Michael Michele

Michael Michele
Born Michael Michele Williams
(1966-08-30) August 30, 1966
Evansville, Indiana, U.S.
Occupation Actress
Years active 1986–present
Children 1

Michael Michele (born August 30, 1966) is an American actress and fashion designer.[1] She played Dr. Cleo Finch on the NBC medical drama ER and Det. Rene Sheppard on the NBC police procedural Homicide: Life on the Street. Her films include the Academy Award-nominated biographical drama Ali.

Personal life

Michele was born Michael Michele Williams in Evansville, Indiana, the elder of two daughters. Her father is white and her mother is black. Her father is a furniture-rental entrepreneur and her mother was employed by Bristol-Myers.[2] She was named for her mother's best friend, Michael Ann. Michele attended Howard Roosa Elementary School and Benjamin Bosse High School, where she was active on the basketball team.[3] She has a son J. Brandon, born December 21, 2004.[1]

Career

Michele has appeared in music videos by R&B singers Freddie Jackson and Eric Gable. In 1989 she sued actor Eddie Murphy in a high-profile Hollywood lawsuit alleging she was fired from the movie Harlem Nights for rejecting his romantic advances.[2] "She had the role that's now being played by Jasmine Guy, from A Different World," Murphy told Rolling Stone. "The fact of the matter is, I wanted someone with greater marquee value than Michael Michele. She wasn't working out. As for her claim that I was touching her, realistically speaking, if you're gonna be a sleaze and try to fuck somebody, you try to fuck 'em before you give 'em the part… In her lawsuit, she says I tried to touch her, like I was a pervert. I never tried to touch this woman. We had, like, four conversations, each time with up to sixty people around us on a sound stage. But the lawsuit itself didn't bother me. Lawsuits for me are an occupational hazard."[4]

Michele is known for her role as Dr. Cleo Finch on the television series ER from 1999–2002 and her role as Det. Rene Sheppard on the final season of Homicide: Life on the Street. She also had a starring role in the short-lived television series Kevin Hill and a recurring role in New York Undercover. Michele played the role of Veronica Porsche Ali in the 2001 film Ali. She appeared in an episode of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit that aired in early 2007. She also appeared in two episodes of the fourth season of House as a doctor who had previously worked with the CIA. In 2009 Michele appeared in the Hallmark Channel original movie Relative Stranger with fellow ER cast member Eriq La Salle. In 2011, Michele had a recurring role on the CW teen drama Gossip Girl.

In 2005, TV Guide ranked Michele # 36 on its "50 Sexiest Stars of All Time" list.[5] In 2012, she was named one of the "50 Hottest Biracial Women" by Complex Magazine.[6]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Character Notes
1991 New Jack City Selina
1997 The 6th Man R.C. St. John
1998 The Substitute 2: School's Out Kara Lavelle Straight-to-DVD
2001 Ali Veronica Porsche Ali
2002 Dark Blue Beth Williamson Nominated — Black Reel Award for Best Supporting Actress
2003 How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days Judy Spears Nominated — Teen Choice Award for Choice Movie Villain

Television

Year Title Character Notes
1991 Private Times Failed TV pilot (see: Al B. Sure)
1992–93 Dangerous Curves Holly Williams Co-lead role, 34 episodes
1994–95 New York Undercover Sandra Gil Recurring role (season 1), 12 episodes
1995–96 Central Park West Nikki Sheridan Main role, 21 episodes
1998-1999 Homicide: Life on the Street Detective Rene Sheppard Main role (season 7), 22 episodes
Nominated — NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series
1999 Law & Order Det. Rene Sheppard Episode: "Sideshow"
1999–2002 ER Dr. Cleo Finch Main role (seasons 6–8), 55 episodes
Nominated — NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series (2001)
Nominated — Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series (2000-2001)
2000 Homicide: The Movie Detective Rene Sheppard Television movie
2004–05 Kevin Hill Jessie Gray Main role, 22 episodes
2005 The Hunt for the BTK Killer Detective Baines Television movie
2006 Company Town Bridget Wilson Television pilot
2007 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Valerie Sennet Episode: "Burned"
2007 House Dr. Samira Terzi Episodes: "Whatever It Takes", "Ugly"
2007 Judy's Got a Gun Pamela Coates Television pilot
2009 Relative Stranger Charlotte Television movie
2011 Gossip Girl Jane 3 episodes
2014 Delirium Elyse Hargrove Television pilot
2015 The Following Sheila Episode: "A Hostile Witness"
2016 Blue Bloods Lois Potter Episode: "Unbearable Loss"

References

  1. 1 2 Reid, Cynthia (26 December 2011). "Actress Michael Michele Adds Fashion Designer To Her Resume". Retrieved 4 June 2016.
  2. 1 2 Susan Schindehette; Sue Carswell; Vicki Sheff (May 29, 1989). "Pink-Slipped by Eddie Murphy, Michael Michele Vows Their Only Date Will Be in Court". People. Retrieved April 30, 2014.
  3. ↑ Lipton, Michael A. (April 10, 2000). "All the Right Moves". People. Retrieved April 30, 2014.
  4. ↑ Zehme, Bill (1989-08-24). "Eddie Murphy: Call Him Money". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2016-05-30.
  5. ↑ TV Guide Book of Lists. Running Press. 2007. p. 202. ISBN 0-7624-3007-9.
  6. ↑ "The 50 Hottest Biracial Women". Complex Magazine. Retrieved April 30, 2014.
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