Salli Richardson

Salli Richardson

Richardson in 2012
Born Salli Elise Richardson
(1967-11-23) November 23, 1967
Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Other names Salli Richardson-Whitfield
Education University of Chicago Laboratory Schools
Occupation Actress
Years active 1991–present
Spouse(s) Dondre Whitfield (m. 2002)
Children 2
Website Official website

Salli Elise Richardson (born November 23, 1967) is an American television and film actress and director. Richardson is known for her role as Angela on the 1994 hit comedy/action film A Low Down Dirty Shame and for her role as Dr. Allison Blake on the Syfy comedy-drama series Eureka (2006–2012).

She is also known for her voice acting as Elisa Maza on the Disney animated series Gargoyles (1994–1996),[1] and as Viveca Foster on the CBS series Family Law (1999-2002). Richardson also has appeared in a number of films such as The Great White Hype (1996), Antwone Fisher (2002), Anacondas: The Hunt for the Blood Orchid (2004) and I Am Legend (2007). She had leading roles in the independent films Pastor Brown (2009), Black Dynamite (2009) and I Will Follow (2010).

Early life

Richardson-Whitfield was born in Chicago, Illinois, the daughter of an African American-Native American mother and a white (Italian-American-Irish-American) father.[2] She has three brothers: Josh Richardson, Chad Richardson, and Nalin. Richardson played tennis in high school, and launched her acting career in the Kuumba Workshop theater there.[3] She graduated from the University of Chicago Laboratory Schools in 1985.

Career

Richardson began her acting career in the theater before roles in television and film.[3] In film, she played small roles in Prelude to a Kiss, Mo' Money, Posse, and later had major roles in Sioux City and A Low Down Dirty Shame. From 1994 to 1996 she had voice role of Elisa Maza on the animated series Gargoyles.[1] She had many guest-starring roles in numerous television shows, such as Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, New York Undercover, The Pretender, Stargate SG-1, NYPD Blue, House, Bones, Criminal Minds, NCIS and Castle.

Richardson in 2008

Richardson starred opposite Dixie Carter and Kathleen Quinlan in the CBS legal drama series, Family Law, from 1999 to 2002. She had recurring roles as Nancy Adams on Rude Awakening, and as Laura on CSI: Miami. She starred opposite Denzel Washington in the 2002 drama film Antwone Fisher. She also appeared in the 2004 horror film Anacondas: The Hunt for the Blood Orchid and starred opposite Will Smith in 2007's post-apocalyptic film I Am Legend. She later had a leading role in the independent dramas Pastor Brown (2009) and I Will Follow (2010). She also starred in The Sin Seer with Isaiah Washington, set for 2015 release.[4]

From 2006 to 2012, Richardson starred as Department of Defense agent (and later head of Global Dynamics) Allison Blake in the Syfy comedy-drama series Eureka. Her second pregnancy was written into the storyline of the series.[3] After the series' cancellation, she was cast as the lead in the Lifetime drama pilot The Secret Lives of Wives.[5] In 2014, Richardson was cast in a recurring role on Lifetime's The Lottery as the first lady of the United States,[6] but she lost it to Shelley Conn;[7] She also has a role on BET's Being Mary Jane as an old friend of the lead character.[8][9] In 2015, Richardson was cast in the ABC Family series, Stitchers.[10] In August–September 2016, she made appearances as one of the co-hosts of the Hollywood Today Live daily show seating next to Ross Mathews.

Richardson has also worked as a director of episodic television. Following her directorial debut on two episodes of Ava DuVernay's original drama series for OWN, Queen Sugar (on which her husband Dondre Whitfield appears as a series regular),[11] in 2016, Richardson has also directed an episode of the historical action-drama Underground for WGN America.[12] In 2017, she directed two episodes of BET drama Rebel, and Shonda Rhimes' Scandal.

Personal life

On September 8, 2002, she married long-time boyfriend and fellow actor Dondre Whitfield. She and Whitfield have one daughter, Parker Richardson-Whitfield, and one son, Dondre Terrell Whitfield Jr. (born January 24, 2009).[13] Whitfield has appeared along with her husband Dondre Whitfield in a late night infomercial as part of an advertising campaign to promote the Time Life Zestify Midnight Soul collection.[14]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1991 Up Against the Wall Denise
1992 Prelude to a Kiss Bridesmaid
1992 Mo' Money Pretty Customer
1992 How U Like Me Now Valerie
1993 Posse Lana
1994 I Spy Returns Nicole Scott Television film
1994 Sioux City Jolene Buckley
1994 A Low Down Dirty Shame Angela
1994 Lily in Winter Ada Covington Television film
1995 Once Upon a Time...When We Were Colored Miss Alice
1996 Soul of the Game Lahoma
1996 The Great White Hype Bambi
1997 True Women Martha Television film
1998 Butter Blusette Ford
1999 Lillie Lillie
2002 Book of Love: The Definitive Reason Why Men Are Dogs Karen
2002 Antwone Fisher Berta Davenport
2002 Baby of the Family Nelli McPherson
2003 Biker Boyz Half & Half
2004 Anacondas: The Hunt for the Blood Orchid Gail Stern
2007 I Am Legend Zoe Neville
2009 Black Dynamite Gloria
2009 Pastor Brown Jessica "Jesse" Brown Nominated—Black Reel Award for Best Actress
2010 I Will Follow Maye
2012 We the Party Principal Reynolds
2013 Teachers Christine Television film
2015 Playin' for Love Talisa McCoy
2015 The Sin Seer Nia Post-production

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1992 Silk Stalkings Shelley Episode: "Wild Card"
1993 Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Fenna / Nidell Episode: "Second Sight"
1994 Roc Diane Hubbard Episode: "The Last Temptation of Roc"
1994 New York Undercover Tammy Barrett Episode: "Eyewitness Blues"
1994–1996 Gargoyles Elisa Maza (voice) Series regular, 60 episodes
1996 Gargoyles: The Goliath Chronicles Elisa Maza Series regular, 11 episodes
1997 Stargate SG-1 Drey'auc Episode: "Bloodlines"
1997 Between Brothers Vanessa Episode: "The Player"
1998 The Pretender Cynthia Sloan Episode: "Gigolo Jarod"
1998–1999 Mercy Point Lt. Kim Salisaw Series regular, 8 episodes
1999 The Jamie Foxx Show Camille Turner Episode: "Liar, Liar, Pants on Fire"
2000 Secret Agent Man Rachel Episode: "WhupSumAss"
2000–2001 Rude Awakening Nancy Adams Recurring role, 9 episodes
1999–2002 Family Law Viveca Foster Series regular, 68 episodes
2003 CSI: Miami Laura Recurring role, 5 episodes
2004 Line of Fire Erica Logan Episode: "The Senator"
2004 Second Time Around Amanda Episode: "Coupling Up"
2004 NYPD Blue Bobbi Kingston Episodes: "My Dinner with Andy" and "I Like Ike"
2005 House Sharon Episode: "Sports Medicine"
2005 1-800-Missing Kelly Episode: "Sisterhood"
2005 The War at Home Vanessa Episode: "Guess Who's Coming to the Barbecue"
2006 Bones Assistant U.S. Attorney Kim Kurland Episode: "Aliens in a Spaceship"
2009 Criminal Minds Tamara Barnes Episodes: "Hopeless" and "The Eyes Have It"
2006–2012 Eureka Allison Blake Series regular, 77 episodes
Nominated—NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series (2011)
2012 The Finder Athena Brookes Episode: "Life After Death"
2012 The Secret Lives of Wives Reed TV pilot
2012–2013 The Newsroom Jane Barrow Recurring role, 3 episodes
2013 NCIS Carrie Clark Episode: "Alibi"
2014 House of Lies Sandra Joy Episode: "Power(less)"
2014 Castle U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Weston Episode: "The Greater Good"
2014 NCIS Carrie Clark Episode: "Semper Fortis"
2015 Being Mary Jane Valerie Recurring role, 5 episodes
2015–present Stitchers Maggie Series regular; 26 episodes
2015 NCIS Carrie Clark Episode: "A Day in Court"
2016 Queen Sugar Directed episodes "So Far" and "All Good"
(as Salli Richardson-Whitfield)[11]
2017 Underground Directed episode: "Nok Aaut"
as Salli Richardson-Whitfield[12]

References

  1. 1 2 Dretzka, Gary (August 8, 1995). "What's Dramatic, Fun and Keeping These Actors Busy? Sounds Like Gargoyles". Chicago Tribune. p. 7. Retrieved April 18, 2015.
  2. "Salli Richardson Facts, information, pictures | Encyclopedia.com articles about Salli Richardson". Encyclopedia.com. Retrieved May 29, 2014.
  3. 1 2 3 "Salli Richardson-Whitfield Biography". TV Guide. Retrieved May 29, 2014.
  4. "Richard Brooks, Salli Richardson-Whitfield Join Isaiah Washington in 'The Sin Seer'". TheWrap. Retrieved May 29, 2014.
  5. Andreeva, Nellie. "Salli Richardson-Whitfield To Star In Lifetime's 'Secret Lives Of Wives' Pilot". Deadline.com. Retrieved May 29, 2014.
  6. "'Homeland's' Martin Donovan Joins Lifetime's 'Lottery' (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. December 2, 2013. Retrieved May 29, 2014.
  7. "A+E Networks – Life is Entertaining". Aenetworks.com. May 22, 2014. Retrieved June 4, 2014.
  8. "MacKenzie Porter Joins AMC's 'Hell On Wheels'; Salli Richardson-Whitfield In BET's 'Being Mary Jane'". Deadline.com. Retrieved May 29, 2014.
  9. "TV News: Salli Richardson-Whitfield Joins 'Being Mary Jane,' Omar J. Dorsey In 'Ray Donovan' + New Oxygen Greenlights|Shadow and Act". Blogs.indiewire.com. Retrieved May 29, 2014.
  10. "ABC Family Adds 3 to Cast of First Crime Procedural 'Stitchers'". TheWrap. Retrieved April 18, 2015.
  11. 1 2 "Salli Richardson-Whitfield On ‘Underground’s’ "Nok Aaut" & The Age Of The Black Female Director". Essence. March 30, 2017. Retrieved April 2, 2017.
  12. 1 2 "Salli Richardson-Whitfield On ‘Underground’s’ "Nok Aaut" & The Age Of The Black Female Director". Essence. March 30, 2017. Retrieved March 31, 2017.
  13. Dondre and Salli Richardson-Whitfield Welcome a Son Celebrity Baby Blog, February 25, 2009
  14. Sally Richardson-Whitfield  Biography Internet Movie Database. Retrieved April 26, 2010
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