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Keesha Sharp

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Keesha Sharp
Born
Keesha Ulricka Fleth

(1973-06-09) June 9, 1973 (age 51)
Rochester, New York, U.S.
Occupation(s)Actress, director
Years active2000–present
SpouseBrad Sharp (m. 1997)
Children1

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

Sharp has also 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

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Sharp was born in Rochester, New York. After graduating cum laude 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 2013, she was a 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][7] 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).[8] Golden Brooks, her Girlfriends co-star, originally was cast in the role, but was replaced by Sharp during filming of pilot episode.[9] Later that year, she was cast as Thurgood Marshall's wife in the biographical film Marshall starring Chadwick Boseman.[10]

In 2018, Sharp secured the rights to John Williams’ 2013 biography America’s Mistress: The Life and Times of Eartha Kitt. She was slated to star as Kitt and to produce the film alongside her husband, Brad Sharp.[11]

In 2019, Sharp was cast in the final season of the Fox musical drama series Empire.[12]

In 2022, Sharp joined the third season of Power Book II: Ghost as a series regular.[13]

Personal life

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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.[14]

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role Notes
2001 Pootie Tang Monique
American Adobo Debbie
2003 Malibu's Most Wanted Sister #1
Leprechaun: Back 2 tha Hood Chanel Video
2004 Never Die Alone Edna
2005 What If in This Life Rape Victim Short
2007 Why Did I Get Married? Pam
2008 Shattered! Angela
2014 The 636 Hope Rigby Short
2015 Sayeneshin Wife Short
Christian Robyn Short
2016 Killer Coach Gina Morgan TV movie
2017 Fixed Daisy
Born Guilty Leslie
You Have a Nice Flight Kristen
Marshall Vivian Burey [15]
2020 A Christmas Surprise Demetria TV movie
2021 Do Better Wisdom (voice) Short
2022 Dark My Light Emily
Green Lantern: Beware My Power Vixen / Mari McCabe (voice) Direct-to-Video
Titanic 666 Captain Celeste Rhoades
2023 Spring Breakthrough Monica Rollins TV movie
2024 Justice League: Crisis on Infinite Earths Vixen / Mari McCabe (voice) Direct-to-Video[16]

Television

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Year Title Role Notes
2000 Welcome to New York Lauren Episode: "The Crier"
2001 Third Watch Grace Episode: "Walking Wounded"
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Charlene Episode: "Pique"
2002–2008 Girlfriends Monica Charles Brooks Recurring Cast: Season 3-6, Main Cast: Season 7-8
2004 The Tracy Morgan Show Lindy Berry Recurring Cast: Season 1
Still Standing Lexi Episode: "Still Flirting"
2005–06 Everybody Hates Chris Sheila Ridenhour Recurring Cast: Season 1
2009 America's Got Talent Herself Episode: "Episode #4.25"
The Game Keesha James Episode: "Hill Street Blues"
2010 Cold Case Chantel Jones Episode: "Bombers"
Detroit 1-8-7 Keri Rader Episode: "Royal Bubbles/Needle Drop"
2010–2013 Are We There Yet? Gigi Main Cast
2013 Melissa & Joey Maggie Episode: "Teach Your Children"
Elementary Mistress Felicia Episode: "Poison Pen"
Instant Mom Lynn Lawson Episode: "Dances with She-Wolves"
2014 Bad Teacher Denise Recurring Cast
The Exes Dee Dee Episode: "Catch It 'Cause You Can"
2015 The Player Maya Recurring Cast
2016 American Crime Story Sylvia Dale Cochran Recurring Cast
2016–2019 Lethal Weapon Trish Murtaugh Main Cast
2018 Hell's Kitchen Herself/Restaurant Patron Episode: "Trying to Pasta Test"
2018–19 The Good Fight Naomi Nivola Guest: Season 2, Recurring Cast: Season 3
2019–20 Empire Dr. Paula Wick Recurring Cast: Season 6
2022 Inside the Black Box Herself Episode: "Condola Rashad, Keesha Sharp and Jeff Byrd Visit the Black Box"
2023 Power Book II: Ghost Professor Harper Bonet Main Cast: Season 3

Directing

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Year Title Notes
2012 Are We There Yet? Episode: "The Concussion Episode"
2014 Half-Off Director and writer
2018 Lethal Weapon Episode: "Panama"
2021 Black Lightning Episode: "The Book of Ruin: Chapter Four: Lyding"
2021 The Last O.G. Episodes: "Tray Finds His Purpose" and "If You Can't Buy, Rent"
2021 Our Kind of People Episode: "Sistervention..."
2022 Charmed Episode: "The Tallyman Cometh"
2022 All American: Homecoming Episode: "Free Your Mind"
2023 Bel-Air Episodes: "Excellence is Everywhere", "Baby, I'm Back", "Getting Personal"
2023-24 Found Episodes: "Missing While Indoctrinated" and "Missing While Gabi Mosely"

Awards and nominations

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Year Awards Category Recipient Outcome
2008 NAACP Image Awards NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series "Girlfriends" Nominated
2017 Black Reel Awards Black Reel Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress, TV Movie or Limited Series "American Crime Story" Nominated
NAACP Image Awards NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture "Lethal Weapon" Nominated
2018 NAACP Image Awards NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture "Marshall" Nominated

References

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  1. ^ "Keesha Sharp". MovieWeb. Archived from the original on 27 June 2015. Retrieved 27 June 2015.
  2. ^ "Keesha Sharp". Archived from the original on 24 October 2016. 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. Archived from the original on 19 June 2014. Retrieved 27 June 2015.
  5. ^ "Black Reel Awards (2016)". IMDb. Archived from the original on 30 December 2021. Retrieved 18 March 2018.
  6. ^ Denise Petski. "'Code Black', 'American Crime Story' & 'You Me Her' Add To Cast - Deadline". Deadline. Archived from the original on 4 February 2016. Retrieved 15 February 2016.
  7. ^ "American Crime Story: Keesha Sharp on Key Role Johnnie Cochran's Wife Played : People.com". PEOPLE.com. Archived from the original on 22 July 2016. Retrieved 15 February 2016.
  8. ^ Hipes, Patrick (13 December 2016). "NAACP Image Awards: Nate Parker & Donald Glover Lead Film & TV Noms; Beyonce Tops Field". Archived from the original on 15 January 2019. Retrieved 18 March 2018.
  9. ^ Nellie Andreeva. "Lethal Weapon' Fox Pilot: Keesha Sharp Replaces Golden Brooks In Recasting - Deadline". Deadline. Archived from the original on 28 May 2023. Retrieved 17 March 2016.
  10. ^ "Keesha Sharp to Play Chadwick Boseman's Wife in Thurgood Marshall Biopic". 17 May 2016. Archived from the original on 21 May 2016. Retrieved 31 May 2016.
  11. ^ N'Duka, Amanda (30 October 2018). "'Lethal Weapon's Keesha Sharp To Produce & Star In Eartha Kitt Biopic". Archived from the original on 30 October 2018. Retrieved 31 October 2018.
  12. ^ Petski, Denise (August 12, 2019). "'Empire': Keesha Sharp To Recur on Season 6 Of Fox Drama Series". Archived from the original on December 9, 2019. Retrieved January 7, 2020.
  13. ^ Petski, Denise (3 January 2022). "'Power Book II: Ghost': Keesha Sharp To Co-Star In Starz Series". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on 4 January 2022. Retrieved 4 January 2022.
  14. ^ "14 Things to Know About Lethal Weapon Star Keesha Sharp". Archived from the original on 3 November 2016. Retrieved 23 October 2016.
  15. ^ "NAACP Image Awards: 'Marshall,' 'Get Out,' 'Girls Trip' Dominate Film Nominations". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on 1 December 2017. Retrieved 18 March 2018.
  16. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2023-12-04. Retrieved 2023-12-04.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
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