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Megalyn Echikunwoke

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"Echikunwoke" redirects here. For the athlete, seeAnnette Echikunwoke.

Megalyn Echikunwoke
Echikunwoke in 2016
Born
Ebubennem Megalyn Ann Echikunwoke

(1983-05-28)May 28, 1983(age 41)
Spokane,Washington,U.S.
Other namesMegalyn E.K.
OccupationActress
Years active1998–present

Ebubennem Megalyn Ann Echikunwoke//ⓘ(/ˈmɛɡəlɪnɛˌtʃɪkʊnˈwoʊkeɪ/MEG-ə-lin etch-IK-uun-WOH-kay;[1]born May 28, 1983[2][3]), also known asMegalyn E.K.,[4]is an American actress,[5]known primarily for her roles in television and film.

Born inSpokane, Washington,she was discovered while performing in a theatrical production for an arts academy, and began working professionally at age 15, appearing in an episode ofThe Steve Harvey Show.Between 2001 and 2002, she starred asNicole Palmer,daughter ofDavid Palmer,on the Fox series24,followed by guest roles onERandBuffy the Vampire Slayer.Between 2004 and 2005, she portrayed Angie Barnett, the half-sister ofSteven Hyde,on the sitcomThat '70s Show.In 2006, she starred as a lead in the seriesThe 4400which ran until 2007, followed by recurring roles on90210andHouse of Lies.

Her film roles in the early 2010s includeWhit Stillman'sDamsels in Distress(2011), and the action sequelA Good Day to Die Hard(2013). In 2016, she portrayedMari McCabe / Vixenin theArrowverse.The following year, she had a supporting role inCHiPs(2017), followed by the independent comedyAn Actor Prepares(2018). Next, she co-starred in the comedyNight School(2018). In late 2018, she made her New York stage debut in anoff-Broadwayproduction ofApologia.

Early life

[edit]

Ebubennem Megalyn Ann Echikunwoke[6][7]was born inSpokane, Washington[2]to Mark Onigwe Versato Echikunwoke, anIgboNigerianfather, and Anita Laurie.[2]Her father, an immigrant to the United States, was a survivor of theNigerian Civil War,during which he suffered gunshot wounds that resulted in him contractinghepatitis B.[7]

When Echikunwoke was four years old, her father, then attending law school in Spokane, died ofliver cancer,stemming from his war-related medical problems.[7]Her mother moved the family to theNavajo Nation,where she raised Echikunwoke and her siblings in the unincorporated community ofChinle, Arizona.[2][8]At age 14, Echikunwoke was discovered while performing in a theater production at an arts academysummer camp.[2]

Career

[edit]
Echikunwoke in 2009

Echikunwoke's first featured role was a guest appearance onThe Steve Harvey Showin 1998.[2]The following year, she had her first film role inJulie Dash'sFunny Valentines.[9]In 2001, she starred in a lead role on theMTVsoap operaSpyder Gamesas Cherish Pardee, acoffee housesinger, which ran through the year.[2]She subsequently had a recurring role in thefirst seasonof24(2001–2002) asDavid Palmer's daughter Nicole.[2]Beginning in 2003, she appeared as Danika on the comedy seriesLike Family,[2]and guest-starred onBuffy the Vampire Slayerin the episode "The Killer in Me"(2003).[2]This was followed with a guest role onVeronica Mars(2004).[2]

Between 2004 and 2005, she appeared onFOX'sThat '70s ShowasSteven Hyde's half-sister, Angie Barnett.[2]In 2006, she was cast as a series regular on thescience fictiontelevision seriesThe 4400as the adult version of the mysterious Isabelle Tyler.[2]She left the show in 2007. From 2008 to 2009, she appeared onseason 7ofCSI: Miamias new medical examinerDr. Tara Price.[2]She had a recurring role onTNT'sRaising the Bar(2008–2009) as the love-interest of attorney Marcus McGrath, played byJ. August Richards;[10]also in 2008, she appeared as a singer in theLeonard ChessbiopicWho Do You Love?[11]In 2011, she played Holly for thefourth seasonof90210,[12]and subsequently appeared in the comedy filmDamsels in Distress.[13]

She played April onShowtime'sHouse of Lies(2012) and Riley Parker, in the legal dramaMade in Jersey(also 2012), onCBS.[14]In 2014, she co-starred in the drama seriesMind GamesonABC.

In 2016, Echikunwoke appeared on theCW'sArrowasDC ComicssuperheroMari McCabe / Vixenfor an episode, and voiced the character in theCW Seedanimated seriesVixen.Due to prior commitments, she was unavailable to play the character inLegends of Tomorrow,resulting in the introduction of a new Vixen (played byMaisie Richardson-Sellers), the time-displaced grandmother of Echikunwoke's character. Echikunwoke had a supporting role inDax Shepard'sCHiPs(2017), followed by the comedyAn Actor Prepares(2018). That year, she had a supporting role in the comedyNight School,which grossed over $100million.[15]

In 2018, Echikunwoke played Claire in theoff-Broadwayproduction ofApologiafor theRoundabout Theatre Company,[16]which ran from October 16 through December 16 of that year.[16]In 2019, she had a supporting role inLate Night.[9]She subsequently had a lead role onAlmost Family,a FOX drama series chronicling three women who learn that they are siblings after a prominentfertility doctorreveals he has used his ownspermto father over 100 children with his patients.[17]It was canceled after one season.[18]

Personal life

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In 2007, Echikunwoke, along withJustin Long,Olivia Wilde,andKal Penn,successfully campaigned for 2008Democraticpresidential nomineeBarack Obama.The campaign included a winter tour of college campuses and bars inIowa,with the added goal of registering new and young college-aged voters, known as the “All-Actor All-Iowa All-Star Voter Education Tour”.[19][20]

Echikunwoke's cousin is athleteAnnette Echikunwoke.[21]

Filmography

[edit]

Film

[edit]
Year Title Role Notes Ref.
1999 Funny Valentines Lauren [9]
2004 Great Lengths Elena Short film [2]
2006 Camjackers Sista Strada Cast [9]
2008 Fix Carmen [9]
2008 Who Do You Love? Ivy Mills [9]
2011 Damsels in Distress Rose [9]
2011 Free Hugs Megan Short film
2013 A Good Day to Die Hard Pretty Reporter [9]
2014 Electric Slide Jean
2014 Night Swim Eve Short film
2015 The Meddler Elise [9]
2017 CHiPs Patricia Eerly [9]
2018 Step Sisters Jamilah [9]
2018 An Actor Prepares Clementine [9]
2018 Night School Lisa King [9]
2019 Late Night Robin [9]
2022 Emily the Criminal Liz

Television

[edit]
Year Title Role Notes Ref.
1998 Creature Elizabeth Gibson Miniseries
1998 The Steve Harvey Show Allison Hightower Episode: "Uncle Steve"
2000 Malibu, CA Randy Episode: "Three Dudes and a Baby"
2001 Spyder Games Cherish Pardee 65 episodes [6]
2001–2002 24 Nicole Palmer 6 episodes [6]
2002 Sheena Janel Episode: "Coming to Africa" [6]
2002 ER Terry Welch Episode: "Bygones"
2002 For the People Claudia Gibson 2 episodes [6]
2002 What I Like About You Karen Episode: "The Parrot Trap"
2002 B.S. Shannon Cross Television film [2]
2003 Buffy the Vampire Slayer Vaughne Episode: "The Killer in Me" [2]
2003–2004 Like Family Danika Ward 22 episodes [6]
2004 Veronica Mars Rain Episode: "Drinking the Kool-Aid" [6]
2004–2005 That '70s Show Angie Barnett 8 episodes [6]
2005 Hitched Christina Television film [2]
2006 Supernatural Cassie Robinson Episode: "Route 666" [6]
2006–2007 The 4400 Isabelle Tyler Main role [6]
2008 The Game Cheyenne Episode: "Take These Vows and Shove 'Em!" [6]
2008–2009 CSI: Miami Tara Price 23 episodes [6]
2009 Raising the Bar Amelia Mkali 3 episodes [6]
2009 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Nicole Gleason Episode: "Anchor"
2011–2012 90210 Holly Strickler Recurring role
2012 House of Lies April Recurring role
2012 Beautiful People Monica Television film
2012 Made in Jersey Riley Parker Main role
2014 American Dad! Angie Voice, episode: "Introducing the Naughty Stewardess"
2014 Mind Games Megan Shane Main role [6]
2015 The Following Penny 4 episodes [6]
2016 Arrow Mari McCabe / Vixen Episode: "Taken"
2016 Damien Simone Baptiste Main role
2017 Ghosted Natalie Episode: "Whispers"
2017 White Famous Sadie 4 episodes [6]
2019–2020 Almost Family Edie Palmer Main role [6]
2021 Into the Dark Esme Rawls Episode: "Blood Moon" [22]

Web

[edit]
Year Title Role Notes Ref.
2015–2016 Vixen Mari McCabe / Vixen Voice, main role [23]
2018 Freedom Fighters: The Ray Mari McCabe / Vixen Voice [24]
2023 Queenterrogated Detective YouTube [25]

Video games

[edit]
Year Title Role Notes Ref.
2017 Injustice 2 Mari McCabe / Vixen Voice
2018 Lego DC Super-Villains Mari McCabe / Vixen Voice
2019 Mortal Kombat 11 Jacqui Briggs Voice
2019 Heroes of the Storm Qhira Voice

Stage credits

[edit]
Year Title Role Notes Ref.
2018 Apologia Claire Roundabout Theatre Company [16]

References

[edit]
  1. ^"EP 40: Megalyn Echikunwoke AKA" We Stand with... "".Let's Talk About Me, Baby with Utkarsh Ambudkar.December 7, 2016.Archivedfrom the original on December 18, 2018.RetrievedDecember 17,2018.
  2. ^abcdefghijklmnopqrMcCann, Bob (2009).Encyclopedia of African American Actresses in Film and Television.Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland. p. 106.ISBN978-0-7864-5804-2.Archivedfrom the original on August 24, 2023.RetrievedAugust 19,2019.
  3. ^"Megalyn Echikunwoke".Rotten Tomatoes.Archivedfrom the original on October 1, 2019.RetrievedOctober 1,2019.
  4. ^Damore, Meagan (February 24, 2016).""Arrow's" Megalyn E.K. Calls Her Role as Vixen a 'Dream Come True'".CBR.Archivedfrom the original on June 2, 2016.RetrievedNovember 22,2019.
  5. ^"Meet Megalyn Echikunwoke, The Beautiful Igbo Girl Who Just Dumped Chris Rock".March 9, 2020.Archivedfrom the original on January 22, 2022.RetrievedMarch 16,2022.
  6. ^abcdefghijklmnopq"Megalyn Echikunwoke Credits".TV Guide.Archivedfrom the original on October 2, 2019.RetrievedOctober 1,2019.
  7. ^abcEchikunwoke, Megalyn (May 1, 2017)."On the brink of famine in the place my father called home".Oxfam America.Archivedfrom the original on October 2, 2019.RetrievedOctober 2,2019.
  8. ^Aminu, Abdulkareem Baba (August 29, 2006)."Nigeria: Megalyn Echikunwoke – Mega-Talent Doing Nigeria Proud!".AllAfrica.RetrievedDecember 8,2016.
  9. ^abcdefghijklmn"Megalyn Echikunwoke".AllMovie.Archivedfrom the original on October 2, 2019.RetrievedOctober 1,2019.
  10. ^"CSI: Miami Doctor Is Out... and Hitting the Bar?".TV Guide.Archivedfrom the original on December 31, 2014.RetrievedJune 9,2009.
  11. ^Whitty, Stephen (April 9, 2010)."Blues film down on its luck".The Record.Hackensack, New Jersey. p. G2.Archivedfrom the original on October 2, 2019.RetrievedOctober 2,2019– via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^Ausiello, Michael (July 6, 2011)."90210 Exclusive: Newcomer Justin Deeley Cast as... Brad Pitt?".TVLine.Archived fromthe originalon June 3, 2012.RetrievedOctober 24,2011.
  13. ^Rodriguez, Rene (May 3, 2012)."'Damsels in Distress' worth saving time to see ".The Akron Beacon Journal.Akron, Ohio. p. F7.Archivedfrom the original on October 2, 2019.RetrievedOctober 2,2019– via Newspapers.com.
  14. ^"Roots, Kimberly." Fall TV Exclusive: CBS'Made in JerseyCasts90210's Megalyn Echikunwoke, "TVLine, Wednesday, July 18, 2012".Archivedfrom the original on March 15, 2013.RetrievedDecember 2,2012.
  15. ^"Night School (2018)".Box Office Mojo.Archivedfrom the original on June 15, 2019.RetrievedApril 21,2019.
  16. ^abcVine, Hannah (October 12, 2018)."Stockard Channing and Hugh Dancy Take the Stage in Apologia Off-Broadway".Playbill.Archivedfrom the original on September 15, 2020.RetrievedOctober 1,2019.
  17. ^Gay, Verne (October 1, 2019)."'Almost Family': Story of a fertility doc was almost a good idea ".Newsday.Archivedfrom the original on October 1, 2019.RetrievedOctober 1,2019.
  18. ^Thorne, Will (March 2, 2020)."'Almost Family' Canceled After One Season at Fox ".Variety.Archivedfrom the original on March 2, 2020.RetrievedMarch 2,2020.
  19. ^The All-Actor All-Iowa All-Star Voter Education TouronYouTubeRetrieved December 28, 2013.
  20. ^Chaudhary, Arun (August 21, 2012).First Cameraman: Documenting the Obama Presidency in Real Time.Henry Holt and Company. pp. 130–.ISBN978-0-8050-9573-9.
  21. ^"megalyn: So my cousin is an unstoppable super star Olympian! Please follow and support her while she prepares to win the gold for Nigeria!!".Instagram.Archived fromthe originalon December 24, 2021.RetrievedDecember 18,2021.
  22. ^Verhoeven, Beatrice (February 16, 2021)."Hulu, Blumhouse TV'sInto the DarkFinds Lead Cast for Season 2 Finale (Exclusive) ".The Wrap.Archivedfrom the original on February 16, 2021.RetrievedFebruary 16,2021.
  23. ^"Megalyn Echikunwoke To Voice Vixen In CW Seed Animated Series".www.ksitetv.com.July 2, 2015.Archivedfrom the original on July 5, 2015.RetrievedJuly 2,2015.
  24. ^"CW Seed Offers A Ray of Hope with 'Freedom Fighters: The Ray'".Archivedfrom the original on September 6, 2017.RetrievedOctober 14,2017.
  25. ^"Producer Entertainment Group (PEG) playlist" Queenterrogated "".YouTube.PEG.Archivedfrom the original on June 1, 2024.RetrievedJanuary 21,2024.
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