Yolonda Ross

Yolonda Ross is an American actress, writer and director.

Life and career Ross was born and raised in Omaha, Nebraska. She began her acting career in New York, appearing in the episodes of television series New York Undercover and Third Watch. Before landing the leading role in the independent drama film, Stranger Inside (2001). The movie produced by HBO, first premiered on television, but Ross was nominated for an Independent Spirit Award for Best Debut Performance. She later had supporting roles in a number of independent productions and guest-starred on Law & Order and Law & Order: Criminal Intent, and in 2011 had a recurring role on HBO's Treme. She received Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Female nomination for her performance in film. She later was cast opposite Viola Davis in Lila & Eve. In 2015, Ross played Robyn Crawford, the friend, assistant, and reported girlfriend of Whitney Houston, in the Lifetime movie, Whitney directed by Angela Bassett.

In 2017, Ross had a recurring role opposite Viola Davis in the ABC legal thriller How to Get Away with Murder. The following year she was cast in a series regular role in the Showtime drama series, The Chi.

Filmography

Film Year Title Role Notes 2001 Stranger Inside Treasure TV movie 2002 Antwone Fisher Nadine 2003 The United States of Leland Miranda The Taste of Dirt Mommy Short Allergic to Nuts Lavita Short 2004 Mind the Gap Deniese Dense Stacey TV movie Thanksgiving Yolonda Short 2005 Dani and Alice Alice Short Hung Roxy Short 2006 Shortbus Faustus Slippery Slope Ginger 2007 Gardener of Eden Jasmine I'm Not There. Angela Reeves 2008 Choke Teacher Happy Birthday Madeleine Short 2009 Whatever Works Boy's Mother The Greims Gabrielle Short The Farm Wade Dawson TV movie 2011 Yelling to the Sky Lorene O'Hara 2012 Four Mrs. Phillips Breaking Night Girl Short 2013 Go for Sisters Fontayne Phil Spector Kelly TV movie All Roads Lead Samantha Hollitt 2014 Afronauts Auntie Sunday Short Just the Three of Us Ivy Short Of Darkness and Light Ms. Littlefield Short 2015 Whitney Robyn Crawford TV movie Lila & Eve Patrice Meadowland Melanie The Youth Ishan Short Kiss Me, Kill Me Detective Annette Riley 2016 Little Men Arkadina Woman Outside - Short Split Alice Walk for Me Andrea Short The Bad Batch Maria How to Disappear Completely Cassandra Short 2017 The Creed Khadijah Short 2018 O.G. Beecher's Sister She Got Game Mom Short Out of Blue Janey Mac 2019 Bull Sheila 2021 Desmond's Not Here Anymore Abigail Short 2022 The Bond Cece Short 2024 Absolution Woman TBA Samo LivesPost-production

Television Year Title Role Notes 1997 New York Undercover Jackie Episode: "The Solomon Papers" 2000 Third Watch Patricia Ryder Episode: "Nature or Nurture?" 2001 24 Jessie Hampton Episode: "3:00 a.m.-4:00 a.m." 2005 Third Watch Lynette Episode: "Too Little, Too Late" Law & Order: Criminal Intent Regina Alcarese Episode: "Shibboleth" 2007 Law & Order: Criminal Intent Patricia Episode: "Flipped" 2008 New Amsterdam Lily Mae Brown Episode: "Golden Boy" 2009 The Unit Nora Episode: "Whiplash" 2010 Law & Order P.O. Liz Canto Episode: "Four Cops Shot" Lie to Me Simone Askew Episode: "Headlock" 2011 Treme Dana Lyndsey Recurring cast: season 2 2016 The Get Down Ms. Green Recurring cast: season 1 2017 How to Get Away with Murder Claudia Recurring cast: Season 3-4 2018 Bull Judge Knight Episode: "Absolution" Chicago P.D. Sarah Washington Episode: "Black and Blue" 2018–2026 The Chi Jada Washington Main cast 2022 Terror Lake Drive Shana Main cast: season 2 American Gigolo Lizzy Recurring cast

Awards and nominations Work Year Awards Category Results Stranger Inside 2001 Gotham Independent Film Awards Breakthrough Actor 2002 Black Reel Awards Network/Cable - Best Actress Independent Spirit Awards Best Debut Performance Go for Sisters 2014 Best Supporting Female