Nikki M. James

Nikki M. James
James at the 2011 Tony Awards
Born
Nikki Michelle James

(1981-06-03) June 3, 1981 (age 43)
Summit, New Jersey, USA
Occupation(s)Actress, singer
AwardsTony Award (Best Featured Actress in a Musical)—The Book of Mormon

Nikki Michelle James (born June 3, 1981)[1] is an American actress and singer. James has performed in the popular stage musicals The Book of Mormon, Les Misérables, and Suffs, earning a Tony Award for The Book of Mormon.[2]

Life and career

James was born to immigrant parents, a Vincentian father and a Haitian mother who settled in New Jersey in pursuit of the American dream.[3] James grew up in Livingston, New Jersey where she would graduate from Livingston High School.[4] As a child, she sang and acted in church and in school performances. She was nominated for a Rising Star Award at Paper Mill Playhouse for her performance as Dolly Levi in high school.[5] She later attended the Tisch School of the Arts at New York University.[6]

James made her Broadway debut in the ill-fated The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, and starred as Ottilie in the New York City Center Encores! production of House of Flowers.[7] She played Adela in the Off-Broadway run of Michael John LaChiusa's musical adaptation of Bernarda Alba and appeared in the Broadway cast of All Shook Up.[8]

James played Dorothy in the revival of The Wiz at La Jolla Playhouse and also starred in Romeo and Juliet and Caesar and Cleopatra at the Stratford Festival with Christopher Plummer. For her performance as Nabulungi in The Book of Mormon, she won the 2011 Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical.[9][10] During that run, she took a leave in June 2012 to film a screen version of Lucky Stiff.[11] From 2014 to January 2015, she played Éponine in the Broadway revival of Les Misérables.[12][13]

In July 2017, James starred in the New York City Center Encores! staged concert of The Bubbly Black Girl Sheds Her Chameleon Skin. In 2024 she began starring as journalist and civil rights activist Ida B. Wells in the musical Suffs.[14] James was nominated for a Tony Award for her performance.[15]

Filmography

Film
Year Title Role Notes
2005 Pizza April Snow
2009 Caesar and Cleopatra Cleopatra Same as the 2008 theatre play
2013 All Is Bright Betsy
2014 The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby Sia Appeared in Him, the first in a trio of films
2014 Lucky Stiff Annabel
2022 Spoiler Alert Nina
Television
Year Title Role Notes
2001 Third Watch Maizie 2 episodes: "He Said/She Said" and "Childhood Memories"
2003 Law & Order: Criminal Intent Tamara Bates Episode: "Stray"
2004 The Jury Myra Clarkson Episode: "Bangers"
2009 Law & Order: Criminal Intent Jackie Episode: "Salome in Manhattan"
2010 30 Rock Erica Episode: "Gentleman's Intermission"
2012 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit 911 Operator Episode: "Father Dearest"
2015 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Detective Gail Dunbar 2 episodes
2015 For Real Candace TV movie
2015–2016 The Good Wife Monica Timmons 6 episodes
2016 BrainDead Rochelle 12 episodes
2016 The Blacklist Rose Episode: "The Caretaker (No. 78)"
2017–2019 Welcome to the Wayne Julia Wiles (voice) Recurring role
2018 Bull Chloe Tomlin Episode: "Gag Order"
2018–2020 The Good Fight Monica Timmons 3 episodes
Director: "And the Firm Had Two Partners..." and "The End of STR Laurie"
2018 Instinct Ashley Episode: "Blast from the Past"
2018 Escape at Dannemora ER Doctor Episode: "Part 5"
2019 NCIS: New Orleans Lisa Butler Episode: "A House Divided"
2019 Proven Innocent Violet Bell Main role
2021 Modern Love Pam Episode: "How Do You Remember Me?"
2022 Severance Alexa 4 episodes
2025 Daredevil: Born Again Kirsten McDuffie Post-production

Theatre

Year Title Role Notes
2001 The Adventures of Tom Sawyer Sabina Temple Broadway (debut)
2003 House of Flowers Ottilie New York City Center Encores!
Summer Charity Royall New York reading
2005 All Shook Up Lorraine Broadway
2006 Bernarda Alba Adela Off-Broadway
The Wiz Dorothy Gale La Jolla Playhouse
2007 Walmartopia Maia Latrell Off-Broadway
2008 Romeo and Juliet Juliet Stratford Shakespeare Festival
Caesar and Cleopatra Cleopatra Same as the 2009 film release
2011-2014 The Book of Mormon Nabulungi Broadway
2013 Fetch Clay, Make Man Sonji Off-Broadway
2014-2015 Les Misérables Éponine Thénardier Broadway (revival)
2015 Preludes Natalya Off-Broadway
2016 Twelfth Night Viola Shakespeare in the Park
2017 Julius Caesar Portia
The Bubbly Black Girl Sheds Her Chameleon Skin Bubbly New York City Center Encores!
2018 Twelfth Night Viola Shakespeare in the Park
2019 A Bright Room Called Day Agnes The Public Theater
2022 Suffs Ida B. Wells
2024-2025 Broadway

Awards and nominations

Year Award ceremony Category Show Result
2011 Tony Award Best Featured Actress in a Musical The Book of Mormon Won
Drama Desk Award Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical Nominated
Outer Critics Circle Award Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical Nominated
2024 Tony Award Best Featured Actress in a Musical Suffs Nominated

References

  1. ^ "Nikki M. James". IMDb.
  2. ^ McPhee, Ryan (May 21, 2014). "Watch Les Miserables Star Nikki M. James Perform 'On My Own' & Chat with Wendy Williams". Broadway.com.
  3. ^ Reich, Ronni (22 March 2014). "NJ native Nikki James making history in Les Miserables". NJ.com. Retrieved 17 February 2019.
  4. ^ Reich, Ronni (June 12, 2011). "Tony Awards 2011: Nikki M. James follows dream from church to Broadway". NJ.com. Retrieved November 25, 2021.
  5. ^ "Westfield H.S. wins 8 Rising Star Awards from Paper Mill Playhouse". Suburban News. June 9, 2012. Retrieved 2012-07-03. Among the former nominees and winners are Academy Award nominee Anne Hathaway, Tony award winner Laura Benanti, and 2011 Tony Award winner, Nikki M. James.
  6. ^ Daniels, Karu F. (September 19, 2014). "10 Things You May Not Know About Me: Nikki M. James of 'Les Miserables'". NewYork.com. Archived from the original on December 24, 2015.
  7. ^ Brantley, Ben (February 15, 2003). "THEATER REVIEW; Those Sunny Brothels Where Sin Has No Sting". The New York Times. Retrieved November 25, 2021.
  8. ^ "Nikki M. James". Internet Broadway Database.
  9. ^ "2008 Nominations". TonyAwards.com. Archived from the original on May 11, 2008. Retrieved May 5, 2010.
  10. ^ Gans, Andrew (February 25, 2011). "DIVA TALK: Chatting with Book of Mormon's Nikki M. James". Playbill.
  11. ^ "Jason Alexander, Nikki M. James & Jayne Houdyshell to Star in Film Adaptation of Lucky Stiff". Broadway.com. May 17, 2012.
  12. ^ Champion, Lindsay (October 22, 2013). "Prepare the Barricades! Ramin Karimloo, Will Swenson, Caissie Levy & Nikki M. James to Lead Les Miserables on Broadway". Broadway.com.
  13. ^ Lloyd Webber, Imogen (December 29, 2014). "Tony Winner Nikki M. James Sets Departure Date From Broadway's Les Miserables". Broadway.com.
  14. ^ "Cast & Creative".
  15. ^ "The Tony Award Nominations".