Michael Michele

Michael Michele Williams (born August 30, 1966) She was named for her mother's best friend, Michael Ann. Michele attended Howard Roosa Elementary School (a K-8 school at the time) and Benjamin Bosse High School, where she was active on the basketball team.

Career

Michele has appeared in music videos by R&B singers Freddie Jackson and Eric Gable. In 1989 she sued actor Eddie Murphy in a high-profile Hollywood lawsuit alleging she was fired from the movie Harlem Nights for rejecting his romantic advances. Michele's suit was later settled out of court for an undisclosed sum.

In 1991, Michele had a starring role opposite Wesley Snipes in the 1991 film New Jack City directed by Mario Van Peebles. Despite the film's success, Michele did not have her next movie role until six years later, starring opposite Marlon Wayans in the comedy film The 6th Man. In 1992, she went on to star on the CBS late-night crime drama series Dangerous Curves, which ran for two seasons. In 1993, she played a leading role in the six-part NBC soap opera miniseries Trade Winds. The following year, she had a major recurring role in the Fox police drama series New York Undercover. She left the show in early 1995 to play one of the leads in the CBS prime time soap opera Central Park West alongside Mädchen Amick, Lauren Hutton and Raquel Welch. The series was not successful and was cancelled after two seasons in 1996.

In 1998, Michele joined the cast of NBC police drama Homicide: Life on the Street as Det. Rene Sheppard on the show's final season. She received her first NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series nomination for this role. Michele reprised her role in a Law & Order episode in 1999 and in the television movie Homicide: The Movie in 2000. She later joined another NBC series, medical drama ER playing Dr. Cleo Finch from 1999 to 2002, for three seasons. She received another NAACP Image Award nomination.

In 2001, Michele played Veronica Porché Ali in the biographical drama film Ali opposite Will Smith. She later had two more movie roles: crime drama Dark Blue (2002) and romantic comedy How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days (2003). She also was cast in a recurring role in the Oprah Winfrey Network drama series Queen Sugar.

On March 22, 2019, it was announced that Michele had been cast as Dominique Deveraux for later in the second season of the Dynasty reboot series.

Personal life She has a son, born in 2004.

In 2005, TV Guide ranked Michele No. 36 on its "50 Sexiest Stars of All Time" list. In 2012, she was named one of the "50 Hottest Biracial Women" by Complex Magazine.

Filmography Film Year Title Role 1990 Def by Temptation Lady #6 1991 New Jack City Selina 1997 The 6th Man R.C. St. John 2001 Ali Veronica Porché Ali 2002 Dark Blue Beth Williamson 2003 How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days Judy Spears

Television Year Title Role Notes 1988 1st & Ten Gillian Episode: "Saturday, Bloody Saturday" 1992–1993 Dangerous Curves Holly Williams Series regular 1993 Trade Winds Maxine Phillips TV miniseries 1994–1995 New York Undercover Sandra Gill Recurring role (12 episodes) 1995–1996 Central Park West Nikki Sheridan Series regular 1998 Players Sylvie Episode: "Con-tinental" The Substitute 2: School's Out Kara Lavelle Television film Creature Tauna TV miniseries 1998–1999 Homicide: Life on the Street Detective Rene Sheppard Series regular (season 7) 1999 Law & Order Episode: "Sideshow" 2000 Homicide: The Movie Television film 1999–2002 ER Dr. Cleo Finch Series regular (seasons 6–8) 2004–2005 Kevin Hill Jessie Gray Series regular 2005 The Hunt for the BTK Killer Detective Baines Television film 2006 Bridget Wilson Television short 2007 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Valerie Sennet Episode: "Burned" House Dr. Samira Terzi Episodes: "Whatever It Takes" & "Ugly" 2009 Charlotte Television film 2011 Gossip Girl Jane Bettinger Recurring role (4 episodes) 2014 Delirium Elyse Hargrove Television film 2015 The Following Sheila Episode: "A Hostile Witness" 2016 Blue Bloods Lois Potter Episode: "Unbearable Loss" 2016, 2018 MacGyver Diane Episodes: "Scissors" & "Murdoc + Handcuffs" 2017–2018 Star Ayanna Floyd Series regular (season 2) 2017–2018, 2021 Queen Sugar Darlene Sutton Recurring role (6 episodes) 2019–2022 Dynasty Dominique Deveraux Recurring role (season 2); series regular (seasons 3–5) 2023 Under His Influence Casaundra Television film Drunk, Driving, and 17 Martha Wright Television film 2024–2025 The Equalizer Evelyn Rogers Recurring role (3 episodes)

Music videos Year Song Artist 1986 "Have You Ever Loved Somebody" Freddie Jackson 1987 "I Don't Want to Lose Your Love" 1988 "Nice 'N' Slow" 1989 "Remember (The First Time)" Eric Gable 1991 "Can't Wait To Get You Home" 1993 "Make Love Easy" Freddie Jackson

Awards and nominations Year Awards Category Recipient Outcome 1999 NAACP Image Awards NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series "Homicide: Life on the Street" 2000 NAACP Image Awards NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series "ER" Screen Actors Guild Award Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series 2001 2003 Black Reel Awards Black Reel Award for Best Supporting Actress "Dark Blue" 2004 Teen Choice Awards Teen Choice Award for Choice Movie Villain "How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days"