Salli Elise Richardson-Whitfield(bornSalli Elise Richardson,November 23, 1967[1]) is an American actress and television director. Richardson is known for her role as Angela in the filmA Low Down Dirty Shame(1994) and for her role as Dr.Allison Blakeon theSyfycomedy-drama seriesEureka(2006–2012).
Salli Richardson | |
|---|---|
 Richardson in 2012 | |
| Born | Salli Elise Richardson November 23, 1967 Chicago, Illinois,U.S. |
| Other names | Salli Richardson-Whitfield |
| Occupations |
|
| Years active | 1991–present |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 2 |
| Website | sallirw.com (archived copy) |
She is also known for her voice acting as Elisa Maza on the Disney animated seriesGargoyles(1994–1996),[2]and as Viveca Foster on theCBSseriesFamily Law(1999–2002). Richardson also has appeared in a number of other films such asThe Great White Hype(1996),Antwone Fisher(2002),Anacondas: The Hunt for the Blood Orchid(2004) andI Am Legend(2007). She had leading roles in the independent filmsPastor Brown(2009),Black Dynamite(2009) andI Will Follow(2010). In the 2010s, Richardson started working as a television director.
Early life
editRichardson was born inChicago, Illinois.[3]Her mother is of African American ancestry (with distant Cherokee roots), and her father was of English and Italian descent.[4]She played tennis in high school at theUniversity of Chicago Laboratory Schools,and launched her acting career in the Kuumba Workshop theater there; she graduated in 1985.[5]
Career
editActing
editRichardson "began her acting career in the theater before transitioning to roles in television and film".[6]In film, she played small roles inPrelude to a Kiss,Mo' Money,Posse,and later had major roles inSioux CityandA Low Down Dirty Shame.From 1994 to 1996 she voiced the character Elisa Maza on the animated seriesGargoyles.[2]She had many guest-starring roles in numerous television shows, such asStar Trek: Deep Space Nine,New York Undercover,The Pretender,Stargate SG-1,NYPD Blue,House,Bones,Criminal Minds,NCISandCastle.[7]
Richardson starred oppositeDixie CarterandKathleen Quinlanin theCBSlegal drama series,Family Law,from 1999 to 2002. She had recurring roles as Nancy Adams onRude Awakening,and as Laura onCSI: Miami.She starred oppositeDenzel Washingtonin the 2002 drama filmAntwone Fisher.[8]She also appeared in the 2004 horror filmAnacondas: The Hunt for the Blood Orchid,and starred oppositeWill Smithin 2007's post-apocalyptic filmI Am Legend.[8]She later had a leading role in the independent dramasPastor Brown(2009), and inI Will Follow(2010) directed byAva DuVernay.[8][9]She also starred inThe Sin SeerwithIsaiah Washington,set for 2015 release.[10]
From 2006 to 2012, Richardson starred asDepartment of Defenseagent (and later head ofGlobal Dynamics)Allison Blakein theSyfycomedy-drama seriesEureka.Her second pregnancy was written into the storyline of the series.[6]After the series' cancellation, she was cast as the lead in theLifetimedrama pilotThe Secret Lives of Wives.[11]In 2014, Richardson was cast in a recurring role on Lifetime'sThe Lotteryas the first lady of the United States,[12]but she lost it to Shelley Conn;[13]She also has a role onBET'sBeing Mary Janeas an old friend of the lead character.[14][15]In 2015, Richardson was cast in theABC Familyseries,Stitchers.[16]The series was canceled after three seasons in 2017.[17]
Directing
editRichardson has also worked as a director of episodic television, her latest being episodes 5 and 6 of the first season of Wheel of Time for Amazon. Following her directorial debut on two episodes of her showEureka,[18]in 2016 she directed two episodes ofAva DuVernay's drama series forOprah Winfrey Network,Queen Sugar(on which her husbandDondre Whitfieldappears as a series regular).[19]In 2016, Richardson also directed an episode of the historical action-dramaUndergroundforWGN America.[20]In 2017, she directed two episodes of BET dramaRebel,andShonda Rhimes'Scandal.Her comedy directing credits includeSurvivor's Remorse,I'm Dying Up Here,Black-ishandDear White People.In 2018, she also directed the 16th episode ofAgents of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s fifth-season episode "Inside Voices".[21]Her other notable directing credits includeChicago Med,Luke Cage,Black Lightning,The Punisher,American Gods,SeeandAltered Carbon.[22]
In 2019, Richardson received anNAACP Image Award for Outstanding Directing in a Drama Seriesnomination for her work directingLuke Cage.[23]Also in 2019, she won aBlack Reel Award for Outstanding Directing in a Comedy Seriesfor directingBlack-ish.[24]In September 2020, she signed a project development deal withHBO.[25]Richardson produces and had had directed episodes of HBO period dramaThe Gilded AgeandAdam McKay's untitled Lakers project.[25]Also in 2020, she directed theZoom Where It HappensspecialThe One with the Diverse Cast,aFriendsone-night reboot starringSterling K. Brown,Uzo Aduba,Ryan Michelle Bathe,Aisha Hinds,Kendrick SampsonandJeremy Pope.[26]
Personal life
editOn September 8, 2002, she married long-time boyfriend and fellow actorDondre Whitfield.She and Whitfield have one daughter and one son.[27]
Filmography
editFilm
edit| Year | Title | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | Up Against the Wall | Denise |
| 1992 | Prelude to a Kiss | Bridesmaid No. 2 |
| Mo' Money | Pretty Customer | |
| How U Like Me Now | Valerie | |
| 1993 | Posse | Lana |
| 1994 | I Spy Returns(Television film) | Nicole Scott |
| Sioux City | Jolene Buckley | |
| A Low Down Dirty Shame | Angela | |
| Lily in Winter(Television film) | Ada Covington | |
| 1995 | Gargoyles the Movie: The Heroes Awaken | Elisa Maza (voice) |
| Once Upon a Time...When We Were Colored | Miss Alice | |
| 1996 | Soul of the Game(Television film) | Lahoma |
| The Great White Hype | Bambi | |
| 1997 | True Women(Television film) | Martha |
| 1998 | Butter | Blusette Ford |
| 1999 | Lillie | Lillie |
| 2002 | Book of Love: The Definitive Reason Why Men Are Dogs | Karen |
| Antwone Fisher | Berta Davenport | |
| 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 |
| Pastor Brown | Jessica "Jesse" Brown | |
| 2010 | I Will Follow | Maye |
| 2012 | We the Party | Principal Reynolds |
| 2013 | Playin' for Love | Talisa McCoy |
| Teachers(Television film) | Christine | |
| 2015 | The Sin Seer | Nia |
Television
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1992 | Silk Stalkings | Shelley | Episode: "Wild Card" |
| 1993 | Space Rangers | - | Episode: "Fort Hope" |
| Star Trek: Deep Space Nine | Fenna/Nidell | Episode:"Second Sight" | |
| 1994 | Roc | Diane Hubbard | Episode: "The Last Temptation of Roc" |
| New York Undercover | Tammy Barrett | Episode: "Eyewitness Blues" | |
| 1994–97 | Gargoyles | Elisa Maza (voice) | Main cast |
| 1997 | Stargate SG-1 | Drey'auc | Episode: "Bloodlines" |
| Between Brothers | Vanessa | Episode: "The Player" | |
| 1998 | The Pretender | Cynthia Sloan | Episode: "Gigolo Jarod" |
| 1998–99 | Mercy Point | Kim Salisaw | Main cast |
| 1999 | The Jamie Foxx Show | Camille Turner | Episode: "Liar, Liar, Pants on Fire" |
| 1999–2002 | Family Law | Viveca Foster | Main cast |
| 2000 | Secret Agent Man | Rachel | Episode: "WhupSumAss" |
| 2000–01 | Rude Awakening | Nancy Adams | Recurring cast: season 3 |
| 2003 | CSI: Miami | Laura | Recurring cast: season 1 |
| 2004 | Line of Fire | Erica Logan | Episode: "The Senator" |
| Second Time Around | Amanda | Episode: "Coupling Up" | |
| NYPD Blue | Bobbi Kingston | Episodes: "My Dinner with Andy" & "I Like Ike" | |
| 2005 | House | Sharon | Episode: "Sports Medicine" |
| 1-800-Missing | Kelly | Episode: "Sisterhood" | |
| The War at Home | Vanessa | Episode: "Guess Who's Coming to the Barbecue" | |
| 2006 | Bones | Kim Kurland | Episode: "Aliens in a Spaceship" |
| 2006–12 | Eureka | Allison Blake | Main cast |
| 2009 | Criminal Minds | Tamara Barnes | Episodes: "Hopeless" & "The Eyes Have It" |
| 2011 | The Secret Lives of Wives | Reed | TV pilot |
| 2012 | The Finder | Athena Brookes | Episode: "Life After Death" |
| 2012–13 | The Newsroom | Jane Barrow | Guest: season 1, recurring cast: season 2 |
| 2013–15 | NCIS | Carrie Clark | Guest Cast: season 11-13 |
| 2014 | House of Lies | Sandra Joy | Episode: "Power(less)" |
| Castle | Elizabeth Weston | Episode: "The Greater Good" | |
| 2015 | Being Mary Jane | Valerie | Recurring cast: season 2 |
| 2015–17 | Stitchers | Maggie | Main cast |
| 2016 | Rosewood | Dr. Aubrey Joseph | Episode: "Wooberite & the Women of Rosewood" |
| 2018 | Black Lightning | Rebecca Montez | Episode: "The Book of Consequences: Chapter Four: Translucent Freak" |
| 2020 | Altered Carbon | Commission Leader | Episode: "Broken Angels" |
Directing
edit| Year | Title | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 2011 | Grace | Short film, also writer |
| 2011–13 | Eureka | Episodes: "Worst Case Scenario" & "Omega Girls" |
| 2015 | Different Position | Short film |
| 2016 | Post Life | Short film |
| Queen Sugar | Episodes "So Far" and "All Good" | |
| 2017 | Underground | Episode: "Nok Aaut" |
| Rebel | Episodes: "Conceal and Carry" and "Black Not Blue" | |
| Scandal | Episode: "Tick Tock" | |
| Stitchers | Episode: "Kill It Forward" | |
| Survivor's Remorse | Episodes: "Reparations" and "Closure" | |
| Lethal Weapon | Episode: "Birdwatching" | |
| 2017–19 | Shadowhunters | Episodes: "A Kiss from a Rose" & "Dust and Shadows" |
| 2018 | Chicago Med | Episode: "Lock It Down" |
| Star | Episode: "Take It to Church" | |
| Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. | Episode: "Inside Voices" | |
| I'm Dying Up Here | Episode: "Between Us" | |
| Luke Cage | Episode: "I Get Physical" | |
| Love Is_ | Episode: "Not Valentine's Day" | |
| Black Lightning | Episode: "The Book of Consequences: Chapter Four: Translucent Freak" | |
| 2018–19 | The Magicians | Episodes: "The Side Effect" & "Six Short Stories About Magic" |
| 2019 | Black-ish | Episode: "Black Like Us" |
| The Punisher | Episode: "Flustercluck" | |
| All American | Episode: "Legacy" | |
| Chilling Adventures of Sabrina | Episode: "Chapter Fourteen: Lupercallia" | |
| American Gods | Episode: "The Ways of the Dead" | |
| Doom Patrol | Episode: "Hair Patrol" | |
| The Chi | Episode: "Lean into It" | |
| Dear White People | Episodes: "Volume 3: Chapter IX" and "Volume 2: Chapter V" | |
| Pearson | Episode: "The Former City Attorney" | |
| See | Episode: "House of Enlightenment" | |
| Reprisal | Episode: "dammit" | |
| Treadstone | Episode: "The Seoul Asylum" and "The McKenna Erasure" | |
| 2020 | Altered Carbon | Episodes: "Broken Angels" and "Experiment Perilous" |
| 2021 | The Wheel of Time | Episodes: "Blood Calls Blood"and"The Flame of Tar Valon" |
| 2022–present | The Gilded Age | 4 episodes; also executive producer |
| 2022–2023 | Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty | 5 episodes; also executive producer |
| 2025 | Task | also executive producer |
Awards and nominations
edit| Year | Award | Category | Nominated Work | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | Black Reel Awards | Outstanding Actress, TV Movie/Limited Series | Pastor Brown | Nominated | [28] |
| 2019 | Outstanding Directing in a Comedy Series | Black-ish(for "Black Like Us" ) | Won | ||
| 2024 | Gracie Awards | Director – Drama | Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty | Won | [29] |
| Producer – Entertainment | The Gilded Age | Won | |||
| 2022 | Hugo Awards | Best Dramatic Presentation – Short Form | The Wheel of Time(for "The Flame of Tar Valon" ) | Nominated | [30] |
| 2010 | NAACP Image Awards | Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series | Eureka | Nominated | [31] |
| 2024 | Primetime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Drama Series | The Gilded Age | Nominated | [32] |
| Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series | Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty(for "BEAT L.A." ) | Nominated | [33] |
References
edit- ^Mallegg, Kristin B., ed. (2009).Who's Who Among African Americans.Farmington Hills, MI: Gale. p. 1025.ISBN9781414433363.
- ^abDretzka, Gary (August 8, 1995)."What's Dramatic, Fun and Keeping These Actors Busy? Sounds Like Gargoyles".Chicago Tribune.p. 7.ProQuest283973964.Archivedfrom the original on November 7, 2017.RetrievedApril 18,2015.
- ^"Salli Richardson Facts, information, pictures | Encyclopedia.com articles about Salli Richardson".Encyclopedia.com.RetrievedMay 29,2014.
- ^Whitfield, Salli; et al. (July 1997)."Black America and Tiger's Dilemma".Ebony:28–34, 138ff (esp. 29, 34).RetrievedMarch 12,2019.
- ^"Salli Richardson | Encyclopedia.com".encyclopedia.com.RetrievedJuly 5,2021.
- ^ab"Salli Richardson-Whitfield Biography".TV Guide.RetrievedMay 29,2014.
- ^"Salli Richardson-Whitfield | TV Guide".TV Guide.
- ^abc"Salli Richardson-Whitfield".Rotten Tomatoes.
- ^"I Will Follow: Film Review".The Hollywood Reporter.March 10, 2011.
- ^"Richard Brooks, Salli Richardson-Whitfield Join Isaiah Washington in 'The Sin Seer'".TheWrap. May 8, 2014.RetrievedMay 29,2014.
- ^Andreeva, Nellie (August 25, 2012)."Salli Richardson-Whitfield To Star in Lifetime's 'Secret Lives of Wives' Pilot".Deadline Hollywood.RetrievedMay 29,2014.
- ^"'Homeland's' Martin Donovan Joins Lifetime's 'Lottery' (Exclusive) ".The Hollywood Reporter.December 2, 2013.RetrievedMay 29,2014.
- ^"A+E Networks – Life is Entertaining".Aenetworks.com. May 22, 2014.RetrievedJune 4,2014.
- ^"MacKenzie Porter Joins AMC's 'Hell on Wheels'; Salli Richardson-Whitfield in BET's 'Being Mary Jane'".Deadline Hollywood.April 8, 2014.RetrievedMay 29,2014.
- ^"TV News: Salli Richardson-Whitfield Joins 'Being Mary Jane,' Omar J. Dorsey In 'Ray Donovan' + New Oxygen Greenlights|Shadow and Act".Blogs.indiewire.com. Archived fromthe originalon April 13, 2014.RetrievedMay 29,2014.
- ^"ABC Family Adds 3 to Cast of First Crime Procedural 'Stitchers'".TheWrap.January 14, 2015.RetrievedApril 18,2015.
- ^Nemetz, Dave (September 15, 2017)."Stitchers Cancelled at Freeform".
- ^"'Underground' director Salli Richardson-Whitfield ".amsterdamnews.com.March 30, 2017.
- ^"Ava DuVernay andQueen SugarLook Like the Future of Television ".Essence.March 30, 2017.RetrievedApril 2,2017.
- ^"Salli Richardson-Whitfield OnUnderground's "Nok Aaut" & The Age of the Black Female Director ".Essence.March 30, 2017.RetrievedMarch 31,2017.
- ^"Scoop: Coming Up On All New MARVEL'S AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D on ABC - Today, April 6, 2018".BWW. April 6, 2018.RetrievedApril 7,2018.
- ^"Salli Richardson Whitfield: From Screen Queen To Directorial Maestro".The Shadow League.May 9, 2019.
- ^"Outstanding Directing in a Dramatic Series - NAACP Awards: 'Black-ish,' 'Black Panther' Top Winners List".The Hollywood Reporter.March 30, 2019.
- ^"BRATs Winners".August 8, 2019. Archived fromthe originalon October 27, 2021.RetrievedFebruary 1,2020.
- ^abWhite, Peter (September 1, 2020)."HBO Strikes Overall Deal With Salli Richardson-Whitfield; Actor-Turned-Director To Helm Eps Of 'The Gilded Age' & Adam McKay's Lakers Drama".Deadline.RetrievedSeptember 2,2020.
- ^Pedersen, Erik (September 21, 2020)."'Friends' Table Read Set With All-Black Cast Including Sterling K. Brown & Uzo Aduba; Gabrielle Union To Host ".
- ^"Dondre and Salli Welcome Son Dre Terrell Whitfield".People.February 25, 2009. Archived fromthe originalon February 26, 2009 – via web.archive.org.
- ^"Black Reel Awards for TV – Past Winners & Nominees by Category".Black Reel Awards.August 8, 2024.RetrievedAugust 8,2024.
- ^"ALLIANCE FOR WOMEN IN MEDIA FOUNDATION UNVEILS WINNERS OF THE 49TH ANNUAL GRACIE AWARDS".Alliance for Women in Media.March 28, 2024.RetrievedMarch 28,2024.
- ^"2022 Hugo Awards".Hugo Awards.September 4, 2022.RetrievedSeptember 4,2022.
- ^"42nd NAACP IMAGE AWARDS NOMINEES ANNOUNCED"(PDF).January 12, 2011. Archived fromthe original(PDF)on March 2, 2011.RetrievedApril 2,2024.
- ^"Salli Richardson Whitfield".Academy of Television Arts & Sciences.July 17, 2024.RetrievedJuly 17,2024.
- ^"Salli Richardson-Whitfield".Academy of Television Arts & Sciences.July 17, 2024.RetrievedJuly 17,2024.
External links
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