Lisa Nicole Carson

Lisa Nicole Carson (born July 12, 1969) is an American actress. She is best known for her supporting roles as Carla in ER (1996–2001), and Renee Raddick in Ally McBeal (1997–2002). Carson has also starred in films, most notably as Marti in Jason's Lyric (1994), Coretta in Devil in a Blue Dress (1995), Josie in Love Jones (1997), and Sylvia in Life (1999).

Lisa Nicole Carson
Born (1969-07-12) July 12, 1969
Brooklyn, New York, U.S.
OccupationActress
Years active
  • 1991–2002
  • 2012–present

Following her struggles with bipolar disorder, for which she was hospitalized while starring in Ally McBeal, Carson went on hiatus[1] until 2012, when she reprised her role as Renee Raddick in the final episode of Harry's Law. Most recently, Carson starred as Mae Bell in the miniseries The New Edition Story (2017).

Early life

Carson was born in Brooklyn, New York; her father is a journalism professor at the University of Florida, and her mother was a kindergarten teacher in New York.[2] She spent her adolescence in Gainesville, Florida and attended F. W. Buchholz High School. Her parents separated when she was 14, and her mother moved back to New York alone.[2] In 1986, she entered the Regional competition sponsored by the "America's Junior Miss" talent show, taking second place for the region held in Gainesville. After graduating in 1987, Carson returned to New York and decided that she wanted to be an actor. She began her career by appearing in a number of After School Specials and HBO short films.

Career

Carson appeared in productions at the famed Negro Ensemble Company. Her first notable credit came in 1991, when she appeared in Law & Order and in 1992 she had a non-speaking, minor role in the comedy series, The Cosby Show.[3] She was a regular on The Apollo Comedy Hour before appearing in film in Let's Get Bizzee (1993), Jason's Lyric (1994) and Devil in a Blue Dress (1995). She has appeared in Love Jones and Life. She also performed as an R&B singer in the 1995 television movie Divas. She had a role in the 1997 movie Eve's Bayou, as Mattie Mereaux.

On television, she played the recurring character Carla Reece, the on/off girlfriend of Eriq La Salle's Dr Peter Benton in NBC's ER between 1996 and 2001. Between 1997 and 2002 she played prosecutor Renee Raddick in Fox's Ally McBeal, a role for which she received multiple award nominations. Carson was fired from both roles, amid reports about her erratic behavior on and off set, alleged drug use, being arrested and admissions to a mental health facility.[4] In 2012, she was featured in a guest appearance in the second-season finale of the canceled NBC series Harry's Law reprising her character Renee Raddick from Ally McBeal.[5]

In 2017, she starred in the BET miniseries The New Edition Story.[6]

Personal life

In 2000, she was arrested and then committed to a psychiatric hospital, after having a mental breakdown at a hotel in Manhattan.[7][8]

In the July 2015 issue of Essence, Carson gave an interview in which she openly described her struggles with bipolar disorder and how the illness has affected her life and career. After having taken a 10-year hiatus from show business to live and receive treatment in New York, she reported having moved back to Los Angeles with plans to revitalize her acting career.[9]

Filmography

Film
Year Title Role Notes
1993 Let's Get Bizzee
1994 Jason's Lyric Marti
1995 Devil in a Blue Dress Coretta James
1997 Love Jones Josie Nichols
1997 White Lies Glinda
1997 Eve's Bayou Matty Mereaux
1995 Divas Jewel Television film
1999 Life Sylvia

Television
Year Title Role Notes
1991 Law & Order Jasmine Episode: "Aria"
1992 The Cosby Show Woman (uncredited) Episode: "And So, We Commence"
1992–1993 The Apollo Comedy Hour Herself Main role
1993 Lifestories: Families in Crisis Jenny Episode: "No Visible Bruises: The Katie Koestner Story"
1993 ABC Afterschool Special Desiree Episode: "Girlfriend"
1995 Divas Jewel Television film
1996–2001 ER Carla Reece / Carla Simmons Main role
1997–2002 Ally McBeal Renee Raddick Main role
1998 Getting Personal Singer Episode: "Sam I Am"
1998 Damon Lt. Byrne (uncredited) Episode: "The Test"
1999 Aftershock: Earthquake in New York Evie Lincoln Main role
1999 Ally Renee Raddick Main role
2012 Harry's Law Renee Raddick Episode: "Onward and Upward"
2017 The New Edition Story Mae Bell 2 episodes

References
  1. Vivan, Rhiannon (February 24, 2008). "Calista Flockhart: I have zero ambition". The Mirror. Archived from the original on June 5, 2011. Retrieved February 19, 2009.
  2. "Lisa Nicole Carson brings sex appeal and excitement to tv and movies". Jet. October 5, 1998. Retrieved August 17, 2008.
  3. Lisa Nicole Carson
  4. "What Happened to Lisa Nicole Carson?". Clutch Magazine. Archived from the original on April 8, 2011. Retrieved December 28, 2015.
  5. "Lisa Nicole Carson". IMDb. Archived from the original on March 9, 2016. Retrieved August 29, 2020.
  6. Calvario, Liz (June 28, 2016). "'The New Edition Story' Trailer: 'Empire' Star Bryshere Gray Toplines BET's Dramatic R&B Biopic". IndieWire. Archived from the original on April 2, 2020. Retrieved August 29, 2020.
  7. "Ally McBeal's Lisa Nicole Carson on Her Battle with Bipolar Disorder". People. Archived from the original on April 24, 2018. Retrieved August 29, 2020.
  8. "THE CURSE OF TV SUCCESS". The Birmingham Post. Archived from the original on August 29, 2020. Retrieved August 17, 2008.
  9. Shangweni, Yolanda (June 8, 2015). "Woman, Interrupted: Lisa Nicole Carson Opens Up About her Struggle With Bipolar Disorder". Essence. Archived from the original on July 23, 2015. Retrieved July 19, 2015.
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