Tyra Ferrell

Ferrell was born in Houston, Texas.[1] She moved from Houston to New York after high school and began her career on stage including roles on Lena Horne: The Lady and Her Music (1981), as part of the Cotton Club chorus,[2] and Ain't Misbehavin on Broadway.[3]

She made her screen debut in a small role in the 1981 comedy film So Fine, and later appeared in Lady Beware,[4] School Daze,[5] The Mighty Quinn,[6] and The Exorcist III.[7] On television, she guest-starred in Hill Street Blues,[5] The Twilight Zone,[8] and Quantum Leap.[9] Ferrell's first major role on television was Roberta in drama The Bronx Zoo (1987−88).[10] She had recurring roles on Square One Television and Thirtysomething. In 1990, Ferrell was a regular cast member on the short-lived CBS sitcom City starring Valerie Harper, portraying secretary Wanda Jenkins.[11]

In 1991, Ferrell played supporting roles in two films.[1] She appeared as matriarch Brenda Baker[12] in Boyz n the Hood.[13] A critic believed Ferrell gave a "fine edge" to the character of Mrs. Baker.[14] Ferrell earned an NAACP Image Award nomination for Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture for her role in Boyz n the Hood.[15] She portrayed Orin Goode, the love interest of John Torturro's character, in Jungle Fever.[16] In the same year, she was listed as one of twelve "Promising New Actors of 1991" in John A. Willis' Screen World.[17] The following year, she starred alongside Wesley Snipes as his wife Rhonda in the comedy film White Men Can't Jump.[18] She later had supporting roles as Sonya, a janitor, in Equinox (1992)[19] and a beauty salon owner named Jessie[20] in Poetic Justice (1993).[21]

Ferrell also played the leading role of prosecutor Cutter Dubuque alongside Mare Winningham in the 1993 Lifetime Television movie Better Off Dead.[22] Ferrell received positive reviews for her performance in this film. One reviewer claimed she "breathed life" into her character.[23] Another critic found Ferrell's portrayal "smooth,"[24] and a third opined Ferrell was "impressive."[25] In 1994, she had the recurring role as Dr. Sarah Langworthy during the first season of the NBC medical drama ER,[26] and from 1996 to 1997 she co-starred alongside Corbin Bernsen on the syndicated science fiction series The Cape as Tamara St. James.[27]

In 2000, Ferrell co-starred alongside Khandi Alexander in the HBO miniseries The Corner.[28] She later guest-starred on Soul Food, The Shield and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. In 2005, she was nominated for her second NAACP Image Award, in the category of Outstanding Actress in a Television Movie, Mini-Series or Dramatic Special for her role in the ABC television film NTSB: The Crash of Flight 323.[29] After 2004, Ferrell took a break from acting.

She returned to acting ten years later with the leading role in Tasha Smith's directorial debut, Boxed In.[30] In 2015, Ferrell was cast in a recurring role on the second season of Fox's prime-time soap opera Empire as Roxanne Ford, an attorney.[31][32]

• Tyra Ferrell at IMDb