Cynthia Addai-Robinson

Last updated
Cynthia Addai-Robinson
Cynthia Addai-Robinson 2016 (cropped-J1).png
Addai-Robinson in 2016
Born (1985-01-12) January 12, 1985 (age 39)
London, England
NationalityAmerican, British
Education New York University (BFA)
OccupationActress
Years active2002–present
Known forNaevia in Spartacus , Amanda Waller in Arrow , Nadine Memphis in Shooter

Cynthia Addai-Robinson (born January 12, 1985) [1] is an American actress. She is known for her roles as Naevia in the Starz television series Spartacus , DC Comics character Amanda Waller in The CW TV series Arrow , and Nadine Memphis on the USA Network series Shooter . She currently plays the role of Tar-Míriel on the Amazon Prime The Lord of the Rings series The Rings of Power .

Contents

Early life

Addai-Robinson was born in London; her mother is from Ghana and her father is a U.S. citizen. She moved to the U.S. when she was 4 and was raised by her mother in a suburb of Washington, D.C. [2] She graduated from Montgomery Blair High School in Silver Spring, Maryland, and Tisch School of the Arts with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theater. [3] In addition, she trained at Lee Strasberg Theater Institute. [4]

Career

After participating in several various Off-Broadway plays, Addai-Robinson got her first role on television in 2002 in an episode of The Education of Max Bickford . In following years, she made small appearances on television shows like Law & Order: Trial by Jury , Law & Order: Criminal Intent , CSI: Miami , Numb3rs and Justice . In 2006, she was originally cast to play Melanie Barnett in the American sitcom The Game , [5] but was replaced by Tia Mowry for unspecified reasons prior to the show's production. [6] In 2009, she got her first recurring role on the ABC drama FlashForward as the character Debbie, a nurse. The same year she appeared in Tina Mabry's independent film Mississippi Damned as Milena.

In 2011, Addai-Robinson made her big screen debut as the mother of Zoe Saldana's character (played by Amandla Stenberg) in Colombiana . [7]

Her biggest role came from 2012 to 2013 when she was cast as Naevia in the third season Spartacus: Vengeance and the fourth season Spartacus: War of the Damned after Lesley-Ann Brandt decided to leave the series. [8]

In early 2013, Addai-Robinson played Aja, a powerful witch who came to help Bonnie on The Vampire Diaries for two episodes. She made a brief appearance as an on looker in the crowd in the film Star Trek Into Darkness . She played Leslie in Jodi Arias: Dirty Little Secret , a television movie about the murder of Travis Alexander. [9] In September 2013, she was cast as the recurring character Amanda Waller in the hit The CW show Arrow . [10]

In March 2014, she was cast as Emily D. West in the History Channel 2015 miniseries Texas Rising . [11] Her performance was nominated for a Women's Image Network Award for Best Actress in a Drama Series. [12]

In January 2015, Addai-Robinson was cast in Gavin O'Connor's The Accountant , alongside Ben Affleck and J. K. Simmons, playing a U.S. Treasury Department analyst. [13] The film was released in October 2016. [14]

In March 2016, it was announced that she would be taking over Emily Rios's role from the television series Shooter as the female lead. [15]

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
2009 Mississippi Damned Milena
2011 Colombiana Alicia
2013 Star Trek Into Darkness San Francisco Woman
2016 The Accountant Marybeth Medina
2018ClosureYasmina
Always & 4EverNicole
2022 The People We Hate at the Wedding Eloise
2025 The Accountant 2 Marybeth MedinaPost-production [16]
Key
Denotes films that have not yet been released

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
2002 The Education of Max Bickford SusanEpisode: "Murder of the First"
2005 Law & Order: Trial by Jury Lillian BeaudrivilleEpisode: "41 Shots"
Law & Order: Criminal Intent JeanetteEpisode: "Saving Face"
2006 Justice Debra MortinEpisode: "Prior Convictions"
2007 CSI: Miami Courtney RinellaEpisode: "Internal Affairs"
Dirt Michelle / Woman2 episodes
Entourage Amanda's Assistant #2Episode: "Less Than 30"
Life StephanieEpisode: "Tear Asunder"
Dash 4 CashMeredithTelevision film
A.M.P.E.D. Paige MoscavellTelevision film
2009 Numb3rs Trisha MorenoEpisode: "Guilt Trip"
CSI: NY Dr. Karita NevilleEpisode: "Greater Good"
2009–2010 FlashForward Debbie / Nurse6 episodes
2010Edgar FloatsDanaTelevision film
2012 NCIS: Los Angeles Female Flight AttendantEpisode: "Touch of Death"
2012–2013 Spartacus Naevia18 episodes
2013 The Vampire Diaries Aja2 episodes
King & Maxwell Megan AinsleyEpisode: "Pilot"
Jodi Arias: Dirty Little Secret SheriTelevision film
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation Michelle RowlandsEpisode: "Last Supper"
2013–2016 Arrow Amanda Waller17 episodes
2014 Dallas Private InvestigatorEpisode: "Like Father, Like Son"
Ambience ManMeganEpisode: "Miss Period"
2015 Texas Rising Emily West5 episodes
2016–2018 Shooter Nadine Memphis31 episodes
2016–2019 Chicago Med Vicki Glass / Dr. Vicki Glass10 episodes
2019 Power Ramona Garrity10 episodes
2020 Stumptown VioletEpisode: 'The Dex Factor'
2022–present The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Tar-Míriel6 episodes

Video games

YearTitleRoleNotes
2011 L.A. Noire Female Pedestrian 5 Voice role
2014 Lego Batman 3: Beyond Gotham Amanda WallerVoice role

Awards and nominations

YearAssociationCategoryWorkResultRef.
2015 Women's Image Network Award Best Actress in a Drama SeriesTexas RisingNominated

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Zoe Saldaña</span> American actress (born 1978)

Zoë Yadira Saldaña-Perego is an American actress. Known primarily for her work in science fiction film franchises, she has starred in four of the highest-grossing films of all time. Films she has appeared in have grossed more than $15 billion worldwide and, as of 2024, she is the second highest-grossing lead actress and the highest-grossing actress overall. Time magazine named her one of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2023.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Katie Cassidy</span> American actress (born 1986)

Katherine Evelyn Anita Cassidy is an American actress. Following several minor television roles, she came to attention as a scream queen after starring in the horror films When a Stranger Calls (2006), as Kelli Presley in Black Christmas (2006) and as Ruby in the third season of the horror series Supernatural (2007–2008). Following a supporting role in the action film Taken (2008), Cassidy played leading roles in the slasher series Harper's Island (2009) and the remake of the drama series Melrose Place (2009–2010). She starred as Kris Fowles in the slasher film remake A Nightmare on Elm Street (2010) and had a recurring role as Juliet Sharp during the fourth season of the teen drama Gossip Girl (2010–2012).

Thusitha Jayasundera is a Sri Lankan actress who lives in the United Kingdom. She attended an all-girls school run by Australian missionaries, and graduated from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in 1993.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ellen Hollman</span> American actress (born 1 April 1983)

Ellen Hollman is an American actress.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anna Kendrick</span> American actress (born 1985)

Anna Cooke Kendrick is an American actress. Her first starring role was in the 1998 Broadway musical High Society, for which she earned a nomination for the Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical. She made her film debut in the musical comedy Camp (2003) and had a supporting role in The Twilight Saga (2008–2011). She achieved wider recognition for the comedy-drama film Up in the Air (2009), which earned her a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress, and for her starring role in the Pitch Perfect film series (2012–2017).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nick E. Tarabay</span> Lebanese-born American actor (born 1975)

Nick Emad Tarabay is a Lebanese-born American actor. He is known for portraying Ashur on the Starz television series Spartacus and Cotyar on the Amazon Prime Video science fiction television series The Expanse.

<i>Spartacus: Blood and Sand</i> First season of television series

Spartacus: Blood and Sand is the first season of American television series Spartacus, which premiered on Starz on January 22, 2010. The series was inspired by the historical figure of Spartacus, a Thracian gladiator who from 73 to 71 BC led a major slave uprising against the Roman Republic. Executive producers Steven S. DeKnight and Robert Tapert focused on structuring the events of Spartacus' obscure early life leading up to the beginning of historical records.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Katrina Law</span> American actress

Katrina Law is an American actress. She is known for playing the roles of Mira on the Starz television series Spartacus: Blood and Sand and Spartacus: Vengeance, Nyssa al Ghul on The CW television series Arrow, Karen Beach on the Sony Crackle series The Oath, Quinn Liu on the CBS series Hawaii Five-0 and Jessica Knight on the CBS series NCIS.

<i>Colombiana</i> 2011 film by Olivier Megaton

Colombiana is a 2011 French English-language action thriller film co-written and produced by Luc Besson and directed by Olivier Megaton. The film stars Zoe Saldaña with supporting roles by Michael Vartan, Cliff Curtis, Lennie James, Callum Blue, and Jordi Mollà. The film is about Cataleya, a nine-year-old girl in Colombia whose family is killed by a drug lord. Fifteen years later, a grown Cataleya seeks her revenge.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lesley-Ann Brandt</span> South African-American actress (born 1981)

Lesley-Ann Brandt is a South African and American actress best known for the role of Mazikeen on the television series Lucifer.

<i>Spartacus: Vengeance</i> Second season of television series

Spartacus: Vengeance is the second season of the American television series Spartacus, a Starz television series, which follows Spartacus: Blood and Sand. It premiered on January 27, and concluded on March 30, 2012. Its story follows Spartacus, after he and his fellow gladiators kill their master Batiatus and escape from his ludus, or gladiatorial training school. Cast members and characters who return from the first season include Lucy Lawless as Lucretia, Peter Mensah as Oenomaus, Manu Bennett as Crixus, Dan Feuerriegel as Agron, Nick E. Tarabay as Ashur, Viva Bianca as Ilithyia, and Craig Parker as Gaius Claudius Glaber. Dustin Clare also reprises his role as Gannicus from Spartacus: Gods of the Arena, the prequel to Spartacus: Blood and Sand.

Spartacus is an American historical drama television series filmed in New Zealand that premiered on Starz on January 22, 2010, and concluded on April 12, 2013. The series was inspired by historical figure, Spartacus, a Thracian gladiator who from 73 to 71 BC led a major slave uprising against the Roman Republic departing from Capua. Executive producers Steven S. DeKnight and Robert Tapert focused on structuring the events of Spartacus' obscure early life leading up to the beginning of historical records.

<i>Spartacus: War of the Damned</i> Third season of television series

Spartacus: War of the Damned is the third and final season of the American television series Spartacus, a Starz television series, which follows Spartacus: Vengeance. The series was inspired by the historical figure of Spartacus, a Thracian gladiator who, from 73 to 71 BC, led a major slave uprising against the Roman Republic. It premiered on January 25, 2013, and concluded on April 12, 2013.

<i>The Accountant</i> (2016 film) 2016 American action-thriller film by Gavin OConnor

The Accountant is a 2016 American action thriller film directed by Gavin O'Connor, written by Bill Dubuque and starring Ben Affleck, Anna Kendrick, J. K. Simmons, Jon Bernthal, Cynthia Addai-Robinson, Jeffrey Tambor, and John Lithgow. The storyline follows Christian Wolff, a certified public accountant with autism who makes his living (un-)'cooking the books' of criminal and terrorist organizations around the world that are experiencing internal embezzlement.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cynthia Erivo</span> English actress and singer (born 1987)

Cynthia Onyedinmanasu Chinasaokwu Erivo is an English actress and singer. She gained recognition for starring in the Broadway revival of The Color Purple from 2015 to 2017, for which she won the 2016 Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical and the Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album. Erivo ventured into films in 2018, playing roles in the heist film Widows and the thriller Bad Times at the El Royale. For her portrayal of American abolitionist Harriet Tubman in the biopic Harriet (2019), Erivo received a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actress; she also wrote and performed the song "Stand Up" on its soundtrack, which garnered her a nomination in the Best Original Song category.

<i>Arrow</i> season 3 Season of television series

The third season of the American television series Arrow premiered on The CW on October 8, 2014, and concluded on May 13, 2015, with a total of 23 episodes. The series is based on the DC Comics character Green Arrow, a costumed crime-fighter created by Mort Weisinger and George Papp, and is set in the Arrowverse, sharing continuity with other Arrowverse television series. The showrunners for this season were Greg Berlanti, Marc Guggenheim and Andrew Kreisberg. Stephen Amell stars as Oliver Queen, with principal cast members Katie Cassidy as Laurel Lance, David Ramsey as John Diggle, Willa Holland as Thea Queen, Emily Bett Rickards as Felicity Smoak, Colton Haynes as Roy Harper, John Barrowman as Malcolm Merlyn and Paul Blackthorne as Quentin Lance also returning from previous seasons.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maxim Baldry</span> English actor

Maxim Alexander Baldry is an English film and television actor. He began his career as a child actor in the film Mr. Bean's Holiday (2007). More recently, he is known for his roles in the Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks (2016–2017) and miniseries Years and Years (2019), and the Amazon Prime fantasy series The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power (2022–present).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amanda Waller (DC Extended Universe)</span> Fictional character

Amanda Blake Waller is a fictional character in the DC Extended Universe (DCEU) and later the DC Universe (DCU) media franchise. She is portrayed by Viola Davis and is based on the DC Comics character of the same name. A morally ambiguous character as portrayed in the comics, Waller is a ruthless, calculating government official who oversees the operations of the Suicide Squad, tasking them with deadly missions.

The Accountant 2 is an upcoming American action-thriller film directed by Gavin O'Connor and written by Bill Dubuque. It is the direct sequel to The Accountant (2016). Ben Affleck, Jon Bernthal, J. K. Simmons, and Cynthia Addai-Robinson reprise their roles from the previous film, with Daniella Pineda among the actors joining the cast. The film is scheduled to be theatrically released in the United States by Amazon MGM Studios on April 25, 2025.

References

  1. Rose, Mike (January 12, 2023). "Today's famous birthdays list for January 12, 2023 includes celebrities Howard Stern, Issa Rae". Cleveland.com . Retrieved January 12, 2023.
  2. Kecskes, Alex. "Interview with Spartacus' Cynthia Addai-Robinson". ACED Magazine. Retrieved August 22, 2012.
  3. Fraley, Jason (September 1, 2022). "Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power star travels from Silver Spring to Middle Earth". WTOP .
  4. "Cynthia Addai Robinson Official Website". Cynthia Addai Robinson Official Website. Archived from the original on February 15, 2012.
  5. "Development Update: February 14". The Futon Critic. February 14, 2006. Retrieved August 4, 2017.
  6. "Development Update: February 27". The Futon Critic. February 27, 2006. Retrieved August 4, 2017.
  7. Pearson, Anthony. "Zoe Saldana plays hot action chick in new 'Colombiana' trailer". Monsters and Critics. Archived from the original on 2 March 2014. Retrieved 5 May 2011.
  8. Wightman, Catriona. "Cynthia Addai-Robinson joins 'Spartacus'". Digital Spy . Retrieved 3 May 2011.
  9. "Jodi Arias: Dirty Little Secret Movie" via cinehook.com.
  10. Ausiello, Michael. "Arrow Targets Spartacus Alumna as Infamous DC Comics Villain Amanda Waller". TVLine . Archived from the original on 27 February 2014. Retrieved 5 September 2013.
  11. "Cynthia Addai-Robinson Lands Lead In History's Texas Rangers Miniseries". Deadline Hollywood. 18 March 2014. Retrieved March 18, 2014.
  12. "The Women's Image Network Awards". The Women's Image Awards.
  13. Kroll, Justin (6 January 2015). "'Arrow' Actress Cynthia Addai-Robinson Joins 'The Accountant'". Variety. Retrieved 6 January 2015.
  14. "Ben Affleck's 'Live by Night,' 'Accountant' Release Dates Pushed Back". Variety. 7 August 2015. Retrieved 7 August 2015.
  15. Andreeva, Nellie (29 March 2016). "'Shooter': Cynthia Addai-Robinson Lands Female Lead Of USA Series In Recasting". Deadline Hollywood . Retrieved March 29, 2016.
  16. Grobar, Matt (7 March 2024). "Ben Affleck, Jon Bernthal, J.K. Simmons & Cynthia Addai-Robinson Returning For 'The Accountant 2' As Artists Equity Sets Up Sequel At Amazon MGM". Deadline Hollywood . Retrieved 7 March 2024.