Tracee Ellis Ross
Tracee Ellis Ross | |
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![]() Ross in 2018 | |
Born | Tracee Joy Silberstein October 29, 1972 Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
Alma mater | Brown University |
Occupation(s) | Actress, singer, television host |
Years active | 1996–present |
Parent(s) | Robert Ellis Silberstein Diana Ross |
Relatives | Rhonda Ross Kendrick and Evan Ross |
Website | traceeellisross |
Tracee Joy Silberstein (born October 29, 1972), known professionally as Tracee Ellis Ross, is an American actress, singer and television host. She is known for her lead roles in the television series Girlfriends (2000–2008) and Black-ish (2014–present).[1] Ross owns Pattern Beauty, a hair-care line for curly hair.[2]
Ross is the daughter of actress and Motown recording artist Diana Ross and her ex-husband Robert Ellis Silberstein. She began acting in independent films and variety series. She hosted the pop-culture magazine The Dish on Lifetime. From 2000 to 2008, she played the starring role of Joan Clayton in the UPN/CW comedy series Girlfriends, for which she received two NAACP Image Awards for Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series. She also has appeared in the films Hanging Up (2000), I-See-You.Com (2006), and Daddy's Little Girls (2007), before returning to television playing Dr. Carla Reed on the BET sitcom Reed Between the Lines (2011), for which she received her third NAACP Image Award.
Since 2014, Ross has played the starring role of Dr. Rainbow Johnson in the ABC comedy series Black-ish. Her work on the series has earned her three NAACP Image Awards and a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Television Series Musical or Comedy. She has also received nominations for two Critics' Choice Television Awards and four Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series. In 2019, she co-created a prequel spin-off of Black-ish titled Mixed-ish. In 2020, Ross starred and recorded the soundtrack album for the musical film, The High Note.
Early life
Born Tracee Joy Silberstein in Los Angeles, California, she is the daughter of Motown singer/actress Diana Ross and music business manager Robert Ellis Silberstein. Actor and musician Evan Ross is her half-brother.[3] Her father is Jewish.[4][5][6] Her mother is African-American and a Baptist.[7][8] She adopted the name Tracee Ellis Ross, wishing to retain both of her parents' names after her father dropped the name Silberstein.[9] She has two sisters: Rhonda Ross Kendrick and Chudney Lane Silberstein.
When her mother married Arne Næss Jr. in 1985, Tracee gained three step-siblings: Katinka, Christoffer, and folk singer Leona Naess; she remains on close terms with all of them. Before her mother and Naess divorced in 1999, they welcomed her two half-brothers, Ross Arne in 1987 and Evan Olav in 1988. After the divorce Naess married Camilla Astrup.
Ross attended The Dalton School in Manhattan, Riverdale Country School in the Bronx and the Institut Le Rosey in Switzerland. She was a model in her teens. She attended Brown University, where she appeared in plays, and graduated in 1994 with a theatre degree.[10] She later worked in the fashion industry, as a model and contributing fashion editor to Mirabella and New York magazines.[11]
Career
Early works
Ross made her big-screen debut in 1996, playing a Jewish/African-American woman in the independent feature film Far Harbor. The following year, she debuted as host of The Dish, a Lifetime TV magazine series keeping tabs on popular culture.[10] In 1998, she starred as a former high school track star who remained silent about having been abused at the hands of a coach, in the NBC made-for-TV movie Race Against Fear: A Moment of Truth.[12] Her next role was an independent feature film titled Sue. In 2000, she landed her first major studio role in Diane Keaton's Hanging Up. That same year, she broke into comedy as a regular performer in the MTV series The Lyricist Lounge Show, a hip-hop variety series mixing music, dramatic sketches, and comedic skits.[13] In February 2006 she starred in Kanye West’s "Touch The Sky" MTV music video, playing the role of the best friend of Kanye's ex.
2000–2013: Breakthrough with Girlfriends
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d4/Mara_Brock_Akil_and_Girlfriends_cast.jpg/220px-Mara_Brock_Akil_and_Girlfriends_cast.jpg)
Ross's biggest career achievement came when she landed the lead role in the hit UPN/CW series Girlfriends, starring as the show's main protagonist Joan Carol Clayton — a successful (and often neurotic) lawyer looking for love, challenges, and adventure. The series centered on four (later three) young African-American women, and their male best friend.[14] In 2007, Ross won an NAACP Image Award in the category, Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series for her role on the series. She won a second Image Award for the role in 2009.[15]
In 2007, Ross starred with her brother Evan Ross and Queen Latifah in the HBO movie Life Support.[16] That same year, she appeared in the Tyler Perry theatrical movie Daddy's Little Girls.[17] She appeared in the 2009 film Labor Pains.[18]
In 2010, she appeared in an episode of Private Practice as a pregnant doctor.[19] In 2011, Ross appeared in four episodes of CSI as the estranged wife of Laurence Fishburne's character.[20][21]
Ross starred in the sitcom Reed Between the Lines with Malcolm-Jamal Warner airing on BET starting in October 2011. She won a third NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series in 2012 for her performance in the series. In August 2012, it was announced that Ross would not return for Season Two.[22] In 2011, she appeared in the Lifetime film Five directed by Alicia Keys.[23] The performance in the film earned her nominations for an NAACP Image Award and Black Reel Awards for Outstanding Actress in a Television Movie or Mini-Series. In 2012, Ross starred in the NBC drama pilot Bad Girls.[24]
2014–present: Black-ish and mainstream success
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/3b/Tracee_Ellis_Ross_2014_NAACP_Image_Awards.jpg/220px-Tracee_Ellis_Ross_2014_NAACP_Image_Awards.jpg)
In 2014, Ross was cast in the ABC comedy series Black-ish, opposite Anthony Anderson.[25][26] She plays the female lead role of Dr. Rainbow Johnson. The series debuted with generally positive reviews from critics.[27] Ross received three NAACP Image Awards and received nominations for two Critics' Choice Television Awards, four Primetime Emmy Awards, and two Screen Actors Guild Awards for her performance in the series.[28] Ross's 2016 nomination for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series was the first for an African-American woman in that category in 30 years.[29] The same year, Ross and Anderson faced off on Spike's Lip Sync Battle. She emerged victorious with performances of Nicki Minaj's "Super Bass" and Pat Benatar's "Love Is a Battlefield".
In 2015, Ross was awarded an honorary doctorate of fine art (honoris causa) by Brown University.[30] Ross hosted the BET Awards in 2015 and 2016, and the American Music Awards in 2017, 2018 and 2019.[31] She also hosted The Fashion Awards in 2019.[32]
As of 2018, as CEO of Pattern Beauty LLC of El Segundo, California, Ross produces a line of "Juicy and Joyful" beauty hair care products made with safe ingredients for curls and promotes support organizations to empower women and people of color. Ross appeared in the fourth episode of A Little Late with Lilly Singh, an NBCUniversal daily late-night TV talk show format series discussing popular culture.[33][34]
In 2019, Ross created, alongside Kenya Barris, a prequel spin-off of Black-ish called Mixed-ish. Ross serves as a narrator for the series starring Tika Sumpter and Mark-Paul Gosselaar.[35][36] Ross will star in and executive produce the adult animated comedy Jodie, the first in a series of spin-offs based on MTV's Daria franchise. Ross will voice the title character, Jodie.[37]
In 2020, Ross played the leading role as Grace Davis, the legendary superstar singer, in the musical comedy-drama film The High Note for Focus Features.[38] The High Note marks the first big-screen role for Ross since the 2007 comedy-drama Daddy’s Little Girls. The film was scheduled to be theatrically released on May 8, 2020, but the theatrical release was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[39] The film later moved its release date to May 29, 2020, through video on demand.[40] In The High Note Ross made her singing debut, recording a soundtrack album titled The High Note (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack). The lead single, pop-ballad "Love Myself" was released on May 15, 2020 through Republic Records.[41][42]
Filmography
Film
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1996 | Far Harbor | Kiki | |
1997 | Sue Lost in Manhattan | Linda | |
1999 | A Fare To Remember | Jane | |
2000 | Hanging Up | Kim | |
2000 | In the Weeds | Caroline | |
2006 | I-See-You.Com | Nancy Tanaka | |
2007 | Daddy's Little Girls | Cynthia | |
2009 | Labor Pains | Kristin | |
2019 | Little | Homegirl | Voice[43] |
2020 | The High Note | Grace Davis |
Television
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1998 | Broken Silence | Kaycee King | Television film |
2000 | The Lyricist Lounge Show | Various roles | 1 episode |
2000–2008 | Girlfriends | Joan Clayton | Series regular, 172 episodes |
2004 | Second Time Around | Naomi | Episode: "A Kiss Is Still a Kiss" |
2007 | Life Support | Tanya | Television film |
2010 | Private Practice | Ellen | Episode: "War" |
2011 | CSI: Crime Scene Investigation | Gloria Parkes | Recurring role, 4 episodes |
2011 | Reed Between the Lines | Dr. Carla Reed | Series regular, 25 episodes |
2011 | Five | Alyssa | Television film; segment "Lili" |
2012 | Bad Girls | Rachel | Unsold pilot |
2014–present | Black-ish | Dr. Rainbow "Bow" Johnson | Lead role, director of 2 episodes and producer |
2016 | Broad City | Winona | Episode: "Jews on a Plane" |
2018 | Grown-ish | Dr. Rainbow "Bow" Johnson | Episode: "Cashin' Out" |
2018 | Portlandia | Professional In Getting Her Picture Taken | Episode: "You Do You" |
2019–present | Mixed-ish | Dr. Rainbow "Bow" Johnson/Narrator | Also co-creator, executive producer |
Music videos
Year | Song | Artist | Role |
---|---|---|---|
2004 | “The New Workout Plan” | Kanye West | Fifi LeBeouff/ Herself[44] |
2005 | "Touch the Sky" | Kanye West | Herself[44] |
2018 | "Nice for What" | Drake | Herself[45] |
2019 | "Earfquake" | Tyler, the Creator | Pearl Edwards (Talk Show Host)[46] |
Discography
- The High Note (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) (2020)
- "Love Myself" (single)
- "Stop For A Minute"
- "Bad Girl"
- "New To Me"
- "Like I Do" - with Kelvin Harrison Jr.
- Love Myself (Film Version) - with Amie Doherty
Awards and nominations
Year | Award | Category | Nominated work | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|
2002 | NAACP Image Award | Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series | Girlfriends | Nominated |
2003 | Prism Award | Best Performance in a Comedy Series | Nominated | |
2003 | NAACP Image Award | Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series | Nominated | |
2004 | BET Comedy Awards | Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series | Nominated | |
NAACP Image Award | Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series | Nominated | ||
2005 | BET Comedy Awards | Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series | Won | |
NAACP Image Award | Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series | Nominated | ||
2006 | NAACP Image Award | Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series | Nominated | |
2007 | NAACP Image Award | Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series | Won | |
2008 | NAACP Image Award | Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series | Nominated | |
2009 | NAACP Image Award | Outstanding Directing in a Comedy Series | Nominated | |
Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series | Won | |||
2012 | NAACP Image Award | Outstanding Actress in a Television Movie, Mini-Series or Dramatic Special | Five | Nominated |
Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series | Reed Between the Lines | Won | ||
Black Reel Awards | Outstanding Actress in a Television Movie or Mini-Series | Five | Nominated | |
NAMIC Vision Award | Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series | Reed Between the Lines | Nominated | |
2015 | NAACP Image Award | Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series | Black-ish | Won |
BET Awards | Best Actress | Nominated | ||
EWwy Awards | Best Actress, Comedy[47] | Nominated | ||
2016 | Critics' Choice Television Award | Best Actress in a Comedy Series[48] | Nominated | |
NAACP Image Award | Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series[49] | Won | ||
Online Film & Television Association Award | Best Actress in a Comedy Series | Nominated | ||
Primetime Emmy Award | Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series[50] | Nominated | ||
Satellite Award | Best Actress – Television Series Musical or Comedy[51] | Nominated | ||
BET Awards | Best Actress | Nominated | ||
2017 | Critics' Choice Television Award | Best Actress in a Comedy Series | Nominated | |
Golden Globe Award | Best Actress – Television Series Musical or Comedy | Won | ||
Screen Actors Guild Award | Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series | Nominated | ||
NAACP Image Award | Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series[52] | Won | ||
Primetime Emmy Award | Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series[53] | Nominated | ||
2018 | Screen Actors Guild Award | Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series | Nominated | |
NAACP Image Award | Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series | Won | ||
Primetime Emmy Award | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series | Nominated | ||
2020 | Primetime Emmy Award | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series | Pending |
See also
References
- ^ Sweet, Lynn (March 28, 2011). "Michelle Obama books stars to mentor: Hilary Swank, Geena Davis, Anna Deavere Smith, Michelle Kwan". Chicago Sun Times. Archived from the original on March 30, 2011. Retrieved April 8, 2011.
- ^ Forbes, Jihan. "We Asked Women With Four Curl Types to Try Tracee Ellis Ross's New Hair-Care Brand". Allure.
- ^ Whitall, Susan (February 26, 2011). "Diana Ross opens up on 'Oprah' show". The Detroit News. Retrieved December 4, 2019 – via PressReader.
- ^ "Diana Ross's Daughter Tracee Ellis Ross: Her Time to Shine". PEOPLE. December 15, 2014. Retrieved May 26, 2018.
- ^ Windeler, Robert (January 26, 1976). "Mr. & Mrs. Diana Ross?". PEOPLE. Retrieved May 26, 2018.
- ^ Miller, Gerri (January 20, 2015). "Tracee Ellis Ross: Black-ish and Jewish". InterfaithFamily.com. Retrieved May 26, 2018.
- ^ Guthrie, Marisa (October 11, 2011). "Tracee Ellis Ross and Malcolm-Jamal Warner Talk 'Reed Between the Lines'". The Hollywood Reporter.
- ^ "Joanne Weintraub".
- ^ Hirschberg, Lynn. "Tracee Ellis Ross Has Definitive Proof That Diana Ross Is the Greatest Mom of All Time". W Magazine. Condé Nast. Retrieved February 13, 2019.
- ^ a b "Tracee Ellis Ross Biography". Tvguide.com. Retrieved May 16, 2014.
- ^ Christian, Margena A. (April 17, 2006). "Tracee Ellis Ross: 'Girlfriends' TV star takes center stage her way". Jet. Retrieved February 19, 2009.
- ^ Associated Press (September 8, 1998). "Ross' daughter still auditions". Rochester Sentinel. Retrieved April 8, 2011.
- ^ "UPN'S GIRLFRIENDS TRIES TO SURVIVE". South Florida Sun-Sentinel. February 25, 2001.
- ^ "CW's 'Girlfriends' to End After 8 Years". FOXNews.com. February 14, 2008. Archived from the original on February 19, 2008. Retrieved April 8, 2011.
- ^ Hite, N'Neka (February 12, 2009). "'Bees' big at NAACP Image Awards". Variety. Retrieved February 19, 2009.
- ^ Hale, Mike (March 4, 2007). "The Week Ahead: March 4–10 > Television". The New York Times. Retrieved April 8, 2011.
- ^ Morris, Wesley (February 15, 2007). "Tyler Perry's Daddy's Little Girls Movie Review – Tyler Perry's Daddy's Little Girls Movie Trailer". The Boston Globe. Retrieved April 8, 2011.
- ^ "Newsvine". Archived from the original on August 27, 2008. Retrieved January 10, 2017.
- ^ "Private Practice: War Episode Summary on". Tv.com. February 27, 2011. Retrieved April 8, 2011.
- ^ "CSI "All That Cremains" Season 11 Episode 14 Photos With Tracee Ellis Ross | Daemon's TV". Daemonstv.com. January 28, 2011. Retrieved April 8, 2011.
- ^ "CSI – LOST'S L. Scott Caldwell to Guest Star". Bscreview.com. Retrieved April 8, 2011.
- ^ "It's Official – Tracee Ellis Ross Leaves BET's 'Reed Between The Lines'". Shadow and Act. Retrieved May 16, 2014.
- ^ Porter, Rick (July 27, 2011). "Lifetime's 'Five' gets a premiere date, Roseanne makes a press tour cameo". Zap2it. Retrieved May 16, 2014.
- ^ "Tracee Ellis Ross To Star In NBC Prison Drama Pilot "Bad Girls"". Shadow and Act. Retrieved June 22, 2020.
- ^ Andreeva, Nellie. "Tracee Ellis Ross To Co-Star In Anthony Anderson Pilot; Ricky Blitt Pilot Adds One". Deadline. Retrieved May 12, 2014.
- ^ "Tracee Ellis Ross Will Play Anthony Anderson's Wife In ABC's Kenya Barris Pilot, 'Black-ish'". Shadow and Act. Retrieved June 22, 2020.
- ^ "Black-ish : Season 1". Metacritic. Retrieved September 23, 2014.
- ^ Variety Staff (December 9, 2014). "'Get On Up,' 'Selma,' 'Dear White People' Score NAACP Image Award Nominations (Full List)". Variety. Retrieved June 28, 2015.
- ^ Hairston, Tahirah (September 19, 2016). "Rami Malek Is the Emmys' First Non-White Best Actor in a Drama in 18 Years". Retrieved September 19, 2016.
- ^ "Brown awards six honorary doctorates: Tracee Ellis Ross, Doctor of Fine Arts", Brown University, May 23, 2015.
- ^ Courtney, Ian (March 27, 2019). "Dates Set For 2019 American Music Awards". Retrieved April 17, 2020.
- ^ Conti, Samantha (October 31, 2019). "Tracee Ellis Ross to Headline 2019 Fashion Awards in London". WWD. Retrieved March 6, 2020.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ "A Little Late With Lilly Singh". nbc.com. September 19, 2019. Retrieved September 19, 2019.
- ^ "Our Story - Pattern Beauty". Pattern Beauty LLC. September 8, 2019. Retrieved September 19, 2019.
- ^ Darrisaw, Michelle (May 15, 2019). "Tracee Ellis Ross Will Star in Her Own Black-ish Spin-Off Called Mixed-ish". Oprah Magazine.
- ^ Framke, Caroline; Framke, Caroline (September 24, 2019). "TV Review: 'Mixed-ish'".
- ^ Petski, Denise (June 13, 2019). "Tracee Ellis Ross To Star & Exec Produce 'Daria' Spinoff From MTV Studios".
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ Atler, Rebecca (February 28, 2020). "Tracee Ellis Ross Is a Pop Star in the Trailer for The High Note".
- ^ McClintock, Pamela (August 25, 2019). "Todd Haynes' 'Dark Waters' Lands November Release; Nisha Ganatra's 'Covers' Opens in Summer 2020". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved August 25, 2019.
- ^ N'Duka, Amanda (May 4, 2020). "Focus Features Sets Digital Release For 'The High Note' Starring Tracee Ellis Ross & Dakota Johnson". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved May 4, 2020.
- ^ Spanos, Brittany; Spanos, Brittany (May 15, 2020). "Tracee Ellis Ross Debuts 'Love Myself' From Film 'The High Note'".
- ^ "Tracee Ellis Ross releases her first song from 'The High Note' soundtrack". Entertainment Weekly.
- ^ Brockington, Ariana. "Tracee Ellis Ross Has A Pretty Big Role In". www.refinery29.com.
- ^ a b Scott, Syndey (August 16, 2017). "Video Superstars: 14 Memorable Music Video Cameos". Essence. Archived from the original on April 12, 2019. Retrieved September 28, 2019.
- ^ Maicki, Salvatore (April 7, 2018). "A breakdown of all the cameos in Drake's "Nice For What" video". The Fader. Retrieved September 28, 2019.
- ^ Sam Sodomsky (May 17, 2019). "Watch Tyler, the Creator's New "EARFQUAKE" Video". Pitchfork. Retrieved May 23, 2019.
- ^ "Best Actress, Comedy - EWwy Awards 2015 - Meet Your Winners". Entertainment Weekly. August 7, 2015. Retrieved August 11, 2015.
- ^ Patrick Hipes. "Critics' Choice Awards Nominations 2016 — Full List – Deadline". Deadline.
- ^ Maane Khatchatourian. "NAACP Award Nominations 2015: 'Creed,' 'Empire,' 'Black-ish' Lead – Variety". Variety.
- ^ Littleton, Cynthia (July 14, 2016). "2016 Emmy Nominations: 'Game of Thrones' Leads Field, 'The Americans,' 'Mr. Robot' Grab Series Bids". Retrieved January 10, 2017.
- ^ "The International Press Academy Announces Winners for the 21th Annual Satellite™ Awards", International Press Academy, December 19, 2016.
- ^ Schwartz, Ryan, "NAACP Image Awards: This Is Us, black-ish, Queen Sugar Among Winners", TV Line, February 11, 2017.
- ^ "Emmys 2017: Full List of Nominations". Variety. July 13, 2017. Retrieved July 13, 2017.
External links
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png)
- 1972 births
- Actresses from Los Angeles
- African-American actresses
- American film actresses
- American television actresses
- American people of Jewish descent
- Brown University alumni
- Living people
- Alumni of Institut Le Rosey
- 20th-century American actresses
- 21st-century American actresses
- Dalton School alumni
- Best Musical or Comedy Actress Golden Globe (television) winners
- African-American Jews
- Riverdale Country School alumni