Shari Headley (born July 15, 1964)[1] is an American actress. She is best known for her role as Lisa McDowell in the 1988 box-office hit romantic comedy film Coming to America and its sequel Coming 2 America (2021). Headley also has appeared in films The Preacher's Wife (1996) and Johnson Family Vacation (2004).
Born in Queens, New York City, Headley is the youngest of four children.[2] She is of part Trinidadian descent.[3] Headley's father worked as a dental technician, and had wanted his daughter to be a doctor.[4] In college, she was a premedical student, minoring in drama and performing in school plays.[4]
In 1984, Headley's modeling career began after her sister submitted a photo of Shari to the Ford Modeling Agency, without Headley's knowledge.[5] She was a finalist in Eileen Ford's Face of the 80s campaign, and joined Ford afterwards.[5] Headley modeled for various magazines, including Glamour and Mademoiselle.[6]
Career
Headley made her acting debut appearing in an episode of NBC sitcom The Cosby Show in 1985.[4] Headley later appeared on Miami Vice,[4]Quantum Leap,[7] and Matlock.[1] In 1988, she portrayed Lisa McDowell, an heiress to a fast food restaurant, in romantic comedy Coming to America.[8]Eddie Murphy appears as her love interest in the film.[9] Being relatively unknown at the time, the film's director John Landis stated she was chosen in the role for that reason.[10] One reviewer opined she and Murphy "shined" together,[11] though another critic found Headley's performance "bland."[12] The film was a box-office success grossing a worldwide total of $288,752,301.[13]
The following year, Headley had a starring role alongside Louis Gossett Jr. in the short-lived ABC drama series, Gideon Oliver. In the series, she played Zina, the daughter of Gossett's character.[14] Later that year, she co-starred in the Kojak television film series.[15] In 1991, Headley joined the cast of ABC daytime soap opera, All My Children playing police officer Mimi Reed.[16] At the 25th NAACP Image Awards, she received an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Daytime Drama Series nomination, but lost to Victoria Rowell.[17] Headley received a second nomination the following year.[18] She was a regular on All My Children from 1991 to 1994, and returned to the series in 1995 and 2005.
Headley was married to actor/entertainer Christopher Martin, better known as "Play" from the hip-hop duo Kid N' Play, from May 1993 until they divorced in June 1995.[32][33] Martin and Headley have one son together.[34]
