Ilfenesh Hadera

Last updated
Ilfenesh Hadera
Ilfenesh Hadera, The Women of Billions.jpg
Hadera on Billions in 2017
Born (1985-12-01) December 1, 1985 (age 38)
OccupationActress
Years active2010–present

Ilfenesh Hadera (born December 1, 1985) is an American actress.

Contents

Early life

Hadera was born on December 1, 1985, in Harlem, New York. [1] She identifies as half Ethiopian and half white. [2] Her father is a Tigrayan refugee and founder of the African Services Committee, a Harlem-based organization that works with African refugees. [3] She volunteered with the organization prior to beginning her acting career. [3] [4]

Hadera attended The Harlem School of the Arts, followed by the Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School. She went on to receive an MFA in text and performance studies from RADA/King's College London. [5]

Career

In 2010, Hadera made her acting debut in the film 1/20. [6]

A frequent collaborator with Spike Lee, she has appeared in Da Brick , The Blacklist , Oldboy , Show Me a Hero , Chi-Raq , Chicago Fire , The Punisher , and She's Gotta Have It .

Hadera co-starred as Stephanie Holden in the 2017 film Baywatch , and in 2018 starred as Kay Daniels in the TV series Deception . She had a recurring role in the Showtime series Billions , as a secretary to billionaire fund manager Bobby Axelrod, played by Damian Lewis.

On September 29, 2019, Hadera began starring as Mayme Johnson, the wife of Bumpy Johnson in the premiere of the American crime drama television series, Godfather of Harlem on Epix. [7]

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
20101/20Hazel
2013 Oldboy Judy
2015 Chi-Raq Ms. McCloud
2017 Baywatch Stephanie Holden
2024 The Bricklayer Tye
Werewolves Lucy MarshallPost-production [8]
TBA High and Low TBAPost-production

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
2011 Da Brick SaalingeTV movie
2013 The Blacklist Jennifer PalmerEpisode: "Pilot"
2015 Show Me a Hero Carmen FeblesMain cast
Chicago Fire Serena HolmesRecurring cast: season 4
2016 Difficult People AbbyEpisode: "Patches"
Conviction Naomi GoldenRecurring cast
2016–17 Billions Deb KawiRecurring cast: season 1-2
2017 Master of None LisaRecurring cast: season 2
The Punisher MistressEpisode: "Crosshairs"
2017–19 She's Gotta Have It Opal GilstrapRecurring cast
2018 Deception Kay DanielsMain cast
2019–present Godfather of Harlem Mayme JohnsonMain cast
2021 Run the World HerselfEpisode: "What a Co-inky-dick"
2021–22 Blue Bloods Det. Angela ReddickEpisode: "USA Today" & "Guilt"
2023 East New York A.D.A. Vonny DiskantEpisode: "In the Bag"
2023–24 The Equalizer Michelle ChambersEpisodes: "Eye for an Eye", "Truth for a Truth"

Related Research Articles

Baywatch is an American action drama television series about lifeguards who patrol the beaches of Los Angeles County, California, and Hawaii, starring David Hasselhoff. It was created by Michael Berk, Douglas Schwartz, and Gregory J. Bonann, who produced the show throughout its 11-season run. The series focuses on both professional and personal challenges faced by the characters, portrayed by a large rotating ensemble cast that includes Pamela Anderson, Alexandra Paul, Gregory Alan Williams, Jeremy Jackson, Parker Stevenson, David Chokachi, Billy Warlock, Erika Eleniak, David Charvet, Yasmine Bleeth, and Nicole Eggert.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Erika Alexander</span> American actress (born 1969)

Erika Rose Alexander is an American actress, writer, producer, entrepreneur and activist best known for her roles as Pam Tucker on the NBC sitcom The Cosby Show (1990–1992), and Maxine Shaw on the Fox sitcom Living Single (1993–1998). She has won numerous awards for her work on Living Single, including two NAACP Image Awards for Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series. Her film credits include The Long Walk Home (1990), 30 Years to Life (2001), Déjà Vu (2006), Get Out (2017), American Refugee (2021), Earth Mama (2023) and American Fiction (2023), for which she was nominated for an Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Performance.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Danielle Panabaker</span> American actress (born 1987)

Danielle Nicole Panabaker is an American actress. She began acting as a teenager and came to prominence for her roles in the Disney films Stuck in the Suburbs (2004), Sky High (2005) and Read It and Weep (2006), and in the HBO miniseries Empire Falls (2005). She won three Young Artist Awards: for guest-starring in an episode of the legal drama television series The Guardian (2004), for her lead role in the TV film Searching for David's Heart (2005) and for her ensemble performance in the family comedy film Yours, Mine & Ours (2005).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Traci Bingham</span> American actress and model

Traci A. Bingham is an American actress, model, and television personality. Beginning her professional career in the early 1990s, Bingham is best known for her role as Jordan Tate on the NBC action drama television series Baywatch (1996–1998).

Kasi Lemmons is an American film director, screenwriter, and actress. She made her directorial debut with Eve's Bayou (1997), followed by Talk to Me (2007), Black Nativity (2013), Harriet (2019), and Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance with Somebody (2022). She also directed the Netflix limited series Self Made (2020), and an episode of ABC's Women of the Movement (2022).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alexandra Paul</span> American actress

Alexandra Elizabeth Paul is an American actress. She began her career modeling in New York before landing her first major role in John Carpenter's horror film Christine (1983). This was followed with prominent roles in Just the Way You Are (1984), American Flyers (1985), 8 Million Ways to Die (1986), and Dragnet (1987).

Vernee Christell Johnson is an American actress, author, and acting coach. Watson-Johnson is best known for her recurring roles as Vernajean Williams on Welcome Back, Kotter (1975–1979), as Viola "Vy" Smith on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (1990–1996), playing the mother of Will Smith's character and head nurse Gloria Tyler on Bob Hearts Abishola (2019–2024). She is often featured in guest or recurring roles as a nurse. Since 2017 she has played Stella Henry on General Hospital.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kathrine Narducci</span> American actress

Kathrine Narducci is an American actress, known for her role as Charmaine Bucco, Artie Bucco's wife, on the HBO crime drama series The Sopranos (1999–2007). Her film credits include A Bronx Tale (1993), Chicago Overcoat (2009), Jersey Boys (2014), Bad Education (2019), The Irishman (2019), and Capone (2020).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chyna Layne</span> Jamaican American actress

Chyna Layne is an American actress and producer. She made her screen debut playing the leading role in the 2007 independent drama film A Deeper Love and later co-starred in films Life Support (2007), Cadillac Records (2008) and Precious (2009). From 2017 to 2019, Layne starred as Shemekka Epps in the Netflix comedy-drama series, She's Gotta Have It.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lupita Nyong'o</span> Kenyan and Mexican actress (born 1983)

Lupita Amondi Nyong'o is a Kenyan-Mexican-American actress. Her accolades include an Academy Award and a Daytime Emmy Award, and nominations for two British Academy Film Awards, a Golden Globe Award and a Tony Award.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dwayne Johnson filmography</span> List of films featuring Dwayne Johnson

American actor Dwayne Johnson, also known by his wrestling ring name "The Rock", has a long career in media, appearing in films, television series and video games. Dwayne started his acting career in 2001. His films have grossed over $3.5 billion in North America and over $12.5 billion worldwide, making Johnson one of the most successful and highest-grossing box-office stars of all time. Dwayne Johnson has also starred in at least 66 movies/films.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lucy Fry</span> Australian actress (born 1992)

Lucy Elizabeth Fry is an Australian actress. She is known for portraying Zoey in Lightning Point, Lyla in Mako: Island of Secrets, and Lissa Dragomir in the film Vampire Academy. Fry was also cast in Hulu's eight part miniseries 11.22.63 as Marina Oswald, wife of Lee Harvey Oswald, and played the lead in the 2016 Australian horror television series Wolf Creek and Tikka in the 2017 Netflix film Bright. Since 2019, she has portrayed Stella Gigante in the Epix series Godfather of Harlem.

<i>Baywatch</i> (film) 2017 film by Seth Gordon

Baywatch is a 2017 American action comedy film directed by Seth Gordon, with a screenplay by Mark Swift and Damian Shannon, from a story by Jay Scherick, David Ronn, Thomas Lennon, and Robert Ben Garant. It is based on the television series created by Michael Berk, Douglas Schwartz, and Gregory J. Bonann and takes place within the same fictional universe. The film stars Dwayne Johnson and Zac Efron. The story follows lifeguard Mitch Buchannon and his team who must take down a drug lord in an effort to save their beach.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Teyonah Parris</span> American actress

Teyonah Parris is an American actress. A graduate of Juilliard School, she began acting in 2010. Her first prominent roles were those of secretary Dawn Chambers in the AMC drama series Mad Men (2012–2015), and a starring role in the 2014 independent film Dear White People. Since then, she has appeared in the drama series Empire (2014), Spike Lee's crime comedy Chi-Raq (2015), and the drama film If Beale Street Could Talk (2018).

<i>Deception</i> (2018 TV series) 2018 US crime procedural drama television series

Deception is an American crime procedural drama television series created for ABC by Chris Fedak. The series was produced by Berlanti Productions and VHPT Company in association with Warner Bros. Television, with Fedak serving as showrunner. The series premiered on March 11, 2018.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">DeWanda Wise</span> American actress (born 1989)

DeWanda Wise is an American actress. She starred in Spike Lee's Netflix comedy-drama series She's Gotta Have It (2017–19), a contemporary adaptation of his 1986 film.

Tracy Yvonne Oliver is an American film and television writer, producer, director, and actress. Oliver originally starred in the web series The Mis-Adventures of Awkward Black Girl, before serving as a staff writer on ABC's The Neighbors and STARZ's Survivor's Remorse.

<i>Godfather of Harlem</i> American television series

Godfather of Harlem is an American crime drama television series that premiered on September 29, 2019, on Epix. The series is written by Chris Brancato and Paul Eckstein, and stars Forest Whitaker as 1960s New York City gangster Bumpy Johnson. Whitaker is also executive producer alongside Nina Yang Bongiovi, James Acheson, John Ridley and Markuann Smith. Chris Brancato acts as showrunner. On February 12, 2020, the series was renewed for a second season; which premiered on April 18, 2021. On January 13, 2022, the series was renewed for a third season, which premiered on January 15, 2023, on the rebranded MGM+. On November 29, 2023, the series was renewed for a fourth season.

Demi Patricia Singleton is an American actress, singer, and dancer. She is best known for her roles in the MGM+ crime TV series Godfather of Harlem, as the young Serena Williams in the biographical film King Richard, and as Sally Reeves in the Paramount+ western series Lawmen: Bass Reeves.

References

  1. "Ilfenesh Hadera: Spike Lee Alum And DJ School Dropout". NPR.org. Retrieved 2020-02-14.
  2. Falcone, Dana (September 2017). "An Actress Advocating for Refugees". Time .
  3. 1 2 "Asfaha Hadera". African Services Committee. November 11, 2019. Archived from the original on November 13, 2020. Retrieved November 11, 2019.
  4. O'Donnell, Dora (January 4, 2018). "Meet 'Baywatch' Actress and Activist Ilfenesh Hadera". Red Bull.
  5. "From Harlem To 'Baywatch' With Ilfenesh Hadera". Harlem World Magazine. 2017-05-27. Retrieved 2020-02-14.
  6. ""Deception" Star Ilfenesh Hadera's Career is Honestly a Dream Come True |". SBU News. 2018-03-26. Retrieved 2020-02-14.
  7. Wills, Cortney (October 4, 2019). "Ilfenesh Hadera on Godfather of Harlem role". The Grio .
  8. Wiseman, Andreas (2024-06-11). "Frank Grillo Horror-Thriller 'Werewolves' Set For December U.S. Release Via Briarcliff & The Solution". Deadline. Retrieved 2024-07-05.