LaTanya Richardson Jackson

LaTanya Richardson Jackson (born October 21, 1949) is an American actress. She began her career appearing in off-Broadway, before playing supporting roles on television and film.

LaTanya Richardson Jackson
Jackson in 2005
Born
LaTanya Richardson

(1949-10-21) October 21, 1949
Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.
EducationSpelman College (BA)
OccupationActress
Years active1976–present
Spouse(s)
​
​
(m. 1980)​
Children1

Richardson has appeared in films including Fried Green Tomatoes (1991), Malcolm X (1992), Sleepless in Seattle (1993), When a Man Loves a Woman (1994), Losing Isaiah (1995), Lone Star (1996), U.S. Marshals (1998), and The Fighting Temptations (2003). Her television credits include 100 Centre Street (2001–2002), Show Me a Hero (2015), Luke Cage (2016–2018), and Rebel (2017).[1]

Personal life

She was born in Atlanta, Georgia. While a student at Atlanta's Spelman College (America's oldest private historically black liberal arts college for women) in 1970, she met actor Samuel L. Jackson, then at all-male Morehouse College, who would later become her husband. She and Jackson married in 1980. As of 2020, they have been together 40 years according to Samuel L Jackson's tribute Instagram post. They have one child, freelance film and TV producer Zoe Jackson, born in 1982. After her daughter's birth, Richardson stopped working regularly, because, she said: "We'd vowed to be an intact revolutionary black family. But it was very, very hard."[2]

Career

To date, Richardson's biggest role in a motion picture was in the 2003 musical The Fighting Temptations in which she appears as the main antagonist, the hypercritical Paulina Pritchett.

In 2014, Richardson received a Tony Award nomination for Best Lead Actress in a Play for her performance in the play A Raisin in the Sun.[3][4] This was her second appearance on Broadway after her debut in the 2009 revival of Joe Turner's Come and Gone.[5] She also appeared in Aaron Sorkin's adaptation of To Kill a Mockingbird on Broadway in the 2018–19 season.[6]

She has appeared in three films with her husband: Losing Isaiah (1995), Freedomland (2006), and Mother and Child (2009).

Filmography

Film
Year Title Role Notes
1991 Hangin' with the Homeboys Caseworker
1991 The Super Judge Smith
1991 Fried Green Tomatoes Janeen
1992 Juice Steel's Mother
1992 Malcolm X Lorraine
1992 Lorenzo's Oil Nurse Ruth
1993 Sleepless in Seattle Harriet
1994 The Last Laugh Elaine Short film
1994 When a Man Loves a Woman Dr. Gina Mendez
1995 Losing Isaiah Caroline Jones
1996 Lone Star Priscilla Worth
1997 Loved Attorney Rose Jackson
1997 Julian Po Darlene
1998 U.S. Marshals Deputy Marshal Savannah Cooper
1998 Secrets Short film
2003 The Fighting Temptations Paulina Pritchett
2006 Freedomland Marie
2007 All About Us Cousin Bernice
2007 Blackout Mrs. Thompson
2009 Mother and Child Carol
2019 Juanita Kay-Rita

Television
Year Title Role Notes
1989 A Man Called Hawk Doris Gilbert Episode: "Life After Death"
1991 Law & Order Lorraine Episode: "Life Choice"
1992 Law & Order Anne Houston Episode: "Sisters of Mercy"
1992 The Nightman Emily TV film
1992 Frannie's Turn Vivian Episodes: "Pilot", "Frannie and the Kitchen Sink"
1992 One Life to Live Rodi TV series
1993 Civil Wars Episode: "Hit the Road, Jack"
1993 Shameful Secrets Louise Levy TV film
1993 Cheers Moderator Episode: "Woody Gets an Election"
1994 Midnight Run for Your Life Det. Dixon TV film
1994 Party of Five Jane Gideon Episode: "Private Lives"
1994 Earth 2 Alex Wentworth Episode: "A Memory Play"
1995 Chicago Hope Mrs. Parnett Episode: "Cutting Edges"
1995 NYPD Blue Sister Cecilia Episode: "Heavin' Can Wait"
1996 The Deliverance of Elaine Edna TV film
1997 Homicide: Life on the Street Lynette Thompson Episode: "Betrayal"
1998 Any Day Now Mrs. Walker Episode: "Call Him Johnny"
1998–1999 Ally McBeal Attorney Yvette Rose Episodes: "Story of Love", "Let's Dance"
1999 Introducing Dorothy Dandridge Auntie TV film
1999 Judging Amy Lena Railsback Episode: "Pilot"
1999 Once and Again Counselor Episode: "Boy Meets Girl"
2000 Hairstory TV film
2001 Within These Walls Melinda Donovan TV film
2001–2002 100 Centre Street Atallah Sims Recurring role (8 episodes)
2003 Boston Public Sheila Episode: "Chapter 62"
2011 Harry's Law Noreen Episode: "In the Ghetto"
2012 Damages Judge Jaclynn Ellis Episode: "You Want to End This Once and for All?"
2013 The Watsons Go to Birmingham Grandma Sands TV film
2014 Blue Bloods Lt. Dee Ann Carver Recurring role, Season 5
2015 Show Me a Hero Norma O'Neal TV miniseries
2016–2018 Luke Cage Maybelline "Mama Mabel" Stokes Episodes: "Manifest", "The Creator"
2017, 2022 Grey's Anatomy Diane Pierce Guest star (4 episodes; season 13 and 18)

Theatre
Year Title Role Playwright Venue
2009Joe Turner's Come and GoneBertha HollyAugust WilsonBelasco Theatre, Broadway
2014A Raisin in the SunLena YoungerLorraine HansberryEthel Barrymore Theatre, Broadway
2018–2019To Kill a MockingbirdCalpurniaAaron SorkinShubert Theatre, Broadway

Awards and nominations
Year Award Category Project Result
2014Tony AwardBest Actress in a PlayA Raisin in the SunNominated
2014Black Reel AwardsOutstanding Supporting Actress in a TV MovieThe Watsons Go to BirminghamNominated
2016Image AwardOutstanding Actress in a Television Movie or Limited SeriesShow Me a HeroNominated

References
  1. "Rebel: John Singleton Scripted Drama Coming to BET in March". TV Series Finale. January 18, 2017. Retrieved February 19, 2017.
  2. Pat Jordan (April 29, 2012). "How Samuel L. Jackson Became His Own Genre". The New York Times Magazine.
  3. "The Tony Award Nominees - All Categories". Retrieved February 19, 2017.
  4. Gioia, Michael (April 12, 2014). "LaTanya Richardson Jackson and Kenny Leon Discover the "Dream" in Broadway's A Raisin in the Sun". Playbill.com. Retrieved September 27, 2014.
  5. "LaTanya Richardson Jackson". TonyAwards.com. Retrieved September 27, 2014.
  6. LaTanya Richardson Jackson at the Internet Broadway Database
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