Shari Headley

Shari Headley (born July 15, 1964) is an American actress. She is best known for her role as Lisa McDowell in the 1988 box-office hit romantic comedy film Coming to America and its sequel Coming 2 America. Headley also has appeared in films The Preacher's Wife (1996) and Johnson Family Vacation (2004).

On television, Headley starred as Detective Mimi Reed in the ABC daytime soap opera All My Children on a regular basis from 1991 to 1994. As lead actress, she starred in the Fox short-lived drama series 413 Hope St. (1997–1998), for which she received NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series nomination. From 2014 to 2016, Headley starred as villainous Jennifer Sallison in the Oprah Winfrey Network primetime soap opera The Haves and the Have Nots.

Early life Born in Queens, New York City, Headley is the youngest of four children. She is of part Trinidadian descent. Headley's father worked as a dental technician, and had wanted his daughter to be a doctor. In college, she was a premedical student, minoring in drama and performing in school plays. She was a finalist in Eileen Ford's Face of the 80s campaign, and joined Ford afterwards.

Career Headley made her acting debut appearing in an episode of NBC sitcom The Cosby Show in 1985. and Matlock. Eddie Murphy appears as her love interest in the film. Being relatively unknown at the time, the film's director John Landis stated she was chosen in the role for that reason. One reviewer opined she and Murphy "shined" together, though another critic found Headley's performance "bland." The film was a box-office success grossing a worldwide total of $288,752,301.

The following year, Headley had a starring role alongside Louis Gossett Jr. in the short-lived ABC drama series, Gideon Oliver. In the series, she played Zina, the daughter of Gossett's character. Later that year, she co-starred in the Kojak television film series. In 1991, Headley joined the cast of ABC daytime soap opera, All My Children playing police officer Mimi Reed. At the 25th NAACP Image Awards, she received an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Daytime Drama Series nomination, but lost to Victoria Rowell. Headley received a second nomination the following year. She was a regular on All My Children from 1991 to 1994, and returned to the series in 1995 and 2005.

After leaving the soap, she guest-starred on New York Undercover, Walker, Texas Ranger, and Cosby. In 1997, Headley landed a leading role as Juanita Barnes in the short-lived FOX drama series, 413 Hope St. alongside Richard Roundtree. The series was cancelled after only ten episodes, but Headley received an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series nomination for her performance. Headley portrayed Barbara, a woman looking for a man, in the pilot episode of Love Boat: The Next Wave. She appeared as a counselor on sitcom The Wayans Bros..

In the early 2000s, Headley returned to daytime television playing the recurring roles of Felicia Boudreau on Guiding Light (2001–2002) and Heather Engle in The Bold and the Beautiful (2004–2005). In 2007, she appeared in the comedy-drama film Towelhead. She also had guest starring roles on Veronica Mars, House,

In 2014, she joined the cast of Oprah Winfrey Network primetime soap opera, The Haves and the Have Nots created by Tyler Perry, playing District Attorney Jennifer Sallison. She was promoted to series regular as of season four. In 2019, she had a recurring role in On Becoming a God in Central Florida. Headley reprised her role of Queen Lisa Joffer from Coming to America in the sequel Coming 2 America in 2021.

Personal life Headley was married to actor and entertainer Christopher Martin, better known as "Play" from the hip-hop rap duo Kid N' Play, from May 1993 until they divorced in June 1995. Martin and Headley have one son together.

Filmography

Film Year Title Role Notes 1987 The Pick-up Artist Girl Painter with Ladder 1988 Coming to America Lisa McDowell 1989 Kojak: Ariana Trish Van Hogan TV movie 1990 Kojak: None So Blind Trish Van Hogan TV movie 1996 The Preacher's Wife Arlene Chattan 1997 A Woman Like That Herself 2004 Johnson Family Vacation Jacqueline Johnson 2007 Towelhead Mrs. Bradley 2008 Belly 2: Millionaire Boyz Club Alexis Video 2013 Act Like You Love Me Tianna 2014 The Congregation Maple 2015 Ex-Free Wendy 2018 Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween Mrs. Carter 2019 Three's Complicated Imani TV movie 2021 Coming 2 America Lisa McDowell

Television Year Title Role Notes 1985 The Cosby Show Mrs. Dubois Episode: "Denise's Friend" 1986 Miami Vice Cindy Episode: "French Twist" 1988 The New Hollywood Squares Herself Episode: "Episode #3.6" 1989 Gideon Oliver Zina Oliver Main Cast 1990 Quantum Leap Violet Walters Episode: "Pool Hall Blues" Matlock Model Carla Royce Episode: "The Cover Girl" 1991–96 All My Children Detective Mimi Reed Regular Cast 1995 New York Undercover Leanne Episode: "Brotherhood" 1996 Walker, Texas Ranger Vanessa St. John Episode: "Behind the Badge" Cosby Victoria the Nude Model Episode: "No Nudes Is Good Nudes" 1997 Soul Train Herself/Guest Host Episode: "Mint Condition/Erykah Badu/Quad City DJ's" 1997–98 413 Hope St. Juanita Barnes Main Cast 1998 Love Boat: The Next Wave Barbara Episode: "Smooth Sailing" Getting Personal Fake Robyn Episode: "Bring in 'Da Milo, Bring in 'Da Robyn" Malcolm & Eddie Veronica Episode: "Twisted Sisters" For Your Love Maya Episode: "The Sister Act" 1999 The Wayans Bros. Dawn Episode: "Crazy 4 U" & "Three on a Couch" 2001–02 The Guiding Light Felicia Boudreau Regular Cast 2003 Half & Half Barbara Episode: "The Big Bitter Baby Shower Episode" 2004 One on One Pamela Episode: "Sleepless in Baltimore" 2004–05 The Bold and the Beautiful Heather Engle Regular Cast 2005 All My Children Detective Mimi Reed Regular Cast Veronica Mars Vanessa Hamilton Episode: "Lord of the Bling" House Dr. Arlene Marks Episode: "Kids" 2009 Castle Nicole Cameron Episode: "Love Me Dead" 2010 10 Things I Hate About You Marcheline Episode: "The Winner Takes It All" 2012 L.A. Hair Herself Episode: "First Cut Is the Deepest" Celebrity Ghost Stories Herself Episode: "Tyler Blackburn/Lainie Kazan/Shari Headley" 2014 Love That Girl Maxine Episode: "Gullible Is as Gullible Does" 2014–16 The Haves and the Have Nots Jennifer Sallison Recurring Cast: Season 2-3, Main Cast: Season 4 2015 Switched at Birth Gwendolyn Berdick Recurring Cast: Season 4 2019 Star Houston Connelly Recurring Cast: Season 3 On Becoming a God in Central Florida Harmony Recurring Cast

Documentary

Year Title 1990 Paris Is Burning

Music videos Year Title Artist 1985 "Half Crazy" Johnny Gill 1988 "Sarah Sarah" Jonathan Butler 1994 "Before I Let You Go" Blackstreet 1999 "Wild Wild West" Will Smith