Shamika Cotton

Last updated
Shamika Cotton
Shamika cotton.jpg
Shamika Cotton with her friend Bob Ketchum at The Wire wrap party
Born
Alma mater Central State University
OccupationActress
Years active2003–present

Shamika Cotton is an American actress from Cincinnati, Ohio. She is perhaps best known to television viewers as Michael Lee's drug-addicted mother Raylene Lee in the acclaimed HBO series The Wire .

Contents

Early years

Born in Cincinnati, Ohio, [1] Shamika Cotton graduated from Withrow High School, where her activities included studying advanced chemistry and playing softball and volleyball, in 1994 [2] and from Cincinnati's competitive School for Creative and Performing Arts, [1] where she studied choir, flute, and theater. She graduated from Central State University in 1999 [3] with a degree in manufacturing engineering. [2]

Career

In 2006, Cotton appeared on the I Wanna Be A Soap Star reality series [3] to good reviews, and her performances from the show were also highlighted on Entertainment Tonight.

In November, 2007, Cotton launched a weekly videocast on YouTube entitled the “Shamika Chronicles”, [4] a series that follows her life and offers a realistic look at the daily life and work of an aspiring actress.

In 2019, she played small role in the movie The Sun Is Also a Star .

Filmography

Film/Movie

YearTitleRoleNotes
2004Till Death Do Us Part-Short
2009StreamYoung JodiShort
2011 Pariah Candace
2013 Frank the Bastard Isolda
2015Sidewalk TrafficNanny Moon
2019 The Sun Is Also a Star Hannah

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
2003Nickelodeon Magazine's Big 10 Birthday BashHerselfTV special
2006 As the World Turns ER Doctor2 episodes
2006-08 The Wire Raylene LeeRecurring cast: Season 4, guest: Season 5
2007 Law & Order: Criminal Intent Kira DanforthEpisode: "Self-made"
2010 Law & Order Mrs. DolanEpisode: "Boy on Fire"
2013 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Carol McEwanEpisode: "Beautiful Frame"
2014-15 Forever AnitaRecurring cast
2016 Gotham Officer HoltEpisode: "Wrath of the Villains: Mr. Freeze"
2019 The Blacklist FBI PhysicianEpisode: "Dr. Hans Koehler (No. 33)"
The Good Fight WendyEpisode: "The One About the Recent Troubles"
God Friended Me JenEpisode: "Return to Sender"
Elementary RoseEpisode: "Their Last Bow"
Blue Bloods Detective Kim AndrewsEpisode: "Naughty or Nice"
New Amsterdam Martha RandleEpisode: "The Island"
2020 Prodigal Son JoanneEpisode: "Stranger Beside You"
2021 The Equalizer NicoleEpisode: "Reckoning"
2022 P-Valley Farrah HaynesRecurring cast: season 2

References

  1. 1 2 "Shamika Cotton official website". Archived from the original on February 11, 2012. Retrieved 2010-01-01.
  2. 1 2 Kiesewetter, John (May 21, 2006). "Soap star wannabe sees show as springboard". The Cincinnati Enquirer. p. D 3. Retrieved June 21, 2025 via Newspapers.com.
  3. 1 2 Kiesewetter, John (June 4, 2006). "Madisonville native a finalist on 'Soap Star' reality show". The Cincinnati Enquirer. p. D 4. Retrieved June 21, 2025 via Newspapers.com.
  4. "Shamika Chronicles". Youtube.com. Retrieved 2010-01-01.