Salli Richardson

Salli Elise Richardson-Whitfield (born Salli Elise Richardson, November 23, 1967 ) is an American actress, television director and producer. as an actress, Richardson is known for her role as Angela in the film A Low Down Dirty Shame and for her role as Dr. Allison Blake on the Syfy comedy-drama series Eureka (2006–2012).

She is also known for her voice acting as Elisa Maza on the Disney animated series Gargoyles (1994–1996), and as Viveca Foster on the CBS series Family Law (1999–2002). Richardson also has appeared in a number of other films such as The Great White Hype (1996), Antwone Fisher (2002), Anacondas: The Hunt for the Blood Orchid (2004) and I Am Legend (2007). She had leading roles in the independent films Pastor Brown (2009), Black Dynamite (2009) and I Will Follow (2010).

In the 2010s, Richardson started working as a television director and executive producer, receiving five Primetime Emmy Awards nominations. In 2024, she became the first black woman to be nominated for Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series for Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty, and in 2026, she became the first black woman to receive two Outstanding Directing for a Drama series nominations for her works on The Gilded Age and Task.

Early life Richardson was born in Chicago, Illinois. Her mother is of African American ancestry, and her father was of English and Italian descent. She played tennis in high school at the University of Chicago Laboratory Schools, and launched her acting career in the Kuumba Workshop theater there; she graduated in 1985.

Career Acting Richardson "began her acting career in the theater before transitioning to roles in television and film". In film, she played small roles in Prelude to a Kiss, Mo' Money, Posse, and later had major roles in Sioux City and A Low Down Dirty Shame. From 1994 to 1996 she voiced the character Elisa Maza on the animated series Gargoyles.

Richardson starred opposite Dixie Carter and Kathleen Quinlan in the CBS legal drama series, Family Law, from 1999 to 2002. She had recurring roles as Nancy Adams on Rude Awakening, and as Laura on CSI: Miami. She starred opposite Denzel Washington in the 2002 drama film Antwone Fisher. She also appeared in the 2004 horror film Anacondas: The Hunt for the Blood Orchid, and starred opposite Will Smith in 2007's post-apocalyptic film I Am Legend. She also starred in The Sin Seer with Isaiah Washington, set for 2015 release.

From 2006 to 2012, Richardson starred as Department of Defense agent (and later head of Global Dynamics) Allison Blake in the Syfy comedy-drama series Eureka. Her second pregnancy was written into the storyline of the series. In 2014, Richardson was cast in a recurring role on Lifetime's The Lottery as the first lady of the United States, but she lost it to Shelley Conn; She also has a role on BET's Being Mary Jane as an old friend of the lead character. In 2015, Richardson was cast in the ABC Family series, Stitchers. The series was canceled after three seasons in 2017.

Directing Richardson has also worked as a director of episodic television, her latest being episodes 5 and 6 of the first season of Wheel of Time for Amazon. Following her directorial debut on two episodes of her show Eureka, in 2016 she directed two episodes of Ava DuVernay's drama series for Oprah Winfrey Network, Queen Sugar (on which her husband Dondre Whitfield appears as a series regular). In 2016, Richardson also directed an episode of the historical action-drama Underground for WGN America. In 2017, she directed two episodes of BET drama Rebel, and Shonda Rhimes' Scandal. Her comedy directing credits include Survivor's Remorse, I'm Dying Up Here, Black-ish and Dear White People. In 2018, she also directed the 16th episode of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.s fifth-season episode "Inside Voices". Her other notable directing credits include Chicago Med, Luke Cage, Black Lightning, The Punisher, American Gods, See and Altered Carbon.

In 2019, Richardson received an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Directing in a Drama Series nomination for her work directing "I Get Physical" episode of Luke Cage. Also in 2019, she won a Black Reel Award for Outstanding Directing in a Comedy Series for directing "Black Like Us" episode of Black-ish. In September 2020, she signed a project development deal with HBO. Richardson produces and had had directed episodes of HBO period drama The Gilded Age and Adam McKay's Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty.

In 2024, she became the first black woman to be nominated for Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series in 76th Primetime Emmy Awards for her work on "BEAT L.A." episode of Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty.

In 2026, she became the first black woman to receive two Outstanding Directing for a Drama series nominations for her works on "My Mind Is Made Up" episode of The Gilded Age and "Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and rightdoing, there is a river." episode of Task in 78th Primetime Emmy Awards.

Personal life In September 2002, she married fellow actor Dondre Whitfield. She and Whitfield have one daughter and one son.

Filmography Film Year Title Role 1991 Up Against the Wall Denise 1992 Prelude to a Kiss Bridesmaid No. 2 Mo' Money Pretty Customer How U Like Me Now Valerie 1993 Posse Lana 1994 I Spy Returns Nicole Scott Sioux City Jolene Buckley A Low Down Dirty Shame Angela Lily in Winter Ada Covington 1995 Gargoyles the Movie: The Heroes Awaken Elisa Maza (voice) Once Upon a Time...When We Were Colored Miss Alice 1996 Soul of the Game Lahoma The Great White Hype Bambi 1997 True Women Martha 1998 Butter Blusette Ford 1999 Lillie Lillie 2002 Book of Love: The Definitive Reason Why Men Are Dogs Karen Antwone Fisher Berta Davenport Baby of the Family Nelli McPherson 2003 Biker Boyz Half & Half 2004 Anacondas: The Hunt for the Blood Orchid Gail Stern 2007 I Am Legend Zoe Neville 2009 Black Dynamite Gloria Pastor Brown Jessica "Jesse" Brown 2010 I Will Follow Maye 2012 We the Party Principal Reynolds 2013 Playin' for Love Talisa McCoy Teachers Christine 2015 The Sin Seer Nia

Television Year Title Role Notes 1992 Silk Stalkings Shelley Episode: "Wild Card" 1993 Space Rangers - Episode: "Fort Hope" Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Fenna/Nidell Episode: "Second Sight" 1994 Roc Diane Hubbard Episode: "The Last Temptation of Roc" New York Undercover Tammy Barrett Episode: "Eyewitness Blues" 1994–1997 Gargoyles Elisa Maza (voice) Main cast 1997 Stargate SG-1 Drey'auc Episode: "Bloodlines" Between Brothers Vanessa Episode: "The Player" 1998 The Pretender Cynthia Sloan Episode: "Gigolo Jarod" 1998–1999 Mercy Point Kim Salisaw Main cast 1999 The Jamie Foxx Show Camille Turner Episode: "Liar, Liar, Pants on Fire" 1999–2002 Family Law Viveca Foster Main cast 2000 Secret Agent Man Rachel Episode: "WhupSumAss" 2000–2001 Rude Awakening Nancy Adams Recurring cast: season 3 2003 CSI: Miami Laura Recurring cast: season 1 2004 Line of Fire Erica Logan Episode: "The Senator" Second Time Around Amanda Episode: "Coupling Up" NYPD Blue Bobbi Kingston 2 episodes: "My Dinner with Andy" & "I Like Ike" 2005 House Sharon Episode: "Sports Medicine" 1-800-Missing Kelly Episode: "Sisterhood" The War at Home Vanessa Episode: "Guess Who's Coming to the Barbecue" 2006 Bones Kim Kurland Episode: "Aliens in a Spaceship" 2006–2012 Eureka Allison Blake Main cast 2009 Criminal Minds Tamara Barnes 2 episodes: "Hopeless" & "The Eyes Have It" 2011 The Secret Lives of Wives Reed TV pilot 2012 The Finder Athena Brookes Episode: "Life After Death" 2012–2013 The Newsroom Jane Barrow Guest: season 1, recurring cast: season 2 2013–2015 NCIS Carrie Clark Guest Cast: season 11-13 2014 House of Lies Sandra Joy Episode: "Power(less)" Castle Elizabeth Weston Episode: "The Greater Good" 2015 Being Mary Jane Valerie Recurring cast: season 2 2015–2017 Stitchers Maggie Main cast 2016 Rosewood Dr. Aubrey Joseph Episode: "Wooberite & the Women of Rosewood" 2018 Black Lightning Rebecca Montez Episode: "The Book of Consequences: Chapter Four: Translucent Freak" 2020 Altered Carbon Commission Leader Episode: "Broken Angels"

Director Year Title Notes 2011 Grace Short film, also writer 2011–2013 Eureka 2 episodes: "Worst Case Scenario" & "Omega Girls" 2015 Different Position Short film 2016 Post Life Short film Queen Sugar 2 episode: "So Far" & "All Good" 2017 Underground Episode: "Nok Aaut" Rebel 2 episodes: "Conceal and Carry" & "Black Not Blue" Scandal Episode: "Tick Tock" Stitchers Episode: "Kill It Forward" Survivor's Remorse 2 episodes: "Reparations" & "Closure" Lethal Weapon Episode: "Birdwatching" 2017–2019 Shadowhunters 2 episodes: "A Kiss from a Rose" & "Dust and Shadows" 2018 Chicago Med Episode: "Lock It Down" Star Episode: "Take It to Church" Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Episode: "Inside Voices" I'm Dying Up Here Episode: "Between Us" Luke Cage Episode: "I Get Physical" Love Is_ Episode: "Not Valentine's Day" Black Lightning Episode: "The Book of Consequences: Chapter Four: Translucent Freak" 2018–2019 The Magicians 2 episodes: "The Side Effect" & "Six Short Stories About Magic" 2019 Black-ish Episode: "Black Like Us" The Punisher Episode: "Flustercluck" All American Episode: "Legacy" Chilling Adventures of Sabrina Episode: "Chapter Fourteen: Lupercallia" American Gods Episode: "The Ways of the Dead" Doom Patrol Episode: "Hair Patrol" The Chi Episode: "Lean into It" Dear White People 2 episodes: "Volume 3: Chapter IX " & "Volume 2: Chapter V" Pearson Episode: "The Former City Attorney" See Episode: "House of Enlightenment" Reprisal Episode: "dammit" Treadstone 2 episodes: "The Seoul Asylum" & "The McKenna Erasure" 2020 Altered Carbon 2 episodes: "Broken Angels" & "Experiment Perilous" 2021 The Wheel of Time 2 episodes: "Blood Calls Blood" & "The Flame of Tar Valon" 2022–present The Gilded Age 6 episodes; also executive producer 2022–2023 Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty 5 episodes; also executive producer 2025–present Task 3 episodes; also executive producer

Awards and nominations Year Award Category Nominated work Result Ref. 2010 NAACP Image Awards Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series Eureka 2014 Black Reel Awards Outstanding Actress, TV Movie/Limited Series Pastor Brown 2019 Outstanding Directing in a Comedy Series Black-ish 2019 NAACP Image Awards NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Directing in a Drama Series. Luke Cage 2024 Gracie Awards Director – Drama Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty Producer – EntertainmentThe Gilded Age 2024 Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Drama Series Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty 2026 Outstanding Drama Series The Gilded Age Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series The Gilded Age Task