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Crystal R. Fox (born January 1, 1964) is an American actress and singer. Fox performed in many stage productions during her career, and is best known for her television roles as Luann Corbin in the NBC/CBS police drama series ''In the Heat of the Night (TV series), In the Heat of the Night'' (1989–1995), and as Hanna Young in the Oprah Winfrey Network prime time soap opera, ''The Haves and the Have Nots (TV series), The Haves and the Have Nots'' (2013–2021). Fox has also appeared in a number of films, most notably playing the leading role in the 2020 thriller ''A Fall from Grace''.
In 2013, Fox began starring in the Oprah Winfrey Network prime time soap opera ''The Haves and the Have Nots (TV series), The Haves and the Have Nots'', produced by Tyler Perry. She played one of the show's leading roles, Hanna Young, a soulful single mother who works as the rich Cryer family's maid and also served as the best friend and confidante of the lady of the house, Katheryn Cryer (played by Reneé Lawless). The series also starred Tika Sumpter, Angela Robinson (actress), Angela Robinson, and John Schneider (screen actor), John Schneider. Fox received positive reviews for her performance in the show. The series ended in 2021, after 196 episodes.
In 2019, Fox was cast for the second season of the HBO drama series ''Big Little Lies (TV series), Big Little Lies'' as Zoë Kravitz’s character's mother Elizabeth Howard. Along with the cast, she was nominated for Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series. She co-starred opposite Forest Whitaker in the drama film ''Burden (2018 film), Burden''. The film premiered at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival and won the U.S. Dramatic Audience Award. In 2020, Fox had a leading role in the Netflix thriller film ''A Fall from Grace''. It was Fox's first leading film role in her long career. The film received negative reviews from critics, but her performance was praised by many. ''Chicago Sun-Times'' critic Richard Roeper wrote in a review: "Best of all is seeing Crystal Fox getting her moment in the spotlight and absolutely shining." Later in 2020, Fox appeared in the Amazon Prime drama series ''Utopia (2020 TV series), Utopia'' created by Gillian Flynn.
In 2021, Fox starred in the three movie adaptations of V. C. Andrews' books for Lifetime (TV network), Lifetime. In 2022, she was cast opposite Chris O'Dowd in the Apple TV+ comedy series ''The Big Door Prize''.
Early life
Fox was born in Tryon, North Carolina. She moved from North Carolina to Atlanta, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia in 1979 and attended middle school and high school. She began her professional acting career in the late 1970s, appearing on stage in Atlanta. She is the niece of the late singer Nina Simone and cousin of Simone (actress), Lisa Simone Kelly.Career
Fox made her big-screen debut playing Katie Bell in the Academy Awards, Academy Award-winning comedy-drama film ''Driving Miss Daisy'' (1989) starring Morgan Freeman and Jessica Tandy. She later joined the cast of NBC police-drama series ''In the Heat of the Night (TV series), In the Heat of the Night'' in its third season, playing Luann Corbin. She was a regular cast member through the series finale in 1995, appearing in more than 100 episodes. In the 1990s, Fox had supporting roles in films ''Drop Squad'' (1994) and ''Once Upon a Time...When We Were Colored'' (1995) opposite Phylicia Rashad and Al Freeman Jr. She co-starred opposite Cicely Tyson in the 1998 miniseries ''Mama Flora's Family'' based on a novel by Alex Haley. On television, she guest-starred on ''Law & Order'', ''The Sopranos'', and ''Third Watch''. Fox also co-starred opposite Phylicia Rashad and Debbie Allen in the 2001 PBS production of ''The Old Settler''. Fox has appeared in many stage productions during her career. She has worked in New York City, Alexandria, Virginia, Alexandria, Silver Spring, Maryland, Silver Spring, and Atlanta, where she lives. She received Helen Hayes Award, a Helen Hayes Award nomination for her performance in the 2002 play ''Home (play), Home''. Her other stage credits include ''For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide / When the Rainbow Is Enuf'', ''Antony and Cleopatra'', ''The Comedy of Errors'', ''A Raisin in the Sun'', ''The Colored Museum'', ''The Amen Corner'', ''The Boys from Syracuse'', ''Bessie Smith, Bessie's Blues'', ''Little Shop of Horrors (musical), Little Shop of Horrors'' and ''The Rocky Horror Picture Show''. She was a member of Alliance Theatre, the Alliance Theatre for many years. She received IRNE Awards and Elliot Norton Awards for Best Actress for playing Rose Maxson in the 2009 production of ''Fences (play), Fences'' at the Huntington Theatre Company. During 2014–15, she acted as lead in the play ''Blues for an Alabama Sky''.
In 2013, Fox began starring in the Oprah Winfrey Network prime time soap opera ''The Haves and the Have Nots (TV series), The Haves and the Have Nots'', produced by Tyler Perry. She played one of the show's leading roles, Hanna Young, a soulful single mother who works as the rich Cryer family's maid and also served as the best friend and confidante of the lady of the house, Katheryn Cryer (played by Reneé Lawless). The series also starred Tika Sumpter, Angela Robinson (actress), Angela Robinson, and John Schneider (screen actor), John Schneider. Fox received positive reviews for her performance in the show. The series ended in 2021, after 196 episodes.
In 2019, Fox was cast for the second season of the HBO drama series ''Big Little Lies (TV series), Big Little Lies'' as Zoë Kravitz’s character's mother Elizabeth Howard. Along with the cast, she was nominated for Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series. She co-starred opposite Forest Whitaker in the drama film ''Burden (2018 film), Burden''. The film premiered at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival and won the U.S. Dramatic Audience Award. In 2020, Fox had a leading role in the Netflix thriller film ''A Fall from Grace''. It was Fox's first leading film role in her long career. The film received negative reviews from critics, but her performance was praised by many. ''Chicago Sun-Times'' critic Richard Roeper wrote in a review: "Best of all is seeing Crystal Fox getting her moment in the spotlight and absolutely shining." Later in 2020, Fox appeared in the Amazon Prime drama series ''Utopia (2020 TV series), Utopia'' created by Gillian Flynn.
In 2021, Fox starred in the three movie adaptations of V. C. Andrews' books for Lifetime (TV network), Lifetime. In 2022, she was cast opposite Chris O'Dowd in the Apple TV+ comedy series ''The Big Door Prize''.
Filmography
Film
Television
References
External links
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Fox, Crystal Living people American film actresses American stage actresses American television actresses American soap opera actresses Actresses from North Carolina People from Tryon, North Carolina 20th-century American actresses African-American actresses 21st-century American actresses 1964 births 20th-century African-American women 20th-century African-American people 21st-century African-American women 21st-century African-American people