Erica Faye Watson (February 26, 1973 – February 27, 2021) was an American actress, comedian and writer. She is best known for her roles in ''

Precious Precious may refer to: Music * Precious (group), a British female pop group Albums * ''Precious'' (Chanté Moore album), 1992 * ''Precious'' (Conrad Sewell album), 2023 * ''Precious'' (Cubic U album), 1998 * ''Precious'' (Ours album), 200 ...

'' and ''

Chi-Raq ''Chi-Raq'' () is a 2015 American musical crime comedy drama film, directed and produced by Spike Lee and co-written by Lee and Kevin Willmott. Set in Chicago, the film focuses on the gang violence prevalent in neighborhoods on the city's sou ...

''.

Early life and education

Watson was born on February 26, 1973, and grew up in

Chicago Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...

. She attended St. Thomas the Apostle Elementary School and Kenwood Academy High School. She graduated from

Columbia College Chicago Columbia College Chicago is a Private college, private art college in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Founded in 1890, it has 6,493 students (as of fall 2021) pursuing degrees in more than 60 undergraduate and graduate degree programs. It i ...

in 1998 with a degree in film directing and a masters in Master of Arts in entertainment and media management in 2005.

Career

Following graduation, Watson moved to New York City where she performed comedy and a one-woman show in 2010 which examined her identity a plus-size Black woman. She returned to Chicago after the show's tour where she took on roles in ''Precious'', ''Chi-Raq'', ''Empire'', and ''The Chi''.

Personal life

She died of complications from

COVID-19 Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. In January 2020, the disease spread worldwide, resulting in the COVID-19 pandemic. The symptoms of COVID‑19 can vary but often include fever ...

Montego Bay Montego Bay () is the capital of the Parishes of Jamaica, parish of Saint James Parish, Jamaica, St. James in Jamaica. The city is the fourth most populous urban area in the country, after Kingston, Jamaica, Kingston, Spanish Town, and Portmore ...

, where she had been living until her death, one day after her 48th birthday during the COVID-19 pandemic in Jamaica. She was 48 years old.

Filmography

Film

Television

References

External links

* 1973 births 2021 deaths Place of birth missing 20th-century African-American people 20th-century African-American women 21st-century African-American people 21st-century African-American women Actresses from Chicago African-American actresses American expatriates in Jamaica Deaths from the COVID-19 pandemic in Jamaica Kenwood Academy alumni {{US-screen-actor-1970s-stub