Elise Neal

Elise Demetria Neal (born March 14, 1966) is an American actress known for her work in television and film. She rose to prominence in 1997 with roles in Rosewood, Money Talks, and Scream 2. She later starred as Yvonne Hughley in the ABC/UPN sitcom The Hughleys (1998–2002), earning two NAACP Image Award nominations for Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series. Her notable film credits include Restaurant, Mission to Mars (2000), and Logan (2017). For her performance in Hustle & Flow (2005), she received a Screen Actors Guild Award nomination for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture.

Early life Neal was born on March 14, 1966, in Memphis, Tennessee, the daughter of a nurse and a construction worker. She was a ballet dancer and a cheerleader. She graduated from Overton High School for the Creative and Performing Arts.

Elise attended the University of the Arts in Philadelphia on a full-ride scholarship. After two years, Elise moved to New York City where she landed role in her dream job in musical theater and found herself traveling the world with various touring companies. Her experience in musical theater allowed her to easily transition into commercials, eventually bringing her to Los Angeles. Neal was a member of the Tennessee Ballet Company. She then played fighter pilot J.J. Fredericks on the series seaQuest 2032. Neal was cast in the high-profile role of Hallie in Scream 2. Her character was originally written to be one of the killers of the movie, but due to a script leak her role was changed. She portrayed school teacher Scrappie in Rosewood.

Her breakout role was being cast as Yvonne Hughley, the wife of D.L. Hughley in the television sitcom The Hughleys (1998−2002). She received two NAACP Image Award nominations for Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series for her role in the series. Following The Hughleys, Neal portrayed kindergarten teacher Tia Jewel in All of Us. She left the series in 2005.

She has made guest appearances on Law & Order, Hangin' with Mr. Cooper, Other film credits include: Paid in Full, Money Talks, and Mission to Mars. In Restaurant, she played Jeanine, a waitress who aspires to be a singer. Neal acted in a 2001 remake of Brian's Song as the wife of Gale Sayers.

Neal received her third NAACP Image Award nomination in 2006, in the category of Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture for the film Hustle & Flow as Yevette, the wife of Anthony Anderson's character. Her role in the 2007 film 4 Life also marked her first soundtrack single, "I'm Down Baby". She also appeared in the series K-Ville as Ayana Boulet.

Expanding her role as producer, Neal is creating and developing several multimedia projects: a reality show based on her R&B group, "Assorted Flavors", a fitness and lifestyle brand, and several feature projects through her development deal with Mandalay Bay Entertainment. She appeared on reality show Hollywood Divas.

She played Alana in Love Ranch (2010). Neal guest starred on an episode of The Soul Man. She portrayed singer Gladys Knight in biopic Aaliyah: The Princess of R&B (2014). In a negative review of the film, Jon Caramanica opined Neal was the best actor in the production. Neal played Kathryn Munson in the 2017 superhero film Logan and appeared on television series Into the Dark.

Filmography

Film Year Title Role Notes 1992 Malcolm X Hooker 1993 Tales of the City Young Woman TV movie 1995 Let It Be Me Carlita 1997 Rosewood Beulah (Scrappie) Def Jam's How to Be a Player Nadine Money Talks Paula Scream 2 Hallie 1998 Chance of a Lifetime Amy TV movie Restaurant Jeanine 2000 Mission to Mars Debra Graham 2001 The Rising Place Wilma Watson Sacred Is the Flesh Gabi Paige Brian's Song Linda Sayers TV movie 2002 Paid in Full Aunt June 2003 Playas Ball Summer Twitty 2005 Hustle & Flow Yevette 2007 4 Life Jare Video 2008 Who's Deal? Passion 2009 Preaching to the Pastor Monica 2010 Let God Be the Judge Rachel Love Ranch Alana Love Chronicles: Secrets Revealed Monique Video Gun Rich's Mom N-Secure Leslie Love Me or Leave Me Josephine Wyatt TV movie 2011 The Slap Gloria Short Lord, All Men Can't Be Dogs Diane The Perfect Man Trisha Poolboy: Drowning Out the Fury Florence Breathe Kristy Burgin 2012 The Undershepherd Sister Roberts Who's Watching the Kids Delia 2013 School of Hard Knocks Kim Video 1982 Stacy 2014 The Fright Night Files Coffee Black TV movie Aaliyah: The Princess of R&B Gladys Knight TV movie 2016 Ladies Book Club Rona TV movie 36 Hour Layover Rebecca What Are the Chances? Gina ANYWHERE, U.S.A. Kim Short 2017 Logan Kathryn Munson Tragedy Girls Mrs. Hooper The White Sistas Erin White Our Dream Christmas Cookie 2018 Don't Get Caught Gina Video We Belong Together Megan Her Only Choice Sherry First Impression Kym Pine TV movie 2019 All In Gina Nineteen Summers Porsha I Left My Girlfriend for Regina Jones Regina Jones 2020 The Grudge TV Contestant The Sin Choice Angela Smith The App That Stole Christmas Carly 2021 Ransum Games Denise A State of Mind Keisha Thomas 2022 Breaking Juanita Lola 2 Sasha 2023 Survival Tally Fruge Phels High Tina Lloyd Christmas Angel Natalie 2025 Cockroach Mom Short

Television Year Title Role Notes 1991 Another World Dancer Episode: "Episode #1.6923" 1992 Law & Order Charlayne Ward Episode: "Cradle to Grave" 1993 Getting By Debbie Episode: "Back to Nature" Tales of the City Spa Instructor Episode: "Episode #1.3" California Dreams Miss Jackie Episode: "High Plains Dreamer" Family Matters Heather Episode: "Car Wars" 1993–95 Hangin' with Mr. Cooper Lisa Guest Cast: Season 1 & 3 1994 The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air Wendy Robertson Episode: "M Is for the Many Things She Gave Me" Loving Janey Sinclair Regular Cast Red Shoe Diaries Dancer Episode: "Emily's Dance" 1995 Chicago Hope Tamara Parnett Episode: "Cutting Edges" Pointman Millie Episode: "Take the Points" 1995-96 seaQuest DSV Lieutenant J.J. Fredericks Main Cast: Season 3 1996 ABC Afterschool Special Alicia Episode: "Daddy's Girl" Living Single Sharon Episode: "School's Out Forever" High Incident Arial Episode: "Bullet the Blue Sky" The Steve Harvey Show Juanita Du'Shea Episode: "Pool Sharks Git Bit" 1998 The Wayans Bros Tanya Cooper Episode: "The Rich Girl" Fantasy Island Catherine Episode: "Wishboned" 1998–02 The Hughleys Yvonne Williams-Hughley Main Cast 2001 E! True Hollywood Story Herself Episode: "Scream" 2002 Hollywood Squares Herself/Panelist Recurring Guest Pyramid Episode: "Nov 8, 2002" 2003 A.U.S.A. Jill Davis Episode: "Pilot" 2004 The 100 Scariest Movie Moments Herself Episode: "Part I: 100-81" Method & Red Brenda Episode: "Something About Brenda" 2003–05 All of Us Tia Jewel Main Cast: Season 1–2 2005 Black in the 80s Herself Episode: "Def Jams" & "Color TV" Weekends at the D.L. Herself Episode: "Episode #1.13" CSI: Crime Scene Investigation Giselle Episode: "Bodies in Motion" 2007 K-Ville Ayana Boulet Recurring Cast 2009 My Manny Jennifer Main Cast Private Practice Janine Episode: "What You Do for Love" 2010 Life After Herself Episode: "Elise Neal" 2011 Funny or Die Presents Peaches Episode: "The Burn Unit" The Cape Susan Voyt Recurring Cast 2011–12 A.N.T. Farm Roxanne Parks Recurring Cast: Season 1 2012 Scandal Anna Gordon Episode: "The Other Woman" 2013 Real Husbands of Hollywood Herself Episode: "Karma's a Mitch" & "Hart vs. Mosley" Basketball Wives Herself Episode: "Episode #5.8" Belle's Jill Cooper Main Cast The Soul Man Jessica Episode: "Revelations" 2014 According to Him + Her Herself Episode: "Episode #1.3" 2014-15 Hollywood Divas Herself Main Cast: Season 1–2 2017 Tales Beatriz Episode: "A Story to Tell" 2019–20 25 Words or Less Herself/Contestant Recurring Guest 2020 Into the Dark Dr. Linda Johnson Episode: "Good Boy" 2021 A Black Lady Sketch Show Gigi 2022-24 The Black Hamptons Sydney Britton Main Cast 2023 Herself Episode: "Laughing Out Loud" Angel Teresa Main Cast 2025 G.R.I.T.S. (Girls Raised in the South) Pam Recurring Cast

Music Videos Year Artist Song 1990 Kwamé "Ownleeeue" 1991 Father MC "Lisa Baby" Chubb Rock "Just the Two of Us" Black Sheep "Strobelite Honey" 1992 Vanessa Williams featuring Dres "Work to Do" 1993 Dannii Minogue "This Is It" 1998 Aretha Franklin "A Rose Is Still a Rose" 2001 Trick Daddy "I'm a Thug" 2002 Aaliyah "Miss You" 2011 Rick Ross "Ashes to Ashes"

Documentary Year Title Role Notes 2008 My Nappy Roots: A Journey Through Black Hair-itage Herself 2011 Still Screaming: The Ultimate Scary Movie Retrospective Herself Awards and nominations