LaTanya Richardson


LaTanya Richardson, often listed as LaTanya Richardson Jackson, is an American actress and producer. She began her career appearing in off-Broadway, before playing supporting roles on television and film.
Richardson has appeared in films include Fried Green Tomatoes, Malcolm X, Sleepless in Seattle, When a Man Loves a Woman, Losing Isaiah, Lone Star, U.S. Marshals, and The Fighting Temptations. Her television credits include Show Me a Hero, Luke Cage, and series regular role on the BET crime drama Rebel.

Personal life

She was born in Atlanta, Georgia. While a student at Atlanta's Spelman College in 1974, she met actor Samuel L. Jackson, then at all-male Morehouse College, who would later become her husband. She and Jackson married in 1980. They have one child, freelance film and TV producer Zoe Jackson, born in 1982. After her daughter's birth, Richardson stopped working regularly, because, she said: "We'd vowed to be an intact revolutionary black family. But it was very, very hard."

Career

To date, Richardson's biggest role in a motion picture was in the 2003 musical The Fighting Temptations in which she appears as the main antagonist, the hypercritical Paulina Pritchett.
In 2014, Richardson was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Lead Actress in a Play for her 2013 performance in A Raisin in the Sun as Lena Younger, a role she took over at the last minute when Diahann Carroll dropped out due to health concerns. This was her second appearance on Broadway after her debut in the 2009 revival of Joe Turner's Come and Gone.

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
1991Hangin' with the HomeboysCaseworker
1991'Judge Smith
1991Fried Green TomatoesJaneen
1992JuiceSteel's Mother
1992Malcolm XLorraine
1992Lorenzo's OilNurse Ruth
1993Sleepless in SeattleHarriet
1994'ElaineShort film
1994When a Man Loves a WomanDr. Gina Mendez
1995Losing IsaiahCaroline Jones
1996Lone StarPriscilla Worth
1997LovedAttorney Rose Jackson
1997Julian PoDarlene
1998U.S. MarshalsDeputy Marshal Savannah Cooper
1998SecretsShort film
2003Paulina Pritchett
2006FreedomlandMarie
2007All About UsCousin Bernice
2007BlackoutMrs. Thompson
2009Mother and ChildCarol
2019JuanitaKay-Rita

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
1989'Doris GilbertEpisode: "Life After Death"
1991Law & OrderLorraineEpisode: "Life Choice"
1992Law & OrderAnne HoustonEpisode: "Sisters of Mercy"
1992'EmilyTV film
1992Frannie's TurnVivianEpisodes: "Pilot", "Frannie and the Kitchen Sink"
1992One Life to LiveRodiTV series
1993Civil WarsEpisode: "Hit the Road, Jack"
1993Shameful SecretsLouise LevyTV film
1993CheersModeratorEpisode: "Woody Gets an Election"
1994Midnight Run for Your LifeDet. DixonTV film
1994Party of FiveJane GideonEpisode: "Private Lives"
1994Earth 2Alex WentworthEpisode: "A Memory Play"
1995Chicago HopeMrs. ParnettEpisode: "Cutting Edges"
1995NYPD BlueSister CeciliaEpisode: "Heavin' Can Wait"
1996'EdnaTV film
1997'Lynette ThompsonEpisode: "Betrayal"
1998Any Day NowMrs. WalkerEpisode: "Call Him Johnny"
1998-1999Ally McBealAttorney Yvette RoseEpisodes: "Story of Love", "Let's Dance"
1999Introducing Dorothy DandridgeAuntieTV film
1999Judging AmyLena RailsbackEpisode: "Pilot"
1999Once and AgainCounselorEpisode: "Boy Meets Girl"
2000HairstoryTV film
2001Within These WallsMelinda DonovanTV film
2001-2002100 Centre StreetAtallah SimsRecurring role
2003Boston PublicSheilaEpisode: "Chapter 62"
2011Harry's LawNoreenEpisode: "In the Ghetto"
2012DamagesJudge Jaclynn EllisEpisode: "You Want to End This Once and for All?"
2013Grandma SandsTV film
2014Blue BloodsLt. Dee Ann CarverRecurring role, Season 5
2015Show Me a HeroNorma O'NealTV miniseries
2016 - 2018Luke CageMaybelline "Mama Mabel" StokesEpisode: "Manifest"; Netflix series
2017Grey's AnatomyDiane PierceGuest star