From an early age, Kimberly Elise exhibited a talent and propensity for the arts; by age seven, she was writing plays and short stories. It seemed inevitable that she would go on to study film and acting at the University of Minnesota. While enrolled, Elise began her professional career, appearing in television commercials and productions at a local black theater company and working behind-the-scenes at the Minneapolis public TV station. Her short film "The Joy of Mama's Recall" earned considerable attention and a slot in the American Film Institute's director's program.

The attractive Elise