Danielle Deadwyler facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Danielle Deadwyler
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Deadwyler at the 2023 Santa Barbara International Film Festival
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Born | 1981/1982 (age 42–43)) |
Education | Spelman College (BA) Columbia University (MA) Ashland University (MFA) |
Occupation | Actress |
Years active | 2008–present |
Children | 1 |
Danielle Deadwyler (born 1981/1982) is an American actress. She began her career appearing on Atlanta stage, including in the 2009 production of For Colored Girls, and made her screen debut in the 2012 drama film A Cross to Bear. Deadwyler appeared in the primetime series The Haves and the Have Nots (2015–2017), the series P-Valley (2020), the miniseries Station Eleven (2021–2022), and the miniseries From Scratch (2022).
Deadwyler garnered critical acclaim for starring in the western film The Harder They Fall (2021) and the biopic Till (2022). Her portrayal of Mamie Till in the latter earned her many accolades, garnering the Gotham Independent Film Award for Outstanding Lead Performance and earning BAFTA Award, Critics' Choice Movie Award and Screen Actors Guild Award nominations.
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Early life
Deadwyler was born in Atlanta, Georgia and raised in Southwest Atlanta. She is the daughter of a legal secretary and a railroad supervisor and has three siblings. Deadwyler graduated from Grady High School (now Midtown High School) and then Spelman College. She received a Master's of Arts in American Studies from Columbia University and another master’s degree in creative writing at Ashland University in 2017.
Career
2009–2020
Deadwyler began her career appearing on stage productions, including Charlotte's Web and The Real Tweenagers of Atlanta. She received positive reviews for leading performance in Alliance Theatre's The C.A. Lyons Project. Deadwyler made her film debut playing the leading role of a homeless mother in the 2012 drama A Cross to Bear directed by Tandria Potts. Deadwyler later acted in a number of short films, then landed roles on television.
In 2015, Deadwyler guest-starred in the second season of BET's drama series Being Mary Jane. Later that year, she joined the cast of Tyler Perry’s series The Haves and the Have Nots, playing antagonist LaQuita "Quita" Maxwell. She left the series during Season 4. Eventually, Deadwyler had secondary roles in the films Gifted and The Leisure Seeker, and appeared in the television series Greenleaf, Atlanta and Watchmen. On Atlanta stage, she appeared in the Pulitzer Prize-winning play Clybourne Park at Aurora Theater, portrayed an actress injured doing Shakespeare in Smart People at True Colors Theater, and played multiple roles in The Temple Bombing at the Alliance Theater. In 2018, Deadwyler played the title role of Jane Manning James in the period drama film Jane and Emma. She played a leading role and produced the 2019 thriller film The Devil To Pay. The film and Deadwyler's performance received positive reviews from critics. Cath Clarke from The Guardian wrote in her review: "Deadwyler’s soulful performance really grounds The Devil to Pay even as it cranks into revenge-movie mode."
In 2020, Deadwyler was cast in a series regular role in the series Paradise Lost, with Josh Hartnett, Bridget Regan and Barbara Hershey. The series was not renewed for a second season. That same year, Deadwyler guest-starred on FBI: Most Wanted and had a recurring role as Yoli in the series P-Valley.
2021–present
In 2021, Deadwyler played the role of Cuffee in the Netflix western film The Harder They Fall. The character was inspired by Cathay Williams. The film and her performance received positive reviews from film critics. Deadwyler received the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture for her performance and well as number of Best Ensemble awards. Later in 2021, she played Miranda Carroll in the miniseries Station Eleven Also that year, Deadwyler was in the Netflix miniseries From Scratch, based on Tembi Locke's memoir. She played the role of lead character' older sister, receiving positive reviews.
Deadwyler starred as Mamie Till in the biographical film Till (2022) directed by Chinonye Chukwu. She received positive reviews from critics for her lead performance in the movie. Manohla Dargis in The New York Times: "With fixed intensity and supple quicksilver emotional changes, Deadwyler rises to the occasion as Mamie, delivering a quiet, centralizing performance that works contrapuntally with the story’s heaviness, its profundity and violence." Deadwyler received the National Board of Review Award for Breakthrough Performance (shared with Gabriel LaBelle for The Fabelmans) and the Gotham Independent Film Award for Outstanding Lead Performance for her performance.
In 2024, Deadwyler played the leading role in the science fiction thriller film Parallel directed by Kourosh Ahari, a remake of Lei Zheng's feature of the same name. The film was released by Vertical Entertainment on February 23, 2024. She starred in the horror-thriller film I Saw the TV Glow, it premiered in the Midnight section at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival on January 18, 2024 and received positive reviews from critics.
Deadwyler set to appear in the action thriller Carry-On for Netflix. In March 2023, Deadwyler was cast alongside Robert Pattinson, Amy Adams, Robert Downey Jr. and Forest Whitaker in the comedy film Average Height, Average Build written and directed by Adam McKay. Deadwyler will also star in The Piano Lesson, an adaptation of the August Wilson play. She starred in the Canadian post-apocalyptic thriller film, 40 Acres. She will next star in the horror film The Woman in the Yard directed by Jaume Collet-Serra produced by Blumhouse and distributed by Universal Pictures.
Personal life
Deadwyler has a son.
Filmography
Film
+Key | Denotes works that have not yet been released |
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
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2010 | Cyburbia | Cyburbia | Short film |
2012 | A Cross to Bear | Erica Moses | |
2013 | Sweet, Sweet Country | Ndizeye | Short film |
2014 | Ir/Reconcilable | Maria | Short film, also producer |
2015 | The Youth | Hoda | Short film |
2017 | Gifted | Animal Shelter Worker | |
The Leisure Seeker | Hotel Waitress | ||
2018 | Jane and Emma | Jane Manning | |
2019 | The Devil to Pay | Lemon Cassidy | Also producer |
2020 | It's Time | Karen Phillips | |
Bygone Billy | Trudy Wake | ||
2021 | The Harder They Fall | Cuffee | |
2022 | Till | Mamie Till | |
2024 | I Saw the TV Glow | Brenda | |
Parallel | Vanessa | Also executive producer | |
Carry-On | TBA | Post-production | |
2025 | The Woman in the Yard | TBA | Also executive producer Filming |
TBA | The Piano Lesson | Bernice Charles | Post-production |
40 Acres | Hailey Freeman | Post-production |
Television
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
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2015 | Being Mary Jane | Naima | Episode: "Signing Off" |
2015–2017 | The Haves and the Have Nots | LaQuita "Quita" Maxwell | Recurring role |
2016 | Greenleaf | Stacy | Episodes: "Good Morning, Calvary" and "What Are You Doing Here?" |
2018 | Hap and Leonard | Woman | Episode: "T-Bone Mambo" |
Atlanta | Tami | Episode: "Champagne Papi" | |
2019 | Watchmen | June | Episodes: "This Extraordinary Being" and "An Almost Religious Awe" |
2020 | FBI: Most Wanted | Cleo Wilkens | Episode: "Caesar" |
Paradise Lost | Nique Green | Series regular | |
P-Valley | Yoli | Recurring role, 3 episodes | |
2021–2022 | Station Eleven | Miranda Carroll | Miniseries |
2022 | From Scratch | Zora | Miniseries |
Awards and nominations
Year | Award | Category | Nominated work | Result | Ref. |
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2019 | Nightmares Film Festival | Best Actress Feature | The Devil to Pay | Nominated | |
2020 | GenreBlast Film Festival | Best Actress – Feature Film | Won | ||
2021 | Princess Grace Award | "For her filmmaking, which is decidedly more experimental" | Won | ||
Gotham Awards | Ensemble Tribute | The Harder They Fall | Won | ||
Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association Awards | Best Ensemble | Nominated | |||
National Board of Review Awards | Best Cast | Won | |||
San Diego Film Critics Society | Best Performance by an Ensemble | Nominated | |||
Women Film Critics Circle Awards | The Invisible Woman Award | Won | |||
2022 | African-American Film Critics Association | Best Ensemble | Won | ||
Austin Film Critics Association | Best Ensemble | Nominated | |||
Hollywood Critics Association Awards | Best Cast Ensemble | Nominated | |||
NAACP Image Awards | Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture | Nominated | |||
Outstanding Ensemble Cast in a Motion Picture | Won | ||||
Black Reel Awards | Outstanding Breakthrough Performance, Female | Nominated | |||
Critics' Choice Movie Awards | Best Acting Ensemble | Nominated | |||
Gotham Awards | Outstanding Lead Performance | Till | Won | ||
Santa Barbara International Film Festival | Virtuosos Award | Won | |||
Critics Choice Association Celebration of Black Cinema and Television |
Actress Award for Film | Won | |||
Chicago Film Critics Association Award | Most Promising Performer | 2nd place | |||
National Board of Review | Breakthrough Performance - Female | Won | |||
Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards | Best Lead Performance | Runner-up | |||
St. Louis Film Critics Association | Best Actress | Nominated | |||
Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association | Best Actress | Nominated | |||
Atlanta Film Critics Circle | Best Breakthrough Performer | Nominated | |||
Dallas–Fort Worth Film Critics Association | Best Actress | 4th place | |||
Florida Film Critics Circle | Best Actress | Nominated | |||
Greater Western New York Film Critics Association | Best Actress | Nominated | |||
Breakthrough Performance | Nominated | ||||
Indiana Film Journalists Association | Best Lead Performance | Nominated | |||
IndieWire Critics Poll | Best Performance | 4th place | |||
Las Vegas Film Critics Society | Best Actress | Nominated | |||
Online Association of Female Film Critics | Best Female Lead | Nominated | |||
Phoenix Critics Circle | Best Actress | Nominated | |||
UK Film Critics Association | Actress of the Year | Nominated | |||
Utah Film Critics Association | Best Actress | Runner-up | |||
Women Film Critics Circle | Best Actress | Nominated | |||
Black Film Critics Circle | Best Actress | Won | |||
2023 | Critics' Choice Movie Awards | Best Actress | Nominated | ||
Alliance of Women Film Journalists | Best Actress | Nominated | |||
Best Breakthrough Performance | Won | ||||
Toronto Film Critics Association | Best Actress | Nominated | |||
Austin Film Critics Association | Best Actress | Nominated | |||
Columbus Film Critics Association | Best Lead Performance | Nominated | |||
Hollywood Critics Association | Best Actress | Nominated | |||
DiscussingFilm Critic Awards | Best Actress | Nominated | |||
Georgia Film Critics Association | Best Actress | Nominated | |||
Breakthrough Award | Won | ||||
North Carolina Film Critics Association | Best Actress | Nominated | |||
San Diego Film Critics Society | Best Actress | Won | |||
Breakthrough Artist | Runner-up | ||||
San Francisco Bay Area Film Critics Circle | Best Actress | Nominated | |||
Independent Spirit Awards | Best Supporting Performance in a New Scripted Series | Station Eleven | Nominated | ||
Satellite Award | Best Actress in a Motion Picture, Drama | Till | Won | ||
Black Reel Awards | Outstanding Actress | Won | |||
Screen Actors Guild Awards | Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role | Nominated | |||
Denver Film Critics Society | Best Actress | Nominated | |||
British Academy Film Awards | Best Actress in a Leading Role | Nominated | |||
Houston Film Critics Society | Best Actress | Nominated | |||
NAACP Image Awards | Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture | Nominated | |||
NAACP Image Awards | Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Television Movie, Limited-Series or Dramatic Special | From Scratch | Nominated | ||
Dorian Awards | Film Performance of the Year | Till | Nominated | ||
DiscussingFilm Critic Awards | Best Actress | Nominated | |||
African-American Film Critics Association | Best Actress | Won |
See also
In Spanish: Danielle Deadwyler para niños