Erika Rose Alexander (born November 19, 1969) is an American actress, writer, producer, entrepreneur and activist best known for her roles as Pam Tucker on the

NBC The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American English-language commercial broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a division of Comcast, its headquarters are l ...

sitcom ''

The Cosby Show ''The Cosby Show'' is an American television sitcom co-created by and starring Bill Cosby, which aired Thursday nights for eight seasons on NBC between September 20, 1984, until April 30, 1992. The show focuses on an upper middle-class Africa ...

'' (1990–1992), and Maxine Shaw on the

FOX Foxes are small to medium-sized, omnivorous mammals belonging to several genera of the family Canidae. They have a flattened skull, upright, triangular ears, a pointed, slightly upturned snout, and a long bushy tail (or ''brush''). Twelve sp ...

sitcom ''

Living Single ''Living Single'' is an American television sitcom created by Yvette Lee Bowser that aired for five seasons on the Fox network from August 22, 1993, to January 1, 1998. The show centered on the lives of six friends who shared personal and profes ...

'' (1993–1998). She has won numerous awards for her work on ''Living Single'', including two NAACP Image Awards for Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series.Means, Coleman R. R.
African American Viewers and the Black Situation Comedy: Situating Racial Humor
'. Hoboken: Taylor and Francis, 2014. p. 134. Her film credits include ''

The Long Walk Home ''The Long Walk Home'' is a 1990 American historical drama film starring Sissy Spacek and Whoopi Goldberg, and directed by Richard Pearce. Set in Alabama, it is based on a screenplay about the Montgomery bus boycott (1955–1956) by John Cork ...

'' (1990), '' 30 Years to Life'' (2001), ''

Déjà Vu ''Déjà vu'' ( , ; "already seen") is a French loanword for the phenomenon of feeling as though one has lived through the present situation before.Schnider, Armin. (2008). ''The Confabulating Mind: How the Brain Creates Reality''. Oxford Univers ...

'' (2006) and ''

Get Out ''Get Out'' is a 2017 American psychological horror film written, co-produced, and directed by Jordan Peele in his directorial debut. It stars Daniel Kaluuya, Allison Williams, Lil Rel Howery, LaKeith Stanfield, Bradley Whitford, Caleb Land ...

'' (2017).

Early life

Alexander was born in

Winslow, Arizona Winslow ( nv, ) is a city in Navajo County, Arizona, Navajo County, Arizona, United States. According to the 2010 United States Census, 2010 census, the population of the city is 9,655. It is approximately southeast of Flagstaff, Arizona, Flag ...

and raised in Flagstaff, Arizona until the age of eleven, when she and her family moved to

Philadelphia Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania#Municipalities, largest city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the List of United States cities by population, sixth-largest city i ...

Pennsylvania Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...

.Berry, Torriano, and Venise T. Berry, eds.
Historical Dictionary of African American Cinema
'' 2015. p. 24. She is one of six children born to Robert and Sammie Alexander, a school teacher and children's book author. Alexander graduated from

Philadelphia High School for Girls The Philadelphia High School for Girls, also known as Girls' High, is a public college preparatory magnet high school for girls in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. As its name suggests, the school's enrollment is all female. Established in 1848, it ...

.Hughes, Mike (August 17, 1995).
'Living Single' Cast Faces New Shot
. ''Gannett News Service''. Courier-Post (Camden, New Jersey).

Acting career

After graduating from high school, Alexander enrolled in a six-week acting class at the New Freedom Theatre. During the fifth week, Alexander got a major role in her first movie. Alexander made her film debut appearing in the independent drama ''

My Little Girl ''My Little Girl'' is a 1986 American drama film the directorial debut of Connie Kaiserman that was released in the U.S. in 1987. It is also Geraldine Page's final role and both Jennifer Lopez and Erika Alexander's film debut. Plot Franny Bett ...

'' in 1986. In 1989, Alexander played the role of

Hidimbi Hiḍimbī (Sanskrit: , IAST: ''Hiḍimbī''), or Hiḍimbā, is the rakshasi wife of the Pandava Bhima and the mother of Ghatotkacha in the ''Mahābhārata''. She meets Bhima in the 9th sub-parva (Hidimva-vadha Parva) of the Adi Parva. She i ...

Peter Brook Peter Stephen Paul Brook (21 March 1925 – 2 July 2022) was an English theatre and film director. He worked first in England, from 1945 at the Birmingham Repertory Theatre, from 1947 at the Royal Opera House, and from 1962 for the Royal Sha ...

's miniseries adaptation of ''

The Mahabharata The ''Mahābhārata'' ( ; sa, महाभारतम्, ', ) is one of the two major Sanskrit epics of ancient India in Hinduism, the other being the ''Rāmāyaṇa''. It narrates the struggle between two groups of cousins in the Kuruk ...

''. She got her big break starring opposite

Whoopi Goldberg Caryn Elaine Johnson (born November 13, 1955), known professionally as Whoopi Goldberg (), is an American actor, comedian, author, and television personality.Kuchwara, Michael (AP Drama Writer)"Whoopi Goldberg: A One-Woman Character Parade". ' ...

in the 1990

civil rights Civil and political rights are a class of rights that protect individuals' freedom from infringement by governments, social organizations, and private individuals. They ensure one's entitlement to participate in the civil and political life o ...

epic drama film ''

''. Alexander performed in the play ''The Forbidden City'' with

Gloria Foster Gloria Foster (November 15, 1933 – September 29, 2001) was an American actress. She had acclaimed roles in plays ''In White America'' and '' Having Our Say,'' winning three Obie Awards during her career. Foster played the Oracle in ''The Matrix ...

, who then talked about her with her friend,

Camille Cosby Camille Olivia Cosby ( Hanks; born March 20, 1944) is an American television producer, philanthropist, and the wife of comedian Bill Cosby. The character of Clair Huxtable from ''The Cosby Show'' was based on her. Cosby has avoided public life, b ...

, wife of

Bill Cosby William Henry Cosby Jr. ( ; born July 12, 1937) is an American stand-up comedian, actor, and media personality. He made significant contributions to American and African-American culture, and is well known in the United States for his eccentric ...

. She later was cast as Pam Tucker on the

sitcom ''

'' starring from 1990 to series finale in 1992. Alexander later went to star in the ABC comedy-drama series ''

Going to Extremes ''Going to Extremes'' and ''Surviving Extremes'' were television programmes made for Channel 4 by Nick Middleton. In each episode of the two series, Middleton visited an extreme area of the world to find out how people have adapted to life there. ...

'', which centered on a group of American students at a medical school on a fictitious Caribbean island named Jantique. The series was canceled after one season in 1993. In 1993, Alexander began starring as the acid-tongued attorney Maxine Shaw in the

Fox Foxes are small to medium-sized, omnivorous mammals belonging to several genera of the family Canidae. They have a flattened skull, upright, triangular ears, a pointed, slightly upturned snout, and a long bushy tail (or ''brush''). Twelve sp ...

sitcom ''

'', a role she played for five years to 1998.McCann, Bob. ''Encyclopedia of African American Actresses in Film and Television''. Jefferson, N.C: McFarland & Co, 2010. For this role, she won two

NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series This article lists the winners and nominees for the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series. It was known as the Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series until 2000. Currently, Tracee Ellis Ross holds the record for most wi ...

in 1996 and 1998. She appeared in

Toni Braxton Toni Michele Braxton (born October 7, 1967) is an American R&B singer, songwriter, actress and television personality. She has sold over 70 million records worldwide and is one of the best-selling female artists in history. Braxton has won ...

's music video for "

You're Makin' Me High "You're Makin' Me High" is the lead single from American singer Toni Braxton's second studio album, '' Secrets'' (1996). The mid-tempo song represents a joint collaboration between the Grammy Award-winning producer Babyface and Bryce Wilson. Th ...

" in 1996. In 1998, she starred opposite

Cicely Tyson Cicely Louise Tyson (December 19, 1924January 28, 2021) was an American actress. In a career which spanned more than seven decades in film, television and theatre, she became known for her portrayal of strong African-American women. Tyson recei ...

in the CBS miniseries ''

Mama Flora's Family ''Mama Flora's Family'' is a 1997 historical fiction novel by Alex Haley and David Stevens. The story spans from the 1920s to the 1970s as it follows Flora, a daughter of poor black Mississippi sharecroppers, and her descendants. Haley died befo ...

'' with her former ''Living Single'' co-star

Queen Latifah Dana Elaine Owens (born March 18, 1970), known professionally as Queen Latifah, is an American rapper, actress, and singer. Born in Newark, New Jersey, she signed with Tommy Boy Records in 1989 and released her debut album '' All Hail the Qu ...

. based on novel by Alex Haley, and well as appeared in the drama film '' 54''. In 2001, she starred in the comedy film '' 30 Years to Life'' receiving Black Reel Award for Best Independent Actress for her performance. In 2002, Alexander returned to television playing

probation Probation in criminal law is a period of supervision over an offender, ordered by the court often in lieu of incarceration. In some jurisdictions, the term ''probation'' applies only to community sentences (alternatives to incarceration), such ...

officer Dee Mulhern in the

Showtime Showtime or Show Time may refer to: Film * ''Showtime'' (film), a 2002 American action/comedy film * ''Showtime'' (video), a 1995 live concert video by Blur Television Networks and channels * Showtime Networks, a division of Paramount Global w ...

drama series '' Street Time'', which ran for two seasons. She had recurring roles in '' Judging Amy'', ''

In Plain Sight ''In Plain Sight'' is an American drama television series that premiered on the USA Network on June 1, 2008. The series revolves around Mary Shannon ( Mary McCormack), a Deputy United States Marshal attached to the Albuquerque, New Mexico, offic ...

'', '' Low Winter Sun'' and '' Let's Stay Together''. Alexander also guest-starred on '' Law & Order: Special Victims Unit'', ''

Half and Half "Half and half" is the name of various beverages and foods made of an equal-parts mixture of two substances, including dairy products, alcoholic beverages, and soft drinks. Alcoholic beverages Belgium In some cafés in Brussels, a "half en ...

'', '' ER'', ''

CSI: Crime Scene Investigation ''CSI: Crime Scene Investigation'', also referred to as ''CSI'' and ''CSI: Las Vegas'', is an American procedural forensics crime drama television series that ran on CBS from October 6, 2000, to September 27, 2015, spanning 15 seasons. This wa ...

'', ''

Criminal Minds ''Criminal Minds'' is an American police procedural crime drama television series created and produced by Jeff Davis. The series premiered on CBS on September 22, 2005, and originally concluded on February 19, 2020; it was revived in 2022. It ...

'', '' House'', '' Suits'' and ''

Grey's Anatomy ''Grey's Anatomy'' is an American medical drama television series that premiered on March 27, 2005, on ABC as a mid-season replacement. The series focuses on the lives of surgical interns, residents, and attendings as they develop into s ...

''. From 2012 to 2015, she had a recurring role as Carol Larabee, Mike and Vanessa's neighbor, in the ABC comedy series '' Last Man Standing''.

Tisha Campbell-Martin Tisha Michelle Campbell (born October 13, 1968) is an American actress and singer. She made her screen debut appearing in the 1986 rock musical comedy film ''Little Shop of Horrors'', and later starred on the short-lived NBC musical comedy dram ...

replaced her in this role in the seventh season. Alexander appeared in a number of films during the 2000s and 2010s. In 2006 she played the role of Shanti, a technical science engineer in the science fiction action film ''

Deja Vu Deja or Dejah may refer to: * Deja News, an archive of messages posted to Usenet discussion groups and its successor ''deja.com'' * Andreas Deja (born 1957), German animator * Dejah Mulipola (born 1998), American softball player * Dejah Thoris, a ...

'' opposite Denzel Washington. She starred opposite

Benjamin Bratt Benjamin Bratt (born December 16, 1963) is an American actor and producer who has worked in film and on television. He had supporting roles in the 1990s in such box office hits as ''Demolition Man'' (1993), ''Clear and Present Danger'' (1994), ...

and

Jeremy Ray Valdez Jeremy Ray Valdez (born July 10, 1980) is an American actor and musician. He won the 2010 Imagen Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Feature Film for his role in '' La Mission''. Early life Valdez was born in Santa Fe, New Mexico in 1980. His ...

. in the 2009 drama film '' La Mission'', and in 2014 had supporting role in the comedy-drama '' Elsa & Fred'' starring Shirley MacLaine and

Christopher Plummer Arthur Christopher Orme Plummer (December 13, 1929 – February 5, 2021) was a Canadian actor. His career spanned seven decades, gaining him recognition for his performances in film, stage, and television. He received multiple accolades, inc ...

. In 2017 she played Detective Latoya in the critically acclaimed horror film ''

''. From 2016 to 2017, Alexander starred as Constance Irving in the Amazon original drama, '' Bosch''. She had a recurring roles in the Oprah Winfrey Network drama series ''

Queen Sugar Queen or QUEEN may refer to: Monarchy * Queen regnant, a female monarch of a Kingdom ** List of queens regnant * Queen consort, the wife of a reigning king * Queen dowager, the widow of a king * Queen mother, a queen dowager who is the mothe ...

'' in 2016 and Freeform fantasy drama ''

Beyond Beyond may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Films * ''Beyond'' (1921 film), an American silent film * ''Beyond'' (2000 film), a Danish film directed by Åke Sandgren, OT: ''Dykkerne'' * ''Beyond'' (2010 film), a Swedish film directed b ...

'' from 2017 to 2018. In 2018, she was cast in a recurring role as Perenna in the CW superhero series ''

Black Lightning Black Lightning (Jefferson Pierce) is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character, created by writer Tony Isabella and artist Trevor Von Eeden, first appeared in ''Black Lightning'' #1 (April 1977), during ...

''. In 2019, she received NAACP Image Award nomination for Outstanding Guest Performance in a Comedy or Drama Series. Later in 2019, she began starring in the Hulu drama series, '' Wu-Tang: An American Saga''.

Writing career

In 2012, she co-created and co-wrote ''Concrete Park'', a science-fiction graphic novel with then-husband Tony Puryear. In 2018 she penned season eleven of the ''Buffy the Vampire Slayer'' comic ''Giles'' alongside Buffy creator Joss Whedon.

Personal life

In 1997, Alexander married artist/screenwriter Tony Puryear, but they divorced in 2017.She actively campaigned for

Hillary Clinton Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton ( Rodham; born October 26, 1947) is an American politician, diplomat, and former lawyer who served as the 67th United States Secretary of State for President Barack Obama from 2009 to 2013, as a United States sen ...

and toured college campuses with

Chelsea Clinton Chelsea Victoria Clinton (born February 27, 1980) is an American writer and global health advocate. She is the only child of former U.S. President Bill Clinton and former U.S. Secretary of State and 2016 presidential candidate Hillary Clinto ...

, during the 2008 Democratic Party primary.Panzar, Javier. �
Democrats Counting on Celebrities to Introduce Heavy Subject Matter
” ''Los Angeles Times'', 27 July 2016. Accessed 30 July 2017. She is a co-founder (with Ben Arnon) of Color Farm Media, an entertainment, innovation, and social impact company. In 2020, Color Farm Media released the critically acclaimed documentary '' John Lewis: Good Trouble'', focusing on the Civil Rights leader

John Lewis John Robert Lewis (February 21, 1940 – July 17, 2020) was an American politician and civil rights activist who served in the United States House of Representatives for from 1987 until his death in 2020. He participated in the 1960 Nashville ...

Filmography

Film/Movie

Television

Awards and nominations

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Alexander, Erika 1969 births Living people Actresses from Arizona Actresses from Philadelphia People from Winslow, Arizona African-American actresses American television actresses Philadelphia High School for Girls alumni 21st-century African-American people 21st-century African-American women 20th-century African-American people 20th-century African-American women