Gina Ravera

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Gina Ravera
Born (1966-05-20) May 20, 1966 (age 59)
OccupationActress
Years active1990–present

Gina Ravera (born May 20, 1966) is an American actress. She has appeared in the films Showgirls (1995), Soul Food (1997), Kiss the Girls (1997), and The Great Debaters (2007). She co-starred as detective Irene Daniels in the TNT crime drama series The Closer (2005-2009).

Contents

Life and career

Ravera was born in San Francisco, California. She is of mixed African-American and Puerto Rican heritage. [1] She is a classically trained dancer.[ citation needed ]

In the early 1990s, Ravera began appearing in guest-starring roles on television shows, including The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air , Melrose Place , and Star Trek: The Next Generation . During 1993-94, she was a cast member of the CBS crime series Silk Stalkings . In films, she had a starring role in the 1995 erotic drama Showgirls , directed by Paul Verhoeven, and in 1997 appeared in the comedy-drama Soul Food . Ravera later went to television, appearing in TV films of the week and in series guest roles and regular roles. She was a regular cast member of Time of Your Life , a spin-off series of Fox's popular teen drama Party of Five , from 1999 to 2000.

From 2005 to 2009, Ravera played Irene Daniels during the first four seasons of the TNT crime drama series The Closer and was the only regular cast member to leave the series during its run. From 2006 to 2008, she also had a recurring role on ER and in 2007, she played Denzel Washington's wife in the biographical film The Great Debaters . [2]

Filmography

Film and TV movies

YearTitleRoleNotes
1990 Lambada Funk Queen
1991Auto Theft: Hot Cars, Cold FactsLisaShort
1992Steal AmericaJeena
1994 White Mile AlmaTV movie
1995 Illegal in Blue AlexisVideo
Showgirls Molly Abrams
W.E.I.R.D. WorldDr. Patty ProvostTV movie
919 Fifth AvenueSheilaTV movie
1996 Soul of the Game GraceTV movie
Get on the Bus Gina
1997 Soul Food Faith Hunter
Kiss the Girls Naomi Cross
1999A Luv TaleTaylor James
2000RhapsodyLenore FoxwoodTV movie
2002 Saint Sinner Rachel DresslerTV movie
2003 Chasing Papi Beauty Pageant Judge
2004Pryor OffensesTamekaTV movie
Gas Rev. Sheila
2007 The Great Debaters Ruth Tolson

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
1990 The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air CherylEpisode: "Someday Your Prince Will Be in Effect: Part 2,” credited as Gina Ravarra
1991 In Living Color HerselfEpisode: "Episode #2.24"
True Colors AnitaEpisode: "Yo' House, Mama: Part 2"
Reasonable Doubts Latasha RichardsonEpisode: "Pure Gold"
1992 Melrose Place TheresaEpisode: "Second Chances"
1993 Where I Live RobinEpisode: "Dontay's Inferno"
Days of Our Lives Vanessa MitchellEpisode: "Episode #1.7060"
Frasier WaitressEpisode: "The Good Son"
Star Trek: The Next Generation Ensign TylerEpisode: "Phantasms"
1993-94 Silk Stalkings Dr. Diana RothRecurring cast
1994 NYPD Blue Shawanda WilsonEpisode: "For Whom the Skell Tolls"
1997 In the House SamEpisode: "Men in the Black"
1998 The Temptations JosephineEpisode: "Episode #1.1 & #1.2"
Malcolm & Eddie Tracy BurkeEpisode: "Dream Girl"
1999–2000 Time of Your Life Jocelyn HouseMain cast
2000–01 The Fugitive Sara GerardRecurring cast
2003 Miracles Raina BauerEpisode: "The Patient"
Charmed MaryEpisode: "My Three Witches"
2004 The Handler Agent RidgewayEpisode: "Acts of Congress"
Boston Legal Dr. Amanda GerardEpisode: "A Greater Good"
2005 Inconceivable Tricia SantosEpisode: "The Last Straw"
Everwood StaceyEpisode: "Pro Choice"
2005–09 The Closer Det. Irene Daniels Recurring cast: seasons 1-2, main cast: seasons 3-4
2006–08 ER Dr. Bettina DeJesusRecurring cast: Season 13-14, guest: Season 15
2007 Raines Lisa LincolnEpisode: "Stone Dead"
2009 Private Practice DawnEpisode: "The Hard Part"
2011 Lie to Me PaulaEpisode: "Rebound"
2012 CSI: Crime Scene Investigation Dr. Paula O'KeefeEpisode: "Risky Business Class"
2014 Castle Marsha StollerEpisode: "Montreal"
2018 Arrow Lydia CassamentoRecurring cast: season 6
2020 Station 19 Claudia FloresEpisode: "Satellite of Love" & "Born to Run"
2021 Calls Room Service (voice)Episode: "Pedro Across the Street"

Awards and nominations

YearAwardsCategoryRecipientOutcome
1999 ALMA Awards ALMA Award for Outstanding Individual Performance in a Made-for-Television Movie or Mini-Series The Temptations Nominated
2006 Imagen Awards Imagen Award for Best Supporting Actress - Television The Closer Nominated
2008 Screen Actors Guild Award Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series Nominated
2009 Screen Actors Guild Award Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series Nominated
Imagen Awards Imagen Award for Best Supporting Actress - Television Nominated

References

  1. McCann, Bob (30 October 2009). Encyclopedia of African American Actresses in Film and Television. ISBN   9780786458042 . Retrieved 7 February 2016.
  2. "The Great Debaters". Rotten Tomatoes . 25 December 2007. Retrieved 7 February 2016.