Da'Vine Joy Randolph

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Da'Vine Joy Randolph
Born (1986-05-21) May 21, 1986 (age 35)
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
EducationTemple University (BA)
Yale University (MFA)
Occupation
  • Actress
  • singer
Years active2010–present

Da'Vine Joy Randolph (born May 21, 1986)[1] is an American actress and singer. She first gained recognition as Oda Mae Brown in the Broadway production of Ghost: The Musical (2012), for which she was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical.

Randolph's early films include The Angriest Man in Brooklyn (2014) and Office Christmas Party (2016), as well as the television series Selfie (2014) and People of Earth (2016–17). She received critical acclaim for her performance as Lady Reed in the biographical film Dolemite Is My Name (2019). In 2020, Randolph starred in the romantic comedy series High Fidelity.

Early life[]

Randolph grew up in Philadelphia and Hershey, Pennsylvania. She went to Temple University to focus on vocal performance, but in her junior year she decided to switch concentrations to Musical Theatre. After graduating from Temple, she went to the Yale School of Drama. She graduated from Yale in 2011 with her masters.[2] As a youth, she attended Interlochen Arts Camp, studying theatre.[3]

Career[]

Randolph auditioned for an understudy role in the Broadway transfer of Ghost the Musical (which was currently playing in London's West End), but the producers decided to cast her in the principal role of Oda Mae Brown.[4] Before the casting of the Broadway transfer was announced, Sharon D. Clarke, who played Oda Mae in London suffered a minor knee injury. Randolph was quickly flown out to cover the role in Clarke's absence.[5] Her debut performance took place on Friday December 16, 2011 and she continued to share the role with understudy Lisa Davina Phillip until early January 2012, when Clarke returned.

After a preview period that began in March 2012, the original Broadway production opened Monday April 23, 2012 with Randolph playing opposite Richard Fleeshman and Caissie Levy in the leading roles. Though branded as the "newcomer", she was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical.

Randolph played Charmonique in ABC's situation comedy series Selfie, which premiered on September 30, 2014.

Randolph is the voice of Christine in the Netflix original series The Mr. Peabody & Sherman Show.

Filmography[]

Film[]

Year Title Role Notes
2013 Mother of George Marsea
2014 The Angriest Man in Brooklyn Nurse Rowan
2016 The Secrets of Emily Blair Fran
Office Christmas Party Carla
2019 Dolemite Is My Name Lady Reed
2020 Kajillionaire Jenny
The Last Shift Shazz
Trolls World Tour Bliss Marina / Shelia B (voices)
2021 The United States vs. Billie Holiday Roslyn
The Guilty Post-production
2022 The Lost City of D Post-production
TBA Shriver Delta Jones Post-production

Television[]

Year Title Role Notes
2013 The Good Wife Margie Episode: "A More Perfect Union"
2014 See Dad Run Mrs. Rothschild Episode: "See Dad Become Room Mom"
2014 Selfie Charmonique Whitaker 13 episodes
2015 Life in Pieces Janice Episode: "Babe Secret Phone Germs"
2015–2017 The Mr. Peabody & Sherman Show Christine / Abby Fisher (voice) 18 episodes
2016 This Is Us Tanya 3 episodes
2016–2017 People of Earth Yvonne Watson 20 episodes
2017 Veep Roberta Winston Episode: "Qatar"
2017–2018 Empire Poundcake 7 episodes
2019 On Becoming a God in Central Florida Rhonda 5 episodes
2020 High Fidelity Cherise 10 episodes
2021 Only Murders in the Building Detective Williams Upcoming series

Theatre[]

Year Title Role Notes
2012 Ghost: The Musical Oda Mae Brown Lunt-Fontanne Theatre
April 23, 2012 – August 18, 2012

Awards and nominations[]

Year Award Category Work Result
2012 Tony Award Best Featured Actress in a Musical Ghost: The Musical Nominated
Drama League Award Distinguished Performance Nominated
Outer Critics Circle Award Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical Nominated
2020 AAFCA Awards Best Supporting Actress Dolemite Is My Name Won
Black Reel Awards Outstanding Supporting Actress Won
Outstanding Breakthrough Performance Won
NAACP Image Awards Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture Nominated

References[]

  1. ^ https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/QJP3-JVNP Date of birth, familysearch.org; accessed May 31, 2014.
  2. ^ "Da'Vine Joy Randolph Biography". Broadway.com. Retrieved 2012-05-24.
  3. ^ "Halloween in Hollywood | Interlochen Center for the Arts".
  4. ^ "Da'Vine Joy Randolph: Ghost on Broadway - Hartford Courant". Articles.courant.com. 2012-04-09. Retrieved 2012-05-24.
  5. ^ Williams, Brennan (2012-04-27). "'Ghost The Musical:' Da'Vine Joy Randolph Tells How She Landed Starring Role". HuffPost. Retrieved 2019-11-04.

External links[]

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