Jasmine Chanel Guy[2](born March 10, 1962)[3][4]is an American actress, singer, dancer, and director. She portrayed Dina in the 1988 filmSchool DazeandWhitley Gilbert-Wayneon theNBCThe Cosby Showspin-offA Different World,which originally ran from 1987 to 1993. Guy won four consecutiveNAACP Image Awardsfrom 1990 through 1993 forOutstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Seriesfor her role on the show. She played Roxy Harvey onDead Like Meand as Sheila "Grams" Bennett onThe Vampire Diaries.She also played the role of Gemma onGrey's Anatomy.
Jasmine Guy | |
|---|---|
 Guy in 2010 | |
| Born | Jasmine Chanel Guy March 10, 1962[1] |
| Occupations |
|
| Years active | 1982–present |
| Known for | Whitley Gilbert-Wayne–A Different World Roxy Harvey –Dead Like Me Sawyer -Cats Don't Dance |
| Spouse |
Terrence Duckett
(m.1998;div.2008) |
| Children | 1 |
| Awards | NAACP Image Award– (1989, 1991–1993)Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series(A Different World) Primetime Emmy Award– (2023)Outstanding Actress in a Short Form Comedy or Drama Series(Chronicles of Jessica Wu) |
| Musical career | |
| Origin | Atlanta,Georgia,U.S. |
| Genres | |
| Labels | Warner Bros. |
Early life
editBorn in Boston, Massachusetts, to Jaye (néeResendes) and William Vincent Guy,[5]she was raised in the affluent historicCollier Heightsneighborhood ofAtlanta, Georgia,where she attendedNorthside Performing Arts High School.Her mother, a Portuguese American, was a former high-school teacher, and her father, who was African-American, was pastor of the historic Friendship Baptist Church of Atlanta, which served as an early home toSpelman College;he was also a college instructor in philosophy and religion.[citation needed]At the age of 17, she moved toNew York Cityto study dance at theAlvin Ailey American Dance Center.[6]
Acting career
editTelevision roles
editGuy began her television career with a non-speaking role, as a dancer, in seven episodes of the 1982 television seriesFameunder the direction of choreographerDebbie Allen.[7]
Guy today remains best known for her starring role asWhitley Gilbertin the television sitcomA Different World.[8]A spin-off ofThe Cosby Showand created byBill Cosbyhimself, the show aired from 1987 to 1993 onNBC.Guy wrote three episodes of the show and directed one, in addition to appearing in every episode: she started as a co-star, but ended up replacing the show's original starLisa Bonet,who left the series.[9]Guy was nominated for and won six consecutiveNAACP Image AwardsforOutstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series.
In addition to her defining role onA Different World,she appeared in a 1991 episode ofThe Fresh Prince of Bel-Airas Kayla, one ofWill Smith's girlfriends. In 1992, Guy appeared inCBS'sStompin' at the SavoyalongsideVanessa Williams,again under the direction ofDebbie Allen,[10]and in 1993, she played the mother ofHalle Berry's character in the CBS TV mini-seriesQueen.This was based onAlex Haley's bookQueen: The Story of an American Family,a companion volume to his earlierRoots: The Saga of an American Family,which itself had been converted to a television mini-series. In 1995, Guy appeared as Peter Burns' love interest, Caitlin Mills, on two episodes ofMelrose Place,and in 1996, she appeared onLiving Single,playing a psychologist treating main character Khadijah for anxiety. She also played the recurring role of Kathleen, afallen angel,in the CBS Network dramaTouched by an Angelfrom 1995 to 1997. In 2002, Guy lent her voice to thePBSmath-based animated seriesCyberchase,playing Ava, the queen of thecybersiteSymmetria, and made a cameo appearance on theMoeshaspin-offThe Parkers.In 2003, Guy played Mary Estes Peters in theHBOdocumentary,Unchained Memories: Readings from the Slave Narrative,a documentary which premiered duringBlack History Month.Theslave narrativeswere based on the WPA slave interviews conducted during the 1930s with over 2,000 former slaves.
Guy starred alongsideEllen MuthandMandy Patinkinin the seriesDead Like Me,created byBryan Fuller.The show ran 29 episodes over two seasons, in 2003 and 2004, onShowtime.Guy playedRoxy Harvey,ameter maidturned police officer and one of the core group ofgrim reapersaround which the series was based. Guy was nominated for the 2005NAACP Image AwardforOutstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Seriesfor the role. She later starred in the feature-length series sequelDead Like Me: Life After Death,which was released on video in 2009 before being shown on theSyfychannel. In 2009, Guy performed inThe People Speak,a documentary that used dramatic and musical performances of the letters, diaries, and speeches of everyday Americans, based on historianHoward Zinn'sA People's History of the United States.[11]A broad look at civil rights issues in America,The People Speakwas executive produced by and seen onThe History Channel.[12]In 2010, she was seen in the second season of theLifetimecomedy seriesDrop Dead Divaas a judge in the episode titled "Last Year's Model,"[13]and from 2009 to 2017, Guy had a recurring role inThe CW's seriesThe Vampire Diaries.In that program, Guy played Sheila "Grams" Bennett, the grandmother of Bonnie (Katerina Graham), who proved to be a descendant ofSalem Witches.[14]Both shows were filmed in the Atlanta area. In late 2017, she appeared in the Lifetime Christmas movieSecret Santa.Recently, she appeared on the Amazon Prime series “Harlem” as the mother of one of the protagonists.
Film roles
editGuy made her film debut in 1988 inSpike Lee's musical-drama filmSchool Daze.She played the role of Dina, a member of the light-skinned, straight-haired African American women of Gamma Ray, a women's auxiliary to the Gamma Phi Gamma fraternity.[6]Filming onSchool Dazewas completed before she joined the cast ofA Different World.During the following year, she appeared as Dominique La Rue inHarlem NightsstarringEddie Murphy(who also directed),Richard Pryor,andRedd Foxx.In 1997, she provided the speaking voice of Sawyer in theWarner Bros.animated filmCats Don't Dance.In 2011, she appeared in the filmOctober Baby.In 2015, she appeared in the filmBig Stone GapwithAshley Judd,Patrick Wilson,Jenna Elfman,Anthony LaPaglia,Jane Krakowski,andWhoopi Goldberg.She starred in the short filmMy Nephew Emmett,which won theStudent Academy Awardand was nominated for theAcademy Award for Best Live Action Short Filmin 2018.[15]
Stage
editIn 1987, Guy had a starring role in the off-Broadway hit musicalBeehive,before traveling to France to appear in a similar musical review.[7]Guy has performed in severalBroadwayproductions and national tours, including as Crow inThe Wiz,Mickey inLeader of the Pack,Betty RizzoinGrease,and asVelma KellyinChicago.On April 6, 2009,Playbillreported on Guy's return to the stage, starring in the True Colors Theatre Company production ofPearl Cleage'sBlues for an Alabama Sky.Directed by Andrea Frye, the show was a last minute addition to the company's season and opened May 4 in Atlanta.[16]Bluescame on the heels of Guy's held-over run in True Colors'Miss Evers' Boys,which co-starredTC CarsonofLiving Single.[17]
Guy directed the world premiere ofI Dreamin July 2010 on the Alliance Stage of the Woodruff Arts Centre in Atlanta. Also in 2010, Guy was a member of the cast of theAlabama Shakespeare Festivaland theAlliance Theatre Companyco-production of Pearl Cleage'sTheNaciremaSociety Requests the Honor of Your Presence at a Celebration of Their First One-Hundred Years.The production ran September 24 through October 3 at the Festival inMontgomery, Alabama,before moving to Atlanta's Alliance Theatre for performances October 20 through November 14. In early 2011, Guy directedGeorge C. Wolfe'sThe Colored Museumfor True Colors,[18]and in June 2011, Guy costarred withKenny Leonin their production ofSam Shepard's playFool For Loveat The Balzer Theater at Herren's in Atlanta, Georgia.[19]In August 2010, Guy had joinedKenny Leon's True Colors Theatre Companyin an off stage role as the company's Producing Director. In announcing the hire,True Colorssaid Guy's full-time position would be both administrative and artistic, and both local and national. Guy continues to contribute to the company on stage as well.[18]
Music career
editDuring the run ofA Different World,Guy released herself-titled debut albumin 1990. The album peaked at No. 143 on the US Top 200 Album Chart and spawned three hit singles: "Try Me"(US R&B No. 14);"Another Like My Lover"(US No. 66, US R&B No. 9); and"Just Want to Hold You"(US No. 34, US R&B No. 27), with the last single cracking the main US Top 40 singles chart.
Personal life
editGuy had a close friendship with rapperTupac Shakur.They met during his guest appearance on the sitcomA Different Worldin 1993.[20]Shakur recuperated at Guy's home after he was shot in 1994.[20]Guy appeared in his music video "Temptations"and later wrote his mother's biography,Afeni Shakur:Evolution of a Revolutionary.[21][22]
Guy married Terrence Duckett in August 1998, and the couple had one child, a daughter. On April 8, 2008,Peoplereported that Guy and Duckett were divorcing after ten years of marriage due to irreconcilable differences. Guy and her daughter then moved to Guy's childhood hometown of Atlanta.[9]
Guy endorsed SenatorBernie SandersforPresidentin the2016 U.S. presidential election.[23]
Filmography
editFilm
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1988 | School Daze | Dina | |
| 1989 | Runaway | Charlene 'Charlie' | TV movie |
| Harlem Nights | Dominique La Rue | ||
| 1990 | A Killer Among Us | Theresa Hopkins | TV movie |
| 1992 | Stompin' at the Savoy | Alice | TV movie |
| 1993 | Boy Meets Girl | Lena | TV movie |
| 1995 | Klash | Blossom | |
| 1997 | Cats Don't Dance | Sawyer (voice) | |
| Perfect Crime | Captain Darnell Russell | TV movie | |
| 1998 | Madeline | Narrator (voice) | |
| 1999 | Guinevere | Linda | |
| Lillie | Sylvia | ||
| 2000 | The Law of Enclosures | - | |
| Diamond Men | Tina | ||
| 2001 | Feast of All Saints | Juliet Mercier | TV movie |
| Dying on the Edge | Micki | ||
| 2002 | Carrie[24] | Claire Murphy | TV movie |
| 2006 | The Heart Specialist | Aunt Burnetta | |
| 2007 | Rwanda Rising | Ephigenie Mukanyandwi (voice) | |
| 2008 | Tru Loved | Cynthia | |
| 2009 | Dead Like Me: Life After Death | Roxy Harvey | Video |
| 2010 | Stomp the Yard: Homecoming | Janice | |
| Change in the Wind | Bessie Jordan (voice) | ||
| 2011 | Blossoms for Clara | Clara Dukes | Short |
| October Baby | Nurse Mary | ||
| 2012 | Kasha and the Zulu King | Ngazi | TV movie |
| What About Us? | Arlene Gomes | Short | |
| 2013 | Scary Movie 5 | Mrs. Brooks | |
| 2014 | My Other Mother | Evelyn | TV movie |
| Big Stone Gap | Leah Grimes | ||
| Ir/Reconcilable | Robye | Short | |
| 2015 | Sick People | Beatrice | |
| 2016 | Chasing Waterfalls | Salma | TV movie |
| The Substitute Spy | G11 | ||
| 2017 | My Nephew Emmett | Elizabeth Wright | Short |
| Wrapped Up In Christmas | Elise Nash | TV movie | |
| 2018 | The Christmas Pact | Nadia | TV movie |
| 2019 | Illegal Rose | Rose | Short |
| 2020 | Open | Betty | TV movie |
| 2021 | Liam White: The Forgettable Life of Liam White | Rene White | |
| 2022 | Vanished: Searching for My Sister | Detective Hill | TV movie |
| A Wesley Christmas | Sylvia Wesley | ||
| The Lady Makers | Emma | ||
| 2023 | A Wesley Christmas Wedding | Sylvia Wesley | TV movie |
| 2024 | Not Another Church Movie | Miss Mildew |
Television
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1982 | Fame | Fame Dancer | Recurring Cast: Season 1 |
| 1986 | The Equalizer | Gloria | Episode: "Out of the Past" |
| 1987 | At Mother's Request | Bank Teller | Episode: "Part 1 & 2" |
| 1987-1993 | A Different World | Whitley Gilbert-Wayne | Main Cast |
| 1990 | Soul Train | Herself | Episode: "Snap/E.U./Jasmine Guy" |
| 1991 | The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air | Kayla Samuels | Episode: "Love at First Fight" |
| 1993 | Alex Haley's Queen | Easter | Main Cast |
| 1994 | A Century of Women | Family Member | Episode: "Part 1 & 2" |
| 1995 | Melrose Place | Caitlin Mills | Recurring Cast:Season 3 |
| NYPD Blue | LaVonna Runnels | Episode: "Heavin' Can Wait" | |
| Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child | Jonae (voice) | Episode: "Rumpelstiltskin" | |
| 1995-1997 | Touched by an Angel | Kathleen | Recurring Cast: Season 2-3 |
| 1996 | Living Single | Dr. Jessica Bryce | Episode: "Shrink to Fit" |
| America's Dream | Elna Du Vaul | Episode: "The Boy Who Painted Christ Black" | |
| The Outer Limits | Captain Teri Washington | Episode: "The Heist" | |
| Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman | Angela Winters | Episode: "The People vs. Lois Lane" | |
| 1996-2003 | Intimate Portrait | Herself | Recurring Guest |
| 1997 | Malcolm & Eddie | Paige | Episode: "Two Men and a Baby" |
| 1998 | Celebrity Profile | Herself | Episode: "Diahann Carroll" |
| 1998-2000 | Linc's | Courtney Goode | Guest: Season 1, Recurring Cast: Season 2 |
| 1999 | Any Day Now | Aunt Kiki | Episode: "Blue" |
| Ladies Man | Allegra | Recurring Cast: Season 1 | |
| Partners | Amanda | Episode: "A Beautiful Day" | |
| 2000 | Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child | Frog Princess Lylah (voice) | Episode: "The Frog Princess" |
| 2001 | Journeys in Black | Herself | Episode: "Patti LaBelle" |
| Between the Lions | Herself | Episode: "Humph! Humph! Humph!" | |
| 2002 | Inside TV Land | Herself | Episode: "Inside TV Land: Taboo TV" |
| The Parkers | Delilah | Episode: "Lights, Camera, Action" | |
| 2002-2004 | Cyberchase | Various Voices (voice) | Guest Cast: Season: 1-3 |
| 2003-2004 | Dead Like Me | Roxy Harvey | Main Cast |
| 2005 | Between the Lions | Herself | Episode: "Pigs, Pigs, Pigs/The Three Little Pigs" |
| 2006 | That's So Raven | Pistáche | Episode: "Checkin' Out" |
| 2009 | My Parents, My Sister & Me | Keela Goldman | Episode: "Starting Over" |
| 2009-2017 | The Vampire Diaries | Sheila Bennett | Recurring Cast: Season: 1 & 3–5 & 8 |
| 2010 | Andrew Young Presents | Bessie Jordan (voice) | Episode: "Change in the Wind" |
| Drop Dead Diva | Judge Nona Daniels | Episode: "Last Year's Model" | |
| 2012 | Let's Stay Together | Herself | Episode: "Dancing with the Stars" |
| 2014 | Oprah: Where Are They Now? | Herself | Episode: "A Different World Cast Reunion" |
| 2014-2015 | If Loving You Is Wrong | Mattaline | Recurring Cast: Season 1 |
| 2015-2016 | Unsung Hollywood | Herself | Recurring Guest |
| 2016 | Being | Herself | Episode: "Jasmine Guy" |
| Zoe Ever After | Barbara Jean Johnson | Episode: "2 Weddings and an Ass Whooping" | |
| 2016−2017 | K.C. Undercover | Erica | Recurring Cast: Season 2 |
| 2017 | Who Killed Tupac? | Herself | Episode: "Devil in a Red Suit" |
| 2017-2018 | Superstition | Aunt Nancy | Recurring Cast |
| The Quad | Ella Grace Caldwell | Recurring Cast | |
| 2019 | Grey's Anatomy | Gemma Larson | Guest:Season 15,Recurring Cast:Season 16 |
| 2021 | Reunion Road Trip | Herself | Episode: "It's a Different World" |
| History of the Sitcom | Herself | Episode: "Facing Race" & "Freaks, Geeks & Outsiders" | |
| 2021-2023 | Harlem | Patricia | Recurring Cast |
| 2022 | Tales | Ms. Gloria | Episode: "Hot In Here" |
| 2023 | Chronicles of Jessica Wu | Barbara Baldwin | Main Cast: Season 3 |
Music Videos
edit| Year | Song Title | Artist |
|---|---|---|
| 1986 | "Someone like You" | Sylvester |
| 1989 | "Liberian Girl" | Michael Jackson |
| 1990 | "Lift Every Voice and Sing" | Melba Moore |
| 1995 | "Temptations" | 2Pac |
Discography
editAlbums
edit- Jasmine Guy(1990)
Singles
edit- "Try Me"(1990)
- "Another Like My Lover"(1991)
- "Just Want to Hold You"(1991)
- "Don't Want Money" (1991)
References
edit- ^Bogdanov, Vladimirbeli day (1998).All Music Guide to Soul: The Definitive Guide to R&B and Soul.Hal Leonard Corporation.ISBN9780879307448.RetrievedSeptember 24,2017.
- ^"THEY FLEXIN".ASCAP.American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers.RetrievedMay 3,2023.
- ^Intelius People Search
- ^Leszczak, Bob (2001).From Small Screen to Vinyl: A Guide to Television Stars Who Made Records.Rowman & Littlefield.ISBN9781442242746.RetrievedSeptember 24,2017.
- ^Thompson, Kevin D. (July 30, 2008)."Jasmine Guy: Flashback Friday - The star of" A Different World "on being Whitley, her impending divorce, and growing up biracial".Essence.New York City: Essence Communications.
- ^abBernstein, Fred (November 9, 1987)."After Years of Trying to Fit In, Actress Jasmine Guy at Last Finds Happiness in A Different World".People.Vol. 28\number=19. New York City:Meredith Corporation.Archived fromthe originalon November 9, 2015.RetrievedJanuary 26,2012.
- ^abBuck, Jerry (January 17, 1988)."Jasmine Guy Brings Life ro 'World'".Tri-City Herald.Kennewick, Washington:McClatchy Company.p. 39.RetrievedJanuary 30,2012.[permanent dead link]
- ^Cadet, Danielle (September 21, 2017)."Whitley's World: A Brief History of Bad and Boujee Black Girl Style".Andscape.ESPN.RetrievedSeptember 25,2017.
- ^abHolman, Curt (2010-01-28)."Speakeasy with Jasmine Guy".Creative LoafingAtlanta.CL Inc.Retrieved2012-01-26.
- ^"Dreams Of Long Ago".Chicago Tribune.Chicago, Illinois:Tribune Media Services.April 12, 1992.RetrievedJanuary 26,2012.
- ^"Credits | the People Speak".Archived fromthe originalon July 13, 2010.RetrievedJuly 28,2010.
- ^Kinon, Cristina (July 30, 2009)."'The People Speak' about democracy on History Channel ".Daily News.New York City:Tronc.Archived fromthe originalon July 7, 2012.RetrievedJanuary 26,2012.
- ^DiNunno, Gina (May 26, 2010)."Drop Dead Diva Casts Jasmine Guy and Lauren Stamile".TV Guide.New York City: NTVB Media.
- ^Keck, William (September 15, 2009)."Jasmine Guy Vamps It Up".TV Guide Magazine.New York City: NTVB Media. Archived fromthe originalon September 23, 2009.RetrievedApril 13,2010.
- ^"Kevin Wilson's MY NEPHEW EMMETT Joins Academy's Live Action Short Film Shortlist".Broadway World.December 15, 2017.RetrievedJanuary 24,2018.
- ^Hetrick, Adam (April 6, 2009)."Jasmine Guy to Sing Blues for an Alabama Sky at True Colors".Playbill.London, England.Retrieved2009-04-07.
- ^Duke, Alan (March 12, 2009)."Jasmine Guy finds joy in 'Miss Evers' Boys'".CNN.Atlanta, Georgia:Turner Broadcasting Systems.RetrievedApril 15,2019.
- ^abCurt, Holman (August 16, 2010)."True Colors Theatre hires Jasmine Guy as full-time staffer".Creative Loafing.Creative Loafing Inc.RetrievedJanuary 30,2012.
- ^Creative Loafing Event Calendar,archived fromthe originalon March 4, 2016
- ^abAnderson, Joel (2020-02-14)."Slow Burn season 3, episode 1: Against the World".Slate Magazine.Retrieved2021-12-11.
- ^"Nonfiction Book Review: Afeni Shakur: Evolution of a Revolutionary by Jasmine Guy".PublishersWeekly.February 1, 2004.Retrieved2021-12-11.
- ^Hochman, Steve (September 24, 1995)."2Pac's Pals Turn Out for Tupac-Less Video".Los Angeles Times.Retrieved2021-12-11.
- ^"Jasmine Guy speaks in Support of Bernie Sanders during the Democratic... News Photo - Getty Images".17 February 2016.
- ^Taylor, Robert (October 26, 2006)."Reflections: Talking with Bryan Fuller".Comic Book Resources.Valnet Inc.Archivedfrom the original on January 9, 2018.RetrievedOctober 22,2021.
