Tina Lifford

Tina Lifford is an American actress and playwright. She is best known for her leading role as single mother Joan Mosley in the critically acclaimed but short-lived Fox sitcom South Central, and her recurring role as Renee Trussell in the NBC drama series Parenthood (2010–2015). She has starring roles in the feature films Grand Canyon (1991), Blood Work (2002), and Hostage (2005). In 2016, Lifford began starring as Violet Bordelon (Aunt Vi) in the Oprah Winfrey Network drama series, Queen Sugar.

Life and career Tina Lifford began her career in the 1980s, appearing on television shows include Hill Street Blues, Cagney & Lacey, and Murder, She Wrote. From 1983 to 1988, she had the recurring role on Knots Landing. In film, she made her debut in The Ladies Club (1986). The following years, she had appeared in films include Nuts (1987), Colors (1988), Paris Trout (1991), Grand Canyon (1991), Letters from a Killer (1998), Panic (2000), Pay It Forward (2000), Joe Somebody (2001), Blood Work (2002), Hostage (2005), and Catch and Release (2006).

Lifford played the leading role as single mother Joan Mosley in the critically acclaimed but short-lived Fox comedy-drama series, South Central (1994). In addition to her leading role on South Central, Lifford was regular cast member on the short-lived NBC drama, Crisis Center (1997). She had number of starring roles on the made-for-television movies, include The Ernest Green Story (1993), Run for the Dream: The Gail Devers Story (1996) playing Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Mandela and de Klerk (1997) as Winnie Mandela, The Temptations (1998), and The Loretta Claiborne Story (2000) starring Kimberly Elise. For her performance, Lifford received two NAACP Image Awards nominations for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series, as well as Black Reel Awards nomination.

Filmography

Film Year Title Role Notes 1984 Why Me? - TV movie 1986 The Ladies Club Patty 1987 Jaws: The Revenge Additional Voices Nuts Lawyer #2 1988 Colors Mrs. Craig Casual Sex? Additional Voices 1989 The Fabulous Baker Boys Background Voice 1991 New Jack City Recovering Addict Paris Trout Mary Sayers Wedlock Policewoman The Rape of Doctor Willis Officer Rollins TV movie Grand Canyon Deborah 1992 Bebe's Kids Additional Voices 1993 The Ernest Green Story Mrs. Green TV movie Doppelganger Additional Voices Born Too Soon Latanya TV movie 1994 In the Line of Duty: The Price of Vengeance Jean TV movie 1995 Babe Sheep (voice) Divas Geraldine TV movie A Streetcar Named Desire The Neighbor TV movie 1996 America's Dream Sarah TV movie Run for the Dream: The Gail Devers Story Jackie Joyner-Kersee TV movie After Jimmy Susan Johnson TV movie The Longest Season Employment Counselor Short 1997 Mandela and de Klerk Winnie Mandela TV movie Cloned Claire Barnes TV movie 1998 Letters from a Killer Elizabeth Secrets - Short The Temptations Haze TV movie 2000 Panic Dr. Leavitt The '70s Aunt Olavee TV movie Pay It Forward Principal 2001 A Girl Thing Sharon TV movie Amy's Orgasm Irene Barris Joe Somebody Cassandra Taylor 2002 Blood Work Detective Jaye Winston 2005 Hostage Laura Shoemaker Urban Legends: Bloody Mary Grace Taylor Video 2006 Catch and Release Eve 2010 The Ties That Bind Karen White Short 2016 The Devil's Dolls Della 2017 A Gift to Remember Mrs. Henley TV movie 2019 Cherished Memories: A Gift to Remember 2 Mrs. Henley TV movie 2021 A Holiday in Harlem Mama Belle TV movie 2024 We Strangers Willie Martin Completed

Television Year Title Role Notes 1983 Hill Street Blues Stenographer Episode: "Death by Kiki" 1983-88 Knots Landing Tina Guest: seasons 4 & 6 & 9, recurring cast: seasons 7-8 1984 Cagney & Lacey Precinct Officer Episode: "The Bounty Hunter" 1984-85 T.J. Hooker Lorraine/Nurse Episode: "Hooker's Run" & "The Assassin" 1985 Murder, She Wrote Leora Cargill Episode: "Tough Guys Don't Die" 1986 Amen Ruth Episode: "Maitre D'eacon" 1987 Perfect Strangers Mrs. Cooper Episode: "Dog Gone Blues" It's Garry Shandling's Show Nurse Helen Episode: "Pete Has an Affair" Jake and the Fatman - Episode: "Fatal Attraction" Days of Our Lives Dora/Nurse Audrey Episode: "Episode #1.5424" & "Episode #1.5601" Frank's Place Ray's Wife Episode: "Season's Greetings" 1988 Simon & Simon Elissa Byers Episodes: "Love Song of Abigail Marsh" & "Shadows" 1989 Tour of Duty Nurse Pritchard Episode: "Doc Hock" 1990 Hunter Frankie Mason Episode: "Unacceptable Loss" 1991 True Colors Ruth Episode: "A Moment of Ruth" The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air Mrs. Hoover Episode: "The Mother of All Battles" Beverly Hills, 90210 Felicity Ashe Episode: "Ashes to Ashes" 1993 Love & War Dee Dee Burnette Episode: "Valentine's Day" Life Goes On Admitting Nurse Episode: "Five to Midnight L.A. Law Faith Glassman Episodes: "Pacific Rimshot" & "Safe Sex" 1994 South Central Joan Mosely Main cast 1995 Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Lee Episodes: "Past Tense: Part I & Part II" Courthouse Holly Baker Episode: "Conflict of Interest" 1995-96 American Gothic Loris Holt Recurring cast 1997 Crisis Center Tess Robinson Main cast Gun Sally Episode: "All the President's Women" 1998 Touched by an Angel Sis Episode: "Doodlebugs" The Practice Mrs. Johnson Episode: "Trees in the Forest" Martial Law Halle Winship Episode: "How Sammo Got His Groove Back" JAG Juanita Ressler Episode: "Act of Terror" 1999-2001 Family Law Judge Alice Kingston Recurring cast 2000 Any Day Now Savannah Dakar Episode: "Homegirl" The Wonderful World of Disney Rita Claiborne Episode: "The Loretta Claiborne Story" NYPD Blue Lorraine Wiggins Episode: "Brothers Under Arms" That's Life - Episode: "Pilot" JAG Juanita Ressler Episode: "JAG TV" 2001 Judging Amy Ms. Arroyo Episode: "Darkness for Light" Strong Medicine Brenda Babson Episode: "Bloodwork" 2003 For the People - Episode: "Power Play" Karen Sisco Anya Devlin Episode: "Blown Away" The Lyon's Den Halle Berger Episode: "Hubris" 2004 Threat Matrix The Female Pathologist Episode: "PPX" 2004-05 CSI: Crime Scene Investigation Judge Witherspoon Recurring cast: season 5, guest: season 6 2005 NCIS Dr. Pamela Fox Episode: "Witness" ER Evelyn Pratt Recurring cast: Season 12 2006 Mystery Woman Bonnie Episode: "Sing Me a Murder" & "Redemption" Heroes Paulette Hawkins Episode: "Chapter Three 'One Giant Leap'" 2007-09 Lincoln Heights Dorothy Hammond Recurring cast: seasons 2-4 2008 In Plain Sight Denise McBride / Denise Morris Episode: "Iris Doesn't Live Here Anymore" Cold Case Phoebe Curtis '08 Episode: "Triple Threat" 2009 Nip/Tuck Warden DeMarco Recurring cast: Season 6 2010 Criminal Minds Nora Episode: "...A Thousand Words" 2010-15 Parenthood Renee Trussell Guest: seasons 1 & 3, 5-6, recurring cast: seasons 2 & 4 2011 The Protector - Episode: "Class" Friends with Benefits Marsha Episode: "The Benefit of Forgetting" 2012 Drop Dead Diva Judge Nora Lafford Episode: "Welcome Back" Single Ladies Evelyn Lancaster Recurring cast: season 2 2015 Minority Report Lily Vega Recurring cast 2015-17 Scandal CIA Director Lowry Recurring cast: seasons 4 & 6 2016 Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders Brenda Willis Episode: "Denial" 2016-22 Queen Sugar Violet Bordelon Main cast 2020 The Rookie Warden Miller Episode: "Under the Gun" Filthy Rich Monique Recurring cast

Awards and nominations Year Awards Category Recipient Outcome 1996 CableACE Awards CableACE Award for Best Actress in a Dramatic Special or Series "America's Dream" 2018 NAACP Image Award NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series "Queen Sugar" 2019 Black Reel Awards Black Reel Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress, Drama Series "Queen Sugar" 2020 NAACP Image Award NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series "Queen Sugar"