Monica Calhoun

Monica Calhoun (born July 29, 1971) is an American film and television actress. Calhoun is best known for her roles in the films Bagdad Cafe, The Players Club (1998), The Salon (2005), The Best Man (1999), and its sequel The Best Man Holiday (2013). She has also appeared in the films Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit (1993) and Love & Basketball (2000). Calhoun has been nominated for a Daytime Emmy Award and one NAACP Image Award.

Biography Early life and education Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, She moved to California in the late 1970s, and began acting while in sixth grade. Calhoun attended the Los Angeles County High School for the Arts.

Career Calhoun made her acting debut in the 1985 TV film Children of the Night as Wanda. She portrayed Phyllis, the daughter of CCH Pounder's character, in Bagdad Cafe (1987). Calhoun was the only actor in Bagdad Cafe to return for the television series, albeit the character's name was changed to Debbie. The televised adaptation lasted two seasons before being cancelled.

She portrayed Rebbie Jackson in the 1992 biopic miniseries The Jacksons: An American Dream. In 1993, she had a minor role in Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit and acted in the Disney Channel film The Ernest Green Story alongside Morris Chestnut. Calhoun received an Emmy Award nomination for her performance in the CBS Schoolbreak Special "Different Worlds: A Story of Interracial Love" (1993). Calhoun co-starred with actor Flex Alexander in the short-lived series, Where I Live, and appeared in Pacific Station.

Calhoun guest starred in several sitcoms including The Wayans Bros., A Different World and The Jamie Foxx Show, the latter as Jamie Foxx's sister. She appeared as Linda, one of the daughters of Donald Thornton in television film The Ditchdigger's Daughters (1997). Calhoun played the role of Ebony, a stripper, in Ice Cube's directorial debut The Players Club (1998).

She appeared in the lead role, Reese Delaware, in Intimate Betrayal (1999). In Love & Basketball (2000), she portrayed Kerry, a girlfriend of the basketball playing protagonist. In 2002, Calhoun appeared in Trois 2: Pandora's Box as psychologist Dr. Mia DuBois and portrayed Wet in Civil Brand. Calhoun played Rachel in the Western Gang of Roses (2003).

Calhoun portrayed Mia, the wife of Morris Chestnut's character, in The Best Man (1999). She received an NAACP Image Award nomination for Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture in 2000 for her performance. She returned in its sequel The Best Man Holiday (2013). In the latter, Mia is terminally ill and dies at the end of the film.

She played the role of Brenda in 2007's The Salon starring Vivica Fox. In 2009, Robert Townsend directed Calhoun in Diary of a Single Mom, Season I, II and III (2008–10). Calhoun appeared as Patricia Tresvant, Ralph's mother in The New Edition Story miniseries which aired on the BET network in January 2017.

Personal life Calhoun gave birth to a son in 2000. Her son is blind.

Filmography

Film Year Title Role Notes 1985 Children of the Night Wanda TV movie 1987 Bagdad Cafe Phyllis 1989 Heart and Soul Janet TV movie 1991 She Stood Alone Eliza Hammond TV movie 1993 Minnijean Brown TV movie Jack the Bear Sondra Younger and Younger Jaime-Lee Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit Classroom Kid 1996 Rebound: The Legend of Earl "The Goat" Manigault Evonne TV movie 1997 Linda TV movie Damn Whitey Young Woman Short 1998 Ebony Park Day Tamala Davis 1999 Mia Morgan Intimate Betrayal Reese Delaware TV movie 2000 Love & Basketball Kerry Nature Boy Maria Cole TV movie 2001 Faux Pas - 2002 Turnaround Cammy Civil Brand Wet Trois 2: Pandora's Box Dr. Mia DuBois 2003 Love Chronicles Maya Gang of Roses Rachel 2004 Justice Sharice 2005 Brenda Friends and Lovers Debra Video 2013 The Best Man Holiday Mia M. Sullivan 2016 Everything But A Man Vanessa No Regrets Nina Thomas 2020 Leroy Joey 2023 Deadly Entanglement Deidra

Television Year Title Role Notes 1989 CBS Schoolbreak Special Vonette Episode: "15 and Getting Straight" 1990–91 Bagdad Cafe Debbie Main Cast 1992 Rebbie Jackson Episode: "Part 1 & 2" CBS Schoolbreak Special Carol Episode: "Different Worlds: A Story of Interracial Love" 1993 Yolanda Episode: "Homey, Don't Ya Know Me?" Where I Live Kaiya Episode: "Big Mon on Campus" 1994 Sweet Justice Kara Episode: "Fourth Quarter" 1995 CBS Schoolbreak Special Temple Baham Episode: "What About Your Friends" 1996 Vanessa Episode: "Unbrotherly Love" 1997 Good News Cynthia Porter Episode: "Try a Little Tenderness" 1998 Kim Episode: "Swing Out Sister" 2000 Malcolm & Eddie Helena Episode: "Moving Violations" 2003 NYPD Blue Denise Woodson Episode: "I Kid You Not" Strong Medicine Paige Wheeler Episode: "Coming Clean" 2006 Grey's Anatomy Mrs. Wood Episode: "Break on Through" Everybody Hates Chris Charlotte Episode: "Everybody Hates Funerals" 2007 Dirt Chelle Episode: "Pilot" 2008 Cold Case Phoebe Curtis (1989) Episode: "Triple Threat" 2009–11 Diary of a Single Mom Ocean Main Cast 2017 The New Edition Story Patricia Tresvant Episode: "Part 1 & 2" 2022 The Best Man: The Final Chapters Mia Sullivan Recurring Cast