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Nicole Ari Parker

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Not to be confused with Nicole Parker or Nico Parker.
Nicole Ari Parker
Parker at Paris Fashion Week, 2023
Born (1970-10-07) October 7, 1970 (age 54)
Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.
Alma materNew York University (BFA)
Occupation(s)Actress, model
Years active1993–present
Spouse
​
(m. 2005)​
Children2

Nicole Ari Parker Kodjoe (born October 7, 1970) is an American actress and model. She made her screen debut with a leading role in the critically acclaimed independent film The Incredibly True Adventure of Two Girls in Love (1995) and went on to appear in Boogie Nights (1997), directed by Paul Thomas Anderson.

Parker has starred in a number of movies, including Blue Streak (1999), Remember the Titans (2000), Brown Sugar (2002), Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins (2008), Black Dynamite (2009), and Almost Christmas (2016). On television, Parker played the leading role of attorney Teri Joseph (later Carter) in the Showtime drama series Soul Food (2000–04), for which she received five NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series nominations. She also starred in the short-lived UPN romantic comedy Second Time Around (2004–05) and the ABC drama Time After Time (2017). In 2017, she joined the cast of Fox's prime-time soap opera Empire playing Giselle Barker. In 2021, she began starring as Lisa Todd Wexley in the HBO Max comedy-drama series, And Just Like That....

Early years

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Parker was born on October 7, 1970, in Baltimore, Maryland.[1] She is the only child of her divorced parents, health care professional Susan Parker and dentist Donald Parker.[2] After briefly attending a Montessori school, Parker entered Roland Park Country School, where she stayed through high school.[3] At the age of 17, she won Best Actress in the state of Maryland's high school theater competition. She became a member of The Washington Ballet Company before earning an acting degree in 1993 from New York University's Tisch School of the Arts.[4]

Career

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Parker at a performance of The Hot Chocolate Nutcracker in December 2010

Parker made her screen debut playing secondary role in the 1993 made-for-television movie Other Women's Children starring Melanie Mayron. Two years later she went to star in the critically acclaimed independent comedy-drama film, The Incredibly True Adventure of Two Girls in Love.[5] Also that year, she starred in the Divas, a made-for-television musical drama film about female singing group.[6] In 1997, she starred in the comedy-drama film Boogie Nights written and directed by Paul Thomas Anderson. The following year, she appeared in the television film Exiled: A Law & Order Movie. Her other film credits include The End of Violence (1997), Spark (1998), the 1999 Sundance Film Festival winner The Adventures of Sebastian Cole (1998), 200 Cigarettes (1999), Loving Jezebel (1999), A Map of the World (1999) and Blue Streak (1999).

In 2000, Parker played the leading role in the drama film Dancing in September and starred opposite Denzel Washington in the biographical film Remember the Titans, receiving NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture nomination. Also that year, she began starring as Teri Joseph in the Showtime drama series, Soul Food. The series was an adaptation of George Tillman's 1997 drama film, Soul Food, and the role of Teri played Vanessa Williams. The series ended in 2004.[7] For her performance she received five NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series nominations. She returned to film, starring in the 2002 romantic comedy Brown Sugar. She later appeared in King's Ransom (2005), Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins (2008) alongside her Blue Streak co-star Martin Lawrence, Black Dynamite (2009), Imagine That (2009), and Pastor Brown (2009).

Parker with Vanessa Estelle Williams in 2011

On television, Parker starred on the short-lived UPN sitcom, Second Time Around from 2004 to 2005. In 2010, she returned to television with starring role in the ABC legal drama, The Deep End, the series was cancelled after one season. In 2012. she made her Broadway debut playing the role of Blanche DuBois in A Streetcar Named Desire.[8] In 2013, Parker was lead actress in the NBC drama pilot Secret Lives of Husbands and Wives, and later had a recurring role on Revolution. In 2014, she starred as a series regular in the first season of the TNT crime drama Murder in the First, opposite Taye Diggs and Kathleen Robertson.[9] In 2016, she appeared alongside Kimberly Elise and Mo'Nique in the comedy-drama film Almost Christmas. In 2017, she starred in another short-lived drama series, Time After Time.

In 2017, Parker joined the cast of Fox prime time soap opera, Empire, playing Giselle Barker in a recurring role during the fourth season. She was promoted to a series regular for the fifth season, starring to series finale in 2020.[10][11] For the 2020-21 television season, Parker had a recurring role on the NBC series, Chicago P.D, and in late 2021 began starring in the HBO Max comedy-drama series, And Just Like That... playing the role of Lisa Todd Wexley.[12] In 2022, she also appeared in the Peacock miniseries The Best Man: The Final Chapters.[13]

Personal life

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Parker is an active member of the Democratic Party.[14] She eloped with actor Joseph Falasca in March 2001. Their marriage, which lasted several months, ended in divorce later that year.[15] Parker married her Soul Food co-star Boris Kodjoe in Gundelfingen, Germany, on May 21, 2005. She gave birth to their first child, Sophie, on March 5, 2005. Sophie has spina bifida, which was diagnosed at birth.[16] Parker gave birth to their son Nicolas in October 2006 in Atlanta, Georgia. The family attends the Cascade United Methodist Church when in Atlanta.[17]

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role Notes
1993 Other Women's Children Marcelle Television film
1995 The Incredibly True Adventure of Two Girls in Love Evie Roy
Stonewall Female Draft Officer
Divas Stephanie Television film
1996 Rebound: The Legend of Earl "The Goat" Manigault Wanda Television film
1997 The End of Violence Ade
Boogie Nights Becky Barnett Florida Film Critics Circle Award for Best Cast
Nominated — Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
1998 Spark Nina
The Adventures of Sebastian Cole Jenny
Exiled: A Law & Order Movie Georgeanne Taylor Television film
1999 200 Cigarettes Bridget
Mute Love Mavis
Mind Prey Weather Karkinnon Television film
Mirar Mirror Denise Scott Short
Loving Jezebel Frances
Harlem Aria Clarisse
A Map of the World Sherry
Blue Streak Melissa Green
2000 Dancing in September Tomasina 'Tommy' Crawford Nominated — Black Reel Award for Network/Cable - Best Actress
Remember the Titans Carol Boone Nominated — NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture
2002 Brown Sugar Reese Marie Wiggam Ellis Nominated — NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture
Nominated — BET Award for Best Actress
2005 King's Ransom Angela Drake
2008 Welcome Home, Roscoe Jenkins Lucinda Allen
2009 Black Dynamite Mahogany Black
Imagine That Trish
Pastor Brown Tonya Copeland Brown Nominated — Black Reel Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress, TV Movie or Limited Series
2011 35 and Ticking Zenobia
2013 Repentance Sophie Sanchez
2016 Almost Christmas Sonya Meyers
2017 Downsized Ebony TV movie
2018 How It Ends Paula Sutherland
2022 We Are Gathered Here Today Nancy Stone
2022 Safe Room Lila Jackson
2023 A Snowy Day in Oakland Dr. Latrice Monroe
Key
† Denotes films that have not yet been released

Television

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Year Title Role Notes
1997 Subway Stories Sharon Episode: "Honey-Getter"
1999–2000 Cosby Rebecca Recurring cast: season 4
2000 The Wonderful World of Disney Christine Claiborne Episode: "The Loretta Claiborne Story"
2000–2004 Soul Food Teri Joseph Main cast
Nominated — NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series (2001-2005)
Nominated — BET Award for Best Actress (2003)
2002 CSI: Crime Scene Investigation Lillie Ivers Episode: "Primum Non Nocere"
2003 The System Linda Evans Main cast
2004 All of Us Traci Garrison Episode: "Playdate"
2004–2005 Second Time Around Ryan Muse Main cast
2010 The Deep End Susan Oppenheim Main cast
2013 Revolution Secretary Justine Allenford Recurring cast: season 2
2013–2015 Real Husbands of Hollywood Herself Recurring cast: season 1–4
2014 Murder in the First District Attorney Jacqueline Perez Recurring cast: season 1
2015 The Boris & Nicole Show Herself/co-host TV series
2015–2016 Rosewood Kat Crawford Recurring cast: season 1[18]
2017 Time After Time Vanessa Anders Main cast
2017–2020 Empire Giselle Barker Recurring cast: season 4, main cast: season 5–6
2018 I'm Dying Up Here Gloria Recurring cast: season 2
The Romanoffs Cheryl Gowans Episode: "Bright and High Circle"
2019 Lip Sync Battle Herself Episode: "Boris Kodjoe vs. Nicole Ari Parker"
2020–2021 Chicago P.D. Deputy Superintendent Samantha Miller Recurring cast: Season 8–9[19]
2021–present And Just Like That... Lisa Todd Wexley Recurring cast: season 1, main cast: season 2–present
2022 The Best Man: The Final Chapters Xiomara Amani Special guest star; 2 episodes

References

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  1. ^ "Parker, Nicole Ari 1970-". Encyclopedia.com. Cengage. Retrieved 8 June 2022.
  2. ^ Kam Williams (2004). "Nicole Reflects on Real Life Role As Mommy-to-Be". DallasBlack.com. Archived from the original on 2011-01-29. Retrieved 2009-07-08.
  3. ^ Sragow, Michael (12 June 2009). "City-bred Actress' Role In Kids' Film Reflects Grown-up Realities". The Baltimore Sun. Archived from the original on 12 August 2014. Retrieved 11 August 2014.
  4. ^ Sragow, Michael (12 June 2009). "Nicole Ari Parker's role in kids' movie reflects grown-up realities". The Baltimore Sun.
  5. ^ Limited, Alamy. "The incredibly true adventure of two girls in love hi-res stock photography and images". Alamy. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  6. ^ "Divas" – via www.rottentomatoes.com.
  7. ^ "Nicole Ari Parker - Rotten Tomatoes". www.rottentomatoes.com.
  8. ^ McElroy, Steven (April 25, 2012). "A Broadway Baby With Experience". The New York Times – via NYTimes.com.
  9. ^ Lesley Goldberg (January 22, 2014). "TNT's 'Murder in the First' Adds 'Revolution' Alum". The Hollywood Reporter.
  10. ^ Andreeva, Nellie (25 June 2018). "'Empire': Nicole Ari Parker Upped To Series Regular For Season 5 Of Fox Drama". Retrieved 6 January 2019.
  11. ^ Swift, Andy (25 June 2018). "Empire Promotes Nicole Ari Parker to Series Regular for Season 5". Retrieved 6 January 2019.
  12. ^ "Nicole Ari Parker on Why Her 'And Just Like That…' Character Fits So Well Into the SATC Universe". Allure. December 16, 2021.
  13. ^ Cordero, Rosy (April 29, 2022). "'The Best Man: The Final Chapters': Nicole Ari Parker, Ron Canada & Brandon Victor Dixon Among New Cast Joining Morris Chestnut, Regina Hall, More".
  14. ^ Hawkins, B. Denise (September 6, 2012). "Youth Summit Brings Democratic National Convention Spirit to Johnson C. Smith". Diverse Issues in Higher Education. Retrieved September 7, 2012.
  15. ^ "'Chicago P.D.' Adds Nicole Ari Parker For a New Kind of Story". 8 October 2020. Retrieved May 16, 2021.
  16. ^ Boris and Nicole Open Up About Sophie's Spina Bifida, Celebrity Babies Blog, 15 January 2009.
  17. ^ Rhone, Nedra; and Gracie Bonds Staples. "In Atlanta’s churches, prayers for president-elect", The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 9 November 2008.
  18. ^ Andreeva, Nellie (July 20, 2015). "Nicole Ari Parker To Recur On Fox's Rosewood". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on September 10, 2015. Retrieved July 21, 2015.
  19. ^ "Chicago P.D. Season 8: Premiere Date, Spoilers, and Everything else We Know".
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