LaTanya Richardson Jackson is an American actress. She began her career appearing in off-Broadway productions, before playing supporting roles on television and film. Her performances are credited to her birth name, LaTanya Richardson, from 1989 to 2013. Richardson has appeared in films including ''

Fried Green Tomatoes ''Fried Green Tomatoes'' is a 1991 American comedy-drama film directed by Jon Avnet and based on Fannie Flagg's 1987 novel '' Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe''. Written by Flagg and Carol Sobieski, and starring Kathy Bates, J ...

'' (1991), ''

Malcolm X Malcolm X (born Malcolm Little, later el-Hajj Malik el-Shabazz; May 19, 1925 – February 21, 1965) was an African American revolutionary, Islam in the United States, Muslim minister and human rights activist who was a prominent figur ...

'' (1992), '' Sleepless in Seattle'' (1993), '' When a Man Loves a Woman'' (1994), '' Losing Isaiah'' (1995), '' Lone Star'' (1996), '' U.S. Marshals'' (1998), and '' The Fighting Temptations'' (2003). Her television credits include '' 100 Centre Street'' (2001–2002), '' Show Me a Hero'' (2015), '' Luke Cage'' (2016–2018), and '' Rebel'' (2017).

Early and personal life

She was born in Atlanta, Georgia. While attending Atlanta's historically Black, all-female

Spelman College Spelman College is a Private college, private, Historically black colleges and universities, historically black, Women's colleges in the United States, women's Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Atlanta, Georgia ...

in 1970, she met Samuel L. Jackson, then a student at the historically Black, all-male

Morehouse College Morehouse College is a Private college, private, Historically black colleges and universities, historically black, Men's colleges in the United States, men's Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Atlanta, Georgia, ...

. She and Jackson married in 1980 and have one child together (b. 1982). After her daughter's birth, Richardson stopped working regularly for family reasons.

Career

Richardson played Paulina Pritchett in the 2003 musical film '' The Fighting Temptations''. She has appeared in four films with her husband, Samuel L. Jackson: ''

Juice Juice is a drink made from the extraction or Cold-pressed juice, pressing of the natural liquid contained in fruit and vegetables. It can also refer to liquids that are flavored with concentrate or other biological food sources, such as meat ...

'' (1992), ''Losing Isaiah'' (1995), '' Freedomland'' (2006), and ''

Mother and Child A mother is the female parent of a child. A woman may be considered a mother by virtue of having given birth, by raising a child who may or may not be her biological offspring, or by supplying her ovum for fertilisation in the case of gestat ...

'' (2009). In 2014, Richardson received a

Tony Award The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as a Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual ce ...

nomination for Best Lead Actress in a Play for her performance in the play ''

A Raisin in the Sun ''A Raisin in the Sun'' is a play by Lorraine Hansberry that debuted on Broadway in 1959. The title comes from the poem "Harlem" (also known as "A Dream Deferred") by Langston Hughes. The story tells of a black family's experiences in south Ch ...

,'' her second appearance on Broadway after her debut in the 2009 revival of '' Joe Turner's Come and Gone''. She appeared in Aaron Sorkin's adaptation of ''

To Kill a Mockingbird ''To Kill a Mockingbird'' is a 1960 Southern Gothic novel by American author Harper Lee. It became instantly successful after its release; in the United States, it is widely read in high schools and middle schools. ''To Kill a Mockingbird'' ...

'' on Broadway in the 2018–19 season. From 2017 to 2023, Richardson made regular appearances as Maggie Pierce’s adoptive mother, Diane, on ''

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 ...

''. In September 2022, Richardson made her directorial debut directing the Broadway revival of August Wilson's play '' The Piano Lesson'' at the

Ethel Barrymore Theatre The Ethel Barrymore Theatre is a Broadway theatre, Broadway theater at 243 West 47th Street (Manhattan), 47th Street in the Theater District, Manhattan, Theater District of Midtown Manhattan in New York City, New York, U.S. Opened in 1928, it ...

Filmography

On film, she has been credited under her birth name, LaTanya Richardson, from 1991–2009, except for the 2006 film '' Freedomland''.

Film

Television

On television, she has been credited as her birth name, LaTanya Richardson, from 1989–2013, except for a 2012 episode of ''

Damages At common law, damages are a remedy in the form of a monetary award to be paid to a claimant as compensation for loss or injury. To warrant the award, the claimant must show that a breach of duty has caused foreseeable loss. To be recognized at ...

''.

Theatre

Awards and nominations

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Jackson, LaTanya Richardson 20th-century African-American actresses 20th-century American actresses 21st-century African-American actresses 21st-century American actresses Actresses from Atlanta American film actresses American television actresses American stage actresses Living people Spelman College alumni Year of birth missing (living people)