Da'Vine Joy Randolph (; born May 21, 1986) is an American actress. She was named one of
100 most influential people in the world by
''Time'' in 2024.
Randolph gained recognition for her portrayal of psychic Oda Mae Brown in the Broadway production of ''
Ghost
In folklore, a ghost is the soul or Spirit (supernatural entity), spirit of a dead Human, person or non-human animal that is believed by some people to be able to appear to the living. In ghostlore, descriptions of ghosts vary widely, from a ...
'' (2012), for which she received a nomination for the
Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical
The Tony Award for Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical is an honor presented at the Tony Awards, a ceremony established in 1947 as the Antoinette Perry Awards for Excellence in Theatre, to actresses for quality featured roles in a ...
. Randolph went on to appear in the films ''
The Angriest Man in Brooklyn'' (2014) and ''
Office Christmas Party'' (2016) before receiving praise for her roles in ''
Dolemite Is My Name'' (2019) and ''
The United States vs. Billie Holiday'' (2020). Her performance as a grieving mother in ''
The Holdovers'' (2023) earned her several awards, including the
Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress
The Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress is an award presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS). It has been awarded since the 9th Academy Awards to an actress who has delivered an outstanding performanc ...
.
Randolph's television credits include ''
Selfie
A selfie () is a self-portrait photograph or a short video, typically taken with an electronic camera or smartphone.
The camera would be usually held at arm's length or supported by a selfie stick instead of being controlled with a self-timer ...
'' (2014), ''
This Is Us
''This Is Us'' is an American drama television series created by Dan Fogelman that aired on NBC from September 20, 2016, to May 24, 2022. The series follows the lives and families of two parents and their three children in several different ti ...
'' (2016), ''
People of Earth'' (2016–17), ''
Empire
An empire is a political unit made up of several territories, military outpost (military), outposts, and peoples, "usually created by conquest, and divided between a hegemony, dominant center and subordinate peripheries". The center of the ...
'' (2017–18), ''
High Fidelity
High fidelity (hi-fi or, rarely, HiFi) is the high-quality reproduction of sound. It is popular with audiophiles and home audio enthusiasts. Ideally, high-fidelity equipment has inaudible noise and distortion, and a flat (neutral, uncolored) ...
'' (2020), and ''
The Idol'' (2023). In 2024, Randolph earned a nomination for the
, for her appearances on the
Hulu
Hulu (, ) is an American Subscription business model, subscription streaming media service owned by Disney Streaming, a subsidiary of the Disney Entertainment segment of the Walt Disney Company. It was launched on October 29, 2007, initially as ...
mystery series ''
Only Murders in the Building
, creator = Steve Martin & John Hoffman
, starring = {{Plainlist,
* Steve Martin
* Martin Short
* Selena Gomez
* Aaron Dominguez
* Amy Ryan
* Cara Delevingne
* Adina Verson
* Michael Cyril Creighton
, music ...
'' (2021–present).
Early life and education
Da'Vine Joy Randolph was born on May 21, 1986, in
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia ( ), colloquially referred to as Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the List of United States cities by population, sixth-most populous city in the Unit ...
.
Her first name is pronounced as "Day Vine Joy" with two names and has no middle name. It took her parents seven years to have children and they said that she was a divine joy. Randolph grew up in the Mount Airy neighborhood of Philadelphia.
As a youth, she attended
Interlochen Arts Camp, studying theatre. She went to
Temple University
Temple University (Temple or TU) is a public university, public Commonwealth System of Higher Education, state-related research university in Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. It was founded in 1884 by the Baptist ministe ...
to focus on classical vocal performance and
opera
Opera is a form of History of theatre#European theatre, Western theatre in which music is a fundamental component and dramatic roles are taken by Singing, singers. Such a "work" (the literal translation of the Italian word "opera") is typically ...
,
but in her junior year, she switched concentrations to
musical theatre
Musical theatre is a form of theatre, theatrical performance that combines songs, spoken dialogue, acting and dance. The story and emotional content of a musical – humor, pathos, love, anger – are communicated through words, music, ...
. After graduating from Temple in 2008, she went to the
Yale School of Drama
The David Geffen School of Drama at Yale University is a graduate professional school of Yale University, located in New Haven, Connecticut. Founded in 1924 as the Department of Drama in the School of Fine Arts, the school provides training in ...
. She graduated from Yale in 2011 with her master's degree. She is an alumna of the
British American Drama Academy (BADA) after spending a summer studying Shakespeare at the
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a collegiate university, collegiate research university in Oxford, England. There is evidence of teaching as early as 1096, making it the oldest university in the English-speaking world and the List of oldest un ...
.
Career
Randolph auditioned for an understudy role in the Broadway transfer of ''
Ghost: the Musical'' (which was playing in London's
West End), but the producers decided to cast her in the principal role of Oda Mae Brown. Before the casting of the Broadway transfer was announced,
Sharon D. Clarke, who played Oda Mae in the London run of ''Ghost the Musical'', suffered a minor knee injury. Randolph was quickly flown to London to cover the role in Clarke's absence. Her debut performance took place on December 16, 2011, and she continued to share the role with understudy Lisa Davina Phillip until early January 2012, when Clarke returned.
After a preview period that began in March 2012, the Broadway production opened Monday April 23, 2012, with Randolph playing opposite
Richard Fleeshman and
Caissie Levy in the leading roles. She was nominated for the
Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical
The Tony Award for Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical is an honor presented at the Tony Awards, a ceremony established in 1947 as the Antoinette Perry Awards for Excellence in Theatre, to actresses for quality featured roles in a ...
. In 2013 she made her feature film debut in a supporting role, in ''
Mother of George'' directed by
Andrew Dosunmu. The film premiered at the
2013 Sundance Film Festival to positive reviews. The following year she played a nurse in the comedy-drama ''
The Angriest Man in Brooklyn'' (2014) starring
Robin Williams
Robin McLaurin Williams (July 21, 1951August 11, 2014) was an American actor and comedian known for his improvisational skills and the wide variety of characters he created on the spur of the moment and portrayed on film, in dramas and comedie ...
. Randolph rose to prominence acting in one of the main roles as Charmonique Whitaker in ''
Selfie
A selfie () is a self-portrait photograph or a short video, typically taken with an electronic camera or smartphone.
The camera would be usually held at arm's length or supported by a selfie stick instead of being controlled with a self-timer ...
'', which premiered on September 30, 2014. The show starred
Karen Gillan and
John Cho. It received
mixed reviews and was
canceled after one season, but the show continued to have a
cult fan base. When asked about a ''Selfie'' revival in May 2022, Randolph responded that she would return in a movie or limited series if given the opportunity. She mentioned that it meant a lot to her and the cast, and that fans still talk about the series years after it aired.
Randolph commented that she loved working on the show and that her character was one of her favorite roles.
From 2015 to 2017, Randolph performed a voice role as Christine in the series ''
The Mr. Peabody & Sherman Show''. She also had guest roles on ''
The Good Wife
''The Good Wife'' is an American legal political drama television series that aired on CBS from September 22, 2009, to May 8, 2016. It focuses on Alicia Florrick, the wife of the Cook County State's Attorney, who returns to her career in law ...
'' (2013), ''
See Dad Run'' (2014), ''
Life in Pieces'' (2015), and ''
Veep
''Veep'' is an American political satire comedy television series that aired on HBO from April 22, 2012, to May 12, 2019. The series was created by Armando Iannucci. The series follows Selina Meyer (Julia Louis-Dreyfus), the fictional Vice Pres ...
'' (2017). She had a recurring role as Tanya in the drama series ''
This Is Us
''This Is Us'' is an American drama television series created by Dan Fogelman that aired on NBC from September 20, 2016, to May 24, 2022. The series follows the lives and families of two parents and their three children in several different ti ...
'' (2016). The same year, she had a part in ''
Office Christmas Party'' (2016). She starred in one of the main roles as Yvonne Watson, a postal worker, in the sitcom ''
People of Earth'' for two seasons from 2016 to 2017. She had recurring roles in the series ''
Empire
An empire is a political unit made up of several territories, military outpost (military), outposts, and peoples, "usually created by conquest, and divided between a hegemony, dominant center and subordinate peripheries". The center of the ...
'' from 2017 to 2018 and in the series ''
On Becoming a God in Central Florida'' in 2019.
She had her breakout role as Lady Reed in ''
Dolemite Is My Name'' (2019) starring
Eddie Murphy
Edward Regan Murphy (born April 3, 1961) is an American actor, comedian, and singer. He had his breakthrough as a standup comic before gaining stardom for his film roles; he is widely recognized as one of the greatest comedians of all time. H ...
. For her performance she received nominations for the
African-American Film Critics Association,
Black Reel Awards, and
NAACP Image Awards
The NAACP Image Awards is an annual awards ceremony presented by the U.S.-based National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) to honor outstanding performances in film, television, theatre, music, and literature. The over 40 ...
for Best Supporting Actress. The following year, she acted in ''
Kajillionaire'' (2020), and she was a main cast member in ''
High Fidelity
High fidelity (hi-fi or, rarely, HiFi) is the high-quality reproduction of sound. It is popular with audiophiles and home audio enthusiasts. Ideally, high-fidelity equipment has inaudible noise and distortion, and a flat (neutral, uncolored) ...
'' (2020). During this time, she took voice roles as Ranger Woolf in ''
Madagascar: A Little Wild'' from 2020 to 2022, Tamarind Toucan in ''
Tuca & Bertie'' (2021), Detective Gail Johnson in ''Ultra City Smiths'' (2021), Tina in ''
Chicago Party Aunt'' from 2021 to 2022, and various roles in ''
Birdgirl'' (2022). She also voiced roles in the animated films ''
Trolls World Tour'' (2020) and ''
Puss in Boots: The Last Wish'' (2022).
She took roles in the drama film ''
The United States vs. Billie Holiday'' (2021) and the comedy ''
The Lost City'' (2022). In 2021. she took a main role in the sitcom ''
The Last O.G.'' (2021). Since 2021, she has taken a recurring role as Detective Williams in the series ''
Only Murders in the Building
, creator = Steve Martin & John Hoffman
, starring = {{Plainlist,
* Steve Martin
* Martin Short
* Selena Gomez
* Aaron Dominguez
* Amy Ryan
* Cara Delevingne
* Adina Verson
* Michael Cyril Creighton
, music ...
'' starring
Steve Martin
Stephen Glenn Martin (born August 14, 1945) is an American comedian, actor, writer, producer, and musician. Known for Steve Martin filmography, his work in comedy films, television, and #Discography, recording, he has received List of awards a ...
,
Martin Short
Martin Hayter Short (born March 26, 1950) is a Canadian and American comedian, actor, and writer. Short is known as an energetic comedian who gained prominence for his roles in sketch comedy. He has also acted in numerous films and television ...
, and
Selena Gomez
Selena Marie Gomez ( ; born July 22, 1992) is an American actress, singer, songwriter, producer, and businesswoman. Gomez began her career as a child actress, appearing on the children's television series ''Barney & Friends'' (2002–2004), a ...
. She played a manager to a pop star in the controversial series ''
The Idol'' (2023).
In 2023, she played gospel singer
Mahalia Jackson
Mahalia Jackson ( ; born Mahala Jackson; October 26, 1911 – January 27, 1972) was an American gospel music, gospel singer, widely considered one of the most influential vocalists of the 20th century. With a career spanning 40 years, Jackson was ...
in the political drama film ''
Rustin''. She also starred in
Alexander Payne
Constantine Alexander Payne (born February 10, 1961) is an American film director, screenwriter and producer. He is noted for his satire, satirical depictions of contemporary American society. Payne has received List of awards and nominations rec ...
's coming-of-age film ''
The Holdovers'' as Mary Lamb, a cook and bereaved mother. The film premiered at the
Telluride Film Festival
The Telluride Film Festival (TFF) is a film festival held annually in Telluride, Colorado, during Labor Day, Labor Day weekend (the first Monday in September). The 51st Telluride Film Festival, 51st edition took place on August 30–September ...
. She earned praise for the role, with Pete Hammond of ''Deadline Hollywood'' writing "Randolph is simply wonderful, saying more with a look than any words could ever do. She is enormously touching and earns our tears along the way." Randolph received numerous nominations and awards for the role, including winning the
Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress may refer to:
*Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture
The Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture is a Golden Globe Awards, Golden Globe Award th ...
, the
BAFTA
The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA, ) is an independent trade association and charity that supports, develops, and promotes the arts of film, television and video games in the United Kingdom. In addition to its annual awa ...
, the
, and the
Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress
The Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress is an award presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS). It has been awarded since the 9th Academy Awards to an actress who has delivered an outstanding performanc ...
.
Among several upcoming projects, Randolph has filmed an action comedy film with
Rebel Wilson
Rebel Melanie Elizabeth Wilson (born Melanie Elizabeth Bownds; 2 March 1980) is an Australian actress, comedian and producer. After graduating from the Australian Theatre for Young People in 2003, Wilson began appearing in the SBS comedy ser ...
, called ''
Bride Hard'', which is set to be released in June 2025.
Filmography
Film
Television
Theatre
Awards and nominations
See also
*
List of people nominated for the Triple Crown of Acting
*
List of black Academy Award winners and nominees Best Supporting Actress
Notes
References
External links
*
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Randolph, Da'Vine Joy
21st-century African-American actresses
21st-century American actresses
Actresses from Pennsylvania
American film actresses
American television actresses
American voice actresses
American musical theatre actresses
American stage actresses
Best Supporting Actress Academy Award winners
Best Supporting Actress BAFTA Award winners
Best Supporting Actress Golden Globe (film) winners
David Geffen School of Drama at Yale University alumni
Living people
People from Hershey, Pennsylvania
Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role Screen Actors Guild Award winners
Temple University alumni
Year of birth missing (living people)