Countess Vaughn

Countess Danielle Vaughn (born August 8, 1978) is an American actress, singer and television personality. She is best known for her role as Kim Parker on the UPN sitcoms Moesha and its spin-off The Parkers, also as Alexandria DeWitt on 227.

Countess Vaughn
Born
Countess Danielle Vaughn

(1978-08-08) August 8, 1978
Idabel, Oklahoma, U.S.
Other namesCountess Vaughn James
Occupation
  • Actress
  • singer
  • television personality
Years active1988–present
Known forKim Parker on Moesha & The Parkers
Spouse(s)
Joseph James
​
​
(m. 2002; div. 2005)​
Partner(s)David Whitten (2006-2018)
Children2
Musical career
Genres
InstrumentsVocals
LabelsCharisma Records

Early life

Vaughn was born in Idabel, Oklahoma, to Sandra and Leo Vaughn.[1] She began her performing career at age three in 1981, singing at church. At nine in 1988, she sang "I'll Be There" to win the Star Search junior vocalist champion and overall junior champion.[1] Following that success, she was cast as Alexandria DeWitt in the fourth season of NBC sitcom, 227 at the start of its fourth season in 1988. Vaughn left the show the following year due to inappropriate remarks and cruel comments from one of the main adult cast members after appearing in ten episodes that season.[1]

Career

In the 1990s, Vaughn guest starred on Thea, Hangin' with Mr. Cooper, and Roc. Outside of television, she performed in the off-Broadway musical Mama, I Want to Sing! Part 3. In 1992, Vaughn released her first album, Countess, featuring a variety of songs, including dance music and R&B.[1] The album's lead single, a cover of James Brown's "It's A Man's, Man's, Man's World", charted in the top-100 of the Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart; the album itself sold 3,000 copies.

Vaughn's breakthrough role was playing Kim Parker in the UPN sitcom Moesha. She co-starred on the show from 1996 to 1999. In 1998, Vaughn was honored with an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for her performance in Moesha. In 1999, Vaughn starred in and also sung the theme song for the show's spin-off, The Parkers, opposite actress and comedian Mo'Nique. The series aired from 1999 until 2004. In film, she co-starred in Trippin (1999). In later years she guest starred on Cuts and Let's Stay Together.

Personal life

On January 16, 2002, Vaughn married Joseph James. The couple had a son before divorcing in 2005. Vaughn also has a daughter, born in 2009, with ex-fiancé David Whitten.[2]

During an appearance on The Doctors, Vaughn revealed that she suffered from hair loss due to bad reactions from glue used on wigs she wore for many years. She also has discoloration on her skin in many places.[3]

Reality television

In the mid-2000s, Vaughn began appearing in a number of reality shows. She appeared in the third season of Celebrity Fit Club which premiered in January 2006 on VH1. On episode four, she announced that she was going through a divorce. During the course of the show, she became the first cast member to ever gain weight. It was said on the season finale that she was simply trying to lose weight at the wrong time. She later appeared as a contestant on MTV's Celebrity Rap Superstar which surprisingly premiered August 30, 2007. She studied under Warren G for the show. On September 27, 2007, an illness caused her to be eliminated from the competition.

In 2014, Vaughn began starring in the TV One reality series Hollywood Divas, alongside Golden Brooks, Lisa Wu, and Paula Jai Parker.[4] The series premiered on October 8, 2014. During the first season, Vaughn revealed that she had an abortion around the age of 18. She said that "I had an unwanted pregnancy. I had just started my TV show. I knew that in black Hollywood a girl having a baby, they’d get rid of you. I had to do something about it. I had to make a decision to get rid of a child for my career."[5] [6].

Filmography
Year Title Role Notes
1988–1989 227 Alexandria DeWitt Series regular, 13 episodes
Nominated — Young Artist Award for Best Young Actress in a Supporting Role in a Comedy or Drama Series or Special (1989)
1992 Fievel's American Tails Monique (Voice) Episode: "Fievel, the Lonesome Ranger"
1992–1993 Hangin' with Mr. Cooper Keisha Recurring role, 3 episodes
1993–1994 Thea Charlene Episode: "Danesha Project"
1993–1994 Roc Carlita Episodes: "He Ain't Heavy, He's My Father" and "The Last Temptation of Roc"
1996 Minor Adjustments Monique Episode: "Witness"
1996–1999 Moesha Kim Parker Series regular, 83 episodes
NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series (1998)
Nominated — NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series (1999–2000)
1997 Goode Behavior Episode: "Goode Lovin'"
1999–2004 The Parkers Kim Parker Series regular 110 episodes
1999 Trippin' Anetta Jones
2001 Max Keeble's Big Move Office Admin. Assistant
2006 Cuts Kelli Episode: "Adult Education"
2011 Let's Stay Together Chanteuse Episode: "Back Together Again"
2014 More to Love Karen
2014–2016 Hollywood Divas Herself Series regular
2015 The White Sistas London White Also producer
2020 Dish Nation Self Episode: "The 10 Best Celebrity Feuds You May Have Forgotten"


Discography

Studio albums
  • Countess (1992)
  • Countess Vaughn (2017)
  • Love (2019)
  • Let Me Love You – Chapter 1 (2020)

References
  1. "Countess Vaughn". Metacritic. Retrieved December 18, 2014.
  2. https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/the-parkers-the-heartbreaking-decision-countess-vaughn-made-in-order-to-keep-her-role-on-the-show.html/
  3. Wilson, Julee. "Countess Vaughn Reminds Us of the Dangers Of Wigs And Weaves". HuffPost. Retrieved December 18, 2014.
  4. Obenson, Tambay A. (May 16, 2014). "TV One Expands 'Diva' Franchise w/ Launch of 'Hollywood Divas' (Elise Neal, Golden Brooks, Paula Jai Parker, Countess Vaughn, Lisa Wu)". Shadow and Act. Archived from the original on July 10, 2015. Retrieved December 18, 2014.
  5. McRady, Rachel; Blynn, Jamie (October 30, 2014). "Countess Vaughn Reveals She Had Abortion as a Teen on Hollywood Divas". Us Weekly. Retrieved December 18, 2014.
  6. Countess Vaughn Shares That She Had An Abortion At Age 18 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQfXiaxOZbM
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