Beauvais was born in Saint-Marc, Haiti [1] to Marie-Claire Beauvais, a nurse, and Axel Jean Pierre, a lawyer. Her parents divorced when she was 3 years old,[2] and when she was 7 she moved with her mother and six older siblings to the United States and they settled and in Peabody, Massachusetts, where she enrolled in elementary school. Upon her arrival to the United States, Beauvais originally only spoke French and Creole, but learned English from watching Sesame Street on television.[3]
Career
Modeling
Beauvais moved to Miami at 16 to pursue a career in modeling. After driving down from Massachusetts, Beauvais hoped to interview for a modeling agency without an appointment. She was approached at a red light while putting on lipstick by the very owner of the agency she sought to see.[3] After modeling with this agency for about a year, Beauvais, at 17,[4] went to New York City to pursue a career as a fashion model, after signing with the Ford agency living with Eileen Ford and later modeled with Irene Marie Models. She modeled print ads for Avon, Mary Kay, and Clairol and in catalogs for Lerner New York Clothing Line, Neiman Marcus, and Nordstrom and walked the runway for Calvin Klein and Isaac Mizrahi and also shot TV commercials for Burdines.[5]
In 2022, Beauvais signed a first-look development deal with NBCUniversal Television and Streaming, via her production company Garcelle Beauvais Productions.[26] That same year, she was cast in the Hulu mystery thriller series The Other Black Girl, a television adaptation of the 2021 novel by Zakiya Dalila Harris.[27] In addition, she starred in TV movies Caught in His Web and Black Girl Missing on Lifetime. In April 2024, Deadline announced that Beauvais will be executive producing three original films for Lifetime channel, saying: "I am so excited and grateful to continue my relationship with Lifetime because they immediately understood the importance of creating this new franchise with the Black Girl Missing movies. Having a network that stands by you and supports your mission gives me hope in humanity."[28]
In 2008, Beauvais launched a children's jewelry line called Petit Bijou.[11] In 2013, she published a children's book titled I Am Mixed, which tells the story of twins exploring "the thoughts and emotions of being of mixed ethnicities."[31] She hosts the weekly late-night talk show podcast Going to Bed with Garcelle, in which she discusses dating, sex, and relationships with guests.[32]
Her memoir, Love Me As I Am: My Journey from Haiti to Hollywood to Happiness, co-written with Nicole E. Smith, was published by Amistad on April 12, 2022.[33][34][35]
Interior design
On July 13, 2022, Beauvais launched a home collection, "Garcelle at Home" on HSN.[36] The collection, inspired by her Haitian heritage, includes comforter sets, lamps, pillows, doormats and other accessories.[37]
Personal life
She was married to producer Daniel Saunders; their marriage ended in divorce. They have a son, Oliver Saunders, born in 1991.[38][39] Beauvais married Mike Nilon, a talent agent with Creative Artists Agency, in May 2001. Their twin sons, Jax Joseph and Jaid Thomas Nilon, were born on October 18, 2007. They had dealt with treatment over five years for infertility.[39][40][41] In April 2010, Beauvais publicly accused Nilon of infidelity after he admitted he had been having an affair for five years.[42][43] Beauvais filed for divorce on May 10, 2010, seeking joint custody of their sons.[44]
Outstanding TV Movie/Limited Series (shared with Chet Fenster, Jason Egenberg, Robin Conly, Richard Foster, Gordon Gilbertson, Timothy O. Johnson, Kale Futterman, Stacy Mandelberg)
^ abBeauvais, Garcelle (June 19, 2012). "Garcelle Beauvais's Blog: Meet Me and My Boys!". People. Archived from the original on September 1, 2019. Retrieved September 1, 2019. I had my first son, Oliver, when I was very young. I was modeling in New York when I met his dad. We immediately fell in love and got married after only two months. ... Two years later, Oliver appeared on the scene. ...Oliver is now 21 years old [as of June 2012] and an up-and-coming rapper. (His stage name is Jayson Rose.) ... [O]n Oct. 18, 2007, I had a c-section and got to meet my yummy boys, Jax and Jaid. ... [T]hey're fraternal twins...)
^"Garcelle Beauvais-Nilon Welcomes Twins". People. October 22, 2007. Archived from the original on January 9, 2011. Retrieved June 2, 2010. Her husband is an agent for Creative Artists Agency. The couple wed in a private ceremony in Los Angeles in May 2001.
