Charlaine "Charlayne" Woodard (born December 29, 1953) is an American playwright and actress. She is a two-time

Obie Award 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 A ...

winner as well as a

Tony Award The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as the Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual cer ...

and Drama Desk nominee. She was a series regular on the hit FX TV series

Pose Human positions refer to the different physical configurations that the human body can take. There are several synonyms that refer to human positioning, often used interchangeably, but having specific nuances of meaning. *''Position'' is a gen ...

. She played the title role in the Showtime movie
Run For The Dream, The Gail Devers’ Story
Starring as Cindy in the ABC Movie Of The Week, Woodard was the 1^st black Cinderella portrayed on TV or film. Currently, she’s in Marvel Studios' upcoming limited TV series

Secret Invasion "Secret Invasion" is a comic book crossover storyline that ran through a self-titled eight-issue limited series and several tie-in books published by Marvel Comics from April through December 2008. The story involves a subversive, long-term in ...

which is scheduled to premiere in early 2023.

Career

Woodard began her professional career in 1976 performing in the road company of Don’t Bother Me I Can’t Cope, written by Mickey Grant and directed by Vinette Carroll, the 1st black female director on Broadway. In 1977, she made her Broadway debut in the Revival of Hair, directed by Tom O’Horgan; played a supporting role in the movie version of

Hair Hair is a protein filament that grows from follicles found in the dermis. Hair is one of the defining characteristics of mammals. The human body, apart from areas of glabrous skin, is covered in follicles which produce thick terminal and f ...

, directed by

Milos Forman Milos or Melos (; el, label=Modern Greek, Μήλος, Mílos, ; grc, Μῆλος, Mêlos) is a volcanic Greek island in the Aegean Sea, just north of the Sea of Crete. Milos is the southwesternmost island in the Cyclades group. The ''Venus d ...

; starred as Cindy in the NBC Movie Of The Week, Cindy; and performed on

The Johnny Carson Show ''The Johnny Carson Show'' was a 1955–56 half-hour prime time television variety show starring Johnny Carson. While working as a staff writer on ''The Red Skelton Show'', local Los Angeles television comedian Carson filled in as host when Sk ...

. In 1978, she was in the original company of the hit musical Ain't Misbehavin', for which she was nominated for both a Tony Award and Drama Desk Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical. She reprised her role at Her Majesty’s Theater in London’s West End; the Aquarius theater in Los Angeles; and ten years after the Broadway opening, the Broadway revival with the original cast.

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 ...

taped and broadcast the hit musical with the original Broadway cast.

RCA The RCA Corporation was a major American electronics company, which was founded as the Radio Corporation of America in 1919. It was initially a patent trust owned by General Electric (GE), Westinghouse, AT&T Corporation and United Fruit Comp ...

released the original cast album. Her current play
The Garden
a two-hander commissioned by the LaJolla Playhouse,wa s recently produced at both Baltimore Center Stage and The LaJolla Playhouse. Woodard’s plays are published by

Dramatists Play Service Dramatists Play Service (also known as The Play Service) is a theatrical-publishing and licensing house, established in 1936 by members of the Dramatists Guild of America and the Society for Authors' Representatives. DPS publishes English-language ...

. As an actress, Woodard’s off-Broadway theatre credits include Daddy (2019) by

Jeremy O. Harris Jeremy O. Harris (born ) is an American playwright, actor, and philanthropist, known for his plays ''"Daddy"'' and '' Slave Play''. The latter received 12 nominations at the 74th Tony Awards, breaking the record previously set by the 2018 reviva ...

, directed by Danya Taymor Signature Theater (2018); played Gertrude to Oscar Issac'
Hamlet
directed by

Sam Gold Sam Gold is an American theater director and actor. He has directed both musicals and plays, on Broadway and Off-Broadway. He won the 2015 Tony Award for Best Direction of a Musical for ''Fun Home''. Early life Gold was raised in Westchester an ...

, at the Public Theater; War (2016) by Brandon-Jacobs Jenkins, directed by Liliana Blain-Cruz at Lincoln Center; the 2014 revival of

The Substance of Fire ''The Substance of Fire'' is a play by Jon Robin Baitz. Overview Isaac Geldhart is a survivor of the Holocaust. He arrived in New York City an orphan, reinvented himself as a bon vivant, married well, and found fame and fortune as a champion of a ...

by John Robin Baitz, directed by Trip Cullman at Second Stage;

The Witch of Edmonton ''The Witch of Edmonton'' is an English Jacobean play, written by William Rowley, Thomas Dekker and John Ford in 1621. The play—"probably the most sophisticated treatment of domestic tragedy in the whole of Elizabethan-Jacobean drama"—is ...

(2010) directed by Jessie Berger, for which she was awarded her 2nd Obie Award, at The Red Bull Theatre Company; world premiere of In The Blood by

Suzan-Lori Parks Suzan-Lori Parks (born May 10, 1963) is an American playwright, screenwriter, musician and novelist. Her 2001 play ''Topdog/Underdog'' won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 2002; Parks was the first African-American woman to receive the award for d ...

(1999) directed by

David Esbjornson David Esbjornson is a director and producer who has worked throughout the United States in regional theatres and on Broadway, and has established strong and productive relationships with some of the profession's top playwrights, actors, and compan ...

for which she was awarded her 1st Obie Award; and Fabulation (2004) by

Lynn Nottage Lynn Nottage (born November 2, 1964) is an American playwright whose work often focuses on the experience of working-class people, particularly working-class people who are Black. She has received the Pulitzer Prize for Drama twice: in 2009 for he ...

, directed by Kate Whorisky at Playwright’s Horizons; and Stunning (2009) by

David Adjmi David Adjmi (born 1973) is an American playwright. He is the recipient of a Guggenheim Fellowship, a Whiting Award, the inaugural Steinberg Playwright Award, a Bush Artists Fellowship, and the Kesselring Prize for Drama. Life Adjmi grew up in a ...

, directed By

Anne Kauffman Anne Kauffman is an American director known primarily for her work on new plays, mainly in the New York area. She is a founding member of the theater group the Civilians.Grode, Eric"Meet the Directors"''New York Times'', January 31, 2013 Early lif ...

at LCT3; Sorrows and Rejoicings written and directed by

Athol Fugard Athol Fugard, Hon. , (born 11 June 1932), is a South African playwright, novelist, actor, and director widely regarded as South Africa's greatest playwright. He is best known for his political and penetrating plays opposing the system of apart ...

at Second Stage for which she received an Audelco Award;

The Caucasian Chalk Circle ''The Caucasian Chalk Circle'' (german: Der kaukasische Kreidekreis) is a play by the German modernist playwright Bertolt Brecht. An example of Brecht's epic theatre, the play is a parable about a peasant girl who rescues a baby and becomes a ...

(1990), directed by George C. Wolfe at the Public Theatre;

Twelfth Night ''Twelfth Night'', or ''What You Will'' is a romantic comedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written around 1601–1602 as a Twelfth Night's entertainment for the close of the Christmas season. The play centres on the twins Vio ...

(1989) alongside Michelle Pfeiffer,

Gregory Hines Gregory Oliver Hines (February 14, 1946 – August 9, 2003) was an American dancer, actor, choreographer, and singer. He is one of the most celebrated tap dancers of all time. As an actor, he is best known for '' Wolfen'' (1981), '' The Cotton C ...

Jeff Goldblum Jeffrey Lynn Goldblum (; born October 22, 1952) is an American actor and musician. He has starred in some of the highest-grossing films of his era, such as ''Jurassic Park'' (1993) and ''Independence Day'' (1996), as well as their sequels. ...

, and

Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio (born November 17, 1958) is an American actress and singer. She made her Broadway debut in the 1980 revival of ''West Side Story'', and went on to appear in the 1983 film '' Scarface'' as Al Pacino's character's sist ...

Shakespeare In The Park Shakespeare in the Park is a term for outdoor festivals featuring productions of William Shakespeare's plays. The term originated with the New York Shakespeare Festival in New York City's Central Park, originally created by Joseph Papp. This conc ...

; Paradise (1985) a musical with lyrics by George C. Wolfe, music by Robert Forest, directed by Ted Pappas at Playwrights Horizons.  Woodard’s regional credits include: Midsummer Night’s Dream, directed by Chris Ashley, as well as Shout Up A Morning, directed by

Des McAnuff Desmond Steven McAnuff (born June 19, 1952) is the American-Canadian former artistic director of Canada's Stratford Festival and director of such Broadway musical theatre productions as '' Big River'', '' The Who's Tommy'' and '' Jersey Boys''. ...

, both at the La Jolla Playhouse;

The Taming of the Shrew ''The Taming of the Shrew'' is a comedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1590 and 1592. The play begins with a framing device, often referred to as the induction, in which a mischievous nobleman tricks a drunken ...

(Kate), directed by Rebecca Taishman at Shakespeare Theatre Company;

The Good Person Of Szechwan ''The Good Person of Szechwan'' (german: Der gute Mensch von Sezuan, first translated less literally as ''The Good Man of Setzuan'') is a play written by the German dramatist Bertolt Brecht, in collaboration with Margarete Steffin and Ruth Berlau ...

, adapted by Tony Kushner, directed by Lisa Peterson at the LaJolla Playhouse; and

Purgatorio ''Purgatorio'' (; Italian for "Purgatory") is the second part of Dante's ''Divine Comedy'', following the ''Inferno'' and preceding the '' Paradiso''. The poem was written in the early 14th century. It is an allegory telling of the climb of Da ...

Ariel Dorfman Vladimiro Ariel Dorfman (born May 6, 1942) is an Argentine-Chilean-American novelist, playwright, essayist, academic, and human rights activist. A citizen of the United States since 2004, he has been a professor of literature and Latin American ...

, directed by David Esbjornson at Seattle Rep. Notable film roles include Hard Feelings (1982) for which she received a Canadian Genie Award for Best Performance by a Foreign Actress nomination; Crackers (1984) alongside

Sean Penn Sean Justin Penn (born August 17, 1960) is an American actor and film director. He has won two Academy Awards, for his roles in the mystery drama ''Mystic River'' (2003) and the biopic ''Milk'' (2008). Penn began his acting career in televisi ...

Donald Sutherland Donald McNichol Sutherland (born 17 July 1935) is a Canadian actor whose film career spans over six decades. He has been nominated for nine Golden Globe Awards, winning two for his performances in the television films ''Citizen X'' (1995) an ...

and Jack Warner, directed by

Louis Malle Louis Marie Malle (; 30 October 1932 – 23 November 1995) was a French film director, screenwriter, and producer who worked in both Cinema of France, French cinema and Cinema of the United States, Hollywood. Described as "eclectic" and "a fi ...

;

Twister Twister may refer to: Weather * Tornado Aviation * Pipistrel Twister, a Slovenian ultralight trike * Silence Twister, a German homebuilt aircraft design * Wings of Change Twister, an Austrian paraglider design Entertainment * ''Twister'' (1989 ...

(1989), alongside

Tim Robbins Timothy Francis Robbins (born October 16, 1958) is an American actor and filmmaker. He is known for portraying Andy Dufresne in the film ''The Shawshank Redemption ''(1994), and has won an Academy Award and two Golden Globe Awards for his role ...

Dylan McDermott Dylan McDermott (born Mark Anthony McDermott; October 26, 1961) is an American actor. He is known for his role as lawyer and law firm head Bobby Donnell on the legal drama series ''The Practice'', which earned him a Golden Globe Award for Best ...

and

Harry Dean Stanton Harry Dean Stanton (July 14, 1926 – September 15, 2017) was an American actor, musician, and singer. In a career that spanned more than six decades, Stanton played supporting roles in films including '' Cool Hand Luke'' (1967), ''Kelly's Heroe ...

, directed by

Michael Almereyda Michael Almereyda (born April 7, 1960) is an American film director, screenwriter, and film producer. Early work Almereyda studied art history at Harvard but dropped out after three years to pursue filmmaking. He acquired a Hollywood agent on ...

;

One Good Cop ''One Good Cop'' is a 1991 American crime drama film written and directed by Heywood Gould and starring Michael Keaton, Rene Russo, Anthony LaPaglia and Benjamin Bratt. Keaton portrays New York City Police Department Detective Artie Lewis, ...

(1991) alongside

Michael Keaton Michael John Douglas (born September 5, 1951), known professionally as Michael Keaton, is an American actor. He is known for his various comedic and dramatic film roles, including Jack Butler in ''Mr. Mom'' (1983), Betelgeuse in ''Beetlejuice'' ( ...

(1991); An Eye for an Eye (1995) opposite

Sally Field Sally Margaret Field (born November 6, 1946) is an American actress. She has received many awards and nominations, including two Academy Awards, three Primetime Emmy Awards, two Golden Globe Awards, a Screen Actors Guild Award, a Cannes Film F ...

and

Kiefer Sutherland Kiefer William Sutherland (born 21 December 1966) is a British-Canadian actor and musician. He is best known for his starring role as Jack Bauer in the Fox drama series '' 24'' (2001–2010, 2014), for which he won an Emmy Award, a Golden Glo ...

; Tituba in the 1996 drama film

The Crucible ''The Crucible'' is a 1953 play by American playwright Arthur Miller. It is a dramatized and partially fictionalized story of the Salem witch trials that took place in the Massachusetts Bay Colony during 1692–93. Miller wrote the play as a ...

, alongside

Daniel Day-Lewis Sir Daniel Michael Blake Day-Lewis (born 29 April 1957) is an English retired actor. Often described as one of the preeminent actors of his generation, he received numerous accolades throughout his career which spanned over four decades, incl ...

and

Winona Ryder Winona Laura Horowitz (born October 29, 1971), professionally known as Winona Ryder, is an American actress. Originally playing quirky roles, she rose to prominence for her more diverse performances in various genres in the 1990s. She has recei ...

, directed by Nicolas Hytner;

Touched By Evil ''Touched By Evil'' is a 1997 television drama film directed by James A. Contner and starring Paula Abdul, Adrian Pasdar and Susan Ruttan. It aired on ABC, January 12, 1997 at 9/8c. The film marks the acting debut of American singer/choreographer A ...

(1997) alongside

Paula Abdul Paula Julie Abdul (born June 19, 1962) is an American singer, dancer, choreographer, actress, and television personality. She began her career as a cheerleader for the Los Angeles Lakers at the age of 18 and later became the head choreograph ...

; Around The Fire (1998) directed by John Jacobson; John Sayle’s Sunshine State (2002) alongside

Angela Bassett Angela Evelyn Bassett (born August 16, 1958) is an American actress. She had her breakthrough with her portrayal of singer Tina Turner in the biopic ''What's Love Got to Do with It'' (1993), which garnered her a nomination for the Academy Award ...

; M. Night Shyamalan’s Unbreakable (2000) and its sequel

Glass Glass is a non-crystalline, often transparent, amorphous solid that has widespread practical, technological, and decorative use in, for example, window panes, tableware, and optics. Glass is most often formed by rapid cooling (quenching) of ...

(2019) alongside Samuel L. Jackson;

The Million Dollar Hotel ''The Million Dollar Hotel'' is a 2000 drama film based on a concept story by Bono and Nicholas Klein, directed by Wim Wenders, and starring Jeremy Davies, Milla Jovovich, and Mel Gibson. The film features music by U2 and various musicians that w ...

(2000) alongside

Mel Gibson Mel Columcille Gerard Gibson (born January 3, 1956) is an American actor, film director, and producer. He is best known for his action hero roles, particularly his breakout role as Max Rockatansky in the first three films of the post-apocaly ...

, directed by Wim Wenders; Things Never Said (2013) written and directed by Charles Murray. Among Woodard’s many TV roles are Pricilla in

Marvel Studios Marvel Studios, LLC (originally known as Marvel Films from 1993 to 1996) is an American film and television production company that is a subsidiary of Walt Disney Studios, a division of the Walt Disney Company. Marvel Studios produces the Mar ...

' limited series,

(2023); season regular on

, (FX) (2018); recurring roles on

In Treatment ''In Treatment'' is an American drama television series for HBO, produced and developed by Rodrigo Garcia, based on the Israeli series '' BeTipul'' ( he, בטיפול), created by Hagai Levi, Ori Sivan and Nir Bergman. The series is about a ...

Season 4; Animal Kingdom (2021); Prodigal Son 2019 – 2020);

Sneaky Pete ''Sneaky Pete'' is an American Crime film, crime drama series created by David Shore and Bryan Cranston. The series follows Marius Josipović (Giovanni Ribisi), a released convict who adopts the identity of his cellmate, Pete Murphy, to avoid hi ...

(2019); Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles (2008);

Sweet Justice ''Sweet Justice'' is an American legal drama television series created by John Romano and starring Cicely Tyson and Melissa Gilbert. The hour-long series ran from September 15, 1994, to August 12, 1995, on NBC. The series was produced by Trotwood ...

(1994); Sister Peg on Law and Order, Special Victims Unit (2002 to 2011), ER (2006 – 2007); and

Chicago Hope ''Chicago Hope'' is an American medical drama television series, created by David E. Kelley. It originally aired on CBS from September 18, 1994, to May 4, 2000. The series is set in a fictional private charitable hospital in Chicago, Illinois. ...

1994-2000).

Filmography

Film

Television

Awards and nominations

References

External links

* * (as Charlaine Woodard) *
Charlayne Woodard's Official Website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Woodard, Charlayne 1953 births Living people African-American actresses American film actresses American television actresses Actors from Albany, New York 20th-century American actresses 21st-century American actresses Actresses from New York (state) Obie Award recipients 20th-century African-American women 21st-century African-American women 21st-century African-American people