| Marianne Jean-Baptiste | |
| Birth Name: | Marianne Raigipcien Jean-Baptiste |
| Birth Date: | 26 April 1967 |
| Birth Place: | Camberwell, London, England |
| Education: | Royal Academy of Dramatic Art Barking and Dagenham College |
| Occupation: | Actress |
| Years Active: | 1991–present |
| Children: | 2 |
Marianne Raigipcien Jean-Baptiste (born 26 April 1967) is an English actress. She is known for her role in the 1996 film Secrets & Lies, for which she received acclaim and earned nominations for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress and the Golden Globe and BAFTA Award in the same category. Jean-Baptiste is also known for her role as Vivian Johnson on the television series Without a Trace from 2002 to 2009, and has since starred in television shows such as Blindspot (2015–2016) and Homecoming (2018).
Jean-Baptiste was born in London to a mother from Antigua and a father from Saint Lucia, growing up in Peckham.[1] She attended St Saviour's and St Olave's secondary school.[2] She was classically trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London and performed at the Royal National Theatre. She was nominated for a 1994 Ian Charleson Award for her performance in William Shakespeare's Measure For Measure with theatre company Cheek by Jowl.
Jean-Baptiste gained international acclaim for the Mike Leigh-directed drama Secrets & Lies (1996), receiving both Golden Globe and Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress nominations for her performance, becoming the first black British actress to be nominated for an Academy Award and the second black Briton to be nominated, succeeding Jaye Davidson. She had previously collaborated with Leigh onstage in It's a Great Big Shame (1993).[3] She caused controversy when she accused the film industry of racism, noting that leading actors had been asked to attend the Cannes Film Festival, but despite her success, she was not invited.[4]
A writer and composer, Jean-Baptiste recorded an album of blues songs and composed the musical score for Leigh's 1997 film Career Girls.[5] In 1999, she performed in Paris in a French-language production by Peter Brook of The Suit (French: Le Costume|italic=yes), a one-act play by Barney Simon and Mothobi Mutloatse, based on the short story by Can Themba.[6] [7] She was also acclaimed for her role as Doreen Lawrence in The Murder of Stephen Lawrence (1999).
Jean-Baptiste relocated for work reasons to the U.S. and lives in Los Angeles with her husband and two daughters.[8] She honed her American accent and starred in the American television series Without a Trace as FBI agent Vivian Johnson. More recently, the actress has appeared in such films and television shows as Takers (2010), Secrets in the Walls (2010), and Harry's Law (2012).She was praised for her stage performance in the 2013 National Theatre production of James Baldwin's play The Amen Corner, directed by Rufus Norris.[9] [10] [11] As a friend of Angela Bassett, Jean-Baptiste attended Women's Image Network Awards and on Bassett's behalf picked up an award, reading Bassett's poetic acceptance speech for her winning role in the 2013 film Betty & Coretta.[12] She played Detroit police chief Karen Dean in RoboCop (2014).[13]
Jean-Baptiste reteamed with Mike Leigh when she played the lead role in his 2024 film Hard Truths. In October 2024, Jean-Baptiste was given the "Virtuoso Award" at the San Diego International Film Festival.[14]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | Once Upon a Time | Babysitter | Short film | |
| London Kills Me | Nanny | |||
| 1996 | Distinction | Secretary | Short film | |
| Secrets & Lies | Hortense Cumberbatch | Nominated – Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress Nominated – BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role Nominated – Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture | ||
| 1997 | Mr. Jealousy | Lucretia | ||
| 1998 | How to Make the Cruelest Month | Christina Parks | ||
| Nowhere to Go | Lynne Jacobs | |||
| A Murder of Crows | Elizabeth Pope | |||
| 1999 | The 24 Hour Woman | Madeline Labelle | ||
| 2000 | 28 Days | Roshanda | ||
| The Cell | Dr. Miriam Kent | |||
| 2001 | Women in Film | Sara | ||
| New Year's Day | Veronica | |||
| Spy Game | Gladys Jennip | |||
| 2002 | Don't Explain | Elana | ||
| 2005 | Welcome to California | Tina | ||
| 2006 | Jam | Lorraine | ||
| 2008 | City of Ember | Clary | ||
| 2009 | Rooms | Short film | ||
| The Bake Shop Ghost | Annie Washington | |||
| 2010 | Takers | Naomi | Nominated – Black Reel Award for Best Ensemble | |
| 2011 | Violet & Daisy | Number 1 | ||
| 360 | Fran | |||
| Breaking Waves | Sarah Williams | |||
| 2012 | Won't Back Down | Olivia Lopez | ||
| 2013 | The Moment | Dr. Bloom | ||
| 2014 | RoboCop | Chief Karen Dean | ||
| Edge of Tomorrow | Dr. Whittle | Uncredited role[15] | ||
| 2017 | Home | Lois Fox | Short film | |
| 2018 | Peter Rabbit | General Manager June | ||
| In Fabric | Sheila Woolchapel | |||
| Moving On | Jill | Short film | ||
| 2020 | Fatman | Ruth Cringle[16] | ||
| 2021 | Boxing Day | Shirley MacKenzie | ||
| 2022 | The Sea Beast | Sarah Sharpe (voice) | ||
| 2023 | The Book of Clarence | Amina | ||
| Rumble Through the Dark | Big Momma Sweet | |||
| 2024 | Hard Truths | Pansy |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | Cracker | Marcia Reid | Episode: "Men Should Weep: Part 2" Credited as Marianne Jean Baptiste | |
| 1996 | Sharman | Precious | Episode: "A Good Year for the Roses" | |
| 1998 | The Wedding | Ellen Coles | Television miniseries Nominated – Royal Television Society Award for Best Actor – Female | |
| 1999 | The Murder of Stephen Lawrence | Doreen Lawrence | Television miniseries Nominated – Royal Television Society Award for Best Actor – Female | |
| The Man | Michelle | Television film | ||
| 2001 | Men Only | Gemma | Television film | |
| The Fear | Storyteller | Episode: "Sleep Tight" | ||
| 2002–2009 | Without a Trace | Vivian Johnson | Main role Nominated – NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series (2006) Nominated – NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series (2007, 2008) Nominated – Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series (2003) | |
| 2003 | Loving You | Jude | Television film | |
| 2010 | Secrets in the Walls | Belle | Television film | |
| 2011 | Sons of Anarchy | Vivica | Episode: "Dorylus" | |
| 2011–2012 | Harry's Law | Judge Patricia Seabrook | Episodes: "American Girl" and "New Kidney on the Block" | |
| 2012 | Private Practice | Gabi Rivera | 2 episodes: "Good Grief" and "Life Support" | |
| 2015 | Broadchurch | Sharon Bishop | 8 episodes | |
| 2015–2017 | Blindspot | FBI Assistant Director Bethany Mayfair | Main role (season 1), 23 episodes; special guest star (season 2), 1 episode (voice only) | |
| 2017 | Training Day | Deputy Chief Joy Lockhart | 9 episodes | |
| How to Get Away with Murder | Virginia Cross | Episode: "It's for the Greater Good" | ||
| 2018 | Animals. | Grace (voice) | Episode: "Horses" | |
| Homecoming | Gloria Morisseau | 5 episodes | ||
| 2019 | Soundtrack | Annette Sands | Main role; 10 episodes | |
| 2021 | Master of None | Sharon (voice) | Episode: "Moments in Love, Chapter 4" | |
| 2022 | Surface | Hannah | Main role; 8 episodes | |
| 2023 | The Following Events Are Based on a Pack of Lies | Cheryl Harker | 5 episodes |