Yolonda Ross

Yolonda Ross
Ross in 2012
Born
Omaha, Nebraska, US
Occupation(s)Actress, writer, director
Years active1997–present

Yolonda Ross is an American actress, writer and director.

Life and career

Ross was born and raised in Omaha, Nebraska.[1] She began her acting career in New York, appearing in the episodes of television series New York Undercover and Third Watch. Before landing the leading role in the independent drama film, Stranger Inside (2001). The movie produced by HBO, first premiered on television, but Ross was nominated for an Independent Spirit Award for Best Debut Performance.[2] She later had supporting roles in a number of independent productions and guest-starred on Law & Order and Law & Order: Criminal Intent, and in 2011 had a recurring role of HBO's Treme.[1]

Ross co-starred alongside LisaGay Hamilton in the critically acclaimed 2013 independent drama film, Go for Sisters.[3][4] She received Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Female nomination for her performance in film.[5] She later was cast opposite Viola Davis in Lila & Eve.[6] In 2015, Ross played Robyn Crawford, the friend, assistant, and reported girlfriend of Whitney Houston, in the Lifetime movie, Whitney directed by Angela Bassett.[7][8]

In 2017, Ross had a recurring role opposite Viola Davis in the ABC legal thriller How to Get Away with Murder. The following year she was cast in a series regular role in the Showtime drama series, The Chi.[9]

Filmography

Film and TV Movies

Year Title Role Notes
2001 Stranger Inside Treasure TV movie
2002 Antwone Fisher Nadine
2003 The United States of Leland Miranda
The Taste of Dirt Mommy Short
Allergic to Nuts Lavita Short
2004 Mind the Gap Deniese
Dense Stacey TV movie
Thanksgiving Yolonda Short
2005 Dani and Alice Alice Short
Hung Roxy Short
2006 Shortbus Faustus
Slippery Slope Ginger
2007 Gardener of Eden Jasmine
I'm Not There. Angela Reeves
2008 Choke Teacher
Happy Birthday Madeleine Short
2009 Whatever Works Boy's Mother
The Greims Gabrielle Short
The Farm Wade Dawson TV movie
2011 Yelling to the Sky Lorene O'Hara
2012 Four Mrs. Phillips
Breaking Night Girl Short
2013 Go for Sisters Fontayne
Phil Spector Kelly TV movie
All Roads Lead Samantha Hollitt
2014 Afronauts Auntie Sunday Short
Just the Three of Us Ivy Short
Of Darkness and Light Ms. Littlefield Short
2015 Whitney Robyn Crawford TV movie
Lila & Eve Patrice
Meadowland Melanie
The Youth Ishan Short
Kiss Me, Kill Me Detective Annette Riley
2016 Little Men Arkadina
Woman Outside - Short
Split Alice
Walk for Me Andrea Short
The Bad Batch Maria
How to Disappear Completely Cassandra Short
2017 The Creed Khadijah Short
2018 O.G. Beecher's Sister
She Got Game Mom Short
Out of Blue Janey Mac
2019 Bull Sheila
2021 Desmond's Not Here Anymore Abigail Short
2022 The Bond Cece Short
2024 Absolution Woman

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1997 New York Undercover Jackie Episode: "The Solomon Papers"
2000 Third Watch Patricia Ryder Episode: "Nature or Nurture?"
2001 24 Jessie Hampton Episode: "3:00 a.m.-4:00 a.m."
2005 Third Watch Lynette Episode: "Too Little, Too Late"
Law & Order: Criminal Intent Regina Alcarese Episode: "Shibboleth"
2007 Law & Order: Criminal Intent Patricia Episode: "Flipped"
2008 New Amsterdam Lily Mae Brown Episode: "Golden Boy"
2009 The Unit Nora Episode: "Whiplash"
2010 Law & Order P.O. Liz Canto Episode: "Four Cops Shot"
Lie to Me Simone Askew Episode: "Headlock"
2011 Treme Dana Lyndsey Recurring cast: season 2
2016 The Get Down Ms. Green Recurring cast: season 1
2017 How To Get Away With Murder Claudia Recurring cast: Season 3-4
2018 Bull Judge Knight Episode: "Absolution"
Chicago P.D. Sarah Washington Episode: "Black and Blue"
2018- The Chi Jada Washington Main cast
2022 Terror Lake Drive Shana Main cast: season 2
American Gigolo Lizzy Recurring cast

Awards and nominations

Year Awards Category Recipient Outcome
2001 Gotham Independent Film Awards Gotham Independent Film Award for Breakthrough Actor "Stranger Inside" Won
2002 Independent Spirit Awards Independent Spirit Award for Best Debut Performance "Stranger Inside" Nominated
Black Reel Awards Black Reel Award for Best Actress: T.V. Movie/Cable Nominated
2014 Independent Spirit Awards Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Female "Go for Sisters" Nominated

References

  1. ^ a b "BIO". YOLONDA ROSS. Retrieved 24 February 2015.
  2. ^ "Yolonda Ross". IMDb.
  3. ^ "Go For Sisters". Rotten Tomatoes. 8 November 2013. Retrieved 24 February 2015.
  4. ^ Jai Tiggett (19 August 2014). "Interview: Yolonda Ross, LisaGay Hamilton Talk Work & Art - Shadow and Act". Shadow and Act. Retrieved 24 February 2015.
  5. ^ Catherine Shoard (27 November 2013). "12 Years a Slave tops Independent Spirit Award nominations". the Guardian. Retrieved 24 February 2015.
  6. ^ "'Go for Sisters' Star Yolonda Ross to Join Jennifer Lopez, Viola Davis in Indie Movie 'Lila & Eve' (Exclusive)". TheWrap. 23 January 2014. Retrieved 24 February 2015.
  7. ^ "Whitney's Yolonda Ross On Playing Robyn Crawford: 'It's a Love Triangle' - Out Magazine". Retrieved 24 February 2015.
  8. ^ "'Go for Sisters' Star Yolonda Ross to Play Whitney Houston's Gal Pal in Lifetime Biopic (Exclusive)". TheWrap. 17 June 2014. Retrieved 24 February 2015.
  9. ^ Andreeva, Nellie (January 24, 2017). "'The Chi': Jacob Latimore & Yolonda Ross Join Showtime Drama In Recasting".