| Tracee Ellis Ross | |
| Birthname: | Tracee Joy Silberstein |
| Birth Date: | 29 October 1972 |
| Birth Place: | Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Alma Mater: | Brown University (BA) |
| Yearsactive: | 1996–present |
| Mother: | Diana Ross |
| Father: | Robert Ellis Silberstein |
| Relatives: |
|
Tracee Joy Silberstein (born October 29, 1972), known professionally as Tracee Ellis Ross, is an American actress. She is known for her lead roles in the television series Girlfriends (2000–2008) and Black-ish (2014–2022) receiving nominations for five Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series for the latter.[1]
Ross is a daughter of actress and Motown recording artist Diana Ross and Robert Ellis Silberstein. She began acting in independent films and variety series. She hosted the pop-culture magazine The Dish on Lifetime. From 2000 to 2008, Ross played the starring role of Joan Clayton in the UPN/CW comedy series Girlfriends, and received two NAACP Image Awards for Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series for the role. She also has appeared in the films Hanging Up (2000), I-See-You.Com (2006), and Daddy's Little Girls (2007), before returning to television playing Dr. Carla Reed on the BET sitcom Reed Between the Lines (2011), winning her third NAACP Image Award for the lattermost.
From 2014 to 2022, Ross starred as Dr. Rainbow Johnson in the ABC comedy series, Black-ish. Her work on it has earned her six NAACP Image Awards and a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Television Series Musical or Comedy. She has also received nominations for two Critics' Choice Television Awards and five Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series. In 2019, she co-created a prequel spin-off of Black-ish titled Mixed-ish. In 2020, she starred in and recorded the soundtrack album for the musical film The High Note.
Ross was born October 29, 1972, in Los Angeles, California, to Motown singer/actress Diana Ross and music business manager Robert Ellis Silberstein. Her father is Jewish[2] [3] [4] while her mother is African-American and a Baptist.[5] She adopted the name Tracee Ellis Ross, wishing to retain both of her parents' names after her father dropped the name Silberstein.[6] She has a younger sister, Chudney Lane Silberstein, and an older half-sister, Rhonda Ross Kendrick. Actor and musician Evan Ross is her half-brother.[7]
In the 80s, Tracee was photographed along with her mother, Rhonda and Chudney by Andy Warhol. Her mother used her own photo for the cover of her 1982 album, Silk Electric, for which Warhol was given credit.
When her mother married Arne Næss Jr. in 1985, Tracee gained three step-siblings: Katinka, Christoffer, and folk singer Leona Naess. She remains on close terms with all of them. Before her mother and Naess divorced in 2000, they welcomed her two half-brothers, Ross Arne in 1987 and Evan Ross in 1988.
Ross attended The Dalton School in Manhattan, Riverdale Country School in the Bronx and the Institut Le Rosey in Switzerland. She was a model in her teens. She attended Brown University, where she appeared in plays, and graduated in 1994 with a theatre degree. She later worked in the fashion industry as a model and contributing fashion editor to Mirabella and New York magazines. Ross is the recipient of an Honorary degree from Spelman College[8]
Ross has ptosis, slightly affecting her left eyelid. Following a speech at the American Music Awards, Internet trolls commented on her condition, leading her to post an Instagram video saying, "I know y'all make fun of my eyes, you know what I mean? Well, f**ck off, 'cause it's not my fault, alright? My body does what it does, I don't know why. But sometimes when I'm tired, this one just gives up, and it's like, 'Goodnight!'..."Go ahead, make fun of my eyes, OK? But I think they're nice, I think they're so nice, I do."[9]
Ross made her big-screen debut in 1996, playing a Jewish/African-American woman in the independent feature film Far Harbor. The following year, she debuted as host of The Dish, a Lifetime TV magazine series keeping tabs on popular culture.[10] In 1998, she starred as a former high school track star who remained silent about having been abused at the hands of a coach, in the NBC made-for-TV movie Race Against Fear: A Moment of Truth.[11] Her next role was an independent feature film titled Sue. In 2000, she landed her first major studio role in Diane Keaton's Hanging Up. That same year, she broke into comedy as a regular performer in the MTV series The Lyricist Lounge Show, a hip-hop variety series mixing music, dramatic sketches, and comedic skits.[12] In February 2006, she starred in Kanye West’s "Touch The Sky" MTV music video, playing the role of the best friend of Kanye's ex.
Ross's biggest career achievement came when she landed the lead role in the hit UPN/The CW series Girlfriends, starring as the show's protagonist Joan Carol Clayton — a successful (and often neurotic) lawyer looking for love, challenges, and adventure. The series centered on four (later three) young African-American women, and their male best friend.[13] In 2007, Ross won an NAACP Image Award in the category, Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series for her role on the series. She won a second Image Award for the role in 2009.[14] In 2007, Ross starred with her brother Evan Ross and Queen Latifah in the HBO movie Life Support.[15] That same year, she appeared in the Tyler Perry theatrical movie Daddy's Little Girls.[16] She appeared in the 2009 film Labor Pains.[17]
In 2010, she appeared in an episode of Private Practice as a pregnant doctor.[18] In 2011, Ross appeared in four episodes of CSI as the estranged wife of Laurence Fishburne's character.[19] [20]
Ross starred in the sitcom Reed Between the Lines with Malcolm-Jamal Warner airing on BET starting in October 2011. She won a third NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series in 2012 for her performance in the series. In August 2012, it was announced that Ross would not return for Season Two.[21] In 2011, she appeared in the Lifetime film Five directed by Alicia Keys.[22] The performance in the film earned her nominations for an NAACP Image Award and Black Reel Awards for Outstanding Actress in a Television Movie or Mini-Series. In 2012, Ross starred in the NBC drama pilot Bad Girls.[23]
In 2014, Ross was cast in the ABC comedy series Black-ish, opposite Anthony Anderson.[24] [25] She plays the female lead role of Dr. Rainbow Johnson. The series debuted with generally positive reviews from critics.[26] Ross received three NAACP Image Awards and received nominations for two Critics' Choice Television Awards, four Primetime Emmy Awards, and two Screen Actors Guild Awards for her performance in the series.[27] Ross's 2016 nomination for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series was the first for an African-American woman in that category in 30 years.[28] The same year, Ross and Anderson faced off on Spike's Lip Sync Battle. She emerged victorious with performances of Nicki Minaj's "Super Bass" and Pat Benatar's "Love Is a Battlefield".
In 2015, Ross was awarded an honorary Doctorate of Fine Arts (honoris causa) by Brown University.[29] Ross hosted the BET Awards in 2015 and 2016, and the American Music Awards in 2017 and 2018.[30] She also hosted The Fashion Awards in 2019.[31]
As of 2018, as CEO of Pattern Beauty LLC of El Segundo, California, Ross produces a line of "Juicy and Joyful" beauty hair care products made with safe ingredients for curls and promotes support organizations to empower women and people of color. Ross appeared in the fourth episode of A Little Late with Lilly Singh.[32] [33]
In 2019, Ross created, alongside Kenya Barris, a prequel spin-off of Black-ish called Mixed-ish. Ross serves as a narrator for the series starring Tika Sumpter and Mark-Paul Gosselaar.[34] [35] Ross will star in and executive produce the adult animated comedy television movie Jodie, but the film lacks a studio or distributor.[36] It was intended to be the first in a series of spin-offs based on MTV's Daria franchise. Ross voices the title character, Jodie Landon.[37]
In 2020, Ross played the leading role of Grace Davis, a legendary superstar singer, in the musical comedy-drama film The High Note for Focus Features.[38] The High Note marks the first big-screen role for Ross since the 2007 comedy-drama Daddy’s Little Girls. The film was scheduled to be theatrically released on May 8, 2020, but the theatrical release was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[39] The film later moved its release date to May 29, 2020, through video on demand.[40] In The High Note Ross made her singing debut, recording a soundtrack album titled The High Note (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack). The lead single, pop-ballad "Love Myself" was released on May 15, 2020, through Republic Records.[41] [42]
Ross emceed the second night of the 2020 Democratic National Convention.[43] In September 2020, she signed a deal with ABC Signature.[44] In 2021, she was included on the Time 100, Times annual list of the 100 most influential people in the world.[45]
In 2022, after the series finale of Black-ish, Ross appeared as Lainie in the seventh episode of the revived The Kids in the Hall, released in May 2022.[46] She produced The Hair Tales, a limited docuseries for hulu and Oprah Winfrey Network.[47] Later in 2022, she starred in the upcoming psychological thriller film, Cold Copy.[48] She starred with Jeffrey Wright in the film American Fiction (2023) based on the novel Erasure.[49] Also in 2023, she starred opposite Eddie Murphy in the holiday comedy Candy Cane Lane directed by Reginald Hudlin.[50]
Throughout her career, Ross has been vocally childfree. In a February 2018 Glamour interview, she stated "It's really interesting to be a woman and to get to 45 and not be married and not have kids. I'm a good friend, a solid daughter, a hard worker, my credit is good, I take out the garbage before it gets smelly, I recycle, and I won a Golden Globe!"[51]
| Denotes works that have not yet been released |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | Far Harbor | Kiki | ||
| 1997 | Sue Lost in Manhattan | Linda | ||
| 1999 | A Fare To Remember | Jane | ||
| 2000 | Hanging Up | Kim | ||
| In the Weeds | Caroline | |||
| 2006 | I-See-You.Com | Nancy Tanaka | ||
| 2007 | Daddy's Little Girls | Cynthia | ||
| 2009 | Labor Pains | Kristin | ||
| 2019 | Little | Homegirl | Voice[52] | |
| 2020 | The High Note | Grace Davis | ||
| 2023 | Cold Copy | Diane Heger | ||
| American Fiction | Lisa | |||
| Candy Cane Lane | Carol Carver | |||
| Herself | Cameo | |||
| TBA | Jodie | Jodie Landon | Voice; completed production but dropped by MTV Entertainment Studios[53] |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | Broken Silence | Kaycee King | Television film |
| 2000 | The Lyricist Lounge Show | Various roles | 1 episode |
| 2000–2008 | Girlfriends | Joan Clayton | Series regular, 172 episodes |
| 2004 | Second Time Around | Naomi | Episode: "A Kiss Is Still a Kiss" |
| 2007 | Life Support | Tanya | Television film |
| 2010 | Private Practice | Ellen | Episode: "War" |
| 2011 | Gloria Parkes | Recurring role, 4 episodes | |
| Reed Between the Lines | Dr. Carla Reed | Series regular, 25 episodes and producer | |
| Five | Alyssa | Television film; segment "Lili" | |
| 2012 | Bad Girls | Rachel | Unsold pilot |
| 2014–2022 | Black-ish | Dr. Rainbow "Bow" Johnson | Lead role, director of 2 episodes and producer |
| 2016 | Lip Sync Battle | Herself | Episode: “Tracee Ellis Ross vs. Anthony Anderson” |
| Broad City | Winona | Episode: "Jews on a Plane" | |
| 2018–2022 | Grown-ish | Dr. Rainbow "Bow" Johnson | 2 episodes |
| 2018 | Portlandia | Professional In Getting Her Picture Taken | Episode: "You Do You" |
| 2019–2021 | Mixed-ish | Dr. Rainbow "Bow" Johnson/Narrator | Also co-creator, executive producer |
| 2021 | The Runaway Bunny | Narrator | Television special |
| The Premise | Rayna Bradshaw | Episode: "Social Justice Sex Tape" | |
| 2022 | The Kids in the Hall | Lainie | Episode 7 |
| Norman Lear: 100 Years of Music & Laughter | Herself | Television special [54] | |
| Year | Song | Artist | Role | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | “The New Workout Plan” | Kanye West | Fifi LeBeouff/ Herself | |
| 2005 | "Touch the Sky" | Kanye West | Herself[55] | |
| 2018 | "Nice for What" | Drake | Herself[56] | |
| 2019 | "Earfquake" | Tyler, the Creator | Pearl Edwards (Talk Show Host)[57] |
| Year | Award | Category | Nominated work | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | NAACP Image Award | Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series | Girlfriends | |
| 2003 | Prism Award | Best Performance in a Comedy Series | ||
| 2003 | NAACP Image Award | Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series | ||
| 2004 | BET Comedy Awards | Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series | ||
| NAACP Image Award | Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series | |||
| 2005 | BET Comedy Awards | Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series | ||
| NAACP Image Award | Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series | |||
| 2006 | NAACP Image Award | Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series | ||
| 2007 | NAACP Image Award | Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series | ||
| 2008 | NAACP Image Award | Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series | ||
| 2009 | NAACP Image Award | Outstanding Directing in a Comedy Series | ||
| Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series | ||||
| 2012 | NAACP Image Award | Outstanding Actress in a Television Movie, Mini-Series or Dramatic Special | Five | |
| Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series | Reed Between the Lines | |||
| Black Reel Awards | Outstanding Actress in a Television Movie or Mini-Series | Five | ||
| NAMIC Vision Award | Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series | Reed Between the Lines | ||
| 2015 | NAACP Image Award | Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series | Black-ish | |
| BET Awards | Best Actress | |||
| EWwy Awards | Best Actress, Comedy[58] | |||
| 2016 | Critics' Choice Television Award | Best Actress in a Comedy Series[59] | ||
| NAACP Image Award | Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series[60] | |||
| Online Film & Television Association Award | Best Actress in a Comedy Series | |||
| Primetime Emmy Award | Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series[61] | |||
| Satellite Award | Best Actress – Television Series Musical or Comedy[62] | |||
| BET Awards | Best Actress | |||
| 2017 | Critics' Choice Television Award | Best Actress in a Comedy Series | ||
| Golden Globe Award | Best Actress – Television Series Musical or Comedy | |||
| Screen Actors Guild Award | Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series | |||
| NAACP Image Award | Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series[63] | |||
| Primetime Emmy Award | Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series[64] | |||
| 2018 | Screen Actors Guild Award | Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series | ||
| NAACP Image Award | Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series | |||
| Primetime Emmy Award | Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series | |||
| 2019 | People's Choice Awards | Favorite Comedy TV Star | ||
| Satellite Awards | Best Actress in a Series, Comedy or Musical | |||
| NAACP Image Award | Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series | |||
| Black Reel Awards | Outstanding Directing, Comedy Series | |||
| Black Reel Awards | Outstanding Actress, Comedy Series | |||
| 2020 | NAACP Image Award | Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series | ||
| Primetime Emmy Award | Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series | |||
| Black Reel Awards | Outstanding Comedy Series | |||
| Black Reel Awards | Outstanding Actress, Comedy Series | |||
| People's Choice Awards | Fashion icon | |||
| People's Choice Awards | Favorite Drama Movie Star | The High Note | ||
| Hollywood Critics Association | Best Supporting Actress | |||
| Guild of Music Supervisors Awards | Best Song Written and/or Recording Created for a Film | |||
| 2021 | NAACP Image Award | Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture | [65] | |
| NAACP Image Award | Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series | Black-ish | [66] | |
| Primetime Emmy Award | Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series | |||
| Primetime Emmy Award | Outstanding Comedy Series | |||
| Black Reel Awards | Outstanding Actress, Comedy Series | |||
| Hollywood Critics Association Television Awards | Best Actress in a Broadcast Network or Cable Series, Comedy | |||
| 2022 | People's Choice Awards | The Comedy TV Star of 2022 | ||
| Golden Globe Award | Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series - Musical or Comedy | |||
| Hollywood Critics Association Television Awards | Best Actress in a Broadcast Network or Cable Series, Comedy | |||
| NAACP Image Award | Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series | |||
| Black Reel Awards | Outstanding Actress, Comedy Series | |||
| Disney Legends | For her extraordinary contribution to television | [67] | ||
| 2023 | NAACP Image Award | Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series | Black-ish | |
| Screen Actors Guild Awards | Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture | American Fiction |
Tracee Ellis Ross is also the founder of Pattern Beauty, a company which makes natural hair care products for curly and textured hair.[68] The company was founded in 2018.