Америкалық актриса Лонетт Макки өмірі мен шығармашылығы

American actress

Lonette Rita McKee is an American actress and singer. She made her big screen debut starring as Sister Williams in the original 1976 musical drama film Sparkle. McKee later appeared in films Which Way Is Up? (1977), The Cotton Club (1984), Brewster's Millions (1985), Round Midnight (1986), Gardens of Stone (1987), Jungle Fever (1991), Malcolm X (1992), Men of Honor (2000), Honey (2003) and ATL (2006). McKee became the first African American to play the coveted role of Julie and received critical acclaim for her performance in Broadway musical Show Boat in 1983, for which she received a Tony Award nomination for Best Actress in a Musical. She also starred in The First and played Billie Holiday in Lady Day at Emerson's Bar and Grill. McKee also received three Drama Desk and three NAACP Image Awards nominations during her career.

Born in Detroit, Michigan, McKee was the second of three daughters of Dorothy McKee, of Swedish descent, Lonette's mother was Scandinavian American. McKee's older sister, Kathrine "Kathy" McKee, is also an actress and performer. McKee attended St Martin De Porres High School, but dropped out after her freshman year, moving to Los Angeles, California, to live with her older sister. As a young girl Lonette performed at record hops, dances, and small night clubs in her hometown of Detroit with help from her mother. In 1968, McKee, then aged 14, recorded her first record entitled "Stop! (Don't Worry About It)". It became an instant regional pop/R&B hit. McKee wrote the title song for the film Quadroon, in which her sister Katherine McKee starred, when she was fifteen. Several years later, McKee was launched to stardom with her critically acclaimed performance in the hit 1976 musical drama film Sparkle. McKee's career further took off throughout the mid 1970s to late 1980s, with her starring alongside comedy superstar Richard Pryor in the 1977 comedy film Which Way Is Up?, and in the 1985 comedy film Brewster's Millions. During this period, McKee played as an African American woman passing as white in both Julie Dash's 1982 short film, Illusions and in Francis Ford Coppola's 1984 musical crime drama The Cotton Club. McKee scored the music for the well received cable documentary on the Lower Manhattan African Burial Ground, as well as numerous infomercials. McKee has toured extensively throughout the world singing concert performances, including the JVC Jazz Festival at Carnegie Hall. McKee studied film directing at The New School in New York and apprenticed directing with the filmmaker Spike Lee. McKee also studied singing with Dini Clark and ballet with Sarah Tayir, both in Los Angeles. She also appeared on the CW sitcom The Game as Mrs. Pitts, the mother of Jason (played by Coby Bell), in 2007. McKee won critical acclaim for her Broadway debut performance in the musical The First in 1981, co starring in the role of Jackie Robinson's wife Rachel. She became the first African American to play the coveted role of Julie in the Houston Grand Opera's production of Show Boat in 1983 on Broadway, for which she received a Tony Award nomination for Best Actress in a Musical. McKee's tragic portrayal of jazz legend Billie Holiday in the one woman drama with music, Lady Day at Emerson's Bar and Grill, won critical acclaim, standing ovations, and a 1987 Drama Desk Award nomination (Outstanding Actress in a Musical). In 2013, McKee expressed a desire to establish a performance arts center in the New York tri state area. She performs her one woman memoir with music on stages throughout the US. She produced her first feature film, Dream Street, which she wrote and directed.

McKee has been married once and has no children. She dated the actor and stand up comedian Freddie Prinze for a time during 1976, while he was still married and after his wife had given birth to their son. McKee was married to Leo Compton, a youth counselor, from February 1983 to 1990. In the mid 1990s, she lived in an Upper East Side brownstone with her companion, the musician Bryant McNeil. They met while they were working together on McKee's Natural Love album. McKee teaches a master acting workshop at Centenary College of New Jersey, where she is an adjunct professor in the Theater Arts department.

Year Title Role Notes 1976 Sparkle Sister Williams 1977 Which Way Is Up? Vanetta 1979 Cuba Therese Mederos 1982 Illusions Mignon Dupree Short film 1984 The Cotton Club Lila Rose Oliver 1985 Brewster's Millions Angela Drake 1986 'Round Midnight Darcey Leigh 1987 Gardens of Stone Betty Rae Nelson 1991 Jungle Fever Drew PurifyNominated — NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture 1992 Malcolm X Louise Little 1998 He Got Game Martha Shuttlesworth1998 Blind Faith Carol Williams 2000 Men of Honor Ella Brashear2000 Fast Food Fast Women Sherry Lynn 2001 A Day in Black and White 2001 Lift Elanie MaxwellNominated — Black Reel Awards for Best Supporting Actress 2003 Honey Connie Daniels 2003 The Paper Mache Chase Lisa Short film 2004 She Hate Me Lottie Armstrong 2006 ATL Priscilla Garnett 2010 Dream Street Director 2011 Honey 2 Connie Daniels This Narrow Place Mrs. Shaw 2012 LUV Grandma2015Against the Jab Dj Mike's mother

Year Title Role Notes 1985 The Equalizer Dr. Elly Walton Episode: Reign of Terror Spenser: For Hire Hillary Episode: Blood Money 1986 Miami Vice Alicia Mena Episode: Stone's War 1989 Amen Tanya DuBois Episode: The Psychic (Part 1) The Psychic (Part 2) 1989 The Women of Brewster Place Lorraine TV mini series 1990 Dangerous Passion Meg Jordan TV movie 1991 L. A. Law ADA Kari Simms Episode: There Goes the Judge 1993 Tribeca Detective Simmons Episode: The Loft 1993 Alex Haley's Queen Alice TV mini series 1997 To Dance with Olivia Olivia "Libby" Stewart TV movieNominated — NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Television Movie, Mini Series or Dramatic Special 1997–1999 As The World Turns Sara Ruth BennettNominated — NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Daytime Drama Series (1999) 1999 Having Our Say: The Delany Sisters' First 100 Years Mama Delany TV movie 1999–2003 Third Watch Maggie Davis10 episodes2001For Love of OliviaOlivia "Libby" Stewart 2002 Law & Order: Special Victims UnitAttorney Greer Episode: Chameleon 2006 Half & Half Tanya Episode: The Big Thanks for Nothing Episode 2006 1 800 Missing Miss Chambers Episode: Exposure 2007–2014 The Game Maria Pitts 3 episodes