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Gabrielle Dennis

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Gabrielle Dennis
Dennis in 2018
Born
Cincinnati, Ohio, U.S.
Alma materHoward University
Occupation(s)Actress, comedian, singer, television host
Years active1990–present

Gabrielle Dennis is an American actress and comedian, best known for starring in the sketch comedy HBO show A Black Lady Sketch Show.

Early life and education

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Dennis was born and raised in Cincinnati.[1] She began studying dance at the age of four. She attended the School for Creative and Performing Arts in Cincinnati, and by the fifth grade she got her first acting gigs.[2][3]

Dennis attended Howard University, majoring in communications with a minor in theatre.[2][3][4] After graduation, she took a job as a news station camera operator.[2][4]

Career

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Dennis has a background in dance, theatre, stand-up comedy, and singing.

In 2008, Dennis won the role of Janay Brice on The CW comedy series The Game. After the show was canceled, fans campaigned for its return where Dennis was able to reprise her role for two more seasons on BET. During her stint on The Game she landed roles in the direct-to-DVD film Bring It On: Fight to the Finish, and The Marc Pease Experience. She played Denise Roy on Spike's Blue Mountain State.

Dennis has since guest-starred on several series including Franklin & Bash, Bones, Justified, and Baby Daddy. In 2015, she landed the role of Pippy Rosewood, the toxicology expert and lesbian sister of Beaumont Rosewood (Chestnut) for Fox's Rosewood.

Dennis was in a recurring role as Candace on the hit show Insecure.

Dennis is in a recurring role as Tasha on the Netflix series The Upshaws.

Dennis played Whitney Houston in the BET miniseries, The Bobby Brown Story, which debuted in the United States and internationally in September 2018.[5]

In 2018, she began starring as Tilda Johnson in the Marvel Comics-based series Luke Cage (2018).

She has also appeared in Old Spice commercials with comedian/actor Deon Cole.

In 2023, Dennis began playing the leading role of Cass in the Apple TV+ series The Big Door Prize.[4][6][7]

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role Notes
1990 A Mom for Christmas Christmas Box TV movie
2004 He Can Get It Kyra Video
2005 The Wickeds Kate Video
2006 Let's Talk Khalil's Wife Short
2008 Drifter Miranda
Learning How to Speak Student Short
After School Robert's Wife
2009 Timer Girlfriend
Slinging Mud Guidance Counselor Short
Bring It On: Fight to the Finish Treyvonetta Video
The Marc Pease Experience Tracey
Janky Promoters Female Fan
2011 Holly's Holiday Deena TV movie
Politics of Love Chelsea
He's Mine Not Yours Brooke
2012 Back Then Bobby Jo
2013 Reporting Live Guidance Counselor
What Would You Do for Love Paula TV movie
2014 Black Coffee Morgan
The Fright Night Files Serena TV movie
A Super Secret - Short
2015 My First Love Carmen Video
Call Me King Leena
2017 Girls Trip Herself
2022 A Madea Homecoming Laura
Wendell & Wild Wilma Elliot (voice) [8]
2025 One of Them Days TBA [9][10]

Television

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Year Title Role Notes
1998–2000 Teen Summit Herself/Host Main Host
2004 The New Detectives Girlfriend Episode: "Vanished"
2005 Minding the Store Herself Episode: "Hot Girls of Comedy"
Ballin Herself/Host Main Host
2006 The Underground Herself/Cast Member Main Cast
2007 Campus Ladies Lena Episode: "Barri & Joan Rush a Black Sorority"
2008 Penn & Teller: Bullshit! Mock Trainer's Assistant Episode: "Sensitivity Training"
Wizards of Waverly Place Candace Episode: "Quinceanera"
My Name Is Earl Sassy Black Episode: "We've Got Spirit"
2008–12 The Game Janay Brice Recurring Cast: Season 2–5
2009 Penn & Teller: Bullshit! Herself Episode: "Lie Detectors"
2010 Southland Michelle Hill Episode: "The Runner"
Blue Mountain State Denise Roy Main Cast: Season 1
2012 Franklin & Bash Nicole Toomin Episode: "Summer Girls"
2014 Justified Gloria Recurring Cast: Season 5
Baby Daddy Valerie Banks Episode: "Curious Georgie"
2015 Bones Alana Jackson Episode: "The Psychic in the Soup"
2015–16 Born Again Virgin Kelly/Bryn Episode: "Pilot" & "Call a Spade a Spade"
2015–17 Rosewood Pippy Rosewood Main Cast
2017 Tia Mowry at Home Herself Episode: "Booze and Bites"
Face Value Herself/Team Captain Episode: "Justin Hires Vs. Gabrielle Dennis"
Lady Dynamite Jessica Hu Episode: "Souplutions"
2017–18 Insecure Candice Peña Recurring Cast: Season 2, Guest: Season 3
2018 Luke Cage Tilda Johnson Main Cast: Season 2
The Bobby Brown Story Whitney Houston Episode: "Part I & II"
Hell's Kitchen Herself/Restaurant Patron Episode: "Families Come to Hell"
2018–19 S.W.A.T. Briana Harrelson Recurring Cast: Season 1 & 3, Guest: Season 2
2019 Rel Shannon Episode: "Cleveland"
American Soul Tina Turner Episode: "Proceed with Caution"
2019–23 A Black Lady Sketch Show Herself/Cast Member Main Cast
2021–23 The Upshaws Tasha Lewis Recurring Cast: Season 1–2, Guest: Season 3
2022 All American Lareesha Episode: "Turn Down for What"
2023–24 The Big Door Prize Cass Main Cast

Source[11]

References

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  1. ^ Williams, DeMarco (August 29, 2019). "Actress Gabrielle Dennis On Good Roles And Gratifying Trips". Forbes. Retrieved May 9, 2024.
  2. ^ a b c Dennis, Gabrielle (May 3, 2023). "The Wake-Up Call That Brought Gabrielle Dennis Back to Acting". Backstage. Retrieved May 8, 2024.
  3. ^ a b Yvonne, Stacey (September 18, 2021). "Actor Gabrielle Dennis on Her Love of Entertaining". Black Girl Nerds. Retrieved May 9, 2024.
  4. ^ a b c Jackson, Destiny (June 3, 2023). "'The Big Door Prize' And 'A Black Lady Sketch Show' Star Gabrielle Dennis Talks About Black Identity And Finding Yourself". Deadline. Retrieved May 8, 2024.
  5. ^ Pederson, Erik (March 12, 2018). "'The Bobby Brown Story': BET Miniseries Finds Its Whitney Houston". Deadline Hollywood
  6. ^ Summers, Juana (March 30, 2023). "Gabrielle Dennis loves the mystery behind her new series, 'The Big Door Prize'". NPR. Retrieved May 8, 2024.
  7. ^ Pandya, Hershal (May 19, 2023). "Gabrielle Dennis Will Gladly Injure Herself for Comedy". Vulture. Retrieved May 8, 2024.
  8. ^ King, Jack (March 14, 2022). "'Wendell & Wild' Teaser Announces Ving Rhames, David Harewood, and More Joining Voice Cast". Collider. Retrieved March 14, 2022.
  9. ^ Stephan, Katcy (August 9, 2024). "Keke Palmer and SZA's Buddy Comedy at TriStar Adds Dewayne Perkins, Amin Joseph, Gabrielle Dennis and DomiNque Perry (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved September 21, 2024.
  10. ^ Dunn, Jack (October 24, 2024). "'One of Them Days' Trailer: Keke Palmer and SZA, in Her Acting Debut, Do Anything to Make Rent Money in R-Rated Buddy Comedy". Variety. Retrieved October 4, 2024.
  11. ^ "Gabrielle Dennis". TV Guide. Retrieved May 9, 2024.
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