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Tracee Ellis Ross

Tracee Ellis Ross

Charming, classy, versatile and beautiful are just a few of the characteristics which define Tracee Ellis Ross and make her one of the hottest chameleons in the entertainment industry today. Ross stars on the hit sitcom, Girlfriends, which is in its seventh season on the new network, the CW. In addition, Girlfriends can be seen in syndication throughout the US and the world. Ross' portrayal of Joan Clayton, an ambitious lawyer-turned-restaurant-owner in her early 30s adventuring through life and romance, has earned her five NAACP Image Award nominations for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series, one BET Comedy Award win and two nominations for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series, a Women's Image Network (WIN) Award nomination for Best Comedy Series -- Actress and two PRISM Award nominations for Outstanding Performance in a Comedy series.

Next year, will be a big year for Ross as she just completed two movies. In February, she will be seen in Daddy's Little Girls, opposite Gabrielle Union and Idris Elba for Lion's Gate Films. Then she will make a dramatic turn in HBO's Life Support opposite Queen Latifah and real-life brother, Evan Ross. Latifah and Jamie Foxx serve as producers on the project due out in March. Covering a wide range of characters, Ross' big screen debut was a leading role in the feature film Far Harbor opposite Marcia Gay Harden and Jennifer Connelly. Ross also appeared in the comedy Hanging Up, in which she played Meg Ryan's distracted assistant. She completed production on the independent film ISeeYou.com where she co-starred opposite Beau Bridges and Hector Elizondo which is due in theaters later this year.

Ross began her television career as the host of her own television show, Lifetime's The Dish, for which she was named a Face to Watch by the Los Angeles Times. She has written, produced and performed in segments for cable shows, appeared as a series regular on MTV's sketch comedy The Lyricist Lounge Show and guest starred or co-hosted various other television shows including Funky Flubs for UPN. She made history by co-hosting the 2004 NAACP Image Awards which marked the first year a woman has hosted the program. Consequently, the show received its highest ratings to date. During the recent November sweeps, she hosted the Patti Labelle 45th Anniversary Special and the 3rd annual VIBE Awards which drew the largest audiences to the network on a Tuesday than ever before.

Ross' theatrical experience includes a leading role in The Vagina Monologues where she debuted at the Canon Theater in Los Angeles and moved with the production to San Francisco. She also appeared in Blackout at the Egyptian Theater in Los Angeles.

After graduating from Brown University, Ross began a career in fashion working as a model with some of the most highly regarded photographers in the fashion industry including Herb Ritts, Peter Lindberg, Francesco Scavullo and Mario Testino. She has graced the pages of top fashion and consumer magazines and appeared in advertising campaigns for The Gap, Donna Karan Collection, DKNY and Paul Mitchell. Ross traveled the world as a fashion editor for Mirabella and New York Magazine and continues to pursue her interest in fashion by serving as a contributing editor for Distinction magazine. Named by Essence magazine as an It woman, Ross is described as a trend setter with signature style and is consistently noted in Harper's Bazaar, Women's Wear Daily and W as being one of the Best Dressed Women. She was also named one of America's Leading Ladies, along with Susan Sarandon and Michelle Pfeiffer, on the American Elite 1000 List for 2000, which acknowledges women who are gracefully redefining the rules for success. She appeared with her mother on the cover of Essence magazine's Mothers & Daughters 10th Anniversary issue. She currently appears on the cover of VIBE Vixen which marks the first time an actress has appeared on the cover of the magazine.

In her spare time, Ross tries to pursue avenues she is not only passionate about, but expand her depth as an individual as well. She was honored by the Los Angeles Urban League as Volunteer of the Year for 2004 and made a cameo in the Kanye West video The New Workout Plan where she introduced the world to one of her unique characters ‘Fifi LeBeouff.' She also appears in Kanye's latest video Touch the Sky. She also was the hostess for the National Public Forum at the Freedom Awards ceremony. The event was held at the historic National Civil Rights Museum and drew an audience of 10,000 people in Memphis, Tennessee. Ross hosted a program which honored Oprah Winfrey, Paul Rusesabagina, Ruby Dee and Ossie Davis, posthumously.

A New Yorker at heart, Ross currently lives in Los Angeles.


Note: This profile was written in or before 2007.
Read earlier biographies on this page.

Tracee Ellis Ross Facts

Birth NameTracee Joy Silberstein
OccupationActress
BirthdayOctober 29, 1972 (51)
SignScorpio
BirthplaceLos Angeles, California, USA
Height5' 7" (1m70)  How tall is Tracee Ellis Ross compared to you?

Selected Filmography

Not available.