aisha's feature directorial debut, Axis (2017), was shot in just seven days on location in Los Angeles in 2015 on a crowdfunded budget. It won Outstanding Achievement in Feature Filmmaking at the 2017 Newport Beach Film Festival and was chosen "Best of the Fest" at the Sarasota Film Festival. Scene Magazine said of AXIS, "the directorial debut of Aisha Tyler is a revelation... brilliant in every way." And Paste Magazine wrote: "to make a film this experimental, this compelling, your first time out as a director is just extraordinary." AXIS was released wide in 2018 and is available everywhere on multiple VOD platforms.
Aisha has directed several episodes of television, including Fear the Walking Dead (2015), Roswell, New Mexico (2019), and Criminal Minds (2005), where she made her television directing debut. She has also directed several short films as well as multiple music videos for rock artists Minke, Clutch, and Silversun Pickups. Aisha voices superspy Lana Kane on F/X's Emmy-winning hit Archer (2009). In 2013 Aisha took over for Drew Carey as host of the rebooted improvisational comedy series Whose Line Is It Anyway? (2013) for the CW.
Ms. Tyler is the founder of Courage+Stone, a line of premium ready-to-drink cocktails. Debuting in January 2020, the company donated a significant portion of its online to bar and restaurant workers put out of work during the coronavirus lockdown. She is one of just a handful of women of color founders in the spirits category.
Ms. Tyler's second book of comedic essays, Self-Inflicted Wounds, named for the popular segment of her podcast Girl on Guy, debuted on The New York Times bestseller list in 2013. She is also the author of Swerve: Reckless Observations of a Postmodern Girl
Ms. Tyler is a supporter of many charitable organizations, including The International Rescue Committee, Family Violence Prevention Fund, The Charlize Theron Africa Outreach Project, the LA Mission and Doctors Without Borders.
A San Francisco native, Ms. Tyler graduated from Dartmouth College with a degree in Government and Environmental Policy. An avid gamer and passionate advocate of inclusion in the gaming community, Aisha's voice can be heard in the video games Halo:Reach; Gears of War 3, and Watch Dogs. Aisha is a whiskey lover, a hard rock fan, a snowboarder and sci-fi obsessive, and confounding to all who know her.- Actress
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Sherri Saum was born on 1 October 1974 in Dayton, Ohio, USA. She is an actress and director, known for Sunset Beach (1997), Law & Order: Criminal Intent (2001) and Finding Home (2003).- Traci Bingham was born on 13 January 1968 in Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA. She is an actress, known for Tales from the Crypt: Demon Knight (1995), East of Hollywood (2015) and Baywatch (1989).
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Tiffany Hines was born on 2 September 1983 in Cincinnati, Ohio, USA. She is an actress, known for Magnum P.I. (2018), 24: Legacy (2016) and Bones (2005).- Actress
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Dana Davis was born on 4 October 1978 in Davenport, Iowa, USA. She is an actress, known for Prom Night (2008), Raise Your Voice (2004) and 10 Things I Hate About You (2009).- Actress
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Kat Graham is an actress, singer, dancer and producer. Working across a variety of genres in film, television and music, she is one of most accomplished and versatile young talents working today.
Graham was recently seen in the 70s period crime thriller "The Poison Rose" opposite Morgan Freeman and John Travolta. Graham plays Freeman's daughter, a club owner and singer suspected of murder, while Travolta plays a hard-drinking L.A. private eye who takes the case. Previously she starred in Netflix's "How It Ends" as Samantha. The film, follows a man (Theo James) and his estranged father-in-law's (Forest Whitaker) desperate race to save his pregnant wife, Samantha, after a mysterious apocalypse. Graham made history lending her voice to Nickelodeon's animated television show, "Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" as the first African-American April O'Neil.
Graham can be seen as the female lead in RZA's "Cut Throat City" starring Ethan Hawke, Wesley Snipes, Terrence Howard, and Eiza Gonzalez scheduled for release summer 2020. The film tells the story of a heist set in New Orleans' lower ninth ward after Hurricane Katrina. Graham who stars in Mark Amin's period drama "Emperor" with Dayo Okeniyi, Bruce Dern and James Cromwell following the true tale of Shields Green, a runaway slave who helped spark the civil war, is scheduled for release August 2020. Graham also stars in Netflix's "Operation: Christmas Drop" with Alexander Ludwig. The film, scheduled for release November 2020, follows a congressional aid played by Graham, on a mission to shut down the Christmas Drop mission. Operation Christmas Drop is a real life air force mission that started in 1952 that serves as training for the U.S. Air Force. It has since become the longest-running U.S. Department of Defense mission in full operation, and the longest-running humanitarian airlift in the world. In addition to the "Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" series and accompanying Netflix 2021 film, Graham's 2020 animation releases will also include Dreamwork's and Hulu's "Trolls", as well as "Robot Chicken".
Graham starred as Jada Pinkett in the highly anticipated Tupac Shakur biopic "All Eyez on Me," released by Lionsgate. She has also starred in Lionsgate's "Where's the Money?" a comedy about a guy who must pledge a fraternity to recover a stash of stolen money, both released in 2017. Graham can also be seen as the lead in Netflix's holiday hit film "The Holiday Calendar" with Quincy Brown. Graham made her television debut in 2002 on Disney Channel's popular teen comedy "Lizzie McGuire." She starred as Bonnie Bennett, considered to be her breakout role, in the CW's "The Vampire Diaries." The show premiered in 2009 and her award winning performances throughout the series received praise from fans and critics alike. The supernatural drama ran for eight seasons. She also appeared on a number of hit television shows for Disney, Fox, CBS and ABC. Other notable film credits include "17 Again", "The Roommate," "Addicted", and the starring role in "Honey 2."
Graham has also produced and sold multiple film and television projects including the series "Breaking the Record" with Disney's Maker Studios. She is set to star in and produce a biopic about iconic Motown singer Tammi Terrell produced with Brad Krevoy. She is currently producing "The Consciousness Collective", a doc series and podcast presented by Deepak Chopra, slated for 2020.
A talented singer and music producer, Graham released her second album, "Love Music, Funk Magic," in 2017 which she worked on with Babyface and Prince. She released her debut EP "Against the Wall" in May 2012 after signing with A&M/Octone/Interscope records, and her first single, "Put Your Graffiti On Me", reached over 7 million views on VEVO and hit #5 on the Billboard Dance Chart. She has had multiple Billboard/Chart top fives including "Sometimes", and the Prince penned "If Eye Could Get UR Attention". Her debut album "Roxbury Drive," which included her single "Secrets" featuring Babyface, was released in 2015. Graham, who has a degree in recording engineering, produced the 90s-inspired album with Jean-Yves "Jeeve" Ducornet and co-wrote the entire album with Babyface.
A trained dancer, Graham has appeared in music videos for a myriad of artists including Grammy winners Pharrell, Missy Elliot, John Legend, Nelly, Diddy and Usher. She has also performed on tracks with Snoop Dogg and Will.I.Am, and toured with the Black Eyed Peas on their 2007 world tour as Will.I.Am's artist.
Graham has served as the face of many campaigns and endorsements for brands such as Wet 'N Wild, Degree, Samsung, Avon, Bing, Ford, Aquafina, Abercrombie, Nivea, Armani Exchange and Fanta. Graham is currently a L'Oreal Ambassador, the face of Foster Grant and the new Dior campaign.
Born in Geneva, Switzerland, Graham is a strong advocate for human rights. Her PSA short film for Black Lives Matter landed her an Emmy nomination for best PSA short. Graham is particularly passionate about the plight of refugees worldwide. As such, Graham became a High Profile Supporter of the UNHCR (United Nations High Commissioner of Refugees) in 2013. In 2019, she also became a Goodwill Ambassador for Rotary International, another organization providing key support and services on the global stage. In addition to her work with refugees, Graham is a council member for GLAAD (Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation), Governor for the Recording Academy's Atlanta Chapter, as well as co-founder of the Modern Nirvana Wellness Group.- Actress
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Holly Robinson Peete was born on 18 September 1964 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. She is an actress and producer, known for 21 Jump Street (1987), For Your Love (1998) and 21 Jump Street (2012). She has been married to Rodney Peete since 10 June 1995. They have four children.- Actress
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Lark Voorhies was born on 25 March 1974 in Nashville, Tennessee. She first began acting at the age of two but postponed her acting career until the age of 11, when she appeared on Small Wonder (1985). Lark later starred as Lisa Turtle in Good Morning, Miss Bliss (1987), the predecessor to NBC's popular teen series Saved by the Bell (1989). She later had roles in Days of Our Lives (1965) and In the House (1995), and starred as Jasmine Malone in The Bold and the Beautiful (1987).
Lark also appeared in several music videos, such as Kenny Lattimore's "Never Too Busy," Dru Hill's "These are The Times," and Boyz II Men's "On Bended Knee." She also appeared in commercials for Head and Shoulders shampoo (1998) and Oxy 10. Lark married her husband Miguel Coleman on 9 March 1996 (now divorced) and continues to act and manage her production company.- Actress
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Faune Chambers Watkins was born on 23 September 1976 in Florida, USA. She is an actress and producer, known for Epic Movie (2007), White Chicks (2004) and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008). She has been married to Fonzworth Bentley since 10 July 2010. They have two children.- Actress
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Raised in a working-class Ohio town, Danielle Nicolet moved with her family to southern California to train in gymnastics. She competed through her teenage years, but finally admitted that acting was her dream. She has always played unpredictable characters, whether they be dramatic or comedic. Early on she appeared most notably in National Lampoon's Loaded Weapon 1 (1993), The Jacksons: An American Dream (1992), Where Truth Lies (1996), Shadow of Doubt (1998) and Race (1998). She spent six seasons as "Caryn" on the Emmy-winning sitcom 3rd Rock from the Sun (1996), and has since established herself as a truly versatile and engaging star. In 2005 Entertainment Weekly named her "the breakout star of the network" for her turn on the sitcom Second Time Around (2004). She has since twice been deemed "favorite character to watch" for her work as the cross-bearing head of the ICU on the TNT hospital drama, Heartland (2007) and as the insecure and oversexed pal of Debra Messing and Judy Davis on the USA Network series The Starter Wife (2008). Danielle has also appeared in the films Ticking Clock (2011), Alpha Males Experiment (2009) and Rocker (2006).- Actress
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Nicole Ari Parker Kodjoe is an American actress and model. She made her screen debut with a leading role in the critically acclaimed independent film The Incredibly True Adventure of Two Girls in Love (1995) and went on to appear in Boogie Nights (1997), directed by Paul Thomas Anderson. Parker has starred in a number of movies, including Blue Streak (1999), Remember the Titans (2000), Brown Sugar (2002), Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins (2008), Black Dynamite (2009), and Almost Christmas (2016). On television, Parker starred in the short-lived UPN romantic comedy Second Time Around (2004-05) and the ABC drama Time After Time (2017). In 2017, she joined the cast of Fox's prime-time soap opera Empire playing Giselle Barker. She appears as a recurring character in Chicago P.D. as Deputy Superintendent Samantha Miller and in And Just Like That... as Lisa Todd Wexley.- Kandyse McClure is a Canadian actress born on March 22, 1980 in Durban in South Africa. She graduated from West Vancouver Secondary School in 1998. She is an actress, known for main roles in TV series Battlestar Galactica (2004), Hemlock Grove (2013), and from the movies Carrie (2002) and Seventh Son (2014).
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Keshia Knight Pulliam was born on 9 April 1979 in Newark, New Jersey, USA. She is an actress and director, known for The Cosby Show (1984), House of Payne (2006) and Madea Goes to Jail (2009). She has been married to Brad James since 25 September 2021. They have one child. She was previously married to Ed Hartwell.- Actress
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Actress-dancer-director Jasmine Guy has enjoyed a diverse career in television, theatre and film. She began her professional career at the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater in New York City. Jasmine starred on Broadway in the original productions of Beehive and Leader of the Pack, and reprised hit productions of 'Grease', 'The Wiz' and 'Chicago' (as Velma Kelly). After years on Broadway and touring the globe, Jasmine landed the role of Whitley Gilbert on the Cosby Show spin-off 'A Different World'. She won six consecutive N.A.A.C.P. Image Awards for her portrayal of the pretentious but funny southern belle. Her other television performances include: 'Melrose Place' (with Heather Locklear); 'NYPD Blue' (with Jimmy Smits); 'Fresh Prince of Bel Air' (with Will Smith) and 'Living Single' (with Queen Latifah). One of her favorite roles was that of Roxy, the grim reaper meter maid on Showtime's hit series 'Dead Like Me' (with Mandy Patinkin.) Her most recent role as Grams on the popular series 'Vampire Diaries' can be seen on the C.W. Network. Jasmine has also worked with these great performers and directors in these films and miniseries: Spike Lee's 'School Daze'; Eddie Murphy's 'Harlem Nights'; Alex Hailey's 'Queen', and Debbie Allen's 'Stompin' at the Savoy'. She can be seen currently in the film 'October Baby'. Jasmine has worked extensively in theatre with Kenny Leon, Susan Booth, Andrea Frye and Pearl Cleage. She has starred in or directed many productions, including: 'For Colored Girls Who have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow is Enuf; 'Miss Evers' Boys'; 'Blues for an Alabama Sky'; 'The Colored Museum'; 'The Fourposter'; 'The Nacirema Society'; 'Broke-ology'; 'Fool For Love', and most recently, 'God of Carnage' at Atlanta's Alliance Theatre, where she also directed the world premiere of the opera 'I Dream', celebrating the life and journey of Martin Luther King, Jr. In 1991, she released her self-titled album on Warner Bros. Records, featuring the hit single 'Try Me'. 'Try Me' was produced by Full Force and features Xcape with Candy Burgess. The song shot up the R & B charts quickly to Gold status, and fueled the success of the album's second and third chart singles 'Another Like My Lover' and 'I Just Wanna Hold You'. In 2004, Jasmine penned the biography 'Evolution of a Revolutionary' (Atria Books), which chronicles the life and journey of Afeni Shakur - Black Panther, activist and mother of slain rapper Tupac Shakur. As a frequent motivational public speaker, Jasmine is called upon to share her story openly with those who may benefit from her trials and triumphs. Her continuing desire to blend balance and discipline with ambition and service continues to fuel her passion for the arts. She has traveled throughout the U.S. and appeared at more than a hundred speaking engagements, addressing diverse audiences at colleges, universities, conventions, corporations, affinity groups, churches, high schools and countless charitable and fund-raising events.- Shannon Kane was born on 14 September 1986 in Kalamazoo, Michigan, USA. She is an actress, known for Brooklyn's Finest (2009), The Collection (2012) and Blood and Bone (2009).
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Lisa Bonet was born in San Francisco, California, to Arlene Joyce (Litman), a teacher, and Allen Bonet, an opera singer. She has lived most of her life in New York and Los Angeles; in L.A., she attended Reseda High School and Celluloid Actor's Studio. Her father was African-American and her mother was Ashkenazi Jewish (from a family from Poland and Russia). Her parents divorced when she was young. She began acting in commercials at the age of 11. At age 16, she landed the role of Denise Huxtable in the hit comedy series The Cosby Show (1984). The show made her a popular actress. In the mid '80s, she met Lenny Kravitz at a New Edition concert in Los Angeles. At the time, Lenny was a struggling, unknown musician who went by the name Romeo Blue. It wasn't long after they started dating that Lisa and Lenny's relationship was all over the tabloids. The two lovers were said to be soulmates, as they shared a neo-hippie persona and biracial background (Lenny is also half-black, half-Jewish). In 1987, Lisa and Lenny got married (they went to Las Vegas and eloped), and they had a daughter named Zoë in 1988. By 1989, Lenny had landed a record deal and recorded his first album, "Let Love Rule." Lisa co-wrote a couple of songs on the album and was said to have been the inspiration for most of the album. Lisa even directed Lenny's first video for "Let Love Rule." But Lisa and Lenny's relationship was full of problems from the start, including intense scrutiny from the media and Lenny's reported infidelities. It was around this time that Lisa made a deliberate attempt to shed her "goody-two-shoes" Cosby daughter image by making the controversial movie Angel Heart (1987), in which she had racy nude and sex scenes. The backlash from making Angel Heart (1987) is rumored to have prompted Lisa's exit from The Cosby Show (1984). But with Bill Cosby's help, Lisa landed in another comedy series, A Different World (1987), in which she starred as a student at a historically black university. But perhaps because of her personal problems, Lisa began showing up late for work (or sometimes not at all), and she was fired from the series. She and Lenny separated in a bitter breakup and eventually divorced in 1993. Lenny's second album, "Mama Said," filled with songs about heartache, is said to be mostly about Lisa. After her divorce from Lenny, Lisa faded from the high-profile stardom she had experienced when she was in a relationship with him, while Lenny became more famous than his ex-wife. No longer an in-demand actress, Lisa occasionally made B movies, many of which went straight to video. In 1992, Lisa started dating yoga instructor Bryan Kest. They began living together and it was around that time that Lisa legally changed her name to Lilakoi Moon, although she still uses the name Lisa Bonet for her entertainment career. Lisa has said that she has deliberately cut back on acting so that she could spend more time with her family. However, she did make a brief return to the spotlight in 1998 by co-starring with Will Smith in the big-budget hit movie Enemy of the State (1998), and had an important role in High Fidelity (2000). Lisa has since become friends with her ex-husband Lenny again. And, in an "aren't we all just one big happy family" situation, her best friend is Cree Summer, a former co-star on A Different World (1987) who released an album produced by her long-time friend Lenny Kravitz. It was Lisa who suggested that Lenny produce the album, and Lisa directed a promotional video for the album. As of 2007, Lisa lives in the Los Angeles area with her children.- Actress
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Erica Hubbard started her career in 1988 doing voice-overs and starring in commercials such as: McDonald's, MCI, Reebok and Sears. She has worked in many markets, including Chicago, New York and California.
Ms. Hubbard has performed in feature films distributed by Paramount, 20th Century Fox and TSIBILI Pictures. She has starred in television shows on various networks such as: CBS, NBC, MTV and the WB. In addition, she has graced the pages of many popular magazines, including Seventeen, Honey, Ebony and YM (as the Noxzema Girl).
Erica attended Columbia College and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in three years. After graduating, Erica already had her own television show on WPWR, a UPN affiliate in Chicago. Before Erica's third season was aired, she received a Regional Emmy and earned a Service To America Award from the National Association of Broadcasters. This was a result of hosting the children/teen show: Up'N Running (1997). Erica's dynamic resume includes credits such as Save the Last Dance (2001), A Cinderella Story (2004), Light It Up (1999) and The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants (2005) (a New York Times Best Selling Novel). Erica just wrapped Akeelah and the Bee (2006) for Lions Gate Films. Erica is working as a Regular on the series, Lincoln Heights (2006), on ABC Family Channel and Erica's animated series, The Replacements (2006), is airing now on Disney.
As a unionized actress, she knows how important it is to be affiliated with organizations in her profession. Furthermore, she is a proud member of NATAS, IFP/West, AFI and WIF, and successfully continues her career, coast to coast.- Actress
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Robin Simone Givens was born on November 27, 1964 in New York City, to Ruth (Newby) and Reuben Givens. Her father left his family when Robin was a young girl, and she seldom saw him after that. Robin's mother raised her and her younger sister in Westchester, Connecticut. Her mother (once linked to Yankee outfielder Dave Winfield) always encouraged her children's creativity, and helped them develop an interest in the arts. When she was young, Robin began playing the violin but quickly decided it was not for her. She chose instead to channel her artistic energy through acting and, at the age of ten, she started acting classes at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York City. In 1980, at fifteen, Robin enrolled as a freshman at Sarah Lawrence College to study pre-med. By her junior year, however, Robin's excitement about the idea of a career in acting intensified and she began taking her craft more seriously. Robin's first experience in Hollywood was on The Cosby Show (1984), the hottest show on television. As a result of the role, she and comedian Bill Cosby forged a great friendship which would prove instrumental in Robin's career. She also landed a guest appearance on Diff'rent Strokes (1978). Her career was just about to take off. Robin first made it big in Hollywood in 1986. She took a role in a television movie, Beverly Hills Madam (1986), as "April Baxter". But, it was later that year that Robin became a recognizable actress in Hollywood. She was given a role on the television series Head of the Class (1986) as "Darlene Merriman". The series was a comedy about a group of gifted high school students that were placed in an enrichment class. In 1988, Robin married boxing legend Mike Tyson. This union put her into the national spotlight, as Tyson was on the top of his career. He was one of the youngest boxers ever to receive the attention, acclaim and financial success that Tyson garnered. The marriage ended (on Valentine's Day), just a year later. Rumors hinted at abuse and infidelity. Robin gave marriage another chance in 1997, by marrying her tennis instructor Svetozar Marinkovic. The marriage proved a total failure, as the two were separated since the day they married, and Robin filed for divorce citing "irreconcilable differences". Aside from a successful model and acclaimed actress, Robin is a mother. In October 1999, she gave birth to a baby boy. The baby's father is tennis player Murphy Jensen, but the couple are no longer together. She has another child, and she is raising the two boys today. In 2000, Robin took a controversial career move as she took over for Mother Love on the successful television talk show, Forgive or Forget (1998). Her stint was brief, as just a few months later, the show stopped production. Many point to Mother Love's devoted audience, and the odd dismissal of her from the show she pioneered and created. Robin has tried to forge a friendship with Mother Love, but Love doesn't appear interested. Robin called in during a Howard Stern interview of Mother Love, where she said she was "on her way to work", which although innocent, proved to upset Mother Love.- Actress
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Marsha Thomason is a British television and film actress who is known for playing Sara Evers in Disney's The Haunted Mansion, Naomi Dorrit on the ABC series Lost, FBI agent Diana Berrigan on the USA Network series White Collar, Francine Bridge on Sky's Cobra and DS Jenn Townsend in ITV crime series The Bay.- British actress Naomie Harris was born in London, England, the only child of television scriptwriter Lisselle Kayla. Her father is from Trinidad and her mother is from Jamaica. They separated before she was born, and Harris was raised by her mother and has no relationship with her father. She showed an interest in acting from an early age and attended the prestigious Anna Scher Theatre School. From here, Harris won roles in various projects, such as Simon and the Witch (1987) and The Tomorrow People (1992). She went on to study social and political sciences at Pembroke College, Cambridge University, an experience Harris did not enjoy.
After graduating from the University, Harris trained at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School. Acting success soon followed and her breakthrough film role came in Danny Boyle's 28 Days Later (2002). Other notable projects include Miami Vice (2006) and Small Island (2009) (for which she was named best female actor by the Royal Television Society). Harris also won fans for her role as voodoo witch Tia Dalma in Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (2006) and Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End (2007), and further international attention came her way when she played field agent Eve Moneypenny in the James Bond film Skyfall (2012).
Naomie was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role in the drama Moonlight (2016), which won the Best Picture Oscar that year.
Naomie Harris was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) by Queen Elizabeth II in the 2017 New Years Honours for her services to drama. - Actress
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Taraji Penda Henson is an American actress and singer. She studied acting at Howard University and began her Hollywood career in guest roles on several television shows before making her breakthrough in Baby Boy (2001). She played a prostitute in Hustle & Flow (2005), for which she received a Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture nomination; and a single mother of a disabled child in David Fincher's The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008), for which she received Academy Award, SAG Award and Critics Choice Award nominations for Best Supporting Actress. In 2010, she appeared in the action comedy Date Night, and co-starred in the remake of The Karate Kid.- Actress
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Tamara Dobson was born on 14 May 1947 in Baltimore, Maryland, USA. She was an actress, known for Cleopatra Jones (1973), Cleopatra Jones and the Casino of Gold (1975) and Chained Heat (1983). She died on 2 October 2006 in Baltimore, Maryland, USA.- Actress
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Victoria Rowell is an award-winning actress, international lecturer, holds two 'honorary' doctorates - a teacher, advocate, mother, and former foster youth. She has been recognized by 193 members of Congress for advocacy work on behalf of education, arts, foster and adoptive youth and parents as well as diversity issues.
Her New York Times bestseller, The Women Who Raised Me, published by HarperCollins Publishers, received literary acclaim. Rowell also enjoys a literary book deal with Simon & Schuster for her popular soap opera novel series.
Rowell is an Emmy-nominated, NAACP-winning actress, who co-starred with Dick Van Dyke in the prime time television series Diagnosis Murder (1993) for VIACOM for eight seasons, as well as starring in Daytime television. Rowell was submitted for a Golden Globe Award, starring opposite Samuel L. Jackson in Home of the Brave (2006).
Other credits include Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (1999) and other series. She stars in the movie, Marry Me For Christmas and an upcoming feature, What Love Will Make You Do. She has been in multiple films, starring opposite Jim Carrey, Eddie Murphy, Will Smith, Jeff Bridges, Samuel L. Jackson, Beau Bridges, Forest Whitaker and more. Victoria is currently filming opposite The Blacklist/Man of Steel star, Harry Lennix.
Born in Maine, Rowell was raised on a 60 acre working farm and learned classical ballet from a book. She eventually turned professional and performed with American Ballet Theater (ABT) II and other professional ballet companies.
Rowell has two adult children, Maya and Jasper.- Actress
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Born in Florida and raised in Newark, New Jersey, Gloria's first job was as an assistant to the legal secretary in the New York office of the NAACP. She also became a model around this time and worked at the Playboy Club as a "Bunny." This exposure led to her being cast in her first movie, For Love of Ivy (1968). In the 1970s, she became a popular star of black actioners such as Black Caesar (1973) and Black Belt Jones (1974). She has completed her first CD and also produced The Paul Robeson Story.- Actress
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Tanya Boyd was born on 20 March 1951 in Detroit, Michigan, USA. She is an actress and director, known for Days of Our Lives (1965), Police Story (1973) and For da Love of Money (2002). She was previously married to Bobby Lyle.- Actress
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Moving from Orangeburg, South Carolina to the states capital, Columbia at the age of 2, Angell Conwell began her journey in entertainment at a very young age. After winning numerous awards locally and in the surrounding states of Georgia and North Carolina, she signed with Wilhelmina's Kids Division in New York. Always one to challenge herself, Angell begged for her parents permission to audition for August Wilson's highly acclaimed, "Fences". After landing the role she realized, commitment to pursuing a career in entertainment was exactly what she would set out to do.
At age 11, Angell and her mother, with only enough funds to stretch a couple months, relocated to Los Angeles for pilot season. It was quite an eye opener for her. After a very trying season, on the exact day she was scheduled to move back to Columbia, she booked the CBS pilot "On Our Own". Although, the pilot wasn't picked up to series, the network noticed this vibrant young actress and soon flew her back to California to audition for the role of Meshach Taylor's daughter on the CBS show "Dave's World". She landed the role.
At 17, John Singleton cast Angell in her first silver screen role as Kim in "Baby Boy" sharing the screen with Tyrese, Taraji P. Hensen & Omar Gooding. Immediately after, Conwell began filming the Lions Gate comedic remake "The Wash", and MGM's wildly popular "Soul Plane" alongside Kevin Hart and Sofia Vergara. She's guest starred and recurred on dozens of hit shows.
Angell was presented with Columbia, South Carolina's Key To The City on February 5, 2019. This day was also deemed Angell Conwell Day by Mayor Steven Benjamin.- Actress
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Reagan Gomez-Preston was born on 24 April 1980 in Detroit, Michigan, USA. She is an actress and writer, known for Jerry Maguire (1996), Surviving... (2015) and Almost Home (2013). She has been married to DeWayne Turrentine Jr. since 10 November 1999. They have two children.- Actress
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Valarie Pettiford's career glitters like the lights on Broadway. An award-winning triple-threat, Valarie has worked with some of the biggest names in entertainment, but has never let her brushes with fame go to her head. Although some would argue that she is a celebrity in her own right, Valarie is still a humble girl from Queens.
On screen, at age 14, Pettiford starred in the chorus of the film The Wiz (1978). She has appeared in such films as The Cotton Club (1984), Glitter (2001), Stomp the Yard (2007), Why Did I Get Married Too? (2010), the short film musical Not Your Time (2010), the award-winning short film Response (2009) and Jumping the Broom (2011) from Sony Pictures. Her role in the acclaimed independent film Why Am I Doing This? (2009) earned her a glowing mention in the L.A. Times. Her role as Big Dee Dee Thorne on the hit sitcom Half & Half (2002) earned her three NAACP Image Award nominations. Valarie plays the recurring role of Sandra Lucas on Tyler Perry's House of Payne (2006). Other notable television appearances include guest-starring roles on Criminal Minds (2005), CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (2000), CSI: Miami (2002), The District (2000), The West Wing (1999), Frasier (1993), One Life to Live (1968), Bones (2005), The Cape (1996) and The Finder (2012). She had a recurring guest star on the hit HBO series Treme (2010).
Valarie's theatre credits read like a prestigious shopping list, with numerous accolades for the execution of her craft. Valarie won NAACP Theatre and Garland Awards for Best Actress in "The Wild Party." She was honored with NAACP, Robby and Reader's Choice Awardsfor for her role in "Show Boat." Both performances were nominated for Ovation Awards. Valarie was a member of the original casts of "Sophisticated Ladies", understudying Judith Jamison, and "Fosse", for which she was recognized by the Drama League and nominated for Outer Critics Circle, Dora Mavor Moore and Tony Awards.
Valarie performed alongside Chita Rivera in the West End debut of "Chicago", and subsequently performed "All That Jazz" as a tribute to Rivera at the Kennedy Center Honors. However, her self-proclaimed career highlight was the fulfillment of a life-long dream; she recorded her first album, "Hear My Soul". An accomplished stage performer, Valarie has performed her successful one-woman shows to sold-out audiences coast to coast. She has performed with Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz in New York and Miami in the musical tribute to their father, called "Babalu". Valarie enjoyed stellar reviews in both cities. Proving that her voice ad presence are both Broadway bold, she is a regular guest soloist with the Pasadena Symphony for their annual Pops program.
In the traditional sense of the word, Valarie Pettiford is a diva, a master of her craft who has the ability to command attention. Whether she would agree, or try to harness that power, is anyone's guess.- Actress
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Golden Brooks was born on 1 December 1970 in Fresno, California, USA. She is an actress and writer, known for Girlfriends (2000), The Darkest Minds (2018) and Beauty Shop (2005).- Victoria Dillard was born on 20 September 1969 in New York City, New York, USA. She is an actress, known for Coming to America (1988), Ali (2001) and Deep Cover (1992).
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Tamala Jones was born on 12 November 1974 in Pasadena, California, USA. She is an actress and producer, known for Blue Streak (1999), Can't Hardly Wait (1998) and Booty Call (1997).- Actress
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Elise Neal was born in Memphis, Tennessee and began dancing at age six. She credits her success to her mother, Arletha Neal, who always supported her and drove her to many talent shows and recitals. After moving to New York and quickly booking many off-Broadway shows and musical revivals, she thought Broadway would be her winning ticket. But she moved to LA to give acting a 'try.'
Born to entertain when she begged her mother to put her in dance class at age six!
Now of course an actress known worldwide - Either from seven TV shows: The Hughleys, All of Us, and Belle's (as a series regular), or one of her thirty films. Her last film, Logan, marked her third film as number one at the box office and has grossed over $400 million dollars worldwide. Elise also broke the internet for how she looks for her age, Elise is executive producing a fitness show, teaming up with Loud TV, who produced The Biggest Loser, and is pitching many TV and film projects!- Actress
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Gina was born in New York City and is youngest of three children in a close-knit Cuban American family. Attended New York City's High School of Music and Art She is a gifted mezzo soprano and was trained in opera and jazz and also sang in a gospel choir.- Actress
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Regina Hall was born December 12, 1970 in Washington, D.C., to Ruby, a teacher, and Odie Hall, a contractor. She graduated from Fordham University in 1992, and went on to earn a master's degree in journalism from New York University before shifting to an acting career. In 1997 at age 26, she began appearing in commercials, and then made the giant leap into movies. Her fame came with her role in the comedy-horror spoof Scary Movie, Regina Hall has frequented the big screen in roles that far from betrayed her age. Her recurring role in Scary Movie and the sequel Scary Movie 2 exhibited the 30-year-old's ability to maintain her youthful appearance, as she portrayed the high-school-aged Brenda Meeks. However, her first film role was in the 1999 film The Best Man. The following year, she made many other film appearances, including her starring role in Scary Movie in 2000. She first had a role in the movie Love and Basketball which also starred close friend Sanaa Lathan. In 2001, Hall's list of credits grew to include her first television role, as Corretta Lipp on the prime-time drama Ally McBeal, which was a recurring role for several episodes. Furthermore, in 2001 Scary Movie 2 was released, in addition to the Mandel Holland comedy The Other Brother, featuring Hall as Vicki. One year later, she starred in the action-drama Paid in Full, directed by Charles Stone III. She would later on start in other films such as;Malibu's Most Wanted, Scary Movie 3, The Honeymooners, and First Sunday.- Leila Arcieri was born on 18 December 1973 in San Francisco, California, USA. She is an actress, known for Son of the Beach (2000), Daddy Day Care (2003) and Untitled Kanye West HBO Project (2008).
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Sydney Tamiia Poitier (born November 15, 1973) is a Bahamian-American television and film actress.
Born in Los Angeles, Poitier is the daughter of Bahamian actor Sir Sidney Poitier and Canadian actress Joanna Shimkus. Her mother is of Lithuanian Jewish and Irish descent. She has an older sister, Anika. She also has four older half-sisters, Beverly, Pamela, Sherri, and Gina, from her father's first marriage. Poitier's great-uncle has claimed that the Poitier ancestors on her grandfather's side had migrated from Haiti and were probably part of the runaway slaves who had established maroon communities throughout the Bahamas, including Cat Island. He mentions that the surname Poitier is a French name, and there were no white Poitiers from the Bahamas.
Poitier attended NYU's Tisch School of the Arts where she earned a bachelor's degree in acting. She also studied at Stella Adler Studio of Acting.
Poitier began her career of acting in the late 1990s. In 2001, she landed her first role on television in the NBC drama series First Years. The series was canceled after three episodes. In 2003, she starred in the UPN sitcom Abby. That series was also canceled during its first season. Later that same year, she had a recurring role in Joan of Arcadia, where she played Rebecca Askew, the love interest of Joan's older brother, Kevin (Jason Ritter). She was also a regular on the first season of Veronica Mars. However, she left the show after only appearing in four episodes because of budget cuts.
In 2007, Poitier starred in Death Proof, director Quentin Tarantino's segment of the movie Grindhouse, as radio DJ Jungle Julia. The next year, she had a co-starring role in the new Knight Rider series, as FBI Agent Carrie Rivai. In 2011, she guest-starred on two episodes of Private Practice.- Actress
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Denise Boutte was born on 19 January 1982 in Maurice, Louisiana, USA. She is an actress and producer, known for Why Did I Get Married? (2007), Kombucha Cure (2023) and Extreme Movie (2008). She has been married to Kevin Boutte since 2003. They have one child.