Kellita Smith(born January 15, 1969)[3]is an American actress, model and comedian. She is best known for her role asWanda McCullough,Bernie Mac's wife on theFOXsitcomThe Bernie Mac Show.[4]
Kellita Smith | |
|---|---|
| Born | January 15, 1969 |
| Education | Santa Rosa Junior College |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1993–present |
| Known for | Wanda McCullough–The Bernie Mac Show |
Life and career
editBorn inChicago, Illinois,[5][6]She was raised inOakland, California.[7]Smith studied atSanta Rosa Junior College,receiving her associate degree in political science.
In early years, Smith worked as a model. She began her acting career on stage in a regional production ofTell It Like It Tiz.[8]Other theatrical credits include the Los Angeles productions ofNo Place to be Somebodyat the K.C. Theatre Company,Feelings(The Hudson Theatre) for which she won anNAACP Theatre Awardfor Best Supporting Actress in 1996,[8]The Thirteenth Thorn(Complex Theatre) for which she was nominated for an NAACP Theatre Award for Best Actress, andOne Woman Two Lives,which premiered at The Imagined Life Theater in July 2009.
On television, Smith made her debut in an episode ofIn Living Colorand later guest-starred onLiving Single,Moesha,3rd Rock from the Sun,The ParkersandNYPD Blue.She had recurring roles inMartin,Sister, Sister,andMalcolm & Eddiebefore co-starring onThe Jamie Foxx Showfrom 1997 to 1999. In 2001, she was cast oppositeBernie Macin the Fox sitcomThe Bernie Mac Show.The series aired on Fox for five seasons from 2001 to 2006. She was nominated four times for anNAACP Image Awardfor her role as Wanda McCullough onThe Bernie Mac Show.In film, Smith co-starred alongsideMo'NiqueinHair Show(2004), and later appeared inFair Game,King's Ransom,Roll BounceandThree Can Play That Game.
In 2012, Smith returned to television with the role of First Lady Katherine Johnson in the syndicated sitcom,The First Family.[9]In 2014, Smith was cast as Roberta Warren in theSyfypost-apocalyptic series,Z Nation.[10]In this role, she also appeared onSharknado 3: Oh Hell No!in 2015.[11]In the Cut is an American sitcom created by Bentley Kyle Evans that debuted on Bounce TV on August 25, 2015.[1] Seth Kelley. "Bounce TV Orders Original Comedy Series 'In the Cut'". Variety. Retrieved January 28, 2016. Kellita Smith as Cheryl (season 2–present), the new owner of the beauty salon Cheryl's, and Jay's wife. On March 19, 2020, it was announced that the sixth season would premiere on April 1, 2020.[8] "" In the Cut "Returns for New Season Starting April 1st on Bounce". The Futon Critic. March 19, 2020.
She is also described as B. Rosenberger Rosenberg's African American girlfriend inCharlie Kaufman's novelAntkind.[12]
Filmography
editFilm
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | House Party 3 | Girl in Yellow & Black Dress | |
| 1995 | The Crossing Guard | Tanya | |
| 1999 | Q: The Movie | Mo Mo | |
| 2000 | Retiring Tatiana | CeCe | |
| Masquerade | Monica | TV movie | |
| 2001 | Kingdom Come | Bernice Talbot | |
| 2004 | Hair Show | Angela Whittaker | |
| 2005 | Fair Game | Cheryl | |
| King's Ransom | Renee King | ||
| Roll Bounce | Vivian | ||
| 2007 | Three Can Play That Game | Carla | |
| Feel the Noise | Tanya | ||
| 2010 | From Cape Town with Love | Marsha | Short |
| Conspiracy X | Justice Jackie Woods | ||
| 2011 | She's Not Our Sister | Vivian | TV movie |
| 2012 | Gang of Roses 2: Next Generation | Madame L | |
| Sistaah Friend | Super Shero of Truth | Short | |
| 2013 | The Love Section | Pat Darden | |
| 2014 | Imperial Dreams | Tanya | |
| 2015 | A Deadly Adoption | Officer F. Mason | TV movie |
| Sharknado 3: Oh Hell No! | Sergeant Roberta Warren | TV movie | |
| The Man in 3B | Det. Anderson | ||
| 2017 | The Preacher's Son | Anita Emerson | |
| 2018 | The Choir Director | Anita Emerson | |
| 2020 | Influence | Carla Hudson |
Television
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | In Living Color | - | Episode: "Dirty Little Dick" |
| Living Single | Susan | Episode: "A Kiss Before Lying" | |
| 1994 | Hangin' with Mr. Cooper | Jaclyn | Episode: "Clothes Make the Man" |
| 1994–95 | Martin | Tracy | Recurring Cast: Season 3 |
| 1995 | Sister, Sister | Tonya | Recurring Cast: Season 3 |
| 1996 | The Wayans Bros. | Claire | Episode: "Hearts and Flowers" |
| Dangerous Minds | Dominique | Episode: "Hair Affair" | |
| Moesha | Melba | Episode: "Women Are from Mars, Men Are from Saturn" | |
| 1997 | High Incident | - | Episode: "Remote Control" |
| Malcolm & Eddie | Danielle | Recurring Cast: Season 1 | |
| The Parent 'Hood | Sheila | Episode: "Zaria Peterson's Day Off" | |
| 1997–99 | The Jamie Foxx Show | Cherise | Recurring Cast: Seasons 2–3 |
| 1999 | The Steve Harvey Show | Ava Whitley | Episode: "Little Stevie Blunder" |
| The Parkers | Valerie Maxwell | Episode: "And the Band Plays On" | |
| 2000 | For Your Love | Sophia | Episode: "The Special Delivery" |
| 2001 | Nash Bridges | Regina Adams | Episode: "Kill Joy" |
| NYPD Blue | Mrs. Childs | Episode: "Under Covers" | |
| 2001–06 | The Bernie Mac Show | Wanda McCullough | Main Cast |
| 2002 | Pyramid | Herself/Celebrity Contestant | Episode: "October 14 & 22, 2002" |
| 2003 | Biography | Herself | Episode: "Bernie Mac: TV's Family Man" |
| 2007 | Baisden After Dark | Herself | Episode: "Age Ain't Nothin But a Number" |
| 2012 | Life After | Herself | Episode: "Camille Winbush" |
| 2012–15 | The First Family | First Lady Katherine Johnson | Main Cast |
| 2013 | Kimmie's Kitchen | Herself | Episode: "Bread Pudding/Kelita Smith" |
| 2014 | According to Him + Her | Herself | Episode: "Episode #1.12" |
| 2014–18 | Z Nation | Lieutenant Roberta Warren | Main Cast |
| 2015 | Unsung Hollywood | Herself | Episode: "Bernie Mac" |
| 2016 | Apollo Night LA | Herself/Celebrity Host | Episode: "ANLA 161" |
| 2016–19 | In the Cut | Cheryl | Recurring Cast: Seasons 2-3 & 5, Guest: Season 4 |
| 2017 | Hell's Kitchen | Herself | Episode: "Fusion/Confusion" |
| 2018–19 | From the Mouths of Babes | Herself | Recurring Guest |
| 2020 | Two Degrees | Herself | Episode: "U.B.E.R." |
| 2021 | This Is Us | Elizabeth Dubois | Episode: "Birth Mother" |
| The Couch | Mrs. Childs | Main Cast | |
| 2021–23 | Lace | Judge Sears | Recurring Cast |
| 2022 | From Scratch | Lynne | Main Cast |
Awards and nominations
edit| Year | Awards | Category | Recipient | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | NAACP Image Awards | NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series | "The Bernie Mac Show" | Nominated |
| 2004 | Nominated | |||
| 2005 | Nominated | |||
| 2006 | NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series | Nominated | ||
| 2013 | "The First Family" | Nominated |
References
edit- ^Viera, Bené (December 13, 2013)."FOUR FACTS YOU DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT KELLITA SMITH".Centric TV.RetrievedSeptember 18,2017.
- ^"Roberta Warren (KELLITA SMITH)".SYFY.2016.RetrievedSeptember 18,2017.
- ^Smith, Kellita."Birthday Clarification".Twitter.Kellita Smith.RetrievedMay 6,2015.
- ^Nathan Southern (2014)."Kellita Smith – Biography".Movies & TV Dept.The New York Times.Archived fromthe originalon October 15, 2014.RetrievedSeptember 15,2014.
- ^"Kellita Smith".TV Guide.RetrievedSeptember 18,2017.
- ^"Today's Black Woman".Google Books.January 2002.RetrievedSeptember 18,2017.
- ^Berry, S. Torriano (2009).The A to Z of African American Cinema.Scarecrow Press.ISBN978-0-8108-7034-5.RetrievedSeptember 18,2017.
- ^ab"Kellita Smith".Yahoo.Archived fromthe originalon December 5, 2014.RetrievedSeptember 15,2014.
- ^"Byron Allen Syndicated Comedy 'First Family' Announces Cast".Deadline Hollywood.March 28, 2012. Archived fromthe originalon April 2, 2015.RetrievedSeptember 15,2014.
- ^Kaitlin Thomas (June 19, 2014)."Syfy Zombie Drama Z Nation Casts Lost, Supernatural Alums".TV Guide.RetrievedSeptember 15,2014.
- ^"Sharknado 3: Oh Hell No! SyFy Cheese with Extra Anchovies".MikesFilmTalk.July 27, 2015.RetrievedAugust 18,2015.
- ^Kaufman, Charlie (2021).Antkind.New York: Ramdnom House.ISBN978-0-399-58969-0.p. 338:
I can barely picture my former African American girlfriend Kellita Smith.