Tyra Ferrell

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Tyra Ferrell
Born (1955-03-29) March 29, 1955 (age 69)
Houston, Texas, U.S.
OccupationActress
Years active1980–present
Spouse
​
(m. 1992)​

Tyra Ferrell (born March 29, 1955) is an American actress. She is known for her roles in films Boyz n the Hood (1991), Jungle Fever (1991), White Men Can't Jump (1992), and Poetic Justice (1993). On television, she had starring roles in short-lived series The Bronx Zoo (1987−88) and City (1990), and recurred on Thirtysomething (1989−90), ER (1994) and Empire (2015). Ferrell has been nominated for two NAACP Image Awards.

Life and career

Ferrell was born in Houston, Texas.[1] She moved from Houston to New York after high school and began her career on stage including roles on Lena Horne: The Lady and Her Music (1981), as part of the Cotton Club chorus,[2] and Ain't Misbehavin on Broadway.[3] She made her screen debut in a small role in the 1981 comedy film So Fine, and later appeared in Lady Beware,[4] School Daze,[5] The Mighty Quinn,[6] and The Exorcist III.[7] On television, she guest-starred in Hill Street Blues,[5] The Twilight Zone,[8] and Quantum Leap.[9] Ferrell's first major role on television was Roberta in drama The Bronx Zoo (1987−88).[10] She had recurring roles on Square One Television and Thirtysomething. In 1990, Ferrell was a regular cast member on the short-lived CBS sitcom City starring Valerie Harper, portraying secretary Wanda Jenkins.[11] In 1991, Ferrell played supporting roles in two films.[1] She appeared as matriarch Brenda Baker[12] in Boyz n the Hood.[13] A critic believed Ferrell gave a "fine edge" to the character of Mrs. Baker.[14] Ferrell earned an NAACP Image Award nomination for Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture for her role in Boyz n the Hood.[15] She portrayed Orin Goode, the love interest of John Torturro's character, in Jungle Fever.[16] In the same year, she was listed as one of twelve "Promising New Actors of 1991" in John A. Willis' Screen World.[17] The following year, she starred alongside Wesley Snipes as his wife Rhonda in the comedy film White Men Can't Jump.[18] She later had supporting roles as Sonya, a janitor, in Equinox (1992)[19] and a beauty salon owner named Jessie[20] in Poetic Justice (1993).[21] Ferrell also played the leading role of prosecutor Cutter Dubuque alongside Mare Winningham in the 1993 Lifetime Television movie Better Off Dead.[22] Ferrell received positive reviews for her performance in this film. One reviewer claimed she "breathed life" into her character.[23] Another critic found Ferrell's portrayal "smooth,"[24] and a third opined Ferrell was "impressive."[25] In 1994, she had the recurring role as Dr. Sarah Langworthy during the first season of the NBC medical drama ER,[26] and from 1996 to 1997 she co-starred alongside Corbin Bernsen on the syndicated science fiction series The Cape as Tamara St. James.[27] In 2000, Ferrell co-starred alongside Khandi Alexander in the HBO miniseries The Corner.[28] She later guest-starred on Soul Food, The Shield and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. In 2005, she was nominated for her second NAACP Image Award, in the category of Outstanding Actress in a Television Movie, Miniseries or Dramatic Special for her role in the ABC television film NTSB: The Crash of Flight 323.[29] After 2004, Ferrell took a break from acting. She returned to acting ten years later with the leading role in Tasha Smith's directorial debut, Boxed In.[30] In 2015, Ferrell was cast in a recurring role on the second season of Fox's prime-time soap opera Empire as Roxanne Ford, an attorney.[31][32]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1981 So Fine Receptionist
1984 Gimme an 'F' Rocket Rafferty
1987 Lady Beware Nan
Nuts Cell Woman #2
1988 Tapeheads Flygirl
School Daze Tasha
Side by Side Rita Gold TV movie
1989 The Mighty Quinn Isola
The Neon Empire Samantha TV movie
1990 The Exorcist III Nurse Blaine
1991 Jungle Fever Orin Goode
Boyz n the Hood Brenda Baker
1992 White Men Can't Jump Rhonda Deane
Equinox Sonya Kirk
Ulterior Motives Receptionist
You Must Remember This Ricki Sewell TV movie
1993 Better Off Dead Cutter Dubuque TV movie
Poetic Justice Jessie
2004 The Perfect Score Mrs. Rhodes
NTSB: The Crash of Flight 323 Jessamyn TV movie
Coochie Olivia Potter Short
2015 Boxed in Gayle Short
2019 The Bobby DeBarge Story Etterlene DeBarge TV movie
2020 A New York Christmas Wedding Alison Wilks

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1985 Hill Street Blues Jonelle Robinson Episode: "Somewhere Over the Rambo"
Moonlighting Hooker Episode: "Knowing Her"
The Twilight Zone Maid Episode: "Dead Woman's Shoes"
1986 ABC Afterschool Special Tracy Episode: "Are You My Mother?"
Hunter Marguerite Montero Episode: "Love, Hate, and Sporty James"
1987 Mathnet Ginnie Carlson Episode: "The Problem of the Missing Baseball"
Square One Television Ginnie Carlson Recurring cast: season 1
1987-88 The Bronx Zoo Roberta Hughes Main cast: season 1, recurring cast: season 2
1988 Mr. Belvedere Cashier #1 Episode: "Hooky"
1989 Quantum Leap Delilah 'Lila' Berry Episode: "So Help Me God - July 29, 1957"
1989-90 Thirtysomething Ricky Bianca Recurring cast: season 3
1990 Full House Miss Petrie Episode: "Bye, Bye Birdie"
City Wanda Jenkins Main cast
The Trials of Rosie O'Neill Loni Sanders Episode: "An Act of Love"
1994 ER Dr. Sarah Langworthy Recurring cast: season 1
1996-97 The Cape Mission Specialist Tamara St. James Main cast
1997 Early Edition Dr. Marks Episode: "Faith"
2000 The Corner Ella Thompson Main cast
Soul Food Frances Lester Episode: "Truth Be Told"
2002 The Shield Karen Mitchell Episode: "Two Days of Blood"
2003 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Bethany Taylor Episode: "Futility"
2015 Empire Roxanne Ford Recurring cast: season 2
2017 Tales Courier Episode: "99 Problems"
2018 Chicago PD Mrs. Burton Episode: "Breaking Point"

Music video

Year Title Role Notes
1985 New Edition passer-by My Secret (Didja Gitit Yet?)

Awards and nominations

Year Awards Category Recipient Outcome
1992 NAACP Image Award NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture Boyz n the Hood Nominated
2005 NAACP Image Award NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Television Movie, Mini-Series or Dramatic Special NTSB: The Crash of Flight 323 Nominated

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Tyra Ferrell
  2. ↑ "Lena Horne hits her stride on Broadway". Boca Raton News. May 13, 1981. p. 10B.
  3. ↑ "Tyra Ferrell". Hollywood.com. Retrieved 27 June 2015.
  4. ↑ Nowlan, Robert A.; Wright Nowlan, Gwendolyn (1991). The Films of the Eighties. McFarland & Company. p. 313.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Arar, Yardena (July 21, 1991). "Tyra Ferrell reaches the big time". Lawrence Journal-World. p. 2D.
  6. ↑ "Black Stars Shine In Murder Mystery 'The Mighty Quinn'". Jet. Johnson Publishing Company. February 20, 1989. p. 48.
  7. ↑ Lentz, Harris M. (1994). Science Fiction, Horror & Fantasy Film and Television Credits. McFarland & Company. p. 431.
  8. ↑ Phillips, Mark; Garcia, Frank (1996). Science Fiction Television Series. McFarland & Company. p. 498. ISBN 9780786400416.
  9. ↑ "'Quantum Leap' visits Louisiana in summer, '57". The Boca Raton News. June 26, 1990. p. 7C.
  10. ↑ Terrace, Vincent (2009). Encyclopedia of Television Shows, 1925 Through 2007: A-E. McFarland & Company. p. 207.
  11. ↑ Leszczak, Bob (August 31, 2018). Single Season Sitcoms of the 1990s: A Complete Guide. McFarland & Company. p. 41. ISBN 9781476670775.
  12. ↑ Becker, Carol (1994). The Subversive Imagination: Artists, Society, and Social Responsibility. Routledge Publishing. p. 158.
  13. ↑ Paseman, Lloyd (July 19, 1991). "'Boyz' speaks out against violence". Eugene Register-Guard. pp. 1D, 6D.
  14. ↑ Cherry, Nanciann (July 15, 1991). "'Boyz' fine, but it's not a fun film". Toledo Blade. p. P-1.
  15. ↑ "NAACP Image Award Nominees Announced". The Associated Press. October 16, 1991. Retrieved November 11, 2022.
  16. ↑ Sheffield, Skip (June 7, 1991). "Spike Lee gets brutally honest". The Boca Raton News. p. 6E.
  17. ↑ "Biography for Tyra Ferrell". IMDB.com.
  18. ↑ Fetters, Robert (April 5, 1992). "'White Men' offers slam-dunk laughs". The Spokesman-Review. p. B6.
  19. ↑ Wilmington, Michael (October 6, 1993). "Actor hits his own 'Equinox' in film". Gainesville Sun. p. 3.
  20. ↑ Gaul, Lou (July 28, 1993). "Jackson trips in 'Poetic Justice'". Beaver County Times. p. 3.
  21. ↑ Szymanski, Michael (July 28, 1993). "Director John Singleton is stirring things up". Gainesville Sun. p. 2.
  22. ↑ "Mal de Mare". Lawrence Journal-World. January 9, 1993.
  23. ↑ "'Jack's Place' is back in business tonight at 10". The Item. January 12, 1993. p. 4B.
  24. ↑ Winfrey, Lee (January 12, 1993). "Steneim reels off movie of Lifetime". The Vindicator. p. B10.
  25. ↑ "On the move, Gloria Steinem makes movie". The Daily Reporter. January 15, 1993.
  26. ↑ "Highlights". The Spokesman-Review. October 20, 1994. p. D2.
  27. ↑ Brooks, Tim and Marsh, Earle, The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows
  28. ↑ "Obscure Black C-Listers: Tyra Ferrell - What Would Thembi Do?". Retrieved 27 June 2015.
  29. ↑ "Official Ballot: The 36th NAACP Image Awards". The Crisis. National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. 2005.
  30. ↑ "Tasha Smith Makes Directorial Debut with 'Boxed In' at 2015 ABFF (WATCH)". EURweb. 23 June 2015. Retrieved June 27, 2015.
  31. ↑ Denise Petski (26 June 2015). "Tyra Ferrell Cast In Fox's 'Empire' - Deadline". Deadline. Retrieved June 27, 2015.
  32. ↑ Stanhope, Kate (October 14, 2015). "'Empire's' Andre Royo on Thirsty's Loyalty, 'Godfather' Influences and 'Wire' Comparisons". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved November 10, 2022.

External links

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