Brandee Evans (born June 2, 1985)[1] is an American actress and former choreographer, best known for her leading role as Mercedes Woodbine in the Starz drama series, P-Valley.
Brandee Evans | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | June 2, 1985 Memphis, Tennessee, U.S. |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 2010–present |
Life and career
editEvans was born in Memphis, Tennessee. Her mother suffers from multiple sclerosis and Alzheimer's.[2] Before her acting career, she worked as a high school English teacher.[2] She began her acting career playing supporting roles in films including Beyond the Lights (2014), and appearing on TV miniseries The New Edition Story and The Bobby Brown Story. As a backup dancer, Evans appears with pop singer Katy Perry in 2010 with the music video of California Gurls as "Bubblegum Girl".
In 2020, Evans began starring as Mercedes Woodbine in the Starz drama series, P-Valley. She received positive reviews from critics for her performance.[3][4][5][6][7] She was nominated for the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series in 2021 and 2023.[8][9] In 2023, she starred in the female stoner comedy film, Pretty Stoned.[10]
Filmography
editFilm
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | Note to Self | Sorority Girl | |
| 2014 | Black Coffee | Shea | |
| Beyond the Lights | Dancer | ||
| 2019 | Dear Santa, I Need a Date | Michelle | Television film |
| 2021 | B-Boy Blues | Michi | |
| A Rich Christmas | Carolyn | ||
| 2022 | Rolling Into Christmas | Celeste Franks | Television film |
| 2023 | Pretty Stoned | Tick-Tock | |
| 2024 | The Fabulous Four | Leslie | |
| TBA | Thirsty | Maya King |
Television
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | East Los High | Guest | Episode: "Caliente!" |
| 2017 | The New Edition Story | Soul Train Producer | Episode: "Part 2" |
| 2018 | Lethal Weapon | Nurse | Episode: "Diggin' Up Dirt" |
| The Bobby Brown Story | Tina Brown | Episode: "Part 1 & 2" | |
| 2019 | Ryan Hansen Solves Crimes on Television | Makeup Artist | Episode: "The Rhy Chromosome" |
| Games People Play | Cinnamon | Episode: "The Wrath of Grapes" | |
| 2020–22 | The Family Business | Sage | Recurring role, 6 episodes |
| 2020–present | P-Valley | Mercedes Woodbine | Main cast |
Awards and nominations
edit| Year | Award | Category | Nominated Work | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Women's Image Network Awards | Women's Image Network Award for Outstanding Actress Drama Series | P-Valley | Won |
| NAACP Image Awards | NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series | Nominated | ||
| Black Reel Awards | Black Reel Award for Outstanding Actress, Drama Series | Nominated | ||
| 2023 | NAACP Image Awards | NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series | Nominated | |
| Black Reel Awards | Black Reel Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress, Drama Series | Nominated |
References
edit- ^ "Brandee Evans - Rotten Tomatoes". www.rottentomatoes.com.
- ^ a b Moore, Camille (July 13, 2020). "10 Things You Didn't Know about Brandee Evans". TVOvermind.
- ^ "P-Valley's Brandee Evans Was Made for a Life of Stardom". W Magazine. July 27, 2020.
- ^ Young, Taiia Smart. "'P-Valley's' Brandee Evans Says Playing Mercedes Was Meant For Her".
- ^ "'P-Valley' Star Brandee Evans Doesn't Need Your Validation". ELLE. July 13, 2020.
- ^ ""P-Valley" Star Brandee Evans Brings Legit Dance Chops to the Show". Dance Magazine. September 3, 2020.
- ^ "'P-Valley' Star Brandee Evans Recalls Wild Night of Strip Club Research". The Hollywood Reporter. August 2, 2020.
- ^ Del Rosario, Alexandra (February 2, 2021). "NAACP Image Awards Nominations: Netflix Tops List With 'Bridgerton', 'Ma Rainey's Black Bottom' & 'Da 5 Bloods'".
- ^ Schwartz, Ryan (January 12, 2023). "NAACP Image Award Nominations: Abbott Elementary Leads the TV Pack".
- ^ Fishman, Scott (April 18, 2023). "Brandee Evans Gets High on New MTV Stoner Comedy 'Pretty Stoned'". TV Insider.