LaTanya Richardson Jackson

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LaTanya Richardson Jackson
LaTanya Richardson Jackson 2005.jpg
Jackson in 2005
Born
LaTanya Richardson

Other namesLaTanya Jackson
Education Spelman College (BA)
OccupationActress
Years active1989–present
Spouse
(m. 1980)
Children1

LaTanya Richardson Jackson is an American actress. She began her career appearing in off-Broadway productions, before playing supporting roles on television and film. Her performances are credited to her birth name, LaTanya Richardson, from 1989 to 2013.

Contents

Richardson has appeared in films including Fried Green Tomatoes (1991), Malcolm X (1992), Sleepless in Seattle (1993), When a Man Loves a Woman (1994), Losing Isaiah (1995), Lone Star (1996), U.S. Marshals (1998), and The Fighting Temptations (2003). Her television credits include 100 Centre Street (2001–2002), Show Me a Hero (2015), Luke Cage (2016–2018), and Rebel (2017). [1]

Early and personal life

She was born in Atlanta, Georgia. While attending Atlanta's historically Black, all-female Spelman College in 1970, she met Samuel L. Jackson, then a student at the historically Black, all-male Morehouse College. She and Jackson married in 1980 and have one child together (b. 1982). After her daughter's birth, Richardson stopped working regularly for family reasons. [2]

Career

Richardson played Paulina Pritchett in the 2003 musical film The Fighting Temptations . She has appeared in four films with her husband, Samuel L. Jackson: Juice (1992), Losing Isaiah (1995), Freedomland (2006), and Mother and Child (2009).

In 2014, Richardson received a Tony Award nomination for Best Lead Actress in a Play for her performance in the play A Raisin in the Sun, her second appearance on Broadway after her debut in the 2009 revival of Joe Turner's Come and Gone . [3] [4] [5] She appeared in Aaron Sorkin's adaptation of To Kill a Mockingbird on Broadway in the 2018–19 season. [6]

From 2017 to 2023, Richardson made regular appearances as Maggie Pierce’s adoptive mother, Diane, on Grey's Anatomy . [7] [8]

In September 2022, Richardson made her directorial debut directing the Broadway revival of August Wilson's play The Piano Lesson at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre. [9]

Filmography

On film, she has been credited under her birth name, LaTanya Richardson, from 1991–2009, except for the 2006 film Freedomland .

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
1991 Hangin' with the Homeboys Caseworker
1991 The Super Judge Smith
1991 Fried Green Tomatoes Janeen
1992 Juice Steel's Mother
1992 Malcolm X Lorraine
1992 Lorenzo's Oil Nurse Ruth
1993 Sleepless in Seattle Harriet
1994The Last LaughElaineShort film
1994 When a Man Loves a Woman Dr. Gina Mendez
1995 Losing Isaiah Caroline Jones
1996 Lone Star Priscilla Worth
1997 Loved Attorney Rose Jackson
1997 Julian Po Darlene
1998 U.S. Marshals Deputy Marshal Savannah Cooper
1998SecretsShort film
2003 The Fighting Temptations Paulina Pritchett
2006 Freedomland MarieFirst film credit as LaTanya Richardson Jackson
2007All About UsCousin Bernice
2007 Blackout Mrs. Thompson
2009 Mother and Child CarolLast film credit as LaTanya Richardson
2019 Juanita Kay-RitaSecond (hereafter continuous) film credit as LaTanya Richardson Jackson
2023 You Hurt My Feelings Sylvia

Television

On television, she has been credited as her birth name, LaTanya Richardson, from 1989–2013, except for a 2012 episode of Damages .

YearTitleRoleNotes
1989 A Man Called Hawk Doris GilbertEpisode: "Life After Death"
1991 Law & Order LorraineEpisode: "Life Choice"
1992 Law & Order Anne HoustonEpisode: "Sisters of Mercy"
1992The NightmanEmilyTV film
1992 Frannie's Turn VivianEpisodes: "Pilot", "Frannie and the Kitchen Sink"
1992 One Life to Live RodiTV series
1993 Civil Wars Van BeechleyEpisode: "Hit the Road, Jack"
1993Shameful SecretsLouise LevyTV film
1993 Cheers ModeratorEpisode: "Woody Gets an Election"
1994 Midnight Run for Your Life Det. DixonTV film
1994 Party of Five Jane GideonEpisode: "Private Lives"
1994 Earth 2 Alex WentworthEpisode: "A Memory Play"
1995 Chicago Hope Mrs. ParnettEpisode: "Cutting Edges"
1995 NYPD Blue Sister CeciliaEpisode: "Heavin' Can Wait"
1996The Deliverance of ElaineEdnaTV film
1997 Homicide: Life on the Street Lynette ThompsonEpisode: "Betrayal"
1998 Any Day Now Mrs. WalkerEpisode: "Call Him Johnny"
1998–1999 Ally McBeal Attorney Yvette RoseEpisodes: "Story of Love", "Let's Dance"
1999 Introducing Dorothy Dandridge AuntieTV film
1999 Judging Amy Lena RailsbackEpisode: "Pilot"
1999 Once and Again CounselorEpisode: "Boy Meets Girl"
2000HairstoryTV film
2001Within These WallsMelinda DonovanTV film
2001–2002 100 Centre Street Atallah SimsRecurring role (8 episodes)
2003 Boston Public SheilaEpisode: "Chapter 62"
2006 The Water Is Wide EdnaTV film
2011 Harry's Law NoreenEpisode: "In the Ghetto"
2012 Damages Judge Jaclynn EllisEpisode: "You Want to End This Once and for All?";
first TV credit as LaTanya Richardson Jackson
2013 The Watsons Go to Birmingham Grandma SandsTV film;
last TV credit as LaTanya Richardson
2014–2015 Blue Bloods Lt. Dee Ann Carver Recurring role, Season 5;
second (hereafter continuous) TV credit as LaTanya Richardson Jackson
2015 Show Me a Hero Norma O'NealTV miniseries
2016–2018 Luke Cage Maybelline "Mama Mabel" StokesEpisodes: "Manifest", "The Creator"
2017 Rebel Detective Traylynn Jones2 episodes
2017–2023 Grey's Anatomy Diane PierceGuest star (5 episodes; season 13, 18, and 19)
2018 American Masters NarratorEpisode: "Lorraine Hansberry: Sighted Eyes/Feeling Heart"
2022 The Last Movie Stars Maude Brink (voice)3 episodes
2025 Criminal Minds Caroline LewisEpisode: "Tara"

Theatre

YearTitleRolePlaywrightVenue
2009 Joe Turner's Come and Gone Bertha Holly August Wilson Belasco Theatre, Broadway
2014 A Raisin in the Sun Lena Younger Lorraine Hansberry Ethel Barrymore Theatre, Broadway
2018–2019 To Kill a Mockingbird Calpurnia Aaron Sorkin Shubert Theatre, Broadway
2022 The Piano Lesson August WilsonDirector; Ethel Barrymore Theatre, Broadway
2025 Purpose Claudine Jasper Branden Jacobs-Jenkins Hayes Theater, Broadway

Awards and nominations

YearAwardCategoryProjectResultRef.
2010 Audie Award Audiobook of the Year Nelson Mandela's Favorite African FolktalesWon [10] [11]
Multi-Voiced Performance
2014 Tony Award Best Actress in a Play A Raisin in the Sun Nominated
2014 Black Reel Awards Outstanding Supporting Actress in a TV Movie The Watsons Go to Birmingham Nominated
2016 Image Award Outstanding Actress in a Television Movie or Limited Series Show Me a Hero Nominated
2025 Tony Award Best Actress in a Play Purpose Nominated [12]

References

  1. "Rebel: John Singleton Scripted Drama Coming to BET in March". TV Series Finale. January 18, 2017. Retrieved February 19, 2017.
  2. Pat Jordan (April 29, 2012). "How Samuel L. Jackson Became His Own Genre". The New York Times Magazine. Archived from the original on May 2, 2012.
  3. "The Tony Award Nominees - All Categories". Archived from the original on May 11, 2008. Retrieved February 19, 2017.
  4. "LaTanya Richardson Jackson". TonyAwards.com. Archived from the original on October 6, 2014. Retrieved September 27, 2014.
  5. Gioia, Michael (April 12, 2014). "LaTanya Richardson Jackson and Kenny Leon Discover the "Dream" in Broadway's A Raisin in the Sun". Playbill.com. Retrieved September 27, 2014.
  6. LaTanya Richardson Jackson at the Internet Broadway Database OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
  7. "LaTanya Richardson Jackson on Joining 'Grey's Anatomy'". Observer.com. March 23, 2017. Retrieved September 15, 2022.
  8. "'Grey's Anatomy': Kelly McCreary on Maggie's Full-Circle Goodbye and Those Surprise Cameos (Exclusive)". Etonline.com. April 13, 2023. Retrieved August 19, 2023.
  9. "Samuel L. Jackson returning to Broadway in revival of "The Piano Lesson," directed by wife LaTanya Richardson Jackson". CBSNews.com. September 12, 2022. Retrieved September 17, 2022.
  10. "2010 audie-awards". Archived from the original on February 27, 2023. Retrieved February 28, 2023.
  11. "Mandelas Favorite Folktales – Performers". August 3, 2020.
  12. Culwell-Block, Logan (May 1, 2025). "2025 Tony Award Nominations: Buena Vista Social Club, Death Becomes Her, Maybe Happy Ending Lead the Pack". Playbill. Retrieved May 2, 2025.