Annie Ilonzeh

Annette Ngozi Ilonzeh (born August 24, 1983) is an American actress. From 2010 to 2011, she played Maya Ward on the ABC daytime soap opera General Hospital, and later starred as Kate Prince in the short-lived ABC reboot of Charlie's Angels. She later had a recurring roles on shows such as Arrow, Drop Dead Diva and Empire. In 2017, Ilonzeh played Kidada Jones in the biographical drama film All Eyez on Me, and starred in the thriller 'Til Death Do Us Part. In 2018, she started co-starring as Emily Foster in the NBC drama Chicago Fire.

Annie Ilonzeh
Born
Annette Ngozi Ilonzeh[1]

(1983-08-24) August 24, 1983
Grapevine, Texas, U.S.[2]
OccupationActress
Years active2007–present

Life and career

Ilonzeh was born in Grapevine, Texas, and went to Colleyville Heritage High School.[3] Her father is a Nigerian of Igbo descent,[4] and her mother is white.[5] In 2007, she made her television debut in an episode of the CBS sitcom How I Met Your Mother. She had bit roles in the movies He's Just Not That Into You, Miss March and Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief.[6] Ilonzeh had a recurring role in the CW prime time soap opera Melrose Place from 2009 to 2010, and in 2010 guest starred in three episodes of Entourage. From 2010 to 2011, she played the role Maya Ward on the ABC daytime soap opera General Hospital.

In January 2011, Ilonzeh was announced as one of the "Angels" on the reboot of the 1970s television series Charlie's Angels. The series, which premiered in September 2011, received mostly negative reviews,[7] and was cancelled the day after the fourth episode. In March 2012, it was announced that Ilonzeh would be recurring on The CW series Arrow.[8] Later that year, she began appearing in a recurring role in the ABC Family drama series Switched at Birth. In 2013, she played a leading role in the Lifetime television film Killer Reality.[9] Ilonzeh also guest starred in the second season of CW's Beauty & the Beast,[10] and had a recurring role on Lifetime comedy-drama Drop Dead Diva in 2013. Later, she had a recurring roles on Person of Interest and Empire.

In 2017, Ilonzeh had her first major film role, playing Kidada Jones in the biographical drama All Eyez on Me, about hip-hop artist Tupac Shakur.[11] Later that year, appeared in the psychological thriller 'Til Death Do Us Part.[12] In 2018, Ilonzeh appeared in the action thriller Peppermint,[13] and was cast in a lead role on the ABC drama pilot Staties,[14] which has yet to air as of October 2018.

In 2018, Ilonzeh began portraying Emily Foster in Dick Wolf's Chicago franchise, first starring in Chicago Fire.[15] On April 16, 2020, it was reported that NBC/Wolf Entertainment officials informed Ilonzeh that she would not be renewing her contract which led to her leaving the series shortly after two seasons.[16]

Filmography

Film
Year Title Role Notes
2009 He's Just Not That Into You Hot Girl
Miss March Beautiful Girl #2
Not Necessary Whitley Short film
2010 Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief Aphrodite Girl
Frenemies Shop Girl
2013 Killer Reality Hayley Vance
2017 All Eyez on Me Kidada Jones
'Til Death Do Us Part Madison Roland/ Kate Smith
2018 Peppermint FBI agent Lisa Inman

Television
Year Title Role Notes
2007 How I Met Your Mother Becky Episode: "The Yips" (season 3: episode 10)
2008 Do Not Disturb Episode: "Pilot" (season 1: episode 1)
2009–10 Melrose Place Natasha Recurring role, 3 episodes
2010–11 General Hospital Maya Ward Main cast, 79 episodes
Entourage Rachel Recurring role, 3 episodes
2011 The Game Anthea Episode: "A Very Special Episode" (season 4: episode 9)
Charlie's Angels Kate Prince Main cast, 8 episodes
2012–14 Arrow Joanna De La Vega Recurring role, 8 episodes
2012–13 Switched at Birth Lana Recurring role, 8 episodes
2013 Diary of a Champion Ciara Tryce Web series, 2 episodes
Drop Dead Diva Nicole Recurring role, 7 episodes
2013–14 Beauty & the Beast Beth Bowman Episodes: "Reunion" (season 2, episode 5)
"Operation Fake Date" (season 2, episode 21)
2014 Rush Jordana Rourke Episode: "Where Is My Mind?"
2015–16 Person of Interest Harper Rose Recurring role, 5 episodes
2015 Graceland Courtney Gallo Recurring role, 3 episodes
2016 Empire Harper Scott Recurring role, 4 episodes
2017 American Horror Story: Cult Erika Episode: "Great Again"
2018–20 Chicago Fire Emily Foster Main Role
2018 Chicago P.D. Episode: "Endings"
TBA Staties Eliza Cortez Lead role, unaired pilot, filmed 2018

References
  1. "Annie Ilonzeh". TVGuide.com. Retrieved February 27, 2018.
  2. "Annie Ilonzeh Bio". Soapoperadigest.com. Archived from the original on June 12, 2012. Retrieved February 17, 2012.
  3. Martindale, David (June 13, 2017). "Tarrant actress Annie Ilonzeh goes all-in on Tupac film, 'a story that needs to be told'". Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Retrieved March 17, 2019 – via www.star-telegram.com.
  4. https://mobile.twitter.com/annieilonzeh/status/523748193461215233
  5. "Annie Ilonzeh Doesn't See Color But Is Happy To Be Charlie's First Black Angel". October 10, 2011. Retrieved April 20, 2018.
  6. Filmography by type for Annie Ilonzeh. IMDb
  7. Adams, Erik; VanDerWerff, Emily (September 22, 2011). "'Charlie's Angels' seems like it's embarrassed to be an 'Angels' remake". The A.V. Club. The Onion. Retrieved October 16, 2011.
  8. Jeffery, Morgan (March 13, 2012). "'Arrow': CW superhero drama adds 'Charlie's Angels' star Annie Ilonzeh". Digital Spy. Retrieved March 27, 2012.
  9. "Killer Reality". myLifetime.com. Archived from the original on September 5, 2014. Retrieved August 18, 2014.
  10. Ross, Robyn (September 5, 2013). "Beauty and the Beast Scoop: Who Are Cat and Vincent's New Threats?". TV Guide. Retrieved September 6, 2013.
  11. Obenson, Tambay A. (February 20, 2016). "Annie Ilonzeh Cast to Play Kidada Jones in Morgan Creek's Tupac Shakur Biopic". Retrieved February 27, 2018.
  12. "'Til Death Do Us Part': Film Review". Retrieved February 27, 2018.
  13. N'Duka, Amanda (November 28, 2017). "Jennifer Garner Thriller 'Peppermint' Adds Kyla Drew & Annie Ilonzeh". Retrieved February 27, 2018.
  14. Andreeva, Nellie (February 21, 2018). "'Staties': Annie Ilonzeh Cast As Lead Of ABC Drama Pilot". Retrieved February 27, 2018.
  15. Andreeva, Nellie. "'Chicago Fire': Annie Ilonzeh Cast As New Series Regular For Season 7". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved September 21, 2018.
  16. Andreeva, Nellie (April 16, 2020). "Annie Ilonzeh Departs 'Chicago Fire' After 2 Seasons". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved April 16, 2020.
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