Phyllis Yvonne Stickney

Last updated
Phyllis Yvonne Stickney
Actress And Comedian Phyllis Yvonne Stickney.png
Born (1957-10-01) October 1, 1957 (age 67)
Occupations
  • Actress
  • comedian
  • poet
  • playwright
  • producer
  • motivational speaker
Years active1985–present

Phyllis Yvonne Stickney (born October 1, 1957) is an American actress and comedian. Stickney is known for her main role on the sitcom New Attitude (1990). She also has appeared in films including New Jack City (1991), Jungle Fever (1991), Malcolm X (1992), What's Love Got to Do with It (1993) and How Stella Got Her Groove Back (1998). [1]

Contents

Early life and education

Stickney was born and raised in Little Rock, Arkansas and is one of five siblings. [2] [3] She left home when she was 16 years old, moving to Los Angeles. She obtained a job with a management company by saying that she was 23. After two years there she moved to New York, where she attended video school and film school. [4]

She initially worked at the University of Delaware as an associate in the theater department, and later studied at the Institute of New Cinema Artists. [5]

Career

Early in Stickney's career, she became involved with the New Heritage Theatre in Harlem, where she met Roger Furman, Ruby Dee and Ossie Davis. At one point, Dave Chapelle was her opener at the comedy venue Caroline's. [6]

Stickney's performance in Tartuffe won an AUDELCO award in 1983. [4]

Acting credits

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
1985Frederick Douglass: An American LifeAnna DouglassShort
1991 New Jack City Prosecuting Attorney Hawkins
Jungle Fever Nilda
Talkin' Dirty After Dark Aretha
1992 Malcolm X Honey
1993 What's Love Got to Do with It Alline Bullock
1994 The Inkwell Dr. Wade
1995 My Teacher's Wife Harvard Officer
Die Hard with a Vengeance Wanda Shepard
1996Tendrils-Short
1998 How Stella Got Her Groove Back Mrs. Shakespeare
2002 Big Ain't Bad Lauren Jordan
2009See Dick RunDr. LaCroix
2010 Trapped: Haitian Nights Ms. Edna
2013Haitian NightsMs. Edna
2014 Gun Hill Marva StevensTV movie
Pound of FleshMrs. Emeka
2016 The Tale of Four -Short
2017Dana's StoryGrandma LadouxShort

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
1987 The Cosby Show PhyllisEpisode: "Hillman"
1989 The Women of Brewster Place Cora LeeEpisode: "Part I & II"
1990 New Attitude Yvonne St. JamesMain Cast
1991 Great Performances Topsy WashingtonEpisode: "The Colored Museum"
1993 Law & Order Miss LeeEpisode: "Mother Love"
1994 New York Undercover BaptiseEpisode: "After Shakespeare"
1996 New York Undercover Esther RashadEpisode: "The Reckoning"
ABC Afterschool Specials Aunt ZedEpisode: "Daddy's Girl"
1999–2000 Linc's Y'vettaRecurring Cast: Season 2
2008Sex ChroniclesTracyEpisode: "Room 69"
2009 Glenn Martin, DDS - (voice)Episode: "From Here to Fraternity"
2021 Shameless BevEpisode: "DNR"
2022 The Ms. Pat Show Aunt GwenEpisode: "Ding-Dong, The Bitch is Dead"

Theater

YearTitleRoleNotes
2021 A Raisin in the Sun Mama LenaProduction directed by Rajendra Maharaj [2]
2022School Girls; Or, the African Mean Girls PlayHeadmistress
2022Laughter & LyricsHerself

References

  1. "Phyllis Yvonne Stickney". Encyclopediaofarkansas.net. Retrieved October 7, 2024.
  2. 1 2 "Phyllis Yvonne Stickney on bringing her life experiences to the stage". Radio Milwaukee. 2021-02-08. Retrieved 2024-11-18.
  3. Sister Circle TV (2020-01-16). Sister Circle | Actress And Comedian Phyllis Yvonne Stickney Talks Movies, Stand Up & More | TVONE . Retrieved 2024-11-18 via YouTube.
  4. 1 2 Wertz, Langston Jr. (February 19, 1996). "Comedian pulls wisdom from journey within". The Charlotte Observer. p. 3 E. Retrieved June 5, 2025 via Newspapers.com.
  5. "Phyllis Yvonne Stickney - The Negro Ensemble Company, Inc". necinc.org. 2024-02-07. Retrieved 2024-11-18.
  6. DeYoung, Bill (2022-02-18). "American Stage: Phyllis Yvonne Stickney is in the house". St Pete Catalyst. Retrieved 2024-11-18.