Rachael Crawford

Last updated
Rachael Crawford
Born1969 (age 5455)
Other namesRachel Crawford
OccupationActress
Years active1986–present

Rachael Crawford (born c. 1969 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada) is an actress best known for her roles in Brewster Place , [1] [2] Here and Now , [3] and Show Me Yours , as well as guest appearances on various television series such as Cold Squad , Crossing Jordan , and more recently The Firm and Suits . Throughout her career, Crawford has received three Canadian Screen Award nominations.

Contents

Career

Crawford began her acting career in the mid-1980s. She portrayed Renee, a teenage cousin of Mr. T's character, in crime drama T. and T. [4] Crawford won the role of Kiswana Browne in the Oprah Winfrey produced series Brewster Place (1990), [5] replacing Robin Givens who portrayed the character in The Women of Brewster Place . [6] Crawford appeared regularly as college student Danielle in the sitcom Here and Now . [7] [8]

She appeared in various television movies during the 1990s. Crawford played the lead role of Tai Babilonia in biopic On Thin Ice: The Tai Babilonia Story. [9] In 1996's Captive Heart: The James Mink Story, Crawford appeared as Myra Mink, a young black woman in the 1850s who becomes enslaved by her husband, a white man. [10] James Mink was played by Louis Gossett Jr. [11] She worked with Gossett again the following year, with In His Father's Shoes. [12]

Crawford made her feature film debut in 1995's Rude as Maxine, a woman who chooses to have an abortion after ending a relationship with her boyfriend. [13] She received a Canadian Screen Award nomination for her performance in this film. [14] Crawford portrayed Petra, a circus performer who dates the female protagonist, in the 1995 film When Night is Falling . [15] Stephen Holden of The New York Times praised Crawford's performance, believing she and co-star Pascale Bussières were an "appealing" couple. [16] Another reviewer found the movie too "lowkey," but felt Crawford's character added "fascination" to the film. [17]

Her other film work includes Curtis's Charm (1996) [18] and Pale Saints (1997), being nominated for her second Canadian Screen Award for the latter. [19] She was a main cast member on drama Traders as Niko Bach from 1998 to 2000. Crawford earned her third Canadian Screen Award nomination in 2000 for her work on the series. [20]

During the 2000s, Crawford guest starred on science fiction series Mutant X [21] and appeared as Dara Vann in The Man (2005). [22] She portrayed Diane Haughton, the mother of Aaliyah, in Aaliyah: The Princess of R&B (2014). [23] She had a regular role on drama series This Life as Danielle, the lead character's best friend, from 2015 to 2016. [24] Crawford then played Crack in Brown Girl Begins (2017), a role one film critic found "chilling." [25]

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
1995 Rude Maxine
1995 When Night Is Falling Petra Soft
1995 Curtis's Charm Cookie
1997 Pale Saints Valdine
1998 Kai Rabe gegen die Vatikankiller Maskenbildnerin
2003The SacrificeFortunetellerShort film
2005 The Man Dara Vann
2009ChainsChainShort film
2017 Brown Girl Begins Crack
2020 Possessor Dr. Melis

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
19869BJenny WeversTV film
1986-1987 Dear Aunt Agnes MarshaRecurring role
1987 Adderly LucindaEpisode: "Who Do, Voodoo"
1988 9B Jenny WeversRecurring role (5 episodes)
1988 T. and T. ReneeRegular role (24 episodes)
1988 Friday the 13th: The Series StacyEpisode: "The Voodoo Mambo"
1989 E.N.G. Janice RobertsEpisode: "E.N.G. Pilot: Part 1"
1990 E.N.G. Janice RobertsEpisode: "All Things Betray Thee"
1990 Brewster Place Melanie "Kiswana" BrowneMain role (11 episodes)
1990On Thin Ice: The Tai Babilonia Story Tai Babilonia TV film
1992-1993 Here and Now DanielleMain role (13 episodes)
1994Treacherous BeautiesLois ParsonsTV film
1994 Free Willy Marlene (voice)TV series
1996 Side Effects VikiEpisode: "Easy Breathing"
1996Captive Heart: The James Mink StoryMary MinkTV film
1996We the JuryWarnickeTV film
1997 The Outer Limits Sherry McAllisterEpisode: "Dark Rain"
1997In His Father's ShoesCelesteTV film
1997-1999 Between Brothers TeriMain role (17 episodes)
1998 Twitch City ExpertEpisode: "People Who Fight Too Much"
1998-2000 Traders Niko BachMain role (35 episodes)
1999Love SongsSheronTV film
1999Nightworld: SurvivorKat HoldenTV film
1999Hoop LifePaula LyonsEpisodes: "Rookie", "Of Human Bondage", "The Trade-Off"
2000 Earth: Final Conflict Samira FaridEpisode: "Scorched Earth"
2000 Falcone Mrs. PattersonEpisodes: "Lealta", "That's Amore", "You Can't Always Get What You Want"
2000 Dirty Pictures Ann BosworthTV film
2001 Soul Food RhondaEpisode: "This Crazy Life"
2001 Cold Squad Dr. Barbara WhittakerEpisode: "Vancouver Confidential"
2002 The Associates Suzanne ErikksonEpisode: "Take This Job..."
2002 Crossing Jordan Samantha ReidEpisode: "With Honor"
2002Red SkiesNicoleTV film
2002 Hell on Heels: The Battle of Mary Kay Annika KernTV film
2004 Mutant X Samantha BennettEpisode: "Possibilities"
2004-2005 Show Me Yours Dr. Kate LangfordMain role (16 episodes)
2005 CSI: Miami Beth JacobsonEpisode: "Three-Way"
2006 Last Exit Catherine VargasTV film
2008 The Trojan Horse Colleen HowellTV miniseries
2008The SummitRobin LevyTV miniseries
2008 Sophie KimEpisodes: "Who's Your Daddy?", "Bursting Balloons"
2009 Sophie KimEpisodes: "Trust or Bust", "Wedding Bell Blues"
2009 'Da Kink in My Hair CherylEpisode: "Licks!"
2009 Guns Eva InnisTV miniseries
2009 Being Erica AlexisEpisodes: "Under My Thumb", "A River Runs Through It... It Being Egypt"
2009 Cra$h & Burn Catherine HearnEpisodes: "Trust", "The Boss Is Coming"
2011 Republic of Doyle Dr. Jennifer SullivanEpisode: "Crashing on the Couch"
2011 The Listener Emily MillerEpisode: "Inner Circle"
2011 Call Me Fitz LaverneEpisodes: "A** Hickey", "Dysfunctional Family Circus", "How Do You Say 'Blow Job' in Pennsylvania Dutch?"
2011-2012 Alphas Jeannie HarkenRecurring role (6 episodes)
2012 King Dr. RauschEpisode: "Freddy Boise"
2012 The Firm Dianne RuckeyserRecurring role (6 episodes)
2012 Suits Ella FollmanEpisode: "All In"
2014 Continuum Catherine7 episodes
2014 Aaliyah: The Princess of R&B Diane HaughtonTV film
2015Hello, it's meErickaTV movie
2015-2016 This Life Danielle Berg12 episodes
2016 Heartland Natalie2 episodes
2017 Incorporated Mrs. Morse2 episodes
2017 The Expanse Admiral Pena2 episodes
2017 Private Eyes Emila Mantella1 episode
2017 Tin Star Dr. Susan Bouchard1 episode
2022 Revenge of the Black Best Friend Aibleen

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