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LaTanya Richardson Jackson

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LaTanya Richardson Jackson
Jackson in 2005
Born
LaTanya Richardson

(1949-10-21) October 21, 1949 (age 75)
Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.
EducationSpelman College (BA)
OccupationActress
Years active1976–present
Spouse
​
(m. 1980)​
Children1

LaTanya Richardson Jackson (born October 21, 1949) is an American actress. She began her career appearing in off-Broadway productions, before playing supporting roles on television and film. Her performances are credited to her birth name, LaTanya Richardson, from 1989–2013.

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

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She was born in Atlanta, Georgia. While attending Atlanta's historically Black, all-female Spelman College in 1970, she met actor Samuel L. Jackson, then a student at the historically Black, all-male Morehouse College. She and Jackson married in 1980. They have one child, freelance film and television producer Zoe Jackson, born in 1982. After her daughter's birth, Richardson stopped working regularly for family reasons.[2]

Career

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Richardson played Paulina Pritchett in the 2003 musical film The Fighting Temptations. She has appeared in four films with her husband, Samuel L. Jackson: Juice (1992), Losing Isaiah (1995), Freedomland (2006), and Mother and Child (2009).

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, her second appearance on Broadway after her debut in the 2009 revival of Joe Turner's Come and Gone.[3][4][5] She appeared in Aaron Sorkin's adaptation of To Kill a Mockingbird on Broadway in the 2018–19 season.[6]

From 2017 to 2023, Richardson made regular appearances as Maggie Pierce’s adoptive mother, Diane, on Grey's Anatomy.[7][8]

In September 2022, Richardson made her directorial debut directing the Broadway revival of August Wilson's play The Piano Lesson at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre.[9]

Filmography

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On film, she has been credited as her birth name, LaTanya Richardson, from 1991–2009, except for the 2006 film Freedomland.

Film

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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 First film credit as LaTanya Richardson Jackson
2007 All About Us Cousin Bernice
2007 Blackout Mrs. Thompson
2009 Mother and Child Carol Last film credit as LaTanya Richardson
2019 Juanita Kay-Rita Second (hereafter continuous) film credit
as LaTanya Richardson Jackson
2023 You Hurt My Feelings Sylvia

Television

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On television, she has been credited as her birth name, LaTanya Richardson, from 1989–2013, except for a 2012 episode of Damages.

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 Van Beechley 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"
2006 The Water Is Wide Edna TV film
2011 Harry's Law Noreen Episode: "In the Ghetto"
2012 Damages Judge Jaclynn Ellis Episode: "You Want to End This Once and for All?";
first TV credit as LaTanya Richardson Jackson
2013 The Watsons Go to Birmingham Grandma Sands TV film;
last TV credit as LaTanya Richardson
2014–2015 Blue Bloods Lt. Dee Ann Carver Recurring role, Season 5;
second (hereafter continuous) TV credit
as LaTanya Richardson Jackson
2015 Show Me a Hero Norma O'Neal TV miniseries
2016–2018 Luke Cage Maybelline "Mama Mabel" Stokes Episodes: "Manifest", "The Creator"
2017 Rebel Detective Traylynn Jones 2 episodes
2017–2023 Grey's Anatomy Diane Pierce Guest star (5 episodes; season 13, 18, and 19)
2018 American Masters Narrator Episode: "Lorraine Hansberry: Sighted Eyes/Feeling Heart"
2022 The Last Movie Stars Maude Brink (voice) 3 episodes

Theatre

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Year Title Role Playwright Venue
2009 Joe Turner's Come and Gone Bertha Holly August Wilson Belasco Theatre, Broadway
2014 A Raisin in the Sun Lena Younger Lorraine Hansberry Ethel Barrymore Theatre, Broadway
2018–2019 To Kill a Mockingbird Calpurnia Aaron Sorkin Shubert Theatre, Broadway
2022 The Piano Lesson — August Wilson Director; Ethel Barrymore Theatre, Broadway

Awards and nominations

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Year Award Category Project Result Ref.
2010 Audie Award Audiobook of the Year Nelson Mandela's Favorite African Folktales Won [10][11]
Multi-Voiced Performance
2014 Tony Award Best Actress in a Play A Raisin in the Sun Nominated
2014 Black Reel Awards Outstanding Supporting Actress in a TV Movie The Watsons Go to Birmingham Nominated
2016 Image Award Outstanding Actress in a Television Movie or Limited Series Show Me a Hero Nominated

References

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  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. ^ "LaTanya Richardson Jackson". TonyAwards.com. Retrieved September 27, 2014.
  5. ^ 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.
  6. ^ LaTanya Richardson Jackson at the Internet Broadway Database Edit this at Wikidata
  7. ^ "LaTanya Richardson Jackson on Joining 'Grey's Anatomy'". Observer.com. March 23, 2017. Retrieved September 15, 2022.
  8. ^ "'Grey's Anatomy': Kelly McCreary on Maggie's Full-Circle Goodbye and Those Surprise Cameos (Exclusive)". Etonline.com. April 13, 2023. Retrieved August 19, 2023.
  9. ^ "Samuel L. Jackson returning to Broadway in revival of "The Piano Lesson," directed by wife LaTanya Richardson Jackson". CBSNews.com. September 12, 2022. Retrieved September 17, 2022.
  10. ^ "2010 audie-awards".
  11. ^ "Mandelas Favorite Folktales – Performers". August 3, 2020.
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