Erika Rose Alexander (born November 19, 1969) is an American actress, writer, producer, entrepreneur and activist who played the roles of Pam Tucker on the

NBC The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a subsidiary of Comcast. It is one of NBCUniversal's ...

sitcom ''

The Cosby Show ''The Cosby Show'' is an American television sitcom created by (along with Ed. Weinberger and Michael J. Leeson) and starring Bill Cosby that originally aired on NBC from September 20, 1984, to April 30, 1992, with a total of 201 half-hour e ...

'' from 1990 to 1992, and Maxine Shaw on the Fox sitcom ''

Living Single ''Living Single'' is an American television sitcom created by Yvette Denise Lee that aired for five seasons on the Fox network, from August 22, 1993, to January 1, 1998. The show centers on the lives of six New York City friends who share perso ...

'' from 1993 to 1998. She has won numerous awards for her work on ''Living Single'', including two

NAACP Image Award 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 ...

s for Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series.Means, Coleman R. R.
African American Viewers and the Black Situation Comedy: Situating Racial Humor
'. Hoboken: Taylor and Francis, 2014. p. 134. Her film credits include ''

The Long Walk Home ''The Long Walk Home'' is a 1990 American historical drama film starring Sissy Spacek and Whoopi Goldberg, and directed by Richard Pearce. Set in Alabama, it is based on a screenplay about the Montgomery bus boycott (1955–1956) by John C ...

'' (1990), '' 30 Years to Life'' (2001), ''

Déjà Vu ''Déjà vu'' ( , ; "already seen") is the phenomenon of feeling like one has lived through the present situation in the past.Schnider, Armin. (2008). ''The Confabulating Mind: How the Brain Creates Reality''. Oxford University Press. pp. 167–1 ...

'' (2006), ''

Get Out ''Get Out'' is a 2017 American psychological horror film written, co-produced, and directed by Jordan Peele in his directorial debut. It stars Daniel Kaluuya, Allison Williams, Lil Rel Howery, LaKeith Stanfield, Bradley Whitford, Caleb ...

'' (2017), '' American Refugee'' (2021), '' Earth Mama'' (2023) and '' American Fiction'' (2023), for which she was nominated for an Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Performance.

Early life and education

Alexander was born on November 19, 1969, in

Winslow, Arizona Winslow is a city in Navajo County, Arizona, United States. According to the 2010 United States Census, 2020 census, the population of the city is 9,005. It is approximately southeast of Flagstaff, Arizona, Flagstaff, west of Albuquerque, New ...

, and raised in

Flagstaff, Arizona Flagstaff ( ), known locally as Flag, is the county seat of Coconino County, Arizona, in the southwestern United States. As of the 2020 United States census, the city's population was 76,831. Flagstaff is the principal city of the Coconino Cou ...

, until age eleven, when she and her family moved to

Philadelphia 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 ...

Pennsylvania Pennsylvania, officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a U.S. state, state spanning the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern United States, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes region, Great Lakes regions o ...

.Berry, Torriano, and Venise T. Berry, eds.
Historical Dictionary of African American Cinema
'' 2015. p. 24. She is one of six children born to Robert and Sammie Alexander, a schoolteacher and a children's book author, respectively. She graduated from Philadelphia High School for Girls.Hughes, Mike (August 17, 1995).
'Living Single' Cast Faces New Shot
. ''Gannett News Service''. Courier-Post (Camden, New Jersey).

Acting career

Alexander was discovered at 14 by independent film company Merchant Ivory when she was attending the fifth week of a six-week summer acting class at the New Freedom Theatre. Her first major film role was that of Joan in 1986's '' My Little Girl''. In 1989, she played

Madri Madri (, ), also known as Madravati (, ), is a character in the ''Mahabharata'', one of the two major Mahakavya, Hindu epics. She is the princess from the Madra Kingdom and becomes the second wife of Pandu, the king of the Kuru kingdom, Kuru K ...

/ Hidimbaa in

Peter Brook Peter Stephen Paul Brook (21 March 1925 – 2 July 2022) was an English theatre and film director. He worked first in England, from 1945 at the Birmingham Repertory Theatre, from 1947 at the Royal Opera House, and from 1962 for the Royal Shak ...

's nine-hour epic play adaptation of '' The Mahabharata''. She was also cast in Bill Gunn's ''The Forbidden City'', the last play directed by Public Theater impresario

Joseph Papp Joseph Papp (born Joseph Papirofsky; June 22, 1921 – October 31, 1991) was an American theatrical producer and director. Papp is a pioneering figure in American theater, known for creating Shakespeare in the Park, which aimed to make classi ...

. The play also starred

Gloria Foster Gloria Foster (November 15, 1933 – September 29, 2001) was an American actress. She had acclaimed roles in plays ''In White America'' and '' Having Our Say,'' winning three Obie Awards during her career. Foster played the Oracle in ''The Matri ...

, Frankie Faison and Akili Prince. In 1990, Alexander starred opposite

Whoopi Goldberg Caryn Elaine Johnson (born November 13, 1955), known professionally as Whoopi Goldberg (), is an American actor, comedian, author, and television personality.Kuchwara, Michael (AP Drama Writer)"Whoopi Goldberg: A One-Woman Character Parade". ...

in the

civil rights Civil and political rights are a class of rights that protect individuals' political freedom, freedom from infringement by governments, social organizations, and private individuals. They ensure one's entitlement to participate in the civil and ...

epic Epic commonly refers to: * Epic poetry, a long narrative poem celebrating heroic deeds and events significant to a culture or nation * Epic film, a genre of film defined by the spectacular presentation of human drama on a grandiose scale Epic(s) ...

drama film ''

''. She was then cast as Pam Tucker on the

sitcom ''

,'' starring on the vastly popular series from 1990 until the show's finale in 1992. That same year, Alexander starred in the ABC comedy-drama series '' Going to Extremes'', which centered on a group of American students at a medical school on a fictitious

Caribbean The Caribbean ( , ; ; ; ) is a region in the middle of the Americas centered around the Caribbean Sea in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, mostly overlapping with the West Indies. Bordered by North America to the north, Central America ...

island named Jantique. The series was canceled after one season in early 1993. Later in 1993, Alexander began starring as fan-favorite, super attorney Maxine Shaw in the Fox sitcom ''

'', a role she played for five years until 1998.McCann, Bob. ''Encyclopedia of African American Actresses in Film and Television''. Jefferson, N.C: McFarland & Co, 2010. For this role, Alexander won two NAACP Image Awards for Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series in 1996 and 1998. In 1996, she also made a cameo appearance in

Toni Braxton Toni Michele Braxton (born October 7, 1966) is an American singer, songwriter, actress and television personality. She has sold over 70 million records worldwide and is one of the best-selling female artists in history. Braxton has won seven ...

's music video for her song " You're Makin' Me High". In 1998, Alexander starred as "Young Flora", acting along with

Cicely Tyson Cecily Louise "Cicely" Tyson (; December 19, 1924January 28, 2021) was an American actress. In a career that spanned more than seven decades, she is known for her portrayals of complex and strong-willed African American women. She received sev ...

and her former ''Living Single'' co-star

Queen Latifah Dana Elaine Owens (born March 18, 1970), known professionally by her stage name Queen Latifah, is an American rapper, singer, and actress. She has received various accolades, including a Grammy Award, a Primetime Emmy Award, a Golden Globe ...

, in the CBS miniseries '' Mama Flora's Family'', based on a novel by Alex Haley. She also appeared in the 1998 drama film '' 54''. In 2001, Alexander starred in the comedy film '' 30 Years to Life'', receiving a Black Reel Award for Best Independent Actress for her performance. In 2002, Alexander played as

probation Probation in criminal law is a period of supervision over an offence (law), offender, ordered by the court often in lieu of incarceration. In some jurisdictions, the term ''probation'' applies only to community sentences (alternatives to incar ...

officer Dee Mulhern in the Showtime drama series '' Street Time'', which ran for two seasons. She had recurring roles in ''

Judging Amy ''Judging Amy'' is an American legal drama television series that was telecast from September 19, 1999, through May 3, 2005, on CBS. This television series starred Amy Brenneman and Tyne Daly. Its main character (Brenneman) is a judge who serves ...

'', ''

In Plain Sight ''In Plain Sight'' is an American drama television series that premiered on the USA Network on June 1, 2008. The series revolves around Mary Shannon (Mary McCormack), a Deputy United States Marshal attached to the Albuquerque, New Mexico office ...

'', '' Low Winter Sun'' and '' Let's Stay Together''. Alexander also guest-starred on '' Law & Order: Special Victims Unit'', '' Half & Half'', '' ER'', '' CSI: Crime Scene Investigation'', ''

Criminal Minds ''Criminal Minds'' is an American police procedural crime drama television series created by Jeff Davis that premiered on CBS on September 22, 2005. It follows a group of criminal profilers who work for the FBI as members of its Behavioral ...

'', ''

House A house is a single-unit residential building. It may range in complexity from a rudimentary hut to a complex structure of wood, masonry, concrete or other material, outfitted with plumbing, electrical, and heating, ventilation, and air c ...

'', '' Suits'' and ''

Grey's Anatomy ''Grey's Anatomy'' is an American medical drama television series focusing on the personal and professional lives of surgical internship (medicine), interns, residency (medicine), residents, and attending physician, attendings at the fictional ...

''. Additionally, she appeared in a number of films during the 2000s and 2010s. In 2006, Alexander played the role of Shanti, a technical science engineer in the science fiction action film '' Deja Vu'' opposite

Denzel Washington Denzel Hayes Washington Jr. (born December 28, 1954) is an American actor, producer, and director. Known for his dramatic roles Denzel Washington on screen and stage, on stage and screen, Washington has received List of awards and nominations ...

. She later starred opposite

Benjamin Bratt Benjamin Bratt (born December 16, 1963) is an American actor. He is known for playing Paco Aguilar in '' Blood in Blood Out''. He had supporting film roles in the 1990s in ''Demolition Man'' (1993), ''Clear and Present Danger'' (1994) and '' ...

and Jeremy Ray Valdez in the 2009 drama film '' La Mission''. From 2012 to 2015, Alexander had a recurring role as Carol Larabee, Mike and Vanessa's neighbor, in the ABC comedy series '' Last Man Standing''. Tisha Campbell-Martin replaced her in this role during the show's seventh season. In 2014, Alexander had a supporting role in the comedy-drama '' Elsa & Fred'' starring

Shirley MacLaine Shirley MacLaine (born Shirley MacLean Beaty; April 24, 1934) is an American actress and author. With a career spanning over 70 years, she has received List of awards and nominations received by Shirley MacLaine, numerous accolades, including a ...

and

Christopher Plummer Arthur Christopher Orme Plummer (December 13, 1929 – February 5, 2021) was a Canadian actor. His career spanned seven decades, gaining him recognition for his performances in film, stage and television. His accolades included an Academy Aw ...

. In 2017, she played Detective Latoya in the critically acclaimed horror film ''

''. From 2016 to 2017, Alexander starred as Constance Irving in the Amazon original drama, '' Bosch''. She had recurring roles in the

Oprah Winfrey Network The Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN, also known as the OWN Network) is an American multinational basic cable television network which launched on January 1, 2011, effectively replacing the Discovery Health Channel, which one month later merged with ...

drama series ''

Queen Sugar ''Queen Sugar'' is an American drama television series created and executive produced by Ava DuVernay, with Oprah Winfrey serving as an executive producer. DuVernay also directed the first two episodes. The series is based on the 2014 novel o ...

'' in 2016 and Freeform fantasy drama '' Beyond'' from 2017 to 2018. In 2018, she was cast in a recurring role as Perenna in the CW superhero series ''

Black Lightning Black Lightning (Jefferson Michael "Jeff" Pierce) is a superhero who appears in American comic book published by DC Comics. The character, created by writer Jenny Blake Isabella with artist Trevor Von Eeden, first appeared in ''Black Lightning'' ...

''. She received an

nomination in 2019 for Outstanding Guest Performance in a Comedy or Drama Series. Also in 2019, Alexander began starring in the Hulu drama series, '' Wu-Tang: An American Saga''. In 2021, she began appearing in a recurring role in the Starz comedy series, '' Run the World''. The following year, she starred in The Roku Channel drama series, '' Swimming with Sharks''. Alexander appeared in the 2019 horror-thriller film '' I See You'' and played the lead in the Blumhouse horror-thriller '' American Refugee'' (2021). She later appeared in the comedy-drama film, ''

Wildflower A wildflower (or wild flower) is a flower that grows in the wild, rather than being intentionally seeded or planted. The term implies that the plant is neither a hybrid nor a selected cultivar that is any different from the native plant, eve ...

'', and the drama film '' Earth Mama''. In 2023, she starred opposite

Jeffrey Wright Jeffrey Wright (born December 7, 1965) is an American actor. His accolades include a Primetime Emmy Award, a Tony Award, and a Golden Globe Award, in addition to a nomination for an Academy Award. Wright began his career in theater, where he g ...

in the drama film, '' American Fiction''. She received an Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Performance nomination for her performance.

Writing and publishing

In 2012, Alexander co-created and co-wrote a science-fiction graphic novel, ''Concrete Park'', with then-husband Tony Puryear. In 2018, she penned season eleven of the ''Buffy the Vampire Slayer'' comic ''Giles'' with ''Buffy'' creator

Joss Whedon Joseph Hill "Joss" Whedon ( ; born June 23, 1964) is an American screenwriter, director, producer, comic book writer, and composer. He is best known as the creator of several television series: the supernatural drama ''Buffy the Vampire Slayer' ...

. In 2023, she created and co-wrote the Dupont Columbia Award-winning Audible true-crime series ''Finding Tamika''. Alexander is a co-founder (with Ben Arnon) of Color Farm Media, an entertainment, innovation, and social impact company; in 2020, they released '' John Lewis: Good Trouble'', a documentary focusing on civil rights leader

John Lewis John Robert Lewis (February 21, 1940 – July 17, 2020) was an American civil rights activist and politician who served in the United States House of Representatives for from 1987 until his death in 2020. He participated in the 1960 Nashville ...

Political activity

Alexander actively campaigned for

Hillary Clinton Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton ( Rodham; born October 26, 1947) is an American politician, lawyer and diplomat. She was the 67th United States secretary of state in the administration of Barack Obama from 2009 to 2013, a U.S. senator represent ...

and toured college campuses with

Chelsea Clinton Chelsea Victoria Clinton (born February 27, 1980) is an American writer. She is the only child of former U.S. President Bill Clinton and Hillary Clinton, a former U.S. Secretary of State and U.S. Senator. Clinton was born in Little Rock, Ar ...

during the 2008 Democratic Party

primary Primary or primaries may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Music Groups and labels * Primary (band), from Australia * Primary (musician), hip hop musician and record producer from South Korea * Primary Music, Israeli record label Work ...

.Panzar, Javier. �
Democrats Counting on Celebrities to Introduce Heavy Subject Matter
” ''Los Angeles Times'', July 27, 2016. Accessed July 30, 2017.

Personal life

From 1997 to 2017, Alexander was married to artist and screenwriter Tony Puryear.

Filmography

Film

Television

Music videos

Awards and nominations

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Alexander, Erika 1969 births Living people Actresses from Arizona Actresses from Philadelphia People from Winslow, Arizona American television actresses Philadelphia High School for Girls alumni 21st-century African-American actresses 21st-century American actresses 20th-century African-American actresses 20th-century American actresses 20th-century African-American writers Actors from Navajo County, Arizona