"BLACK BEAUTIES" some of the finest EBONY QUEENS of all time

1. 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, ...

2. Stacey Dash

Actress | Clueless

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...

3. Golden Brooks

Actress | Girlfriends

Golden Brooks was born on December 1, 1970 in Fresno, California, USA. She is an actress and writer, known for Girlfriends (2000), The Darkest Minds (2018) and Beauty Shop (2005).

4. Meta Golding

Actress | Rabbit Hole

Meta Golding is of Haitian descent but was raised in the United States, India, France and Italy as well as Haiti itself. She competed on ice as an Italian national figure skater, but when an injury ended her skating career she started acting in Italian theatre. Later she returned to the USA to ...

5. Phylicia Rashad

Actress | The Cosby Show

Phylicia Rashad was born in Houston, Texas to African-American parents Vivian Elizabeth (Ayers), a poet and art director, and Andrew Arthur Allen, an orthodontist. As a child, Phylicia, her older brother Andrew (called Tex), and younger sister, dancer and actress Debbie Allen, lived in Mexico. She ...

6. Merle Dandridge

Actress | Half-Life 2

Merle was born in Okinawa, Japan to a mother of Korean and Japanese descent and an African-American father serving in the U.S. Air Force. After graduating high school in Papillion, Nebraska, she attended the Theatre Conservatory at Roosevelt University in Chicago on a full-ride scholarship and ...

7. Gina Torres

Actress | Serenity

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.

8. Michelle Van Der Water

Actress | Minotaur

Michelle Van Der Water is a South African native born in Cape Town. Her parents moved the family to Australia soon after Michelle's birth. The family settled in a small town just an hour outside of Sydney. Michelle attended and graduated from Inaburra High School in the Sutherland Shire before ...

9. Porscha Coleman

Actress | Dad Stop Embarrassing Me

Porscha Coleman is an American actress, singer, dancer, and TV host, who is best known for her recurring television role as Erica Willis on The Parkers, Rachel in the Disney Channel Original Movie Pixel Perfect, and on MTV's improvisation show Wild 'n Out. She attended Millikan Middle School ...

10. Nia Long

Actress | The Best Man

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 ...

11. Elise Neal

Actress | Hustle & Flow

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 ...

12. Khandi Alexander

Actress | CSI: Miami

Khandi Alexander was born on September 4, 1957 in Jacksonville, Florida, USA. She is an actress, known for CSI: Miami (2002), Patriots Day (2016) and Treme (2010).

13. 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), ...

14. K.D. Aubert

Actress | Friday After Next

Model & Actress KD Aubert started her modeling career with LA Models in 2001. As a runway model working overseas, she soon ventured into print modeling with Elite models (LA) where she was thrust into major campaigns. Soon after KD entered into the world of commercials where again, she was lucky ...

15. Halle Berry

Actress | Catwoman

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. ...

16. Mari Morrow

Actress | Big Mommas: Like Father, Like Son

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...

17. Devika Parikh

Actress | Aquaman

Throughout her career, Devika Parikh has distinguished herself with memorable roles in iconic series and feature films in both comedy and drama. Parikh can next be seen on January 11 in the highly anticipated new OWN series "Kings of Napa," where she stars as "Melanie Pierce," who brings the drama ...

18. 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 ...

19. Raven-Symoné

Actress | That's So Raven

Raven-Symoné Christina Pearman was born on December 10, 1985 in Atlanta, Georgia and raised in Ossining, New York to Lydia Louise Pearman (née Gaulden) & Christopher Blaize Pearman. While they lived there, Raven signed with the Ford Modeling Agency, who sent her out on an audition for a movie called...

20. Keshia Knight Pulliam

Actress | The Cosby Show

Keshia Knight Pulliam was born on April 9, 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 September 25, 2021. They have one child. She was previously ...

21. Gillian White

Actress | Take Back

Gillian was born in Los Angeles, CA to parents, Victor and Cheryl Waters. She was raised in Altadena, CA. Her background is of African-American, Blackfoot Indian and Irish descent. An all around student athlete, Gillian was a star basketball player, Homecoming Queen and a honors student in high ...

22. Teairra Mari

Actress | Lottery Ticket

Born and raised in Detroit, Michigan, Teairra was strongly encouraged by her paternal parents to follow a singer career. She started her singer career at the age of twelve and she was lucky to catch the attention of Big Mike, Ed K, and Helluvah of Detroit's K.I.S.S. Productions, which trained her ...

23. 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 ...

24. Viola Davis

Actress | Fences

Viola Davis is a critically revered actress of film, television, and theater and has won rave reviews for her multitude of substantial and intriguingly diverse roles. Audiences across the United States and internationally have admired her for her work- including her celebrated, Oscar-nominated ...

25. Erika Alexander

Actress | Get Out

Erika Alexander is beloved for the iconic acting roles of Maxine Shaw (Living Single), Detective Latoya (Get Out), Perenna (Black Lightning), and Linda Diggs (Wutang: An American Saga). Erika wears many hats, including actress, trailblazing activist, entrepreneur, creator, producer, and director --...

26. Stephanie Mello

Actress | NCIS: Naval Criminal Investigative Service

Beginning in Boston doing TV commercials Stephanie often visited Los Angeles as a teen and started booking small commercial and TV jobs. Deciding to go to College in Los Angeles, she began an acting program at USC. Feeling disconnected from her African American race she transferred to a black ...

27. Trina McGee

Actress | Daylight

Born in the Bronx, New York, Trina McGee is the eldest child to her classical pianist mother and her Haitian photographer/revolutionist father. Although her father was absent from the family unit, his political legacy continued to shape Trina's life. Exiled from Haiti in the 1960s for publishing ...

28. Jaime Lee Kirchner

Actress | The Mob Doctor

Jaime Lee Kirchner was born in Germany to a white father of German descent and a black mother. She considers herself "mixed". Jaime began performing at The Roxy Regional Theater in Tennessee at the age of 8. Kirchner's first big break came when she was was just 17-years-old and still in high school...

29. Lisa Bonet

Actress | Angel Heart

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 ...

30. Karyn Parsons

Actress | Major Payne

Karyn Parsons decided to go into acting at the age of 13. She had her first TV role in the NBC drama The Bronx Zoo (1987), but she made her big break as Will Smith's cousin "Hilary Banks" on the NBC sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (1990). During the show's six-year run, she starred in movies ...

31. 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 ...

32. Rhyon Nicole Brown

Actress | Empire

As a bona fide star on the rise, Rhyon Nicole Brown is becoming well known in the entertainment industry as a triple threat; bringing complex, powerful characters to life on screen while also writing, recording, and performing her own original music. After a stellar performance as Maya throughout ...

33. Kim Fields

Actress | The Facts of Life

Kim Fields was born on May 12, 1969 in New York City, New York, USA. She is an actress and director, known for The Facts of Life (1979), Living Single (1993) and What to Expect When You're Expecting (2012). She has been married to Christopher Morgan since July 23, 2007. They have two children. She ...

34. Lanei Chapman

Actress | Rat Race

Lanei Chapman was born on January 23, 1973. She is an actress, known for Rat Race (2001), Space: Above and Beyond (1995) and Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within (2001).

35. Natashia Williams

Actress | She Spies

Natashia Williams was born on August 2, 1978 in Pontiac, Illinois, USA. She is an actress and writer, known for She Spies (2002), How to Be a Player (1997) and So Little Time (2001). She has been married to Brevin Blach since 2007. They have two children.

36. LisaRaye McCoy

Actress | The Players Club

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 ...

37. Erika Guillory White

Actress | Battlefield America

Erika Guillory White is known for Battlefield America (2012), On the Mark and Still Here (2023).

38. Zoe Saldana

Actress | Avatar

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 ...

39. Debra Wilson

Actress | Over the Hedge

Debra Wilson was born on April 26, 1962 in South Ozone Park, Queens, New York City, New York, USA. She is an actress and writer, known for Over the Hedge (2006), Batman: The Enemy Within (2017) and Scary Movie 4 (2006). She has been married to Cliff Skelton since April 8, 2006.

40. Persia White

Actress | The Vampire Diaries

In one word, Persia White is prolific. An actress, musician, producer and animal rights activist, she is best known for her lead in the popular CW series "Girlfriends." Driven by her passion to change the world, Persia co-produced the award winning documentary film "Earthlings" narrated by Joaquin ...

41. Keesha Sharp

Actress | Lethal Weapon

Award-nominated actress, writer, and director Keesha Sharp has become known in the entertainment industry for her innate ability to bring complex characters to life on screen, her steadfast professionalism, and her irrefutable beauty, inside and out. Keesha can be seen on season 3 of "Power Book II...

42. Janet Jackson

Soundtrack | Poetic Justice

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 ...

43. Kara Bustos

Actress | Love & Basketball

Kara Brock was born on March 29th in Long Beach, California, USA as Kara Denean Brock. Growing up in Kansas City, MO, Kara enjoyed acting and dancing as a young child. She attended the University of Kansas for two years before deciding to move to Los Angeles, CA to pursue her acting career.

Kara's ...

44. Chenoa Maxwell

Actress | Hav Plenty

Chenoa Maxwell was born on November 16, 1969 in the USA. She is an actress, known for Hav Plenty (1998), Cold Feet (1999) and G (2002).

45. Robin Givens

Actress | Boomerang

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 ...

46. Toni Braxton

Soundtrack | The Oogieloves in the Big Balloon Adventure

Toni Braxton was born on October 7, 1966 in Severn, Maryland, USA. She is a music artist and producer, known for The Oogieloves in the Big Balloon Adventure (2012), Boomerang (1992) and Toni Braxton: Unbreak My Heart (2016). She was previously married to Keri Lewis.

47. Dawn Robinson

Actress | Tank Girl

Dawn Robinson is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Robinson is best known as a founding member of the R&B/Pop group En Vogue, one of the world's best selling girl groups of all time. In 2013, she joined the cast of R&B Divas: Los Angeles for the first season of the series. Throughout her...

48. Cindy Herron

Actress | Juice

Cindy Herron was born on September 26, 1961 in San Francisco, California, USA. She is an actress, known for Juice (1992), Batman Forever (1995) and Coming 2 America (2021). She has been married to Glenn Braggs since June 1993. They have four children.

49. Terry Ellis

Soundtrack | Money Train

Terry Ellis was born on September 5, 1963 in Houston, Texas, USA. She is an actress, known for Money Train (1995), Batman Forever (1995) and Coming 2 America (2021).

50. Maxine Jones

Actress | Batman Forever

Maxine Jones was born on January 16, 1962 in Paterson, New Jersey, USA. She is an actress, known for Batman Forever (1995), The Hills (2017) and The Wayans Bros. (1995).

51. Faith Evans

Soundtrack | Girls Trip

Faith Evans was born on June 10, 1973 in Lakeland, Florida, USA. She is a music artist and actress, known for Girls Trip (2017), Puff Daddy Feat. Faith Evans & 112: I'll Be Missing You (1997) and The Fast and the Furious (2001). She has been married to Stevie J since July 17, 2018. She was ...

52. Deborah Cox

Actress | Station Eleven

Deborah Cox Grammy® Award-nominated and multi-platinum R&B/pop recording artist and film/TV actress Deborah Cox made her Broadway debut in the lead role in Elton John and Tim Rice's musical, Aida. She most recently starred on Broadway in 2013 as Lucy in Jekyll & Hyde, and will star as legendary ...

53. Chrystale Wilson

Actress | The Players Club

Chrystale Wilson sizzled on our movie screens year after year in the early 2000's with scene stealing roles as the voluptuous Villain. She co-starred in (producer) Will Packer's film Trios, Pandora's Box and Locked Down, but no one can forget her breakout role in "The Players Club" as the blonde ...

54. 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 ...

55. 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.

56. Ryan Michelle Bathe

Actress | One for the Money

Ryan Michelle Bathe was born on July 27, 1976 in St. Louis, Missouri, USA. She is an actress and producer, known for One for the Money (2012), Boston Legal (2004) and This Is Us (2016). She has been married to Sterling K. Brown since June 2007. They have two children.

57. Tracey Cherelle Jones

Actress | Don't Be a Menace to South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the Hood

Actress, writer, artist, designer, and TV personality, Tracey Cherelle Jones is the epitome of a contemporary renaissance woman. Tracey began acting at the tender age of 8 years old after nailing her very first audition, a national McDonald's commercial. This inspired her, and she went on to do ...

58. Renée Jones

Actress | Days of Our Lives

Renée Jones was born on October 15, 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).

59. Farrah Franklin

Actress | Single Black Female

Franklin joined the multi-platinum singing group Destiny's Child after co-founding members LeToya Luckett and LaTavia Roberson were fired by manager Matthew Knowles (father of lead singer Beyoncé Knowles). She was unceremoniously dismissed in the same manner after only five months.

60. Lauren London

Actress | ATL

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 ...

61. Jo Marie Payton

Actress | Family Matters

JoMarie Payton was born in in Albany, Georgia on August 3, 1950. Her father, Driscoll Payton, was a construction worker and mother, Frankie Bell Payton, was a maid. They moved to the Miami suburb of Opa-Locka, Florida in 1950. JoMarie was the second of nine children.

JoMarie's first performance on ...

62. Phire Dawson

Visual_effects | The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe

Phire Dawson was born in Bridgeport, Connecticut and raised in the suburbs of southern Connecticut. She is one of six children and began performing as a dancer and cheerleader at age eight. Phire attended Spelman College in Atlanta, GA. While in Atlanta, Phire went on to cheer and dance for the ...

63. Lanisha Cole

Actress | Soul Plane

Lanisha Cole is known as "the model photographer." Lanisha is both an accomplished, world-renown model as well as an active, professional photographer of models, famous faces, and iconic places. Lanisha is of Panamanian descent and as a darker woman of color, she works tirelessly to end ...

64. Kenya Moore

Actress | I Know Who Killed Me

Kenya Moore was born on January 24, 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.

65. Christina Vidal

Actress | See No Evil

Christina Vidal was born on November 18, 1981 in Whitestone, Queens, New York City, New York, USA. She is an actress and producer, known for See No Evil (2006), The Guilty (2021) and Life with Mikey (1993). She has been married to Marcus Mitchell since September 25, 2016. They have two children.

66. Tracee Ellis Ross

Producer | The Hair Tales

Tracee Joy Silberstein known professionally as Tracee Ellis Ross, is an American actress, singer, television host, producer and director. She is known for her lead roles in the television series Girlfriends (2000-2008) and Black-Ish (2014-2022). She owns Pattern Beauty, a hair-care line for curly ...

67. 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 ...

68. Michael Michele

Actress | ER

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 ...

69. Pam Grier

Actress | Jackie Brown

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 ...

70. Foxy Brown

Actress | Chocolate Covered Cherry Poppers 4: Chillin' Out

71. Vivica A. Fox

Actress | Independence Day

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 ...

72. 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 ...

73. Vanessa Williams

Actress | Ugly Betty

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 ...

74. Pilar Sanders

Actress | The Mod Squad

Pilar Sanders is known for The Mod Squad (1999), Streets of Blood (2009) and Percentage (2014). She was previously married to Deion Sanders.

75. 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).

76. Hayley Marie Norman

Actress | Kenan

Hayley Marie Norman is an American film and television actress.

Hayley was born and raised in Thousand Oaks, California, the daughter of a retired baseball player. Her father is African-American and her mother is of Russian, German, and distant Dutch, descent. On her mother's side, Hayley is the ...

77. Kellita Smith

Actress | The Bernie Mac Show

Kellita Smith was born January 15, 1969 as Kellita A. Smith in Chicago, Illinois. She is an actress who has appeared on House Party 3 (1994), The Bernie Mac Show (2001-2006), Sister, Sister (1994-1999), Moesha (1996-2001), In Living Color (1990-1994), Living Single (1993-1998), and The First Family...

78. Niecy Nash

Actress | Reno 911!

Niecy Nash was born on February 23, 1970 in Palmdale, California, USA. She is an actress and producer, known for Reno 911! (2003), Guess Who (2005) and Claws (2017). She has been married to Jessica Betts since August 29, 2020. She was previously married to Jay Tucker and Don Nash.

79. Nadine Ellis

Actress | Hairspray

Nadine Ellis was born in Queens, New York City, New York, USA. She is an actress, known for Hairspray (2007), Live Free or Die Hard (2007) and Tropic Thunder (2008).

80. Zoë Kravitz

Actress | The Batman

Zoë Kravitz has stood out in blockbuster big screen franchises such as The Batman, Mad Max and Fantastic Beasts and the celebrated EMMY Award-winning series Big Little Lies. She has captivated audiences in diverse group of acclaimed major motion picture films and notable independent releases.

...

81. Denise Vasi

Actress | What's Your Number?

A Brooklyn native, Vasi signed to Ford Models at the age of 12. She went on to grace the pages of international campaigns for ELLE, Marie Claire, GQ Italy and more. She appeared in numerous on-camera and print campaigns for leading cosmetic, hair care and fashion brands including Olay, Bobbi Brown,...

82. Sharon Leal

Actress | Dreamgirls

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 ...

83. Tatyana Ali

Actress | The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air

Tatyana Marisol Ali was born on January 24, 1979, in North Bellmore, New York, to Sonia, a nurse from Panama, and Sheriff Ali, a retired police officer from Trinidad. At the age of four, she started singing and got a taste of fame when she begged her mother to take her to an audition for Sesame ...

84. Essence Atkins

Actress | A Haunted House

Essence Atkins was born on February 7, 1972 in New York City, New York, USA. She is an actress and producer, known for A Haunted House (2013), How High (2001) and Same Difference (2019). She was previously married to Jaime Mendez.

85. Tia Mowry

Actress | Sister, Sister

Tia Mowry was born on July 6, 1978 in Gelnhausen, Hesse, Germany. She is an actress and producer, known for Sister, Sister (1994), The Hot Chick (2002) and The Game (2006). She was previously married to Cory Hardrict.

86. Cynthia Graham

Actress | Star Trek Voyager: Elite Force

Cynthia Graham is known for Star Trek Voyager: Elite Force (2000), The Bernie Mac Show (2001) and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993).

87. Nefetari Spencer

Actress | South Side

Nefetari Spencer was born in Chicago, Illinois, USA. She is known for South Side (2019), Sherman's Showcase (2019) and Ted 2 (2015).

88. Lil' Kim

Soundtrack | You Got Served

Kimberly Denise Jones, was born on July 11, 1974, to parents Linwood Jones and Ruby Mae. She is of Native American and African American descent. Standing just 4 feet 11 inches tall Kimberly Jones seems much less than being just your average girl in the hood, but when "Lil' Kim" was introduced to ...

89. Tyra Banks

Actress | Coyote Ugly

Tyra Banks was born on December 4, 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).

90. Shannon Kane

Actress | Brooklyn's Finest

Shannon Kane was born on September 14, 1986 in Kalamazoo, Michigan, USA. She is an actress, known for Brooklyn's Finest (2009), The Collection (2012) and Blood and Bone (2009).

91. Claudia Jordan

Actress | Middle Men

Claudia's parents met when her father was in the Air Force, stationed at Brindisi, Italy where he met her mother, an Italian native. She was born and raised in Providence, Rhode Island where as an East Providence High School student, she was selected for the All State Track and Field team. She ...

92. Bre Scullark

Actress | Heartfelt

Bre Scullark, from America's Next Top Model, Cycle 5 is a dynamic young woman who after ANTM, did correspondent work for the Tyra Banks Show, BET and a few other outlets. Bre has been a blogger for Global Grind, Essence.com and Honey magazine while focusing on acting and continuing her ...

93. Tanee McCall

Actress | Burlesque

Tanee McCall was born on April 17, 1981 in Los Angeles, California, USA. She is an actress and writer, known for Burlesque (2010), The Losers (2010) and Hairspray (2007). She has been married to Columbus Short since July 2005. They have one child.

94. Naya Rivera

Actress | Glee

Naya Rivera was an Afro-Latina American actress, model and singer known for playing Santana Lopez from Glee and Hillary Winston from The Royal Family. She also was in The Master of Disguise, Baywatch, CSI: Miami, American Dad, Batman: The Long Halloween Parts 1 and 2, Even Stevens and The Bernie ...

95. 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).

96. Jenifer Lewis

Actress | The Princess and the Frog

Jenifer Lewis is one of Hollywood's most familiar faces, with more than 300 appearances in film and television. Dubbed a "national treasure" by TV Guide.com, Jenifer stars on the hit show Black-ish (ABC), where her hilarious portrayal of "Ruby Johnson" earned her a nomination for the 2016 Critics ...

97. Danielle Nicolet

Actress | Central Intelligence

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. ...

98. Mya

Actress | Chicago

Mya Marie Harrison was born on October 10, 1979 in Washington D.C. She's an American R&B/pop singer, entertainer, philanthropist & actress known professionally as Mýa. She started taking ballet lessons at 2, adding jazz & tap dancing lessons 2 years later. As a teen, she began to shift her focus to...

99. Lauryn Hill

Soundtrack | Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit

Lauryn Hill, a native of South Orange, New Jersey, first came to attention with the multi-talented Fugees. Their first album, "Blunted On Reality", went virtually unnoticed by the public; their real breakthrough came with the sophomore album, "The Score", which featured "Killing Me Softly". That ...

100. Selita Ebanks

Actress | Runaway

Selita Ebanks was born on February 17, 1983 in Georgetown, Cayman Islands. She's a model best known for appearing in the 2007 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit edition & for being a Victoria's Secrets model. She appeared in 6 Victoria's Secret fashion shows from 2005-2010 & was an Angel from 2005-2009. ...