Tonya Pinkins (born May 30, 1962) is an American actress and filmmaker. Her award-winning debut feature film ''RED PILL'' was an official selection at the 2021
Pan African Film Festival Pan African Film Festival (PAFF) is a non-profit corporation in Los Angeles, California, that states its goal is to promote "cultural understanding among peoples of African descent" through exhibiting art and film. It hosts a film festival and an a ...
, won the Best Black Lives Matter Feature and Best First Feature at The Mykonos International Film Festival, Best First Feature at the Luléa Film Festival, and is nominated for awards in numerous festivals around the globe. Her web-series ''The RED PILLING of AMERICA'' can be heard on her podcast ''"You Can't Say That!"'' at BPN.fm/ycst
She is known for her portrayal of Livia Frye on the
soap opera ''
All My Children
''All My Children'' (often shortened to ''AMC'') is an American television soap opera that aired on ABC from January 5, 1970, to September 23, 2011, and on The Online Network (TOLN) from April 29 to September 2, 2013, via Hulu, Hulu Plus, and i ...
'' and for her roles on
Broadway
Broadway may refer to:
Theatre
* Broadway Theatre (disambiguation)
* Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S.
** Broadway (Manhattan), the street
**Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...
. She has been nominated for three
Tony Awards (winning one), and has won
Obie
The Obie Awards or Off-Broadway Theater Awards are annual awards originally given by '' The Village Voice'' newspaper to theatre artists and groups in New York City. In September 2014, the awards were jointly presented and administered with the ...
, Lortel, Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle, AUDLECO, Garland, L.A. Drama Critics Circle, Clarence Derwent, and
NAACP
The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) is a civil rights organization in the United States, formed in 1909 as an interracial endeavor to advance justice for African Americans by a group including W. E.&nb ...
Theater Awards. She has been nominated for the Olivier, Helen Hayes, Noel, Joseph Jefferson, NAACP Image, Soap Opera Digest, and Ovation Awards. She won the
Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical for ''
Jelly's Last Jam
''Jelly's Last Jam'' is a musical with a book by George C. Wolfe, lyrics by Susan Birkenhead, and music by Jelly Roll Morton and Luther Henderson. Based on the life and career of Ferdinand Joseph LaMothe, known as Jelly Roll Morton and general ...
''.
Early life and education
Pinkins was born in
Chicago, Illinois
(''City in a Garden''); I Will
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, subdivision_name ...
. Her father was a police officer and insurance salesman, and her mother is a former postal worker. She has two brothers, Eric and Thomas Swoope, and a sister Tamera Swoope.
Pinkins was interested in the arts from a young age. At
Whitney Young Magnet High School, she participated in the theater program and also studied acting at the
Goodman Theatre Young People's Program. She attended
Carnegie Mellon University
Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) is a private research university in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. One of its predecessors was established in 1900 by Andrew Carnegie as the Carnegie Technical Schools; it became the Carnegie Institute of Technolog ...
's BFA Musical Theatre program, but was cast in ''
Merrily We Roll Along'' and decided to pursue her career, instead.
Pinkins later returned to college, earning an undergraduate degree in creative writing from
Columbia College Chicago
Columbia College Chicago is a Private college, private art college in Chicago, Illinois. Founded in 1890, it has 5,928https://about.colum.edu/effectiveness/pdf/spring-2021-student-profile.pdf students pursuing degrees in more than 60 undergra ...
in 1996, followed by a year at
California Western School of Law
California Western School of Law is a private law school in San Diego, California. It is one of two successor organizations to California Western University, the other being Alliant International University. The school was founded in 1924, appro ...
in San Diego.
Career
Pinkins won a
Tony Award for her performance as Sweet Anita in ''
Jelly's Last Jam
''Jelly's Last Jam'' is a musical with a book by George C. Wolfe, lyrics by Susan Birkenhead, and music by Jelly Roll Morton and Luther Henderson. Based on the life and career of Ferdinand Joseph LaMothe, known as Jelly Roll Morton and general ...
''. She was nominated for her roles in ''
Play On!'' and in ''
Caroline, or Change'', where she played the title role. Her additional
Broadway
Broadway may refer to:
Theatre
* Broadway Theatre (disambiguation)
* Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S.
** Broadway (Manhattan), the street
**Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...
credits include ''
Merrily We Roll Along'', ''
Chronicle of a Death Foretold
''Chronicle of a Death Foretold'' ( es, Crónica de una muerte anunciada) is a novella by Gabriel García Márquez, published in 1981. It tells, in the form of a pseudo- journalistic reconstruction, the story of the murder of Santiago Nasar by ...
'', ''
The Wild Party'', ''
House of Flowers'', ''
Radio Golf'', ''A Time To Kill'', and ''
Holler If Ya Hear Me
"Holler If Ya Hear Me" is a song by American rapper 2Pac from his second solo studio album, '' Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z.'' (1993). It was released on February 4, 1993 as the album's lead single. The track, which samples "Do It Any Way You Wanna" ...
''.
Pinkins has performed in several
off-Broadway productions, including the comic role of Mopsa, the Shepherdess, in ''
The Winter's Tale'' produced by the
Riverside Shakespeare Company
The Riverside Shakespeare Company of New York City was founded in 1977 as a professional (Actors' Equity Association, AEA) theatre company on the Upper West Side of New York City, by W. Stuart McDowell and Gloria Skurski. Focusing on William Sh ...
at
The Shakespeare Center
The Shakespeare Center was the home of the Riverside Shakespeare Company, an Equity professional theatre company in New York City, established in 1980 and dedicated in 1982, when the company established its center of theatre production and advanc ...
in 1983.
In 2011, Pinkins starred in the world premiere of Kirsten Greenidge's ''Milk Like Sugar'' at
La Jolla Playhouse, and received a 2012 Craig Noel nomination for Best featured Actress in a Play. She reprised her role in the
Playwrights Horizons
Playwrights Horizons is a not-for-profit Off-Broadway theater located in New York City dedicated to the support and development of contemporary American playwrights, composers, and lyricists, and to the production of their new work.
Under th ...
in the Peter Jay Sharp Theater, and garnered a 2012 Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding Featured Actress in a Play.
In 2012, Pinkins starred in
Katori Hall's play ''Hurt Village'', the gritty drama about life and change in a Memphis housing project made its world-premiere at Off-Broadway's Signature Theatre Company as part of the theatre's inaugural season.
In 2014, she appeared in New Federal Theatre's revival of Ed Bullins' ''The Fabulous Miss Marie'' opposite
Roscoe Orman
Roscoe Hunter Orman (born June 11, 1944) is an American actor, writer, artist and child advocate, best known for playing Gordon Robinson, one of the central human characters on ''Sesame Street''.
Early life and career
While a student at New Y ...
; in the Broadway production of ''
Holler If Ya Hear Me
"Holler If Ya Hear Me" is a song by American rapper 2Pac from his second solo studio album, '' Strictly 4 My N.I.G.G.A.Z.'' (1993). It was released on February 4, 1993 as the album's lead single. The track, which samples "Do It Any Way You Wanna" ...
''; and the world premiere of Branden Jacobs-Jenkins' ''War'' at Yale Repertory. She also made guest appearances on such television shows as ''
Army Wives
''Army Wives'' is an American drama television series that followed the lives of four army wives, one army husband, and their families. The series premiered on Lifetime on June 3, 2007, and ran for seven seasons, ending on June 9, 2013. The s ...
'', ''
24'', ''
Law & Order
''Law & Order'' is an American police procedural and legal drama television series created by Dick Wolf and produced by Wolf Entertainment, launching the '' Law & Order'' franchise.
''Law & Order'' aired its entire run on NBC, premiering on ...
'', ''
The Cosby Show'', ''
Cold Case
A cold case is a crime, or a suspected crime, that has not yet been fully resolved and is not the subject of a current criminal investigation, but for which new information could emerge from new witness testimony, re-examined archives, new or r ...
'', ''
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 ...
'', and ''
The Guardian'' among others.
During the mid-1980s Pinkins created the character of "Heather Dalton" on the CBS soap ''
As the World Turns
''As the World Turns'' (often abbreviated as ''ATWT'') is an United States, American television soap opera that aired on CBS for 54 years from April 2, 1956, to September 17, 2010. Irna Phillips created ''As the World Turns'' as a sister show t ...
''. In 1991, she was cast as Livia Frye in ''
All My Children
''All My Children'' (often shortened to ''AMC'') is an American television soap opera that aired on ABC from January 5, 1970, to September 23, 2011, and on The Online Network (TOLN) from April 29 to September 2, 2013, via Hulu, Hulu Plus, and i ...
''. Pinkins left ''
All My Children
''All My Children'' (often shortened to ''AMC'') is an American television soap opera that aired on ABC from January 5, 1970, to September 23, 2011, and on The Online Network (TOLN) from April 29 to September 2, 2013, via Hulu, Hulu Plus, and i ...
'' in 1995 but returned to her role in 2003. She was later put on contract with the show from March 2004 until June 2006, when she was downgraded to recurring status.
She played Amala Motobo on ''
24''. Pinkins played Ethel Peabody on the television show ''
Gotham''.
In 2016, she played Mimi Corcoran on the
Hulu science fiction limited series ''
11.22.63
''11.22.63'' is an American science fiction thriller miniseries based on the 2011 novel '' 11/22/63'' by Stephen King, and consisting of eight episodes, in which a time traveler attempts to stop the assassination of John F. Kennedy. The series ...
'', based on the
Stephen King book of the same name, and starring
James Franco and
Sarah Gadon.
On March 16, 2017, she portrayed Sandra in the ABC television series ''
Scandal''.
Pinkins has appeared in several films in supporting roles, including ''Newlyweeds'', ''Home'', ''
Fading Gigolo
''Fading Gigolo'' is a 2013 American comedy film directed, written by, and starring John Turturro. The film, co-starring Woody Allen, Sharon Stone, Sofia Vergara, Vanessa Paradis, Liev Schreiber and Eugenia Kuzmina premiered in the Special P ...
'' opposite Woody Allen, ''
Enchanted'', ''
Premium
Premium may refer to:
Marketing
* Premium (marketing), a promotional item that can be received for a small fee when redeeming proofs of purchase that come with or on retail products
* Premium segment, high-price brands or services in marketing, ...
'', ''
Romance & Cigarettes'', ''
Noah's Arc: Jumping The Broom'' and ''
Above the Rim
''Above the Rim'' is a 1994 American sports drama film co-written and directed by Jeff Pollack in his directorial debut. The screenplay was written by Barry Michael Cooper, adapted from a story by Benny Medina.
The film stars Duane Martin, Tupa ...
'' among others.
Pinkins has performed in several cabaret shows including ''Bring On The Men'' with Brad Simmons, ''Tonya Pinkins UnPlugged'' at The National Black Theater Festival and ''Hurricane Ethel''.
Pinkins wrote, directed, and starred as Cassandra in ''Red Pill'', to be released in 2020.
Filmography
Film
Television
References
External links
*
*
*
Official website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Pinkins, Tonya
1962 births
American soap opera actresses
American stage actresses
American television actresses
Living people
African-American actresses
Tony Award winners
Actresses from Chicago
Whitney M. Young Magnet High School alumni
20th-century American actresses
21st-century American actresses
American film actresses
Columbia College Chicago alumni
20th-century African-American women
20th-century African-American people
21st-century African-American women
21st-century African-American people