Tyra Ferrell

Last updated
Tyra Ferrell
Born (1962-03-29) March 29, 1962 (age 61)
Houston, Texas, U.S.
OccupationActress
Years active1980–present
Spouse
​
(m. 1992)​

Tyra Ferrell (born March 29, 1962) is an American actress. She is known for her roles in films Boyz n the Hood (1991), Jungle Fever (1991), White Men Can't Jump (1992), and Poetic Justice (1993).

Contents

On television, she had starring roles in short-lived series The Bronx Zoo (1987−88) and City (1990), and recurred on Thirtysomething (1989−90), ER (1994) and Empire (2015). Ferrell has been nominated for two NAACP Image Awards.

Life and career

Ferrell was born in Houston, Texas. [1] She moved from Houston to New York after high school and began her career on stage including roles on Lena Horne: The Lady and Her Music (1981), as part of the Cotton Club chorus, [2] and Ain't Misbehavin on Broadway. [3]

She made her screen debut in a small role in the 1981 comedy film So Fine , and later appeared in Lady Beware , [4] School Daze , [5] The Mighty Quinn , [6] and The Exorcist III . [7] On television, she guest-starred in Hill Street Blues , [5] The Twilight Zone , [8] and Quantum Leap . [9] Ferrell's first major role on television was Roberta in drama The Bronx Zoo (1987−88). [10] She had recurring roles on Square One Television and Thirtysomething . In 1990, Ferrell was a regular cast member on the short-lived CBS sitcom City starring Valerie Harper, portraying secretary Wanda Jenkins. [11]

In 1991, Ferrell played supporting roles in two films. [1] She appeared as matriarch Brenda Baker [12] in Boyz n the Hood . [13] A critic believed Ferrell gave a "fine edge" to the character of Mrs. Baker. [14] Ferrell earned an NAACP Image Award nomination for Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture for her role in Boyz n the Hood. [15] She portrayed Orin Goode, the love interest of John Torturro's character, in Jungle Fever . [16] In the same year, she was listed as one of twelve "Promising New Actors of 1991" in John A. Willis' Screen World. [17] The following year, she starred alongside Wesley Snipes as his wife Rhonda in the comedy film White Men Can't Jump . [18] She later had supporting roles as Sonya, a janitor, in Equinox (1992) [19] and a beauty salon owner named Jessie [20] in Poetic Justice (1993). [21]

Ferrell also played the leading role of prosecutor Cutter Dubuque alongside Mare Winningham in the 1993 Lifetime Television movie Better Off Dead. [22] Ferrell received positive reviews for her performance in this film. One reviewer claimed she "breathed life" into her character. [23] Another critic found Ferrell's portrayal "smooth," [24] and a third opined Ferrell was "impressive." [25] In 1994, she had the recurring role as Dr. Sarah Langworthy during the first season of the NBC medical drama ER , [26] , and from 1996 to 1997 she co-starred alongside Corbin Bernsen on the syndicated science fiction series The Cape as Tamara St. James. [27]

In 2000, Ferrell co-starred alongside Khandi Alexander in the HBO miniseries The Corner . [28] She later guest-starred on Soul Food , The Shield and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit . In 2005, she was nominated for her second NAACP Image Award, in the category of Outstanding Actress in a Television Movie, Miniseries or Dramatic Special for her role in the ABC television film NTSB: The Crash of Flight 323. [29] After 2004, Ferrell took a break from acting.

She returned to acting ten years later with the leading role in Tasha Smith's directorial debut, Boxed In. [30] In 2015, Ferrell was cast in a recurring role on the second season of Fox's prime-time soap opera Empire as Roxanne Ford, an attorney. [31] [32]

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
1981 So Fine Receptionist
1984 Gimme an 'F' Rocket Rafferty
1987 Lady Beware Nan
Nuts Cell Woman #2
1988 Tapeheads Flygirl
School Daze Tasha
Side by SideRita GoldTV movie
1989 The Mighty Quinn Isola
The Neon Empire SamanthaTV movie
1990 The Exorcist III Nurse Blaine
1991 Jungle Fever Orin Goode
Boyz n the Hood Brenda Baker
1992 White Men Can't Jump Rhonda Deane
Equinox Sonya Kirk
Ulterior MotivesReceptionist
You Must Remember ThisRicki SewellTV movie
1993Better Off DeadCutter DubuqueTV movie
Poetic Justice Jessie
2004 The Perfect Score Mrs. Rhodes
NTSB: The Crash of Flight 323JessamynTV movie
CoochieOlivia PotterShort
2015Boxed inGayleShort
2019The Bobby DeBarge Story Etterlene DeBarge TV movie
2020A New York Christmas WeddingAlison Wilks

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
1985 Hill Street Blues Jonelle RobinsonEpisode: "Somewhere Over the Rambo"
Moonlighting HookerEpisode: "Knowing Her"
The Twilight Zone MaidEpisode: "Dead Woman's Shoes"
1986 ABC Afterschool Special TracyEpisode: "Are You My Mother?"
Hunter Marguerite MonteroEpisode: "Love, Hate, and Sporty James"
1987 Mathnet Ginnie CarlsonEpisode: "The Problem of the Missing Baseball"
Square One Television Ginnie CarlsonRecurring cast: season 1
1987-88 The Bronx Zoo Roberta HughesMain cast: season 1, recurring cast: season 2
1988 Mr. Belvedere Cashier #1Episode: "Hooky"
1989 Quantum Leap Delilah 'Lila' BerryEpisode: "So Help Me God - July 29, 1957"
1989-90 Thirtysomething Ricky BiancaRecurring cast: season 3
1990 Full House Miss PetrieEpisode: "Bye, Bye Birdie"
City Wanda JenkinsMain cast
The Trials of Rosie O'Neill Loni SandersEpisode: "An Act of Love"
1994 ER Dr. Sarah LangworthyRecurring cast: season 1
1996-97 The Cape Mission Specialist Tamara St. JamesMain cast
1997 Early Edition Dr. MarksEpisode: "Faith"
2000 The Corner Ella ThompsonMain cast
Soul Food Frances LesterEpisode: "Truth Be Told"
2002 The Shield Karen MitchellEpisode: "Two Days of Blood"
2003 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Bethany TaylorEpisode: "Futility"
2015 Empire Roxanne FordRecurring cast: season 2
2017 Tales CourierEpisode: "99 Problems"
2018 Chicago PD Mrs. BurtonEpisode: "Breaking Point"

Awards and nominations

YearAwardsCategoryRecipientOutcome
1992 NAACP Image Award NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture Boyz n the HoodNominated
2005NAACP Image Award NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Television Movie, Mini-Series or Dramatic Special NTSB: The Crash of Flight 323Nominated

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References

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  6. ↑ "Black Stars Shine In Murder Mystery 'The Mighty Quinn'". Jet . Johnson Publishing Company. February 20, 1989. p. 48.
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  14. ↑ Cherry, Nanciann (July 15, 1991). "'Boyz' fine, but it's not a fun film". Toledo Blade . p. P-1.
  15. ↑ "NAACP Image Award Nominees Announced". The Associated Press . October 16, 1991. Retrieved November 11, 2022.
  16. ↑ Sheffield, Skip (June 7, 1991). "Spike Lee gets brutally honest". The Boca Raton News . p. 6E.
  17. ↑ "Biography for Tyra Ferrell". IMDB.com.
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  19. ↑ Wilmington, Michael (October 6, 1993). "Actor hits his own 'Equinox' in film". Gainesville Sun . p. 3.
  20. ↑ Gaul, Lou (July 28, 1993). "Jackson trips in 'Poetic Justice'". Beaver County Times . p. 3.
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  22. ↑ "Mal de Mare". Lawrence Journal-World . January 9, 1993.
  23. ↑ "'Jack's Place' is back in business tonight at 10". The Item . January 12, 1993. p. 4B.
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  25. ↑ "On the move, Gloria Steinem makes movie". The Daily Reporter. January 15, 1993.
  26. ↑ "Highlights". The Spokesman-Review . October 20, 1994. p. D2.
  27. ↑ Brooks, Tim and Marsh, Earle, The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows
  28. ↑ "Obscure Black C-Listers: Tyra Ferrell - What Would Thembi Do?" . Retrieved 27 June 2015.
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  30. ↑ "Tasha Smith Makes Directorial Debut with 'Boxed In' at 2015 ABFF (WATCH)". EURweb. 23 June 2015. Retrieved June 27, 2015.
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  32. ↑ Stanhope, Kate (October 14, 2015). "'Empire's' Andre Royo on Thirsty's Loyalty, 'Godfather' Influences and 'Wire' Comparisons". The Hollywood Reporter . Retrieved November 10, 2022.
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