Taja V. Simpson | |
|---|---|
 Simpson in 2021 | |
| Born | July 8, 1981 (Age 43) Monroe, Louisiana, U.S |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 2004–present |
| Known for | Actress, Director, Writer, Keynote Speaker, Entrepreneur |
| Website | www |
Taja V. Simpson (born July 8, 1981) is an American actress, known for her role as Priscilla Owen in the BET prime time soap opera, The Oval .
Simpson was born in Monroe, but raised in Lake Charles, Louisiana. [1] She is of west African descent. She graduated from LaGrange High School and later received a degree in Mass Communications from McNeese State University. [2] After moving to Los Angeles, she began her career appearing in episodes of television shows including Greek , NCIS: Los Angeles and Grey's Anatomy . From 2012 to 2014, Simpson had a recurring role as Adele in the CBS daytime soap opera, The Bold and the Beautiful . [3] At that time, Simpson also appeared in a number of independent movies, and in 2017 starred in the horror-comedy film Boo 2! A Madea Halloween directed by Tyler Perry. [4] [2] In 2019, she played a leading role and produced the independent romantic comedy film My Online Valentine. [3]
In 2019, Simpson began starring in the BET prime time soap opera, The Oval created by Tyler Perry. [5] Her other television credits include NCIS , Tales , Lethal Weapon , and a recurring roles in the Urban Movie Channel soap opera A House Divided and The CW sports drama All American . [6]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | Their Eyes Were Watching God | Wife of New Family | TV movie |
| 2007 | Cordially Invited | Latina Beasley | |
| 2008 | How 2 Build a Rapper | Professional Stylist #1 | |
| Black Inside: The Remington Wallace Burnett Story | Yolanda | Short | |
| 2009 | Karma Bitch | Tyra | Short |
| 2013 | Love and Football | Victoria Miles | |
| Relentless | Reporter | Short | |
| White Crack Bastard | Gina | ||
| 2015 | Gladiator Recharge | News Reporter | TV movie |
| 2016 | Sharia | Rachel | |
| 2017 | The Preacher's Son | Shawna | |
| Intercept | Chloe | Short | |
| Baker's Man | Theresa Stevens | ||
| Boo 2! A Madea Halloween | Debrah Simmons | ||
| 2018 | Wally Got Wasted | Rachel Kane | |
| Sojourn | Keema | Short | |
| 2019 | My Online Valentine | Cozi | |
| London Mitchell's Christmas | Chantal Kennard | ||
| 2020 | All for Nikki | Carla Lakeman | |
| Lola | Lola | ||
| Kiss Me for Christmas | Jada | ||
| 2021 | Baby Money | Heidi | |
| Fourth Grade | Lisa | ||
| The Right Mom | Ellen Graham | ||
| 2023 | Lola 2 | Lola |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | All About the Andersons | Parent | Episode: "Get Out of Dodge... Ball" & "Face the Music" |
| 2007 | Cane | Assistant | Episode: "The Exile" |
| 2008 | Greek | Waitress | Episode: "Highway to the Discomfort Zone" & "Crush Landing" |
| The Ex List | Beach Girl | Episode: "Do You Love Me, Do You Surfer... Boy" | |
| 2009 | NCIS: Los Angeles | Female Receptionist | Episode: "Random on Purpose" |
| 2012 | Awake | Public Affairs Officier | Episode: "Guilty" |
| The Shop | Jacqueline | Recurring cast | |
| 2012–14 | The Bold and the Beautiful | Adele | Regular Cast |
| 2013 | Shadow Love | Dana | Recurring cast: season 2 |
| Grey's Anatomy | Samantha Calder | Episode: "I Bet It Stung" | |
| 2014 | Intelligence | Lobbyist | Episode: "The Rescue" |
| The Thundermans | Customer | Episode: "Phoebe's a Clone Now" | |
| Mystery Girls | Mrs. Warner | Episode: "Death Becomes Her" | |
| Real Husbands of Hollywood | Woman #1 | Episode: "Bad Sport" | |
| Benched | Reporter | Episode: "A New Development" | |
| 2015 | The Soul Man | Trina | Episode: "Wife of a Preacherman" |
| 2016 | K.C. Undercover | Agent | Episode: "Brainwashed" |
| What If a Woman | Angela | Episode: "Communication Is the Key" | |
| NCIS | Misha Rose | Episode: "Dead Letter" | |
| 2017 | Tales | Police Woman Weaver | Episode: "F*ck the Police" |
| 2018 | Lethal Weapon | Toya | Episode: "Ruthless" |
| 2019 | Raven's Home | Mrs. Mutesa | Episode: "Diss Track" |
| 2019–23 | The Oval | Priscilla Owens | Main cast |
| 2020 | All American | Tina Hicks | Episode: "The Art of Peer Pressure" & "Stakes Is High" |
| 2020–23 | A House Divided | Jupiter | Main cast: seasons 1-5 |
| 2021 | Insecure | Cheyenne | Episode: "Reunited, Okay?!" |
Tyler Perry is an American actor, filmmaker, and playwright. He is the creator and performer of Mabel "Madea" Simmons, a tough elderly woman, and also portrays her brother Joe Simmons and her nephew Brian Simmons. Perry's films vary in style from orthodox filmmaking techniques to filmed productions of live stage plays, many of which have been subsequently adapted into feature films. Madea's first appearance was in Perry's play I Can Do Bad All by Myself (1999) staged in Chicago.
Euphemia LatiQue"Tika" Sumpter is an American actress and producer. Sumpter began her career as the host of Best Friend's Date. From 2005 to 2010, she appeared in the daytime soap opera One Life to Live. In 2010, she made her film debut in Stomp the Yard: Homecoming and later featured in supporting roles for What's Your Number? (2011), Sparkle (2012), and A Madea Christmas (2013).
Mabel "Madea" Earlene Simmons is a character created and portrayed by Tyler Perry. She is portrayed as a tough, street-smart elderly African-American woman.
Aloma Wright is an American actress. Her television roles include Laverne Roberts on the NBC/ABC comedy series Scrubs (2001–2009), Maxine Landis on the NBC daytime drama series Days of Our Lives (2008–2015), Mildred Clemons on the ABC drama series Private Practice (2011–2013), Gretchen Bodinski on the USA Network drama series Suits (2015–2019), and Viola in Tyler Perry's Young Dylan.
Rochelle Aytes is an American actress and model. She is best known for her role as April Malloy on ABC drama series Mistresses (2013–16) and as the voice of Rochelle in the critically acclaimed video game Left 4 Dead 2 (2009). Aytes also starred in the auto-biography story film of TLC titled CrazySexyCool: The TLC Story as Perri "Pebbles" Reid, short-lived series Drive and The Forgotten (2009–10), as well as Criminal Minds and Work It. In film, Aytes has appeared in White Chicks, Madea's Family Reunion and Trick 'r Treat. Aytes also had a recurring role as Agent Greer, an ex-CIA officer, on the CBS television series Hawaii Five-0. Since 2019, Aytes has played Nichelle Carmichael in the CBS action series S.W.A.T..
Ion Overman is an American actress, known for her roles on television, such as Gabriella Garza in Port Charles (2000–2002), Candace Jewell in The L Word (2004–2005), Detective Sam Blair in Ghost Whisperer (2008–2010) and Detective Elena Ruiz in Wisdom of the Crowd (2017–2018).
Cassi Davis-Patton is an American actress best known for her role as Ella Payne on Tyler Perry's House of Payne and its spin-off series The Paynes. She is also known as Aunt Bam in the Madea franchise since 2010. She has starred in several other productions under the direction of Tyler Perry.
Demetria Dyan McKinney is an American actress, model, and singer. From 2006 to 2012, during its original run, she starred in the TBS sitcom Tyler Perry's House of Payne, and a BET revival of the show was announced in 2020. Her other series regular roles include TV One sitcom The Rickey Smiley Show, Bounce TV prime time soap opera Saints & Sinners and Syfy horror drama Superstition, as well as Motherland: Fort Salem on Freeform.
Boo! A Madea Halloween is a 2016 American comedy horror film directed, written, starring and co-produced by Tyler Perry. The idea for the film originated from a fictitious Madea Halloween movie that was mentioned in Chris Rock's 2014 film Top Five. It is the eighth film in the Madea series and the second to not be adapted from a stage play as it tells the story of Madea being enlisted by her nephew Brian to watch over his daughter Tiffany as she deals with different horrors and a frat party around the corner. The film stars Perry, Cassi Davis, Patrice Lovely, Yousef Erakat, Lexy Panterra, Andre Hall, Liza Koshy, Diamond White, Brock O'Hurn, and Bella Thorne.
Christian Keyes is an American actor and model. Born in Detroit, Michigan and raised in Flint, Michigan, Christian got his start in the entertainment industry by appearing in stage plays. He subsequently graduated to television and film. Since his introduction as an actor, he has added singer, author and producer to his resume. He describes his ethnicity as a combination of African American (father) and Native American/French (mother). Keyes has one son, named Christian Keyes, Jr.
Boo 2! A Madea Halloween is a 2017 American comedy horror film written, produced, directed by and starring Tyler Perry and also starring Cassi Davis, Patrice Lovely, Yousef Erakat, Diamond White, Lexy Panterra, Andre Hall, Brock O'Hurn, and Tito Ortiz. It is the tenth film in the Madea cinematic universe, the sequel to Boo! A Madea Halloween (2016), and the third Madea film not adapted from a stage play as it tells the story of Madea going to retrieve a now 18-year-old Tiffany from a lake that is said to be stalked by a serial killer. The film was released by Lionsgate on October 20, 2017, and grossed $48 million.
Ciera Payton is an American actress, writer and singer. She has appeared in television series such as The Walking Dead, General Hospital, Graceland, and NCIS. She also had a supporting role as Sylvia in Tyler Perry's A Madea Family Funeral. She currently stars in the BET soap opera The Oval.
Khaneshia Smith, known professionally as KJ Smith, is an American actress, known for her role as Andrea "Andi" Barnes in the comedy-drama, Sistas.
Kron Moore is an American actress and singer. She is known for her role as First Lady Victoria Franklin in the BET prime time soap opera The Oval and Bridget Chapel in Stargirl.
Melissa L. Williams is an American actress and model, known for playing Denise and Ruth Truesdale in the BET prime time soap opera The Oval and its spinoff Ruthless.
Ptosha Storey is an American actress and stage director, known for her role as Nancy Hallsen in the BET prime time soap opera, The Oval.
Joel Rush is an American actor and model, best known for his role as Edward "Eddie" Willis in the Oprah Winfrey Network prime time soap opera, If Loving You Is Wrong.
Crystal Renee Hayslett is an American actress and costume designer. She is known for her role as Fatima Wilson in the BET comedy-drama series, Sistas and its spin-off, Zatima.
Kaye Singleton is an American actress and writer. She is known for her roles in the Bounce TV prime time soap opera, Saints & Sinners (2016—22), and BET prime time soap opera, The Oval (2021—present). In 2021, Singleton created and produced the Allblk anthology series, Covenant.
Jen Harper is an American actress, known for her roles in television series In the Heat of the Night and Greenleaf.