Shamika Cotton

Shamika Cotton is an American actress from Cincinnati, Ohio. She is perhaps best known to television viewers as Michael Lee's drug-addicted mother Raylene Lee in the acclaimed HBO series The Wire.

Early years Born in Cincinnati, Ohio, and from Cincinnati's competitive School for Creative and Performing Arts, where she studied choir, flute, and theater. She graduated from Central State University in 1999 with a degree in manufacturing engineering. a series that follows her life and offers a realistic look at the daily life and work of an aspiring actress.

In 2019, she played small role in the movie The Sun Is Also a Star.

Filmography

Film/Movie Year Title Role Notes 2004 Till Death Do Us Part - Short 2009 Stream Young Jodi Short 2011 Pariah Candace 2013 Frank the Bastard Isolda 2015 Sidewalk Traffic Nanny Moon 2019 The Sun Is Also a Star Hannah

Television Year Title Role Notes 2003 Nickelodeon Magazine's Big 10 Birthday Bash Herself TV special 2006 As the World Turns ER Doctor 2 episodes 2006-08 The Wire Raylene Lee Recurring cast: Season 4, guest: Season 5 2007 Law & Order: Criminal Intent Kira Danforth Episode: "Self-made" 2010 Law & Order Mrs. Dolan Episode: "Boy on Fire" 2013 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Carol McEwan Episode: "Beautiful Frame" 2014-15 Forever Anita Recurring cast 2016 Gotham Officer Holt Episode: "Wrath of the Villains: Mr. Freeze" 2019 The Blacklist FBI Physician Episode: "Dr. Hans Koehler (No. 33)" The Good Fight Wendy Episode: "The One About the Recent Troubles" God Friended Me Jen Episode: "Return to Sender" Elementary Rose Episode: "Their Last Bow" Blue Bloods Detective Kim Andrews Episode: "Naughty or Nice" New Amsterdam Martha Randle Episode: "The Island" 2020 Prodigal Son Joanne Episode: "Stranger Beside You" 2021 The Equalizer Nicole Episode: "Reckoning" 2022 P-Valley Farrah Haynes Recurring cast: season 2