Thompson was born on October 3, 1983, in Los Angeles, California,[1] and raised between Los Angeles and Brooklyn, New York.[2] Her father, singer-songwriter Marc Anthony Thompson, is Afro-Panamanian[3] and the founder of the musical collective Chocolate Genius, Inc.[2] Her mother is reported as "half-Mexican, half-white".[4] Her younger paternal half-sister, Zsela, is a singer and songwriter.[5]
In 2002, Thompson made her professional stage debut as one of three actors portraying the role of Ariel in LAWSC's production of The Tempest. In 2003, she appeared as Juliet in Romeo and Juliet: Antebellum New Orleans, 1836 with The Theatre @ Boston Court in Pasadena, California, which earned her an NAACP Theatre Award nomination.[6] Thompson made her first television appearance in a 2005 episode of the CBS crime drama series Cold Case in the role of a lesbianbootlegger from the 1930s. In the same year, she rose to fame as she landed the role of Jackie Cook on the UPN/CWneo-noir drama series Veronica Mars, starring as a series regular in season two.[4][6] In 2006, she appeared on the ABC medical drama series Grey's Anatomy.[7]
Thompson's first feature film appearance was in the 2006 remake of the horror film When a Stranger Calls playing the role of Scarlett. In 2007, she was a part of the cast on the CW's short-lived drama Hidden Palms, portraying Nikki Barnes.[8] She was next seen opposite Mary Elizabeth Winstead in the dance film Make it Happen in 2008. She worked on guest star roles on the television series Life and Private Practice, and appeared in season four of Heroes.[9]
In 2010, Thompson appeared in Tyler Perry's stage play adaptation For Colored Girls, after she directly approached Perry to be cast in the film.[6] Also in 2010, she had a guest role as the wife of a detective on the drama series Detroit 187. In 2012, Thompson had a guest role as Gavin Doran's daughter, Sasha, on the horror series 666 Park Avenue. In 2013, she starred in BBC America's first original series Copper.[6][10]
In 2014, she starred as Samantha White in Justin Simien's Sundance-winning comedy Dear White People. She earned praise for her leading role with Eric Kohn of IndieWire describing her as "ceaseless energetic".[11] It was a breakout role for Thompson with her winning the Gotham Independent Film Award for Breakthrough Performer.[12] That same year, Thompson played civil rights activist Diane Nash in Ava DuVernay's Martin Luther King Jr. biopic Selma.[13] The following year, she co-starred as the romantic lead opposite Michael B. Jordan in Ryan Coogler's Rocky sports drama sequel film Creed (2015).[4] Thompson portrayed Bianca Taylor a gifted singer suffering from hearing loss who falls for the boxer played by Jordan. Chris Klimek of NPR praised Thompson and her chemistry with Jordan describing her as being "great" and their relationship as being a "nicely slow-moving courtship".[14] Stephanie Zacharek of Time concurred writing, "[Jordan]'s scenes with Thompson have a lovely, bantering lyricism".[15] That same year she acted in Nate Ruess' short film The Grand Romantic.[16] Peter Debruge also praised Thompson describing her as a "charismatic up-and-comer from such hyper-energetic films" and that the film "offered her a "chance to explore a quieter, more nuanced style of performance".[17]
In June 2017, Thompson was cast as the romantic interest and artist opposite Lakeith Stanfield in the Boots Riley directed absurdist science fiction comedy Sorry to Bother You,[26] which was released on July 6, 2018.[27] She played a physicist in the Alex Garland directed science fiction horror film Annihilation, which was released on February 23, 2018. Thompson acted alongside Natalie Portman, Gina Rodriguez and Oscar Isaac.[28] That same year, she also starred opposite Lily James in the crime drama Little Woods (2018), marking this Thompson's first collaboration with director Nia DaCosta. Thompson also served as the film's executive producer. The film premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival to positive reviews with John Defore highlighting her specifically writing that the film made for "a fine, tense vehicle for Tessa Thompson, who in the last few years has stood out in a variety of genres".[29]
Thompson co-produced and voiced the lead role in the mystery sci-fi podcast series The Left Right Game, which was released in 2020. The audio drama series featured Thompson as a journalist who follows a story about a group of paranormal adventurers. Amazon Studios secured the screen rights to the series, with Thompson executive producing.[40] That same year, she starred as the title character in the Amazon Prime Video romantic drama film Sylvie's Love (2020), which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival. Benjamin Lee of The Guardian praised Thompson writing, "[She] is on fine form here, managing to replicate the charm and style of a 50s matinee lead without her performance ever feeling like an overstudied bit. She radiates on screen, effortlessly switching from funny to vulnerable to feisty when required, the work of an actor in complete command of herself and her surroundings".[41] For her performance she was nominated for the Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Actress in a Movie/Miniseries.[42] She also served as the film's executive producer earning a nomination for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Television Movie.[43]
In October 2021, Thompson wrapped production on drama film The Listener, directed by Steve Buscemi. Thompson has the only on-screen role in the film and served as one of the film's producers.[47] In the film, Thompson portrayed a woman who takes calls for listeners to talk to. Leslie Felperin of The Hollywood Reporter wrote, "this spare, low-tech work mostly focuses on Thompson’s expressive face as she listens to calls for help from 10 very different people in distress".[48] She reprised her role as Valkyrie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe superhero films Thor: Love and Thunder (2022) and The Marvels (2023). Thompson also reprised her role as Bianca Taylor in the sport drama sequel Creed III (2023). Thompson made her directorial debut with the music video for "Raat Ki Rani", the lead single of Arooj Aftab's 2024 album Night Reign.[49]
She reunited with director Nia DaCosta in another Amazon Prime Video project this time playing the title role the drama film Hedda an adaptation of the Henrik Ibsen play Hedda Gabler.[50] She also served as a producer on the film. The film premiered at the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival to positive reviews with a theatrical release in October 2025.[51][52] Kate Erbland praised Thompson describing her as "magnetic" and "riveting in every moment".[53] Jourdain Searles of The Hollywood Reporter praised the collaboration of DaCosta and Thompson writing, "Hedda is a delightful, sexy ride made that reminds us that Thompson is a star and DaCosta has many more tricks up her sleeve. It’s good to hear her unique narrative voice again."[54] It was announced that Thompson would received the Gotham Film Award's 2025 Spirit Tribute Award and that she was also nominated for the Gotham Award for Outstanding Lead Performance.[55][56]
Personal life
Thompson told Net-A-Porter in June 2018, that she was "attracted to men and also to women," adding that she wanted "everyone else to have that freedom and support that I have from my loved ones." She also stated that she and Janelle Monáe loved each other "deeply" and were so close that they "vibrate on the same frequency," but clarified that "if people want to speculate about what we are, that’s okay. It doesn’t bother me."[57] She further noted that her family supports her sexuality, saying that "if I bring a woman home, [or] a man, we don’t even have to have the discussion."[58] In November 2018, she later told The Independent that she was only speaking candidly, and didn't think use binary words to describe her identity, like the word bisexual, but added that she was "lucky to have a family where you can be whatever you want to be" while other people don't have that support system and can't love other people "in the way they wanna love [and] be who they wanna be."[59]
↑ Lowry, Brian (May 25, 2007). "Hidden Palms". Variety. Los Angeles, California. Archived from the original on March 28, 2019. Retrieved March 27, 2019.
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