Young Black Actresses
by Chocolegz | created - 11 Apr 2013 | updated - 03 Nov 2015 | PublicAfrican and of African descent If someone's missing, check my Over 40 Goddesses list. They're all there :) I put a lot of unknowns on the list. Why are they unknown? B4 I hear anything, this list exist because we are not represented enough in the media. This is for the young black girls who need to see themselves.
1. Aïssa Maïga
Actress | Les poupées russes
Aïssa Maïga is a Senegalsese actress working in France. She was born in Dakar, Senegal, in 1975 to a Senegalese-Gambian mother and Malian father, an acclaimed journalist. She moved with her family to France when she was 4. She discovered her vocation as an actress in middle school, and won various ...
2. Lupita Nyong'o
Actress | 12 Years a Slave
Lupita Amondi Nyong'o was born March 1, 1983 in Mexico City, Mexico, to Kenyan parents, Dorothy Ogada Buyu and Peter Anyang' Nyong'o. Her father, a senator, was then a visiting lecturer in political science. She was raised in Kenya. At age 16, her parents sent her back to Mexico for seven months to...
3. Naomie Harris
Actress | Moonlight
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 ...
4. Teyonah Parris
Actress | Dear White People
Teyonah Parris was born on September 22, 1987 in Hopkins, South Carolina, USA. She is an actress and producer, known for Dear White People (2014), Chi-Raq (2015) and If Beale Street Could Talk (2018). She is married to James Parris.
5. Yolonda Ross
Actress | The Chi
Yolonda Ross was born in Omaha, Nebraska, USA. She is an actress and writer, known for The Chi (2018), The Get Down (2016) and Whitney (2015).
6. Wunmi Mosaku
Actress | His House
Wunmi Mosaku was born on July 31, 1986 in Zaria, Nigeria. She is an actress, known for His House (2020), Lovecraft Country (2020) and Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (2016).
7. Uzo Aduba
Actress | Orange Is the New Black
Aduba began earning recognition for her work in 2003, with a performance in "Translations of Xhosa" at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts that won her a Helen Hayes Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress in a Play. Her Broadway debut was in 2007 as Toby in "Coram Boy". She was...
8. Danai Gurira
Actress | Black Panther
Danai Gurira was born in Grinnell, Iowa, to Josephine and Roger Gurira, who were from Zimbabwe. Her father was then teaching Chemistry at Grinnell College. When she was five, the family moved back to Zimbabwe, residing in the capital Harare. Gurira later returned to the United States, and studied ...
Michonne kicks ass...and is a playwright!
9. Sonequa Martin-Green
Actress | Star Trek: Discovery
Sonequa Martin-Green (born March 21, 1985) is an American actress and producer. She is best known for her television role as Sasha Williams on The Walking Dead, a role she played from 2012 to 2017. Before that, she had starred in several independent films before gaining her first recurring role as ...
10. Samira Wiley
Actress | Orange Is the New Black
Samira Wiley was born on April 15, 1987 in Washington, District of Columbia, USA. She is an actress and producer, known for Orange Is the New Black (2013), The Sitter (2011) and The Handmaid's Tale (2017). She has been married to Lauren Morelli since March 25, 2017.
11. Gabrielle Union
Actress | Bring It On
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, ...
12. Emayatzy Corinealdi
Actress | Middle of Nowhere
Emayatzy Corinealdi was born on January 14, 1980 in Fort Knox, Kentucky, USA. She is an actress, known for Middle of Nowhere (2012), The Invitation (2015) and Roots (2016).
13. Nichole Galicia
Actress | Django Unchained
Nichole Galicia is a film and television actress whose extraordinary journey to the big screen began as a high fashion model on the catwalks of Europe. Most recently, acclaimed director Quentin Tarantino hand picked Galicia for his film, Django Unchained, starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Jamie Foxx. ...
14. Shanola Hampton
Actress | Shameless
Shanola Hampton was born May 27 in Long Island, NY to a Pastor and an IRS agent. She was raised in Summerville, South Carolina with her three sisters. In college she earned a degree in Theater, with emphasis in Performance from Winthrop University along with a Masters Degree in Fine Arts from ...
15. Kimberly Elise
Actress | Diary of a Mad Black Woman
Kimberly Elise was born on April 17, 1967 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA. She is an actress and executive, known for Diary of a Mad Black Woman (2005), The Manchurian Candidate (2004) and John Q (2002). She was previously married to Maurice Oldham.
16. Nicole Beharie
Actress | 42
Nicole Beharie is an American actress.
Her critically acclaimed film debut was in the film American Violet (2008) alongside Alfre Woodard, Tim Blake Nelson and Will Patton. Beharie also played Ernie Davis' girlfriend in the movie The Express (2008). Her upcoming projects include My Last Day Without ...
17. Fatou N'Diaye
Actress | Un dimanche à Kigali
Fatou N'Diaye is known for A Sunday in Kigali (2006), Angel (2018) and Asterix & Obelix: Mission Cleopatra (2002).
No picture here but PLEASE google this beauty! OMG!!!
18. Phina Oruche
Actress | The Forsaken
Completed shooting Taken Down a six part drama for RTE in Dublin. playing the role of dastardly Marvellous which garnered critical acclaim. Her one woman show called Identity Crisis debuted at International Edinburgh Festival and NYC Soho's Fringe festival garnered great five star reviews. She ...
19. Meagan Good
Actress | Think Like a Man
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), ...
20. Camille Winbush
Actress | The Bernie Mac Show
Camille Winbush was born on February 9, 1990 in Culver City, California, USA. She is an actress, known for The Bernie Mac Show (2001), Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai (1999) and Eraser (1996).
21. Damaris Lewis
Actress | BlacKkKlansman
Damaris Lewis was born on October 10, 1990 in Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA. She is an actress, known for BlacKkKlansman (2018), Pose (2018) and Titans (2018).
22. Caroline Chikezie
Actress | Æon Flux
Caroline Chikezie was born in London, England, UK. She is an actress and producer, known for Æon Flux (2005), Eragon (2006) and The Double Deal (2014).
23. Franchesca Ramsey
Writer | MTV Decoded
Franchesca Ramsey is a video blogger and actor, known for The One (2011), Totally Biased with W. Kamau Bell (2012), Broad City (2014) and her viral video "Shit White Girls Say...To Black Girls" (2012). Franchesca and her original YouTube videos have been featured on MTV, The BBC, MSNBC and Anderson...
24. Tika Sumpter
Actress | Southside with You
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 ...
25. Nicole Ari Parker
Actress | Boogie Nights
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...
26. Naturi Naughton
Actress | Notorious
Naturi Naughton is an American Actress/Singer best known for her performance as "Tasha St. Patrick" in the hit show "Power" on the Starz Network. She has won 2 NAACP Image Awards for her performance in this role. Many also remember her thrilling portrayal of "Lil Kim" in Fox Searchlight's film "...
27. Denise Milfort
Actress | Dead on Arrival
Born in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Denise Milfort narrowly escaped great political upheaval with her family as a small child. Her father, now deceased, was the supervising engineer at a German owned electronic company in Haiti. Her mother, a former entrepreneur owned several car dealerships throughout ...
28. Hope Olaidé Wilson
Actress | Spenser Confidential
Hope Olaidé Wilson was born in the UK. She is an actress and producer, known for Spenser Confidential (2020), Solace (2018) and The Last Ship (2014).
29. Yaya DaCosta
Actress | The Butler
Yaya DaCosta was born and raised in New York City along with her sister and two brothers. She got her first acting gig at the age of eleven when her junior high school drama teacher, Ann Willis Ratray, encouraged her to audition for educational films. She continued to perform in school shows ...
30. Yaani King Mondschein
Actress | In the Cut
New York native Yaani King began her career off-Broadway in "The Alchemist" at The Classic Stage Company. She segued into film and television with The Prince and Me (2004) with Julia Stiles, and Sex and the City (1998).
After studying at The Actors Centre in London, Ms. King moved to Los Angeles and...
31. Quvenzhané Wallis
Actress | Beasts of the Southern Wild
Wallis was born in Houma, Louisiana, to Qulyndreia (Jackson) Wallis, a teacher, and Venjie Wallis, Sr., a truck driver. She has one sister, Qunyquekya, and two brothers, Vejon and Venjie, Jr. "Quven", the first part of her name, combines the first syllables of her parents' first names. Wallis, at ...
32. Adepero Oduye
Actress | 12 Years a Slave
Adepero Oduye hails from Brooklyn, New York City by way of Nigeria. She is a graduate of Cornell University; and has studied acting with Wynn Handman, Austin Pendleton, and Susan Batson. Her name is pronounced "Add-eh-pair-o Oh-due-yay."
Her theatre credits include Danai Gurira's play Eclipsed, at ...
33. Keke Palmer
Actress | Nope
Lauren Keyana "Keke" Palmer was born on August 26, 1993 in Harvey, Illinois and raised in Robbins, Illinois to Sharon and Larry Palmer, both former actors. Palmer showed vocal promise as a five-year-old, when she belted out "Jesus Loves Me" in her church choir. A year later the singer-actress had a...
34. Nona Gaye
Actress | Crash
It was inevitable that Nona Gaye would become a singer - she is the granddaughter of Cuban jazz great Slim Gaillard, the niece of R&B singer/songwriter Frankie Gaye and the daughter of soul legend Marvin Gaye. Signed to Third/Stone Atlantic at 14, Nona released "Love for the Future" in 1992, which ...
35. Coco Jones
Actress | Vampires vs. the Bronx
Courtney Michaela Ann "Coco" Jones was born on January 4, 1998 in Columbia, South Carolina and raised in Lebanon, Tennessee to Javonda Antenessia Jones (née Floyd), a session vocalist & Mike Jones, a former NFL player. She rose to prominence starring in the Disney Channel film, Let It Shine (2012) ...
36. Genevieve Nnaji
Actress | Road to Yesterday
Genevieve Nnaji started her acting career as a child actress in the then-popular television soap opera "Ripples" at the age of 8. She was also featured in several commercials, some of which included Pronto beverage and Omo detergent. In 1998, at the age of 19, she made her debut in the growing ...
37. Jill Marie Jones
Actress | Girlfriends
Jill Marie Jones was born on January 4, 1975 in Dallas, Texas, USA. She is an actress and producer, known for Girlfriends (2000), Drool (2009) and Sleepy Hollow (2013).
38. RaéVen Kelly
Actress | A Time to Kill
RaéVen Larrymore Kelly continues to make her celebrity count with a cause. RaéVen has had the fortune of performing in a wide range of high-quality projects for film and television: John Grisham's "A Time to Kill" as Tonya Hailey with Samuel L. Jackson, Sandra Bullock, Matthew McConaughey, director...
39. Serena Reeder
Actress | The Bucket List
Serena Reeder was born on April 8, 1983 in Washington, District of Columbia, USA. She is an actress and writer, known for The Bucket List (2007), Get Rich or Die Tryin' (2005) and Untitled Edmonia Lewis Film.
40. Joy Bryant
Actress | Bobby
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 ...
41. Rakie Ayola
Actress | Been So Long
Rakie Ayola was born on May 11, 1968 in Cardiff, Wales, UK. She is an actress and producer, known for Been So Long (2018), Twelfth Night (2018) and No Offence (2015). She is married to Adam Smethurst. They have two children.
42. Billie-Suliat Baker
Actress | CIS: Las Gidi
Billie Suliat Baker was born to Nigerian parents Adisa Mukyle Bashua and Yetunde Margaret Solanke in Lagos Nigeria. At age 13, she moved to the United Kingdom. After attending Barking and Dagenham College where she acquired a BTech in Performing Arts, She went on to graduate from Central School of ...
43. Sophie Okonedo
Actress | Hotel Rwanda
Sophie Okonedo is a British actress. She was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role as Tatiana Rusesabagina in Hotel Rwanda (2004).
Okonedo was born within London in 1968. Her parents were Henry Okonedo (1939-2009) and Joan Allman. Her father was British Nigerian ...
44. Anika Noni Rose
Actress | The Princess and the Frog
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 ...
45. Tamala Jones
Actress | Blue Streak
Tamala Jones was born on November 12, 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).
46. Antonique Smith
Actress | Notorious
Antonique is an acclaimed actor and a 2015 Grammy nominated singer and writer. She is most famous for her starring role of Faith Evans in "Notorious" where she received rave reviews and was praised by critics, including Jeffery Lyons who called her "one to watch".
Antonique is one of the new stars ...
47. Kerry Washington
Actress | Scandal
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 ...
48. Anna Simpson
Actress | Sherrybaby
Anna Simpson was born on March 23, 1985 in Brooklyn, New York, USA. She is an actress, known for Sherrybaby (2006), Law & Order: Criminal Intent (2001) and Our Song (2000).
49. Vicky Jeudy
Actress | Orange Is the New Black
Award-winning actress, Vicky Jeudy is best known for her breakout role on the American comedy-drama hit series, Orange is the New Black. Vicky plays Janae Watson, a former high school track star, who after one wrong turn becomes an inmate at Litchfield Penitentiary. In 2015, Vicky and the entire ...
50. Renée Elise Goldsberry
Actress | Hamilton
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 ...
51. Karen LeBlanc
Actress | The Kings of Napa
The youngest of eight children, Karen grew up in an active home in a small town just outside of Toronto.
Drawn to performing at an early age, Karen received her formal training through the musical theatre program at Sheridan College and after graduation by singing with several bands.
A fan of travel,...
52. Kent King
Actress | Knots Landing
Kent Masters King joined the cast of ABC's daytime drama Port Charles (1997) in June of 2003, just a few months after ABC Daytime President Brian Frons announced it was being canceled. Kent was born in Los Angeles, California, on August 5, 1974. She played Julie Williams in the long-running ...
53. Vanessa Chester
Actress | The Lost World: Jurassic Park
Vanessa Chester was born on July 2, 1984 in Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA. She is an actress, known for The Lost World: Jurassic Park (1997), A Little Princess (1995) and Harriet the Spy (1996).
54. Brandy Norwood
Actress | I Still Know What You Did Last Summer
Brandy Norwood is an African-American singer-songwriter and actress from McComb, Mississippi. She is known for her roles in Moesha, Osmosis Jones and Cinderella. She has released many R&B albums and singles since the 1990s. She is known as "The Vocal Bible". She gave birth to a daughter named ...
55. Terry Pheto
Actress | Tsotsi
Terry Pheto was born on May 11, 1981 in Evaton, South Africa. She is an actress and casting director, known for Tsotsi (2005), A United Kingdom (2016) and How to Steal 2 Million (2011).
56. Ruth Negga
Actress | Loving
Ruth Negga was born on May 4, 1981 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. She is an actress and producer, known for Loving (2016), Passing (2021) and Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (2013).
57. Megalyn Echikunwoke
Actress | Night School
Ebubennem Megalyn Ann Echikunwoke was born May 28, in Spokane, Washington. Her father was Nigerian and her mother is of English and Scots-Irish descent. Her last name, "Echikunwoke", means "leader of men" and Megalyn is the granddaughter of a Nigerian tribal leader of the Igbo, which technically ...
58. Malinda Williams
Actress | High School High
Malinda Williams was born on September 24, 1970 in Elizabeth, New Jersey, USA. She is an actress and producer, known for High School High (1996), First Sunday (2008) and The Undershepherd (2012). She has been married to Tariq Walker since January 2020. She was previously married to D-Nice and Mekhi...
59. Vanessa Williams
Actress | Candyman
Vanessa Estelle Williams (Actress, Singer, Writer, Director) born and raised in Brooklyn, NY, is a talented force that came to Hollywood in the 90's with passion purpose and staying power. This highly sought-after creative artist wrapped "A Rich Christmas" a feature film for BET this past December ...
60. Sanaa Lathan
Actress | AVP: Alien vs. Predator
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 ...
61. Rosario Dawson
Actress | Rent
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...
62. Monica Calhoun
Actress | Out of Rosenheim
Monica Calhoun has been acting since the age of 13. As a child actress, she worked for Walt Disney Family in "She Stood Alone", and starred on CBS's series "Bagdad Café", "Getting Straight" and "Taking a Stand", ABC's "Where I Live", "The Ditchdigger's Daughter", and "The Ernest Green Story". She ...
63. Paula Patton
Actress | Precious
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 ...
64. Nimi Adokiye
Actress | Bob Hearts Abishola
Nimi Adokiye has emerged as a standout talent in Hollywood, recognized for her captivating performances across notable TV series. Her exceptional skills were honored with the Best Emerging Actress award at the World Entertainment Awards, underscoring her significant impact as a rising star in the ...
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