Lovely

1. Whitney Houston

Whitney Elizabeth Houston was born into a musical family on 9 August 1963, in Newark, New Jersey, the daughter of gospel star Cissy Houston (née Emily Lee Drinkard) and John Russell Houston, Jr., and cousin of singing star Dionne Warwick.

She began singing in the choir at her church, The New Hope ...

The Voice. R.I.P.

2. Carrie Fisher

Actress | Star Wars

Carrie Frances Fisher was born on October 21, 1956 in Burbank, California, to singers/actors Eddie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds. She was an actress and writer known for Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (1977), Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980) and Star Wars: Episode VI - Return ...

3. Cindy Crawford

Actress | Fair Game

Cindy Crawford was born on February 20, 1966 in DeKalb, Illinois, USA. She is an actress and producer, known for Fair Game (1995), 54 (1998) and Cougar Town (2009). She has been married to Rande Gerber since May 29, 1998. They have two children. She was previously married to Richard Gere.

4. Joan Collins

Actress | Dynasty

Joan Collins is an English actress from Paddington, London. She is most famous for playing the role of vengeful schemer Alexis Carrington Colby in the soap opera "Dynasty" (1981-1989). In 1997, She was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for services to drama. In 2015, She...

5. Pam Grier

Actress | Jackie Brown

Pam Grier was born in Winston-Salem, NC, one of four children of Gwendolyn Sylvia (Samuels), a nurse, and Clarence Ransom Grier Jr., an Air Force mechanic. Pam has been a major African-American star from the early 1970s. Her career started in 1971, when Roger Corman of New World Pictures launched ...

6. Reese Witherspoon

Producer | Wild

Laura Jeanne Reese Witherspoon was born on March 22, 1976 in New Orleans, Louisiana to Betty Witherspoon, a registered nurse & John Draper Witherspoon, a military surgeon. Reese spent the first 4 years of her life in Wiesbaden, Hesse, Germany, where her father served as a lieutenant colonel in the ...

7. Laila Ali

Actress | Falcon Rising

LAILA ALI TV Personality, Wellness & Fitness Expert, Cooking Enthusiast Four-Time Undefeated Boxing Champion, Beauty & Lifestyle Brand CEO, Best-Selling Author, Inspirational Speaker, Podcast Host, Actress, Mom & Wife

Laila Ali is a world-class athlete, fitness & wellness expert, TV host, cooking ...

The champ is here!!!

8. Melyssa Ford

Actress | Think Like a Man

Melyssa Ford was born on November 7, 1976 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. She is an actress and director, known for Think Like a Man (2012), Three Can Play That Game (2007) and Entourage (2004).

9. Diane Lane

Actress | Unfaithful

Diane Lane was born on January 22, 1965, in New York. She is the daughter of acting coach Burton Eugene "Burt" Lane and nightclub singer/centerfold Colleen Farrington. Her parents' families were both from the state of Georgia. Diane was acting from a very young age and made her stage debut at the ...

10. Melissa De Sousa

Actress | The Best Man: The Final Chapters

Born and raised in New York City by Panamanian parents, Melissa De Sousa attended the renowned High School of Performing Arts as a ballet major, and began her career as a principle dancer with The Alvin Ailey American Dance Company before transitioning into acting.

Melissa is best known for her ...

11. Robinne Lee

Actress | National Security

Robinne Lee (born July 16, 1974) is an American actress and author. She made her screen debut in the 1997 independent film Hav Plenty, and later has appeared in films National Security (2003), Deliver Us from Eva (2003), Hitch (2005), Seven Pounds (2008), Fifty Shades Darker (2017), and Fifty ...

12. Jaclyn Smith

Actress | The Adventurers

Jaclyn Smith was born Jacquelyn Ellen Smith on October 26, 1945 in Houston, Texas. She graduated from high school and originally aspired to be a famous ballerina. In 1973, she landed a job as a Breck shampoo model. In 1976, she was offered a chance to star in a new pilot for a planned television ...

13. Dorothy Dandridge

Actress | Carmen Jones

Dorothy Jean Dandridge was born on November 9, 1922 in Cleveland, Ohio, to Ruby Dandridge (née Ruby Jean Butler), an entertainer, and Cyril H. Dandridge, a cabinet maker and minister. Under the prodding of her mother, Dorothy and her sister Vivian Dandridge began performing publicly, usually in ...

14. Essence Atkins

Actress | A Haunted House

Essence Atkins was born on February 7, 1972 in New York City, New York, USA. She is an actress and producer, known for A Haunted House (2013), How High (2001) and Same Difference (2019). She was previously married to Jaime Mendez.

15. Ali Landry Monteverde

Actress | Sound of Freedom

Ali Landry broke onto the scene and gained instant fame as "the Doritos Girl", when she was featured in a commercial for Frito Lay during the 1998 Super Bowl telecast. The next day, the NY Post hailed in a cover story "A star was born during Superbowl XXXII". Later that year, she was named one of ...

16. Kim Fields

Actress | The Facts of Life

Kim Fields was born on May 12, 1969 in New York City, New York, USA. She is an actress and director, known for The Facts of Life (1979), Living Single (1993) and What to Expect When You're Expecting (2012). She has been married to Christopher Morgan since July 23, 2007. They have two children. She ...

17. Vesta Williams

Soundtrack | Mississippi Burning

Vesta Williams was born on December 1, 1957 in Coshocton, Ohio, USA. She was an actress, known for Mississippi Burning (1988), Posse (1993) and Soul Man (1986). She was married to Herman White. She died on September 22, 2011 in El Segundo, California, USA.

18. BernNadette Stanis

Actress | Good Times

BernNadette Stanis is best known as Thelma from Good Times (1974), but there's much more to her than that. In the 1970s she was the personification of black beauty. As sophisticated and graceful as she was, she still became TV's first black sex symbol or "It" girl. Thelma/BernNadette and the Evans ...

19. Sheena Easton

Soundtrack | For Your Eyes Only

Sheena Easton started off as a worldwide sensation in the music industry. Since then she has expanded to movies (All Dogs Go to Heaven 2 (1996), Indecent Proposal (1993)), Broadway ("Man of La Mancha") and TV (Body Bag (1997), Highlander (1992), Gargoyles (1994), Jack's Place (1992), The Adventures...

20. Jody Watley

Actress | Mystery Men

She's an innovative music maker, a style-forging pioneer: since the mid-90s, Grammy-winning multi-talented Jody Watley has led the way as an entrepreneur working in the independent music world as one of the few already-established female best-selling artists to produce, create and own her ...

21. A.J. Johnson

Actress | House Party

A.J. Johnson was born on September 3, 1963 in Orange, New Jersey, USA. She is an actress and producer, known for House Party (1990), Baby Boy (2001) and Dying Young (1991).

22. Kathleen Bradley

Actress | Friday

Kathleen Bradley was born on January 10, 1951 in Girard, Ohio, USA. She is an actress, known for Friday (1995), Grey's Anatomy (2005) and Rise of the Tarragon. She has been married to Terrence Redd since October 1, 1988. They have one child. She was previously married to Bill Overton.

23. Rebecca Romijn

Actress | X-Men

Rebecca Alie Romijn was born on November 6, 1972 in Berkeley, California. Her father was Dutch-born and worked as a custom-furniture maker. Her mother was American-born, with Dutch and English ancestry, and was a teacher of English. Rebecca attended Berkeley High School where her nickname was the "...

24. Chanté Moore

Actress | The Fan

Chanté Moore was born on February 17, 1967 in San Francisco, California, USA. She is an actress and composer, known for The Fan (1996), Romeo Must Die (2000) and Beverly Hills Cop III (1994). She has been married to Stephen Hill since October 22, 2022. She was previously married to Kenny Lattimore, ...

25. Brandy Norwood

Actress | I Still Know What You Did Last Summer

Brandy Norwood is an African-American singer-songwriter and actress from McComb, Mississippi. She is known for her roles in Moesha, Osmosis Jones and Cinderella. She has released many R&B albums and singles since the 1990s. She is known as "The Vocal Bible". She gave birth to a daughter named ...

26. Monica

Soundtrack | Big Momma's House

Monica Arnold was born October 24, 1980, in Oak Park, Georgia, to Marilyn Best, a church singer and airline customer service representative, and M.C. "Billy" Arnold, Jr., a mechanic. At the age of four, she began singing in her local church choir. After entering many talent shows, Monica was ...

27. Regina Hall

Actress | Girls Trip

Regina Hall was born December 12, 1970 in Washington, D.C., to Ruby, a teacher, and Odie Hall, a contractor. She graduated from Fordham University in 1992, and went on to earn a master's degree in journalism from New York University before shifting to an acting career. In 1997 at age 26, she began ...

28. Claudia Jordan

Actress | Middle Men

Claudia's parents met when her father was in the Air Force, stationed at Brindisi, Italy where he met her mother, an Italian native. She was born and raised in Providence, Rhode Island where as an East Providence High School student, she was selected for the All State Track and Field team. She ...

29. Tracey E. Edmonds

Producer | End of the Road

Tracey Edmonds has created and produced groundbreaking projects for television, film, music, and digital media. She served as co-host of Extra TV alongside Mario Lopez and Charissa Thompson for 3 years, where she earned an Emmy Award. Edmonds currently serves as CEO and President of Edmonds ...

30. Tracy Scoggins

Actress | Babylon 5: The Lost Tales

Tracy Dawn Scoggins was born and raised in Dickinson, Texas. At age 16, she enrolled in Southwest Texas State, where she studied speech communications and physical education. After leaving college, she was hired by the Elite Modeling Agency and sent to New York City. After one year, she continued ...

31. Patti LaBelle

Soundtrack | Miami Vice

Patti LaBelle was born Patricia Louise Holte on May 24, 1944 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Patti began her career in the early 1960s as lead singer of the band Patti LaBelle and the Bluebelles. A decade later the group changed their name to Labelle and recorded the hit song "Lady Marmalade". Patti...

32. Jazsmin Lewis

Actress | Barbershop

Jazsmin Lewis was born on March 22, 1976 in Cleveland, Ohio, USA. She is an actress and producer, known for Barbershop (2002), Traci Townsend (2007) and My Sisters World. She has been married to Brian Kelly since 2005. They have one child. She was previously married to Jesse Saunders.

33. Jennifer Esposito

Actress | Awkwafina Is Nora from Queens

Jennifer Esposito was born in Brooklyn, New York. She launched her career with an appearance on Law & Order (1990) in 1996, and went on to play the character of "Stacey Paterno" in 36 episodes on the hit TV series Spin City (1996), starring alongside Michael J. Fox.

Her first major film was ...

34. Shari Headley

Actress | Coming to America

Shari Headley was born on July 15, 1964 in Queens, New York City, New York, USA. She is an actress, known for Coming to America (1988), Coming 2 America (2021) and Towelhead (2007). She was previously married to Christopher Martin.

35. Marjean Holden

Actress | Mortal Kombat: Annihilation

Actress, stunt woman, and martial artist Marjean Holden was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota and raised in Vail, Colorado. She started acting from the age of 9, well being from the family of entertainers, she already knew her profession. As a youngster, she showed multiple skills in her school plays,...

36. Cheryl Ladd

Actress | Poison Ivy

Cheryl Ladd is an American actress, singer, and author best known for her role as Kris Munroe in the ABC television series Charlie's Angels, whose cast she joined in its second season in 1977 to replace Farrah Fawcett-Majors. Ladd remained on the show until its cancellation in 1981. Her film roles ...

37. Lonette McKee

Actress | Brewster's Millions

Lonette McKee's career began in the music industry in hometown Detroit, Michigan as a child prodigy, where she began playing keyboards composing music and lyrics, singing and performing professionally at a young age. At fourteen she recorded her first record, "Stop Don't Worry 'Bout It" which ...

38. Faith Evans

Soundtrack | Girls Trip

Faith Evans was born on June 10, 1973 in Lakeland, Florida, USA. She is a music artist and actress, known for Girls Trip (2017), Puff Daddy Feat. Faith Evans & 112: I'll Be Missing You (1997) and The Fast and the Furious (2001). She has been married to Stevie J since July 17, 2018. She was ...

39. Gloria Reuben

Actress | Lincoln

Gloria Reuben is an actress, singer and published author whose impressive credentials in television, film, theater and music include portraying the HIV+ physician assistant Jeanie Boulet on the hit NBC series ER (a role that garnered her two Emmy nominations and a Golden Globe nomination) and many ...

40. Diahann Carroll

Actress | Julia

One of television's premier African-American series stars, elegant actress, singer and recording artist Diahann Carroll was born Carol Diann (or Diahann) Johnson on July 17, 1935, in the Bronx, New York. The first child of John Johnson, a subway conductor, and Mabel Faulk Johnson, a nurse; music ...

41. Paulette Braxton

Actress | A Night at the Roxbury

Paulette Braxton was born on January 31, 1965 in Houston, Texas, USA. She is an actress, known for A Night at the Roxbury (1998), Homeboys in Outer Space (1996) and CSI: Miami (2002).

42. Liris Crosse

Actress | Law & Order: Organized Crime

Liris Crosse was born in Randallstown, Maryland, USA. She is known for Law & Order: Organized Crime (2021), The Best Man (1999) and Project Runway (2004).

43. Ashley Graham

Actress | Love Advent

Ashley Graham was born on October 30, 1987 in Lincoln, Nebraska, USA. She is a producer and actress, known for Love Advent (2011), Dirty Old Town (2012) and 100% Taxes (2017). She has been married to Justin Ervin since August 14, 2010. They have three children.

44. Denise Bidot

Make_up_department | Gothic Vampires from Hell

Denise Bidot was born on June 13, 1986 in Miami, Florida, USA. She is known for Gothic Vampires from Hell (2007), Straight/Curve: Redefining Body Image (2017) and A Perfect 14 (2018).

45. Anansa Sims

Self | America's Next Top Model

Anansa Sims was born on December 27, 1978 in New York City, New York, USA. She was previously married to David Patterson.

46. Iskra Lawrence

Actress | Misfits

British actress and model Iskra Lawrence was born in Worcestershire, England to a Northern Irish mother and an English father. She was educated at Bromsgrove School and was accepted into The National Youth Theatre at age 15. She also successfully auditioned and was accepted to train at the ITV/BBC ...

47. Cassandra Freeman

Actress | Inside Man

Cassandra Freeman was born on October 1, 1978 in West Palm Beach, Florida, USA. She is an actress and writer, known for Inside Man (2006), Luke Cage (2016) and Atlanta (2016). She is married to Tom Paul. They have one child.

48. Danielle Brooks

Actress | Peacemaker

Danielle Brooks was born on September 17, 1989 in Augusta, Georgia, USA. She is an actress and producer, known for Peacemaker (2022), Orange Is the New Black (2013) and Robin Roberts Presents: Mahalia (2021). She has been married to Dennis Gelin since January 13, 2022. They have one child.

49. Malika Haqq

Actress | Sky High

Malika Haqq was born on March 10, 1983 in Los Angeles, California, USA. She is an actress, known for Sky High (2005), ATL (2006) and 20 Years After (2008).

50. Khadijah Haqq

Actress | Sky High

Khadijah Haqq was born on March 10, 1983 in Los Angeles, California, USA. She is an actress, known for Sky High (2005), You People (2023) and ATL (2006). She has been married to Bobby McCray since July 19, 2010. They have three children.

51. Luciana Andrade

Actress | UFC on Fox

Luciana Andrade was born on April 8, 1986, in Curitiba, Brazil, as Luciana Mourão de Andrade. She is a lawyer and model, best known for being a ring girl and on-air personality for the Ultimate Fighting Championship - UFC at events across the United States, Latin America and EMEA. Luciana went to ...

52. Damaris Lewis

Actress | BlacKkKlansman

Damaris Lewis was born on October 10, 1990 in Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA. She is an actress, known for BlacKkKlansman (2018), Pose (2018) and Titans (2018).

53. Nayo Wallace

Actress | Speed Racer

Nayo Kamilah Wallace was born in Detriot, Michigan. Nayo (pronounced Nah-yo) is an African name and means "we have joy". A Detroit native who now lives in Los Angeles, Nayo splits her talents between screen, stage and voice over. Most recently she completed the second season of the animated series ...

54. Simone Missick

Actress | All Rise

Born in Detroit, Michigan, Simone always knew she was meant to perform. Growing up, Simone spent years playing the violin, singing, and playing sports before she decided to focus on acting. While in her first year as an English major at Howard University, she decided to take a theatre for ...

55. Veronica Webb

Actress | Someone Like You...

The youngest of three daughters born to Doug, an electrician who died in 1993, and Marion, a nurse, Webb graduated in 1983 from Detroit's Waldorf School. Moving to New York City to study design the same year, Webb got her modeling start after a makeup artist saw her in a housewares boutique.

56. Goapele

Soundtrack | Barbershop

Goapele was born on July 11, 1977 in Oakland, California, USA. She is an actress and producer, known for Barbershop (2002), Hitch (2005) and Honey (2003). She is married to Theo Rodrigues. They have one child.

57. Coco Jones

Actress | Vampires vs. the Bronx

Courtney Michaela Ann "Coco" Jones was born on January 4, 1998 in Columbia, South Carolina and raised in Lebanon, Tennessee to Javonda Antenessia Jones (née Floyd), a session vocalist & Mike Jones, a former NFL player. She rose to prominence starring in the Disney Channel film, Let It Shine (2012) ...