Danielle Deadwyler

Danielle Deadwyler (born May 3, 1982) is an American actress. She earned critical acclaim for her roles in The Harder They Fall, as Mamie Till in Till (2022), and as a conflicted mother in The Piano Lesson (2024). Deadwyler received British Academy Film Award and Screen Actors Guild Award nominations for Till, and a second SAG nomination for The Piano Lesson.

Deadwyler began her career as a theatre actress in Atlanta, Georgia. Deadwyler then transitioned to film and television roles and made her screen debut in the 2012 drama film A Cross to Bear. She appeared in the primetime soap opera The Haves and the Have Nots (2015–2017), the drama series P-Valley (2020), and the miniseries Station Eleven (2021–2022) and From Scratch (2022). In 2025, Time magazine named Deadwyler one of the 100 most influential people in the world.

Early life and education Deadwyler, who is of African American heritage, was born on May 3, 1982, in Atlanta, Georgia and raised in Southwest Atlanta. She is the daughter of a legal secretary and a railroad supervisor and has three siblings. Deadwyler graduated from Grady High School (now Midtown High School) and then Spelman College with an undergraduate degree in History and African American Studies. She earned a Master of Arts in American Studies from Columbia University followed by a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing from Ashland University in 2017.

Career Early career and stage work Deadwyler began her career appearing on stage productions, including Charlotte's Web, The Real Tweenagers of Atlanta, and most notable playing the role of Lady in Yellow in For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide / When the Rainbow Is Enuf at the True Colors Theater in Atlanta in 2009. Deadwyler received positive reviews for leading performance in Alliance Theatre's The C.A. Lyons Project. On Atlanta stage, she appeared in the Pulitzer Prize-winning play Clybourne Park at Aurora Theater, portrayed an actress injured doing Shakespeare in Smart People at True Colors Theater, and played multiple roles in The Temple Bombing at the Alliance Theater.

2012–2020: Film debut and television roles Deadwyler made her film debut playing the leading role of a homeless, alcoholic mother in the 2012 drama A Cross to Bear directed by Tandria Potts. Deadwyler later acted in a number of short films, then landed roles on television. In 2015, Deadwyler guest-starred in the second season of BET's drama series Being Mary Jane. Later that year, she joined the cast of Tyler Perry's series The Haves and the Have Nots, playing antagonist LaQuita "Quita" Maxwell. She played a leading role and produced the 2019 thriller film The Devil To Pay. The film and Deadwyler's performance received positive reviews from critics. Cath Clarke from The Guardian wrote in her review: "Deadwyler's soulful performance really grounds The Devil to Pay even as it cranks into revenge-movie mode." The series was not renewed for a second season. That same year, Deadwyler guest-starred on FBI: Most Wanted and had a recurring role as Yoli in the series P-Valley.

2021–2022: Breakthrough with The Harder They Fall and Till

In 2021, Deadwyler played the role of Cuffee in the Netflix western film The Harder They Fall. The character was inspired by Cathay Williams. The film and her performance received positive reviews from film critics. Deadwyler received an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture nomination for her performance and well as number of Best Ensemble awards. Later that year, Deadwyler played Miranda Carroll in the miniseries Station Eleven. Also that year, she was in the Netflix miniseries From Scratch, based on Tembi Locke's memoir. Deadwyler played the role of lead character' older sister, receiving positive reviews.

In 2022, Deadwyler starred as Mamie Till in the biographical film Till directed by Chinonye Chukwu. She received positive reviews from critics for her lead performance in the movie. Manohla Dargis in The New York Times: "With fixed intensity and supple quicksilver emotional changes, Deadwyler rises to the occasion as Mamie, delivering a quiet, centralizing performance that works contrapuntally with the story's heaviness, its profundity and violence." Deadwyler received the National Board of Review Award for Breakthrough Performance (shared with Gabriel LaBelle for The Fabelmans) and the Gotham Independent Film Award for Outstanding Lead Performance for her performance.

2023–present: Continued success In 2024, Deadwyler played the leading role in the science fiction thriller film Parallel directed by Kourosh Ahari, a remake of Lei Zheng's feature of the same name. She starred in the horror-thriller film I Saw the TV Glow, which premiered at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival to positive reviews from critics. Deadwyler also starred in The Piano Lesson, an adaptation of the August Wilson play, and in the Canadian post-apocalyptic thriller film 40 Acres. For The Piano Lesson, Deadwyler earned her second Screen Actors Guild Awards nomination in the Supporting Actress category, her first having been in Leading Actress for her role in Till. Her guest appearance as Syd's cousin Chantel on The Bear episode "Worms" was positively received, with Rolling Stone critic Alan Sepinwall describing Deadwyler, "one of most chameleonic actors we have," as having disappeared into the "relaxed, confident, funny role." Deadwyler appeared in the action thriller Carry-On for Netflix. She also starred in the horror film The Woman in the Yard. Both films were directed by Jaume Collet-Serra.

Time magazine named Deadwyler one of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2025.

Deadwyler is slated to executive produce and star in the upcoming comedic thriller The Saviors. She will also portray Zelma Redding, widow of American singer Otis Redding, in the biographical drama Otis & Zelma. In February 2025, Deadwyler joined the HBO comedy series Rooster opposite Steve Carell, taking on the role of a poetry professor and published author. That spring, she was announced as the lead in the film adaptation of The Street, based on the 1946 novel by Ann Petry. In October 2025, a first-look photo accompanied news of Deadwyler's addition to the Season 3 cast of Euphoria. The following month, she was reported to have joined the ensemble of India Donaldson's drama The Chaperones.

In February 2026, Deadwyler was cast in a lead role for the upcoming reboot of The X-Files, produced by Ryan Coogler. She will star opposite her Station Eleven castmate Himesh Patel.

Personal life Deadwyler has a son named Ezra. Her family history was explored on the April 7, 2026 episode of Finding Your Roots.

Filmography

Film Year Title Role Notes 2010 Cyburbia Alice Johnson Short film 2012 A Cross to Bear Erica Moses 2013 Sweet, Sweet Country Ndizeye Short film 2014 Ir/Reconcilable Maria Short film, also producer 2015 The Youth Hoda Short film 2017 Gifted Animal shelter worker The Leisure Seeker Hotel waitress 2018 Jane and Emma Jane Manning 2019 The Devil to Pay Lemon Cassidy Also producer 2020 It's Time Karen Phillips Bygone Billy Trudy Wake 2021 The Harder They Fall Cuffee 2022 Till Mamie Till 2024 I Saw the TV Glow Brenda Parallel Vanessa Also executive producer The Piano Lesson Berniece Charles 40 Acres Hailey Freeman Carry-On Elena Cole 2025 The Woman in the Yard Ramona Also executive producer 2026 The Saviors Also executive producer; post-production The Chaperones Post-production

Television Year Title Role Notes 2015 Being Mary Jane Naima Episode: "Signing Off" 2015–2017 LaQuita "Quita" Maxwell Recurring role 2016 Greenleaf Stacy Episodes: "Good Morning, Calvary" and "What Are You Doing Here?" 2018 Hap and Leonard Woman Episode: "T-Bone Mambo" Atlanta Tami Episode: "Champagne Papi" 2019 Watchmen June Episodes: "This Extraordinary Being" and "An Almost Religious Awe" 2020 FBI: Most Wanted Cleo Wilkens Episode: "Caesar" Paradise Lost Nique Green Series regular P-Valley Yoli Recurring role, 3 episodes 2021–2022 Station Eleven Miranda Carroll Miniseries 2022 From Scratch Zora Miniseries 2025 The Bear Chantel Episode: "Worms" 2026 Rooster Dylan Shepard Series regular Euphoria Mama Brown Episode: "Stand Still and See" The X-Files Lead role, pre-production

Awards and nominations

Major associations + Year Award Category Work Result 2022 Critics' Choice Awards Best Acting Ensemble The Harder They Fall 2023Best Actress Till 2025 Best Supporting Actress The Piano Lesson 2023 British Academy Film Awards Best Actress in a Leading Role Till 2023 Screen Actors Guild Awards Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role 2025 Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role The Piano Lesson

Other awards

+ Year Award Category Work Result 2019 Nightmares Film Festival Best Actress Feature The Devil to Pay 2020 GenreBlast Film Festival Best Actress – Feature Film 2021 Princess Grace Award "For her filmmaking, which is decidedly more experimental" Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association Awards Best Ensemble National Board of Review Awards Best Cast San Diego Film Critics Society Best Performance by an Ensemble Women Film Critics Circle The Invisible Woman Award 2022 African-American Film Critics Association Best Ensemble Austin Film Critics Association Best Ensemble Hollywood Critics Association Awards Best Cast Ensemble NAACP Image Awards Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture Gotham Awards Outstanding Lead PerformanceTill Critics Choice Association Celebration of Black Cinema and Television Actress Award for Film Chicago Film Critics Association Award Most Promising Performer National Board of Review Breakthrough Performance - Female Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards Best Lead Performance St. Louis Film Critics Association Best Actress Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association Best Actress Atlanta Film Critics Circle Best Breakthrough Performer Dallas–Fort Worth Film Critics Association Best Actress Florida Film Critics Circle Best Actress Greater Western New York Film Critics Association Best Actress Breakthrough Performance Indiana Film Journalists Association Best Lead Performance IndieWire Critics Poll Best Performance Las Vegas Film Critics Society Best Actress Online Association of Female Film Critics Best Female Lead Phoenix Critics Circle Best Actress UK Film Critics Association Actress of the Year Utah Film Critics Association Best Actress Women Film Critics Circle Best Actress Black Film Critics Circle Best Actress 2023Critics' Choice Movie AwardsBest Actress Best Breakthrough Performance Toronto Film Critics Association Best Actress Austin Film Critics Association Best Actress Columbus Film Critics Association Best Lead Performance Hollywood Critics Association Best Actress DiscussingFilm Critic Awards Best Actress Georgia Film Critics Association Best Actress Breakthrough Award North Carolina Film Critics Association Best Actress San Diego Film Critics Society Best Actress Breakthrough Artist San Francisco Bay Area Film Critics Circle Best Actress Independent Spirit Awards Best Supporting Performance in a New Scripted Series Station Eleven Satellite Award Best Actress in a Motion Picture, Drama Till Black Reel Awards Outstanding Actress Denver Film Critics Society Best Actress Houston Film Critics Society Best Actress NAACP Image Awards Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture NAACP Image Awards Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Television Movie, Limited-Series or Dramatic Special From Scratch DiscussingFilm Critic Awards Best Actress Latino Entertainment Journalists Association Best Actress in a Leading Role 2024 Astra Film Awards Best Supporting Actress The Piano Lesson Black Film Critics Circle Best Supporting Actress Boston Society of Film Critics Best Supporting Actress Chicago Film Critics Association Best Supporting Actress Dallas–Fort Worth Film Critics Association Best Supporting Actress Elles Women in Hollywood Celebration The Witness Gotham Awards Ensemble Tribute (shared) Outstanding Supporting Performance Middleburg Film FestivalBreakthrough Actor Award Mill Valley Film Festival MVFF Award for Acting Newport Beach Film Festival Outstanding Performance Female New York Film Critics Online Best Supporting Actress San Diego Film Critics Society Best Supporting Actress Seattle Film Critics Society Best Supporting Actress St. Louis Film Critics Association Best Supporting Actress Online Association of Female Film Critics Best Acting Ensemble (shared) Best Supporting Female Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association Best Supporting Actress 2025 African-American Film Critics Association Best Ensemble (shared) Best Supporting Actress Alliance of Women Film Journalist EDA Award Best Supporting Actress Austin Film Critics Association Best Supporting Actress Black Reel Awards Outstanding Supporting Performance Chicago Indie Critics Windie Award Best Supporting Actress Columbus Film Critics Association Best Ensemble (shared) Best Supporting Performance DiscussingFilm Global Critic Award Best Supporting Actress Film Independent Spirit Awards Best Supporting Performance Georgia Film Critics Association Best Supporting Actress Girls On Film Awards Best Performance in a Supporting Role Kansas City Film Critics Circle Best Supporting Actress London Film Critics' Circle Awards Supporting Actress of the Year Utah Film Critics Association Best Supporting Performance, Female Satellite Awards Best Actress in a Supporting Role NAACP Image Awards Outstanding Breakthrough Performance in a Motion Picture Outstanding Ensemble Cast in a Motion Picture (shared) Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture NBP Film Community Awards Best Supporting Actress NBP Film Award Best Supporting Actress North American Film Critic Association Best Supporting Actress Women Film Critics Circle Best Supporting Actress Offscreen Central Awards Best Body of Work Carry-On, I Saw the TV Glow, The Piano Lesson 2026 Black Reel Awards Outstanding Lead Performance 40 Acres NAACP Image Awards Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture Astra TV Awards Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series Rooster Black Reel TV Awards Outstanding Supporting Performance in a Comedy Series Outstanding Guest Performance in a Comedy Series The Bear Outstanding Guest Performance in a Drama Series Euphoria