Kimberly Elise

At 57 years old, Kimberly Elise has this physical status:

Career

Elise made her big screen debut in the 1996 crime drama Set It Off (1996) starring F. Gary Gray, in which she played one of four women who had to resort to robing a bank for money. Jada Pinkett Smith, Queen Latifah, and Vivica A. Fox co-star in a film that became a critical and box office hit, grossing over $41 million. She appeared in the Family Channel original television film The Ditchdigger's Daughters, based on Pulitzer-prize nominated and highly acclaimed 1995 memoir The Ditchdigger's Daughters: A Black Family's Astonishing Success Story, written by Yvonne S. Thornton and Jo Coudert, based on the Pulitzer-prize nominated and critically acclaimed 1995 memoir The Ditchdigger's Daughters: A Black Family's She was lauded for her role in this film, and at the 19th annual CableACE Awards in 1997, she was named Best Supporting Actress in a Movie or Miniseries. Her appearance in Beloved, alongside Oprah Winfrey and Danny Glover, a horror-drama film based on Toni Morrison's 1987 book of the same name directed by Jonathan Demme, helped her land a role in Beloved next year. Despite being a box office disaster, Elise received recognition for her appearance, as well as the Chicago Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture. She also received her first NAACP Image Award nomination.

Elise appeared in The Loretta Claiborne Story in 2000, playing Loretta Claiborne. In early 2000, the film premiered at ABC as part of The Wonderful World of Disney. Claiborne's performance has received rave reviews. Later that year, she was the female lead in Jamie Foxx's film Bait, but the film received mostly critical feedback from critics. She appeared in the biographical drama Bojangles the following year. She appeared on the UPN comedy series Girlfriends, in which she played an HIV-positive woman, and in the Showtime drama Soul Food in 2002–2003.

Elise appeared in the crime film John Q. in 2002. It was a box office hit, with revenues over $100 million. Michelle, an abused young woman who recently received the support she needed behind bars, was the leading actress in the independent drama Woman Thou Art Loosed. In addition, she received the Independent Spirit Award for Best Actress and Best Female Lead nomination in this role. She appeared in The Manchurian Candidate, a political drama starring Denzel Washington for the second time.

Elise appeared in Tyler Perry's comedy drama film Diary of a Mad Black Woman written by Tyler Perry and directed by Darren Grant in 2005. She received rave reviews for her performance, but most of her films were critical. Despite a budget of $5 million, the film was still a huge box office success, grossing over $50 million against a budget of $5 million. For this film, she received her first NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture. Elise appeared on CBS' Close to Home from 2005 to 2007, portraying Marion County, Indiana (Indianapolis) prosecutor Maun Scofield. In the last episode of the series, her character was killed off. In May 2007, the show was cancelled. In 2006, she was recognized for Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series by the NAACP. She appeared in two Shonda Rhimes' dramas later in life; Private Practice in 2007; and Grey's Anatomy in 2009.

Elise has appeared in two biographical drama films in 2007. Terrence Howard was the first in Pride, based on Jim Ellis' true life. Denzel Washington appeared in The Great Debaters later this year, based on an article written by Tony Scherman about the Wiley College debate team for the spring 1997 issue of American Legacy. She appeared opposite Cuba Gooding Jr. in the television film Gifted Hands: The Ben Carson Story in 2009, receiving the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Television Movie, Mini-Series, or Dramatic Special.

Elise appeared in the drama film For Colored Girls in 2010 as the battered wife Crystal. The film is based on Ntozake Shange's 1975 original choreoem for colored girls who have considered suicide/when the rainbow is enuf, and it was written, directed, and produced by Tyler Perry. Although the film itself received mixed to negative feedback, several commentators lauded her performance. One writer referred to her as "the top lost Best Support Actress of the 2010 season." Loretta Devine, Kimberly Elise, Phylicia Rashad, and Anika Noni Rose lead the female cast, with Lisa Schwarzbaum of Entertainment Weekly pleading for the best parts, with particularly strong performances from Loretta Devine, Kimberly Elise, Phylicia Rashad, and Anika Noni Rose. But the actors' earnest work isn't enuf," despite being stuck in a fickle production that may just as well welcome Perry's signature drag creation Madea to the block party. In a Motion Picture, she received the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress.

Elise has appeared in a number of independent films in the 2000s, including a leading role in Ties That Bind (2011). In the Lifetime television film A Day Late and a Dollar Short, she co-starred alongside Whoopi Goldberg in 2014. She debuted in the VH1 comedy-drama film Hit The Floor in 2013. She appeared in the well-received comedy-drama film Dope in 2015, and in the HBO film Confirmation, she co-starred Kerry Washington. Elise appeared in the Christmas comedy-drama film Almost Christmas opposite Danny Glover, Gabrielle Union, and Mo'Nique later this year. Bruce Willis, a 1970 film of the same name, appeared in Death Wish opposite Bruce Willis. She appeared in Ad Astra, a science fiction film released in 2019.

Elise appeared alongside Justin Theroux in Apple TV+'s Apple TV+ drama series The Mose Coast based on Paul Theroux's 1981 book The Mose Coast was cast in 2020.

Source