Keesha Sharp

Keesha Ulricka Sharp (née Fletch; born June 9, 1973)[1] is an American actress and director. She began her career appearing on television dramas, before her regular role as Monica Charles Brooks in the UPN/The CW comedy series, Girlfriends (2002–08), for which she received NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series nomination.

Keesha Sharp
Born
Keesha Ulricka Fletch

(1973-06-09) June 9, 1973
OccupationActress, director
Years active2000–present
Spouse(s)Brad Sharp (m. 1997)
Children1

Sharp later has appeared in films include American Adobo (2002), Why Did I Get Married? (2007), and from 2010 to 2013 co-starred in the TBS sitcom, Are We There Yet?. In 2016, she played Dale Cochran, the wife of Johnnie Cochran, in the FX anthology drama series, The People v. O. J. Simpson: American Crime Story. From 2016 to 2019, Sharp starred as Trish Murtaugh in the Fox police comedy-drama series, Lethal Weapon, for which she received NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series nomination.

Life and career

Sharp was born in Rochester, New York. After graduating from The Boston Conservatory, Sharp set her sights on the stage.[2] She performed in the Broadway National Tour of Carousel, debuted Off-Broadway in Michael Bradford's Living in the Wind and played eight different roles in the interactive comedy Eat the Runt. Other theatre performances include Abyssinia, Aida, Thunder Knockin, Jitney, The Producers, Big Street, Suburb and Joe Turner's Come and Gone. On television, she guest starred on Welcome to New York, Third Watch, and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, before moving to Los Angeles.

In 2002, Sharp was cast on the CW comedy series Girlfriends, which she played William Dent's (Reggie Hayes) girlfriend, and later wife, Monica. Her role garnered a nomination for an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series.[3] The series ended in 2008. From 2005 to 2006, she also had the recurring role on Everybody Hates Chris as Sheila Ridenhour. Sharp also had roles in films Malibu's Most Wanted, Leprechaun: Back 2 tha Hood, Never Die Alone and Why Did I Get Married?.

After Girlfriends, Sharp had guest starring roles on The Game, Cold Case, Melissa & Joey, Elementary and The Exes. From 2010 to 2012, she was regular cast member on the TBS sitcom, Are We There Yet?.[4] In 2015, Sharp was cast as Dale Cochran, the wife of Johnnie Cochran (played by Courtney B. Vance), in the FX anthology drama series, American Crime Story.[5][6] In 2016, she was cast in a series regular role opposite Damon Wayans Sr. in the Fox series Lethal Weapon playing Trish Murtaugh (played by Darlene Love in the Lethal Weapon film series). Golden Brooks, her Girlfriends co-star originally was cast in the role, but was replaced by Sharp during filming of pilot episode.[7] Later that year, she was cast as Thurgood Marshall's wife in the biographical film Marshall starring Chadwick Boseman.[8]

In 2018, Sharp has picked up rights to John Williams’ 2013 biography America’s Mistress: The Life and Times of Eartha Kitt. She set to star as Kitt and will produce film alongside her husband, Brad Sharp.[9]

In 2019, Sharp was cast in the final season of the Fox musical drama series Empire.[10]

Personal life

Sharp married actor and singer-songwriter Brad Sharp on August 1, 1997. The couple have been together since high school and have a son named Solomon.[11]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
2001 Pootie Tang Monique
2001 American Adobo Debbie
2003 Malibu's Most Wanted Tasha
2003 Leprechaun: Back 2 tha Hood Chanel
2004 Never Die Alone Edna
2005 What If in This Life Keesha Monroe Short film
2007 Why Did I Get Married? Pam
2008 Shattered! Angela
2014 The 636 Hope Rigby Short film
2014 Half-Off Director and writer
2015 Christian Robyn Short film
2016 Born Guilty Leslie
2016 Frozen Peas Daisy
2016 You Have a Nice Flight Kristen
2017 Marshall Vivien "Buster" Burey Nominated — NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture[12]
2018 This Is Christmas Lena

Television

Year Title Role Notes
2000 Welcome to New York Lauren Episode: "The Crier"
2001 Third Watch Grace Episode: "Walking Wounded"
2001 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Charlene Episode: "Pique"
2004 The Tracy Morgan Show Lindy Berry Episodes: "Church" and "Weird Science"
2004 Still Standing Lexi Episode: "Still Flirting"
20052006 Everybody Hates Chris Sheila Ridenhour Recurring role, 8 episodes
20022008 Girlfriends Monica Charles Brooks Series regular, 41 episodes
Nominated – NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series (2008)
2009 The Game Keesha James Episode: "Hill Street Blues"
2010 Cold Case Chantel Jones Episode: "Bombers"
2010 Detroit 1-8-7 Keri Rader Episode: "Royal Bubbles/Needle Drop"
20102012 Are We There Yet? Gigi Series regular, 77 episodes
2013 Melissa & Joey Maggie Episode: "Teach Your Children"
2013 Elementary Mistress Felicia Episode: "Poison Pen"
2013 Instant Mom Lynn Lawson Episode: "Dances with She-Wolves"
2014 Bad Teacher Denise Recurring role, 3 episodes
2014 The Exes Dee Dee Episode: "Catch It 'Cause You Can"
2015 The Player Maya Episodes: "Downtown Odds" and "A House Is Not a Home"
2016 American Crime Story Dale Cochran Recurring role, 7 episodes
Nominated — Black Reel Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress, TV Movie or Limited Series[13]
2016–2019 Lethal Weapon Trish Murtaugh Series regular, 53 episodes
Nominated — NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series[14] (2017)
2018-2019 The Good Fight Naomi Nivola Recurring role, 3 episodes
2019-2020 Empire Dr. Paula Wick Recurring role

References

  1. "Keesha Sharp". MovieWeb. Archived from the original on 27 June 2015. Retrieved 27 June 2015.
  2. "Keesha Sharp". Retrieved 23 October 2016.
  3. National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. "List of NAACP Image Awards Winners" Archived 2015-06-30 at the Wayback Machine (Press Release). March 2, 2007. Retrieved on June 1, 2013.
  4. Nellie Andreeva. "It's Official: TBS Picks Up 90 Additional Episodes of Sitcom 'Are We There Yet?'". Deadline. Retrieved 27 June 2015.
  5. Denise Petski. "'Code Black', 'American Crime Story' & 'You Me Her' Add To Cast - Deadline". Deadline. Retrieved 15 February 2016.
  6. "American Crime Story: Keesha Sharp on Key Role Johnnie Cochran's Wife Played : People.com". PEOPLE.com. Retrieved 15 February 2016.
  7. Nellie Andreeva. "Lethal Weapon' Fox Pilot: Keesha Sharp Replaces Golden Brooks In Recasting - Deadline". Deadline. Retrieved 17 March 2016.
  8. "Keesha Sharp to Play Chadwick Boseman's Wife in Thurgood Marshall Biopic". 17 May 2016. Retrieved 31 May 2016.
  9. N'Duka, Amanda (30 October 2018). "'Lethal Weapon's Keesha Sharp To Produce & Star In Eartha Kitt Biopic". Retrieved 31 October 2018.
  10. Petski, Denise (August 12, 2019). "'Empire': Keesha Sharp To Recur on Season 6 Of Fox Drama Series".
  11. "14 Things to Know About Lethal Weapon Star Keesha Sharp". Retrieved 23 October 2016.
  12. "NAACP Image Awards: 'Marshall,' 'Get Out,' 'Girls Trip' Dominate Film Nominations". Retrieved 18 March 2018.
  13. "Black Reel Awards (2016)". IMDb. Retrieved 18 March 2018.
  14. Hipes, Patrick (13 December 2016). "NAACP Image Awards: Nate Parker & Donald Glover Lead Film & TV Noms; Beyonce Tops Field". Retrieved 18 March 2018.
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