Tina Lifford
Tina Lifford | |
|---|---|
 Lifford in 2019 | |
| Born | May 1, 1954 Evanston, Illinois, U.S. |
| Alma mater | Santa Monica City College |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1983–present |
| Website | www |
Tina Lifford (born May 1, 1954) is an American actress and playwright.[1] She is best known for her leading role as single mother Joan Mosley in the critically acclaimed but short-lived Fox comedy-drama series, South Central (1994), and her recurring role as Renee Trussell in the NBC drama series, Parenthood (2010–2015). She has starring roles in the feature films Grand Canyon (1991), Blood Work (2002), and Hostage (2005). In 2016, Lifford began starring as Violet Bordelon (Aunt Vi) in the Oprah Winfrey Network drama series, Queen Sugar.
Life and career
Lifford graduated from the Santa Monica City College.[2] She began her career in 1980s, appearing on television shows include Hill Street Blues, Cagney & Lacey, and Murder, She Wrote. From 1983 to 1988, she had the recurring role on Knots Landing. In film, she made her debut in The Ladies Club (1986).[3] The following years, she had appeared in films include Nuts (1987), Colors (1988), Paris Trout (1991), Grand Canyon (1991), Letters from a Killer (1998), Panic (2000), Pay It Forward (2000), Joe Somebody (2001), Blood Work (2002), Hostage (2005), and Catch and Release (2006).
Lifford played the leading role as single mother Joan Mosley in the critically acclaimed but short-lived Fox comedy-drama series, South Central (1994).[4][5][6][7][8] In addition to her leading role on South Central, Lifford was regular cast member on the short-lived NBC drama, Crisis Center (1997).[9] She had number of starring roles on the made-for-television movies, include The Ernest Green Story (1993), Run for the Dream: The Gail Devers Story (1996) playing Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Mandela and de Klerk (1997) as Winnie Mandela, The Temptations (1998), and The Loretta Claiborne Story (2000) starring Kimberly Elise.[3]
During her career, Lifford had guest-starring roles in over 50 shows, include Touched by an Angel, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Any Day Now, NYPD Blue, NCIS, ER, and Nip/Tuck. She also had the recurring roles on Family Law (1999–2001), CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (2004–2005), Lincoln Heights (2007–2009), Parenthood (2010–2015) as Joy Bryant's mother, and Scandal (2015).
In 2016, Lifford was cast in her first series regular role as of 1990s, in the Oprah Winfrey Network drama Queen Sugar produced by Ava DuVernay and Oprah Winfrey. She plays the role of Violet Bordelon, the aunt to the Bordelon siblings Nova (Rutina Wesley), Ralph Angel (Kofi Siriboe) and Charley (Dawn-Lyen Gardner). Violet is a spunky woman involved in a long-term relationship with a younger man (played by Omar Dorsey).[10] For her performance, Lifford received two NAACP Image Awards nominations for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series, and well as Black Reel Awards nomination.[11][12]
Filmography
Film
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1984 | Why Me? | Television film | |
| 1986 | The Ladies Club | Patty | |
| 1987 | Jaws: The Revenge | Additional Voices | Voice |
| 1987 | Nuts | Lawyer | |
| 1988 | Colors | Mrs. Craig | |
| 1988 | Casual Sex? | Additional Voices | Voice |
| 1989 | The Fabulous Baker Boys | Background Voice | Voice |
| 1991 | New Jack City | Recovering Addict | |
| 1991 | Paris Trout | Mary Sayers | |
| 1991 | Wedlock | Policewoman | |
| 1991 | The Rape of Doctor Willis | Officer Rollins | Television film |
| 1991 | Grand Canyon | Deborah | |
| 1992 | Bébé's Kids | Voice | |
| 1993 | Doppelganger | Voice | |
| 1993 | The Ernest Green Story | Mrs. Green | Television film |
| 1993 | Born Too Soon | Latanya | Television film |
| 1994 | In the Line of Duty: The Price of Vengeance | Jean | Television film |
| 1995 | Babe | Sheep | Voice |
| 1996 | Divas | Geraldine | Television film |
| 1995 | A Streetcar Named Desire | The Neighbor | Television film |
| 1996 | America's Dream | Sarah | Television film Nominated — CableACE Award for Best Actress in a Dramatic Special or Series |
| 1996 | Run for the Dream: The Gail Devers Story | Jackie Joyner-Kersee | Television film |
| 1996 | After Jimmy | Susan Johnson | Television film |
| 1996 | The Longest Season | Employment Counselor | Short film |
| 1997 | Mandela and de Klerk | Winnie Mandela | Television film |
| 1997 | Cloned | Claire Barnes | Television film |
| 1998 | Letters from a Killer | Elizabeth | |
| 1998 | The Temptations | Haze | Television film |
| 2000 | The Loretta Claiborne Story | Rita Claiborne | Television film |
| 2000 | Panic | Dr. Leavitt | |
| 2000 | The '70s | Aunt Olavee | Television film |
| 2000 | Pay It Forward | Principal | |
| 2001 | A Girl Thing | Sharon | Television film |
| 2001 | Amy's Orgasm | Irene Barris | |
| 2001 | Joe Somebody | Cassandra Taylor | |
| 2002 | Blood Work | Detective Jaye Winston | |
| 2005 | Mystery Woman: Sing Me a Murder | Bonnie | Television film |
| 2005 | Hostage | Laura Shoemaker | |
| 2005 | Urban Legends: Bloody Mary | Grace Taylor | |
| 2006 | Mystery Woman: Redemption | Bonnie | Television film |
| 2006 | Catch and Release | Eve | |
| 2010 | The Ties That Bind | Karen White | Short film |
| 2016 | The Devil's Dolls | Della | |
| 2017 | A Gift to Remember | Mrs. Henley | Television film |
| 2019 | Cherished Memories: A Gift to Remember 2 | Mrs. Henley | Television film |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1983 | Hill Street Blues | Stenographer | Episode: "Death by Kiki" |
| 1984 | Cagney & Lacey | Episode: "The Bounty Hunter" | |
| 1985 | Murder, She Wrote | Leora Cargill | Episode: "Tough Guys Don't Die" |
| 1985 | T.J. Hooker | Lorraine | Episode: "The Assassin" |
| 1986 | Amen | Ruth | Episode: "Maitre D'eacon" |
| 1987 | Perfect Strangers | Mrs. Cooper | Episode: "Dog Gone Blues" |
| 1987 | It's Garry Shandling's Show | Nurse Helen | Episode: "Pete Has an Affair" |
| 1987 | Frank's Place | Ray's Wife | Episode: "Season's Greetings" |
| 1983-1988 | Knots Landing | Tina | Recurring role, 15 episodes |
| 1988 | Simon & Simon | Elissa Byers | Episodes: "Love Song of Abigail Marsh" and "Shadows" |
| 1989 | Tour of Duty | Nurse Pritchard | Episode: "Doc Hock" |
| 1990 | Hunter | Frankie Mason | Episode: "Unacceptable Loss" |
| 1990 | True Colors | Ruth | Episode: "A Moment of Ruth" |
| 1991 | The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air | Mrs. Hoover | Episode: "The Mother of All Battles" |
| 1991 | Beverly Hills, 90210 | Felicity Ashe | Episode: "Ashes to Ashes" |
| 1993 | Love & War | Dee Dee | Episode: "Valentine's Day" |
| 1993 | Life Goes On | Admitting Nurse | Episode: "Five to Midnight |
| 1993 | L.A. Law | Faith Glassman | Episodes: "Pacific Rimshot" and "Safe Sex" |
| 1994 | South Central | Joan Mosely | Series regular, 10 episodes |
| 1995 | Star Trek: Deep Space Nine | Lee | Episodes: "Past Tense: Part I" and "Past Tense: Part II" |
| 1995 | Courthouse | Holly Baker | Episode: "Conflict of Interest" |
| 1995-1996 | American Gothic | Loris Holt | Recurring role, 4 episodes |
| 1997 | Crisis Center | Tess Robinson | Series regular, 6 episodes |
| 1997 | Gun | Sally | Episode: "All the President's Women" |
| 1998 | Touched by an Angel | Sis | Episode: "Doodlebugs" |
| 1998 | The Practice | Mrs. Johnson | Episode: "Trees in the Forest" |
| 1998 | Martial Law | Halle Winship | Episode: "How Sammo Got His Groove Back |
| 2000 | Any Day Now | Savannah Dakar | Episode: "Homegirl" |
| 2000 | NYPD Blue | Lorraine Wiggins | Episode: "Brothers Under Arms" |
| 1998-2000 | JAG | Juanita Ressler | Episodes: "JAG TV " and "Act of Terror" |
| 2001 | Judging Amy | Ms. Arroyo | Episode: "Darkness for Light" |
| 2001 | Strong Medicine | Brenda Babson | Episode: "Bloodwork" |
| 1999–2001 | Family Law | Judge Alice Kingston | Recurring role, 8 episodes |
| 2003 | Karen Sisco | Anya Devlin | Episode: "Blown Away" |
| 2003 | The Lyon's Den | Halle Berger | Episode: "Hubris" |
| 2005 | NCIS | Dr. Pamela Fox | Episode: "Witness" |
| 2005 | ER | Evelyn Pratt | Episode: "Dream House" and "Nobody's Baby" |
| 2004–2005 | CSI: Crime Scene Investigation | Judge Witherspoon | Recurring role, 3 episodes |
| 2006 | Heroes | Paulette Hawkins | Episode: "Chapter Three 'One Giant Leap'" |
| 2008 | In Plain Sight | Denise McBride / Denise Morris | Episode: "Iris Doesn't Live Here Anymore" |
| 2008 | Cold Case | Phoebe Curtis | Episode: "Triple Threat" |
| 2007–2009 | Lincoln Heights | Dorothy Hammond | Recurring role, 5 episodes |
| 2009 | Nip/Tuck | Warden DeMarco | Episode: "Wesley Clovis" and "Alexis Stone II" |
| 2010 | Criminal Minds | Nora | Episode: "A Thousand Words" |
| 2011 | The Protector | Episode: "Class" | |
| 2011 | Friends with Benefits | Marsha | Episode: "The Benefit of Forgetting" |
| 2012 | Drop Dead Diva | Judge Nora Lafford | Episode: "Welcome Back" |
| 2012 | Single Ladies | Evelyn Lancaster | Recurring role, 3 episodes |
| 2010–2015 | Parenthood | Renee Trussell | Recurring role, 15 episodes |
| 2015 | Minority Report | Lily Vega | Episodes: "Pilot" and "The Present" |
| 2016 | Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders | Brenda Willis | Episode: "Denial" |
| 2016–present | Queen Sugar | Violet Bordelon | Series regular Nomination — NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series (2018, 2020 Nomination — Black Reel Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress, Drama Series (2019) |
| 2015–2017 | Scandal | CIA Director Lowry | Recurring role, 6 episodes |
References
- ^ Childs, Joy (February 7, 2011). "Tina Lifford shares her circle". Los Angeles Sentinel. Retrieved February 16, 2016.
- ^ McCann, Bob (21 December 2009). Encyclopedia of African American Actresses in Film and Television. ISBN 9780786458042. Retrieved February 16, 2016.
- ^ a b "Tina Lifford Biography ((?)-)". Retrieved January 25, 2016.
- ^ Rosenberg, Howard (April 4, 1994). "Fox Looks Inside 'South Central'". latimes. Retrieved January 25, 2016.
- ^ "'South Central' Dares To Be Realistic". tribunedigital-chicagotribune. Retrieved January 25, 2016.
- ^ "South Central - EW.com". Entertainment Weekly's EW.com. Retrieved January 25, 2016.
- ^ Scott, Tony. "South Central". Variety. Retrieved January 25, 2016.
- ^ Armour, TJ (April 3, 2014). "Actress Tina Lifford changing lives with The Inner Fitness Project". Rolling Out. Retrieved January 25, 2016.
- ^ "Crisis Center". TVGuide.com. Retrieved January 25, 2016.
- ^ Denise Petski (February 16, 2016). "Tina Lifford, Dondré Whitfield, Timon Kyle Durrett & Nicholas L. Ashe Join OWN's 'Queen Sugar'". Deadline. Retrieved February 16, 2016.
- ^ "Tina Lifford". IMDb.
- ^ "NAACP's Image Awards List of Winners: Lizzo, 'Just Mercy,' 'black-ish-". February 23, 2020.
External links
- Tina Lifford at IMDb