Sujata Day | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | Sujata Choudhury June 27, 1984 [1] |
| Other names | Sujata Ray |
| Occupation(s) | Actress, model, screenwriter |
Sujata Choudhury (born June 27, 1984), [1] credited professionally as Sujata Day, is an American actress, model [2] and screenwriter. She is best known for her roles as CeeCee in the Issa Rae web series, The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl (2011-2013) and Sarah in Insecure . Day made her directorial debut with the 2020 comedy-drama, Definition Please. [3]
 | This section of a biography of a living person does not include any references or sources .(June 2019) |
The daughter of an India-born mechanical engineer and a housewife, Sujata became involved in the performing arts at a very young age. She began with dance (ballet, jazz, modern, hip hop, and East Indian folk and classical dance) and then became equally interested in acting, singing and musical theater. She continued to study and perform in school and community productions before heading west to pursue a professional acting career in Hollywood.[ citation needed ]
Sujata has appeared in a wide variety of television shows such as The Secret Life of the American Teenager , Campus Ladies , Buffy the Vampire Slayer , 7th Heaven , Greek , and The Loop . [4] In 2007, she played a supporting role in the Warner Bros.-produced Sublime . She can be seen alongside Danny Glover and Snoop Doggy Dogg in the independent film Down for Life which premiered to rave reviews at the 2009 Toronto International Film Festival.[ citation needed ]
In 2009 she appeared in the horror/comedy film The Last Lovecraft: Relic of Cthulhu , [5] which screened at the 2010 Slamdance Film Festival. [6] [7]
She starred as CeCe in the Issa Rae-created web comedy series The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl . [8] [9] She continued her work with Rae on the HBO series, Insecure . [10]
In 2017, Day wrote, produced, directed and starred in a film called Cowboy and Indian, to be developed into a television series. [11]
On May 30, 2019, it was announced that Day will direct a film called Definition Please , for which she also wrote the script. It stars Ritesh Rajan and Jake Choi and was shot on location in Greensburg, Pennsylvania in the summer of 2019. [11]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | Weapon of Mass Destruction | The Virgin | |
| 2006 | Alien Secrets | Leena Gupita | Video |
| 2007 | Sublime | Quechan Indian Girl | Video |
| 2008 | Extremely Hermosa | Jugadamba | Short |
| 2009 | Struggle | Park Girl | Short |
| Down for Life | Melissa | ||
| The Last Lovecraft: Relic of Cthulhu | Stacy Rahman | ||
| 2011 | Big Breakin' | Vanessa | Short |
| 2012 | Nesting | Sasha | |
| Directing Reality | TV Reporter | Short | |
| 2013 | Wallflower | Herself | Short |
| 2014 | Facebook Fatigue | Single Girl | Short |
| Words with Girls | Ari | TV movie | |
| 2015 | Hello Again | Sophie | Short |
| 2016 | 9 Rides | Sleepy Woman | |
| Tiny House | Priya | TV movie | |
| 2017 | 20 Weeks | Ruby | |
| Parts | Herself | Short | |
| A Little Bit Pregnant | Amina | Short | |
| Since We've Been Apart | Brielle | Short | |
| Cowboy and Indian | Indian | Short | |
| 2018 | Wrong Side of 25 | Katie | Short |
| Killing Diaz | Claire | ||
| Lemonade | Liz | Short | |
| Ganja Mama | Sunita | Short | |
| The Homestay | Nina | Short | |
| Revenge Tour | Jamila | TV Short | |
| Bender | Reveler | Video Short | |
| Leadwell | Liz | Short | |
| Bull Mountain Lookout | Erin | Short | |
| 2019 | Blowing Up Right Now | Mandy | |
| Ring Ring | Marion | ||
| Signal | Amy | Short | |
| Bill, the Alien | Mya | Short | |
| 2020 | The Bellman | Stacey | |
| aTypical Wednesday | Heather | ||
| Death of a Telemarketer | Shelly | ||
| Definition Please | Monica Chowdry | ||
| 2021 | For the Hits | Layla |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | Russians in the City of Angels | Tiffany | Episode: "Papa" |
| Buffy the Vampire Slayer | Shy Girl | Episode: "Storyteller" | |
| 2004 | The Tonight Show with Jay Leno | East Indian Girl | Episode: "Episode # 12.69" |
| 2006 | 7th Heaven | Student #1 | Episode: "Got MLK" |
| The Underground | Dancer | - | |
| 2007 | Campus Ladies | Hot Girl | Episode: "Foreign Policy" |
| The Loop | Veronica | Episode: "Lady Business" | |
| Greek | College Student #2 | Episode: "Depth Perception" | |
| 2009 | The Secret Life of the American Teenager | Student #1 | Episode: "Ciao" |
| 2010 | Desperate Housewives | Dancer | Episode: "You Gotta Get a Gimmick" |
| Raveena and the Vampire | Raveena | Main cast | |
| 2011–13 | Awkward Black Girl | CeCe | Main cast |
| 2012–13 | The Guild | Sula Morrison | Main cast: season 6 |
| 2013 | Sistah Did What? | Agent | Episode: "The Best View Is the Rear View" |
| The Slutty Years | Cats Girl | Episode: "Party" | |
| Arrested Development | Flight Attendant #2 | Episode: "A New Start" | |
| True Friendship Society | Bestie | Episode: "Pilot Part 1 & 2" | |
| Little Horribles | Sad Sack | Episode: "Spinning" | |
| 2014 | Naked Problems | Jessie | Main cast |
| Don't Talk in the Kitchen Presents | Sujata | Episode: "Justin Bieber: Never Say N@Gger" | |
| 2014–16 | Larry & Lucy | Lucy | Main cast |
| 2015 | Big Breakin' | Vanessa | Main cast |
| The Grinder | Dawn | Episode: "A Hero Has Fallen" | |
| Namaste, Bitches | Trina | Episode: "High Low Flow" | |
| Unfollowers | Sujata | Main cast | |
| Get Your Life | Lady in Blackish | Episode: "Girl Get Your Blackish" | |
| 2016 | Smoky Knights | Erika | Episode: "Everyone Gets Seth Laid" |
| Brian Remus: Science Genius | Lindsey | Episode: "Mister Butters" | |
| 2016–21 | Insecure | Sarah | Recurring cast: season 1-3, guest: season 5 |
| 2017 | Life in Pieces | Hostess | Episode: "#TBT: Y2K Sophia Honeymoon Critter" |
| Brooklyn Nine-Nine | Sarah | Episode: "Serve & Protect" | |
| 2018 | Dell: Tales of Transformation | - | Episode: "Rio Grande Steams Into the Future" |
| Solve | Julia | Episode: "Deal With the Devil" | |
| 2019 | I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson | Laura | Episode: "It's the Cigars You Smoke That Are Going to Give You Cancer" |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | NBA 2K20 | Stacy Gibralto | MyCAREER Story |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | An American Idol Christmas | Script coordinator | Television film |
| 2010 | Raveena and the Vampire | Writer, producer | 2 episodes |
| 2011 | Wallflower | Writer, director, producer | Short film |
| 2014–15 | Larry & Lucy | Writer, executive producer | 3 episodes |
| 2015 | Big Breaking' | Executive producer | 5 episodes |
| Unfollowers | Producer |
Lovecraftian horror, also called cosmic horror or eldritch horror, is a subgenre of horror fiction and weird fiction that emphasizes the horror of the unknowable and incomprehensible more than gore or other elements of shock. It is named after American author H. P. Lovecraft (1890–1937). His work emphasizes themes of cosmic dread, forbidden and dangerous knowledge, madness, non-human influences on humanity, religion and superstition, fate and inevitability, and the risks associated with scientific discoveries, which are now associated with Lovecraftian horror as a subgenre. The cosmic themes of Lovecraftian horror can also be found in other media, notably horror films, horror games, and comics.
The Haunted Palace is a 1963 horror film released by American International Pictures, starring Vincent Price, Lon Chaney Jr. and Debra Paget, in a story about a village held in the grip of a dead necromancer. The film was directed by Roger Corman and is one of his series of eight films largely based on the works of American author Edgar Allan Poe.
Melina Matsoukas is an American music video, film, commercial and television director. She is a two-time Grammy Award winner and four-time MTV Video Music Awards winner for her "We Found Love" and "Formation" music videos. She was honored with the Franklin J. Schaffner Alumni Medal by the American Film Institute in 2019. Her directorial debut in film was Queen & Slim, starring Jodie Turner-Smith and Daniel Kaluuya, and written by Lena Waithe. She then worked as executive producer and director for television series Insecure, being nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Comedy Series in 2020.
The Last Lovecraft: Relic of Cthulhu is a 2009 horror comedy film directed by Henry Saine about the last living relative of noted short-story writer H. P. Lovecraft. The film premiered at the Slamdance Film Festival and was acquired by MPI Media. It had its international theatrical release in August 2010 at Toronto's fifth annual After Dark Film Festival through MPI's Dark Sky Films label. It was later released on DVD and VOD in October 2010.
Black women filmmakers have made contributions throughout the history of film. According to Nsenga Burton, writer for The Root, "the film industry remains overwhelmingly white and male. In 2020, 74.6 percent of movie directors of theatrical films were white, showing a small decrease from the previous year. In terms of representation, 25.4 percent of film directors were of ethnic minority in 2020. Of the 25.4 percent of minority filmmakers, a small percentage was female.
The Mis-Adventures of Awkward Black Girl is an American comedy web series created by and starring Issa Rae. It premiered on a dedicated YouTube channel on February 3, 2011. The show follows the life of J as she interacts with co-workers and love interests who place her in uncomfortable situations. The story is told through first-person narrative as J usually reveals how she feels about her circumstances through voice-over or dream sequence.
I Am Other is a multimedia creative collective and record label created by Pharrell Williams that serves as an umbrella for all of his endeavors, including Billionaire Boys Club, ICECREAM apparel and textile company Bionic Yarn. There is also a dedicated YouTube channel launched by the artist, record producer, and fashion designer in 2012. The channel was launched as part of YouTube's $100 million original channel initiative. The programming on the I Am Other channel focuses on music, culture, fashion and the arts. Williams describes the channel as a "cultural movement dedicated to Thinkers, Innovators and Outcasts." The channel launched with original series such as Awkward Black Girl by Issa Rae, StereoTypes.
Jo-Issa Rae Diop, credited professionally as Issa Rae, is an American actress, writer, and producer. Founder of Hoorae Media, she achieved wider recognition as the co-creator, co-writer, and star of the HBO television series Insecure (2016–2021), for which she was nominated for multiple Golden Globes Awards and Primetime Emmy Awards.
Insecure is an American comedy-drama television series created by Issa Rae and Larry Wilmore, and is partially based on Rae's acclaimed web series Awkward Black Girl. The series is about the awkward experiences of a contemporary African-American woman. The series premiered online on September 23, 2016, via HBO Now and HBO Go, before airing weekly on HBO from October 9, 2016.
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.
Little is a 2019 American fantasy comedy film directed and co-written by Tina Gordon. It stars Regina Hall, Issa Rae and Marsai Martin, and follows an overbearing boss who is transformed into the teenage version of herself. Martin serves as an executive producer for the film, and at 14 years old, is the youngest person to ever hold that title on a Hollywood production.
Tapeworm is a 2019 dark comedy directed by Milos Mitrovic and Fabian Velasco. It had its world premiere in the Future//Present section of the Vancouver International Film Festival.
Definition Please is a 2020 American comedy-drama film written, produced and directed by Sujata Day, who is also the star. It is Day's feature directorial debut.
Amanda Jones is an American composer and musician who has composed scores for films, commercials, and television series. She is a member of the indie rock band The Anti-Job and has earned the distinction of becoming the first African American woman nominated in a score category at the Emmys for her work on the Apple TV+ series Home.
Rap Sh!t is an American comedy television series created by Issa Rae for HBO Max. The show is produced by Hoorae Productions and 3 Arts Entertainment and centers on two Miami-based rappers who try to find success in the music industry. The series debuted at the American Black Film Festival on June 18, 2022, and was released on July 21, 2022. It was renewed for a second season in September 2022, which premiered on November 9, 2023. The season was originally set to debut on August 10, 2023, but was delayed due to the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike. In January 2024, the series was canceled after two seasons.
Hoorae Media, also known as Hoorae, is an American independent media production company formed in September 2020 by Issa Rae. Formerly known as Issa Rae Productions, Hoorae launched as an umbrella banner to consolidate her various film, television, and digital content companies. Insecure, A Black Lady Sketch Show, and Rap Sh!t, were produced by Hoorae with HBO. Upcoming productions include the television adaptation of the novel The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett, and the film Sinkhole, produced with Monkeypaw Productions and Universal Pictures.
The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl is a 2015 memoir written by Issa Rae. In the book, Rae chronicles her life through a series of humorous autobiographical essays and stories. The book's title is taken from Rae's popular web series of the same name, often simply referred to as Awkward Black Girl (2013–2015). Upon release, the book became a New York Times best-seller.
Amy Aniobi is a Nigerian-American writer and producer. She was the head writer and co-executive producer of Insecure and was also an executive producer for the HBO special 2 Dope Queens. Aniobi signed a two-year overall deal with HBO in 2019.
Sucker for Love: First Date is a parodic dating sim and horror-themed visual novel developed by indie developer Joseph "Akabaka" Hunter, and published by DreadXP. It was released on January 20, 2022, for Windows and December 19, 2022, for Nintendo Switch. The game revolves around a young man who obtains a pink version of the Necronomicon, and begins performing rituals to summon moe anthropomorphic beings from the Cthulhu Mythos, such as Ln'eta, a female version of Cthulhu, sacrificing his body parts and ultimately threatening the world with annihilation. The game received generally favorable reviews from critics, who praised its writing, voice acting and artwork, but criticized its short length, glitches, and low emphasis on romance for a dating sim. A sequel further exploring the Cthulhu Mythos, Sucker for Love: Date to Die For, was announced later in 2022.