- Nicole Ari Parker
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For the comedic actress born in 1978, see Nicole Parker.
Nicole Ari Parker
Parker in December 2010Born October 7, 1970
Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.Other names Nikki Kodjoe Occupation Actress Years active 1995–present Nicole Ari Parker Kodjoe (born October 7, 1970), also known as Nikki Kodjoe, is an American actress and a former model. She is perhaps best known for her role as attorney Teri Joseph on the Showtime television drama series Soul Food and her role as Becky Barnett in Boogie Nights.
Contents
Early life
Parker was born in Baltimore, Maryland. She is the only child of her divorced parents, health care professional Susan Parker and dentist Donald Parker.[1] Parker's ethnic background is African American and Cherokee.[2] At the age of 17, she won best actress in the state of Maryland's high school competition and then moved to the Washington Ballet Company before applying to the New York University's Tisch School of the Arts. She graduated with an acting degree in 1993.[3]
Career
Early in her career she appeared in several critically acclaimed independent films including The Incredibly True Adventure of Two Girls in Love, Boogie Nights, 200 Ciarettes, and the 1999 Sundance Film Festival winner The Adventures of Sebastian Cole. She starred with her husband, model and actor Boris Kodjoe, in UPN's situation comedy Second Time Around.
After a string of odd jobs (including scooping ice cream), bit-roles and low wage work in the theater circuit, Parker was offered her breakthrough role on Soul Food. In Soul Food, she showcased her singing voice in several episodes. Parker also had a guest appearance on CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, playing a singer. She played the role of Stephanie in the movie Divas, alongside Khalil Kain. She also had a lead role in the 1998 film Exiled: A Law & Order Movie. She worked alongside Martin Lawrence in two of his films: Blue Streak and Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins.
Personal life
Parker eloped with actor Joseph Falasca in March 2001. Their marriage lasted only eight months; they divorced later that year. She married her Soul Food co-star Boris Kodjoe on May 21, 2005 in Gundelfingen, Germany. She gave birth to their first child, a girl, Sophie Tei-Naaki Lee Kodjoe, on March 5, 2005. Sophie has spina bifida, which was diagnosed at birth.[4] Parker gave birth to the couple's second child, Nicolas Neruda Kodjoe, a boy, on October 31, 2006 in Atlanta, Georgia. The family resides in Atlanta.
Filmography
- The Incredibly True Adventure of Two Girls in Love (1995)
- Divas (1995)
- Boogie Nights (1997)
- The End of Violence (1997)
- Exiled: A Law & Order Movie (1998)
- The Adventures of Sebastian Cole (1998)
- Spark (1998)
- Mute Love (1999)
- 200 Cigarettes (1999)
- Blue Streak (1999)
- The Loretta Claiborne Story (film) (1999)
- Dancing in September (2000)
- Remember the Titans (2000)
- Loving Jezebel (2000)
- Brown Sugar (2002)
- King's Ransom (2005)
- Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins (2008)
- Imagine That (2009)
- Pastor Brown (2009)
- 35 and Ticking (2011)
Television
- Cosby (1999–2000)
- CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (1 episode, guest appearance, 2002)
- Soul Food (2000–2004)
- Second Time Around (2004–2005)
- All of Us (2004)
- The Deep End (2010) (Susan Oppenheim)
Awards and nominations
- Image Awards
- 2001, Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture: Remember the Titans (Nominated)
- 2001, Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series: Soul Food (Nominated)
- 2002, Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series: Soul Food (Nominated)
- 2003, Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture: Brown Sugar (Nominated)
- 2003, Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series: Soul Food (Nominated)
- 2004, Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series: Soul Food (Nominated)
- 2005, Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series: Soul Food (Nominated)
- Screen Actors Guild
- 1998, Outstanding Cast in a Motion Picture: Boogie Nights (Nominated)
References
- ^ Kam Williams (2004). "Nicole Reflects on Real Life Role As Mommy-to-Be". DallasBlack.com. http://www.dallasblack.com/entertainment/nicole_ari_secondtime. Retrieved 2009-07-08.
- ^ "Nicole Ari Parker Online: Chat Room Transcripts". Nicole Ari Parker Online. http://www.nicoleariparkeronline.com/chat/chat.htm. Retrieved 2010-05-17.
- ^ Sragow, Michael. "Nicole Ari Parker's role in kids' movie reflects grown-up realities", The Baltimore Sun, 12 June 2009.
- ^ Boris and Nicole Open Up About Sophie's Spina Bifida, Celebrity Babies Blog, 15 January 2009.
External links
Categories:- 1970 births
- American film actors
- American television actors
- Living people
- People from Baltimore, Maryland
- American people of Cherokee descent
- African American film actors
- African American television actors
- African-American people
- American people of Native American descent
- Circle in the Square Theatre School alumni
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