Kimberly Elise

Kimberly Elise

Elise in 2012
Born Kimberly Elise Trammel
(1967-04-17) April 17, 1967
Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S.
Occupation Actress
Years active 1994–present
Spouse(s) Maurice Oldham (m. 1989–2005)
Children 2
Website www.kimberlyelise.com

Kimberly Elise Trammel (born April 17, 1967), professionally known as Kimberly Elise, is an American film and television actress. She made her feature film debut in Set It Off (1996), and later received critical acclaim for her performance in Beloved (1998).

During her career, Elise has appeared in films such as John Q. (2001), The Manchurian Candidate (2004), Diary of a Mad Black Woman (2005), The Great Debaters (2007), For Colored Girls (2010), and Dope (2015). She received Independent Spirit Award for Best Female Lead for her performance in the 2004 drama film, Woman Thou Art Loosed, and played the leading roles in a number of made for television movies. Elise also starred in the CBS crime drama series, Close to Home (2005–07), and in 2013 began starring in the VH1 comedy-drama series, Hit the Floor.

Early life

Elise was born as Kimberly Elise Trammel in Minneapolis, Minnesota, the daughter of Erma Jean (née Johnson), an elementary school teacher, and Marvin Trammel, who owns an executive search firm.[1][2] She has three siblings. She attended The American Film Institute as a Directing Fellow and at the University of Minnesota earned a BA in Mass Communications.[3]

Career

Elise's first film was Set It Off (1996), in which she played one of four women who resort to robbing a bank for money. Her big break came in 1997 when she was cast in the Family Channel original television movie The Ditchdigger's Daughters, based on the Pulitzer-prize nominated and critically acclaimed 1995 memoir The Ditchdigger's Daughters: A Black Family's Astonishing Success Story, written by Yvonne S. Thornton and Jo Coudert. She received critical acclaim for her role in this film, and in 1997, she was recognized as Best Supporting Actress in a Movie or Miniseries at the 19th annual CableACE Awards. A relative unknown at the time, she conveyed her anonymity upon receiving the award by saying: "Who is Kimberly Elise?" Her performance helped her land a role the next year in Beloved alongside Oprah Winfrey and Danny Glover. She is often compared to a young Cicely Tyson, whom she resembles.

In 2004, she appeared in Woman Thou Art Loosed portraying Michelle, an abused young woman who finally got the help she needed behind bars. This role won her a Black Reel award for Best Actress. She also appeared in John Q, The Manchurian Candidate and Diary of a Mad Black Woman (she won a NAACP Image Award for the latter). From 2005 to 2007, she was part of the main cast of the CBS crime drama Close to Home, playing the Marion County, Indiana (Indianapolis) prosecutor Maureen Scofield. Her character was killed off in the last episode of the series. The series was cancelled on May 2007.

She has since made a guest appearance on the situation comedy Girlfriends, in which she played an HIV-positive woman.

Her most recent film role was in Tyler Perry's For Colored Girls (2010), as the battered wife Crystal. While the film itself received mixed to negative reviews,[4] her performance was praised by many critics. One journalist described her as "the great lost Best Supporting Actress contender of the 2010 season".[5] Since 2013 Kimberly is part of the cast of VH1's new series Hit The Floor.[6][7]

Personal life

Elise was married to Maurice Oldham from 1989 to 2005. The couple had two daughters, Ajableu Arial Oldham (born March 16, 1990) and Butterfly Rose Oldham (born October 19, 1998). Maurice Oldham died from a "massive blood clot" in 2007.

Elise's maternal descent is of the Songhai people. Elise is vegan and has worked with PETA to promote the lifestyle.[8]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1996 Set It Off Tisean 'T.T.' Williams
1997 The Ditchdigger's Daughters Jeanette Television film
CableACE Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Movie or Miniseries
1998 Beloved Denver Chicago Film Critics Association Award for Most Promising Actress
Satellite Award for Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture
Nominated – American Black Film Festival Award for Best Actress
Nominated – Chicago Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actress
Nominated – NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture
2000 The Loretta Claiborne Story Loretta Claiborne Television film
2000 Bait Lisa Hill
2001 Bojangles Fannie Television film
Black Reel Award for Best Supporting Actress: Television Movie/Cable
Nominated – NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Television Movie, Mini-Series or Dramatic Special
2002 John Q Denise Archibald Nominated – Black Reel Award for Best Actress
Nominated – NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture
2004 Woman Thou Art Loosed Michelle Jordan Black Reel Award for Best Independent Film Actress
Nominated – BET Award for Best Actress
Nominated – Independent Spirit Award for Best Female Lead
Nominated – NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture
2004 The Manchurian Candidate Eugenie Rose Nominated – BET Award for Best Actress
Nominated – Black Reel Award for Best Supporting Actress
2005 Diary of a Mad Black Woman Helen Simmons-McCarter BET Comedy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Theatrical Film
Black Movie Award for Outstanding Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role
Black Reel Award for Best Actress
NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture
2007 Pride Sue Carter
2007 The Great Debaters Pearl Farmer
2009 Gifted Hands: The Ben Carson Story Sonya Carson Television film
NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Television Movie, Mini-Series or Dramatic Special
MovieGuide Award for Best Actress
Nominated – Prism Award for Best Performance By an Actress in a TV Movie or Miniseries
2010 For Colored Girls Crystal Wallace / Lady in Brown African-American Film Critics Association for Best Supporting Actress
Black Reel Award for Best Ensemble
NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture
Nominated – Black Reel Award for Best Actress
2011 Ties That Bind Theresa Harper
2012 Highland Park Toni
2012 Hannah's Law Stagecoach Mary
2013 Event 15 Blau
2014 A Day Late and a Dollar Short Janelle Television film
Nominated – Black Reel Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress – TV Movie or Mini-Series
2014 Apple Mortgage Cake Angela Television film
2015 Dope Lisa Hayes
2015 Back to School Mom Mary Thomas
2016 Hellbent Karina McCallum
2016 Confirmation[9] Sonia Jarvis
2016 Almost Christmas[10] Cheryl Meyers Release date November 11 2016
2017 Death Wish Detective Jackson Filming

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1995 Newton's Apple Bile duct supervisor Episode "Jungle Survival/Liver/Emus"
1995 In the House Roulette Episode "Nanna Don't Play"
1996 The Sentinel Candace Blake Episode "Black or White"
2002 The Twilight Zone Jasmine Gardens / Police Detective Episode "Another Life"
2003 Girlfriends Reesie Jackson Episodes " The Fast Track & the Furious", "The Pact"
2002–2003 Soul Food Estella Episodes "Falling from Grace", "Emotional Collateral"
Nominated – NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series
2005–2007 Close to Home Maureen Scofield Series regular, 43 episodes
NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series (2006)
Nominated – NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series (2005)
2007 Private Practice Angie Paget Episode "In Which Charlotte Goes Down the Rabbit Hole"
2007 Masters of Science Fiction Tilly Vee TV mini-series
2009 Grey's Anatomy Dr. Swender Episodes "Here's to Future Days", "Sweet Surrender", " Elevator Love Letter"
2011 Hawthorne Episode "A Shot in the Dark"
2013–present Hit The Floor Sloane Hayes Series regular

Awards and nominations

Acapulco Black Film Festival

African-American Film Critics Association

Black Reel Awards

CableACE Award

Chicago Film Critics Association Awards

Golden Satellite Awards

NAACP Image Awards

Independent Spirit Awards

References

External links

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