Spent childhood living in Los Angeles and New York

Appeared onstage as part of Berkeley's Black Theater Workshop

Acted on the New York stage in "A Movie Star Has to Star in Black and White" at the Signature Theater Company

Headed to Los Angeles to work on stage and pursue a film acting career

Featured in the TV-movie "Miracle in the Woods" (CBS)

Acted in the action/adventure "Drive" (aired on HBO in lieu of theatrical release)

Played Emily Webb in South Coast Repertory's production of "Our Town"

Featured in the vampire action film "Blade"

Cast as a regular on the NBC sitcom "Lateline" (unaired episodes were broadcast on the Showtime network during the 1999-2000 season)

Played the adult incarnation of the protagonist's teenage love in Rick Famuyiwa's nostalgic drama "The Wood"

Featured in "Catfish in Black Bean Sauce," an independent drama about Vietnamese siblings raised by an African-American couple

Played the sweet but strong girlfriend of a commitment-shy novelist in the ensemble drama "The Best Man"

Featured in in Gina Prince-Bythewood's "Love and Basketball"

Co-starred in HBO's production of Terry McMillan's "Disappearing Acts"; directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood

Starred opposite Billy Crudup in the New York Shakespeare Festival's Central Park production of "Measure for Measure" (June-July)

Co-starred in the romance feature "Brown Sugar"

Featured in "Out of Time" opposite Denzel Washington

Appeared on stage opposite Sean Combs and Phylicia Rashad in "Raisin in the Sun"; received a Tony nomination

Cast in the big budget feature, "Alien vs. Predator"

Co-starred with Simon Baker in the romantic comedy, "Something New"

Joined the cast of the hit FX drama "Nip/Tuck" in the fourth season

Reprised stage role of Beneatha Younger for the ABC airing of "A Raisin in the Sun"

Featured in Tyler Perry's "The Family That Preys"

Cast as Maggie the Cat in the all-black West End revival of Tennessee Williams' "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof"