Merle Dandridge

American actress, singer (b. 1975)

Merle Dandridge (born May 31, 1975) is an American actress and singer. She is best known for performing in Broadway musicals such as Jesus Christ Superstar, Spamalot, Rent, and Once on This Island, as well as her video game roles as Alyx Vance in Half Life 2 and Marlene in The Last of Us franchise. She played the leading role of Grace Greenleaf in the Oprah Winfrey Network drama series, Greenleaf (2016 2020). She’s had recurring roles on television series such as Sons of Anarchy and The Night Shift and starred as Kim Hammond in the first season of HBO Max comedy drama series The Flight Attendant in 2020. In 2022, Dandridge began starring as Natasha Seo Yeon Ross in the ABC action series Station 19. She reprised her role as Marlene in the 2023 television adaptation of The Last of Us.

Dandridge was born in Okinawa on May 31, 1975. Dandridge’s mother is half Japanese and half Korean, and her father is African American. She moved back to the U. S. with her parents due to her father's job, and they lived at Beale Air Force Base in California before settling at Offutt Air Force Base in Bellevue, Nebraska, where Dandridge spent the majority of her childhood. She attended Papillion La Vista High School and participated in the play production class and theater department there. She then attended the Theatre Conservatory at Roosevelt University (currently called the Chicago College of Performing Arts).

Dandridge began her career appearing in Chicago theatre productions. She has gained a wider audience as the voice of Alyx Vance in the award winning action game Half Life 2 and its sequels, Episode One and Episode Two, and also as Marlene in The Last of Us. In 2006, she was cast as Kala in the original Broadway production of Tarzan. Dandridge earned a BAFTA Award for her voiceover performance in the 2015 game Everybody's Gone to the Rapture. On television, she guest starred on NCIS, 24, Criminal Minds, The Newsroom and Drop Dead Diva. In 2022, she was cast in a series regular role as Chief in the ABC drama series Station 19. Dandridge also had the recurring roles in the FX drama series, Sons of Anarchy as Rita Roosevelt, and short lived The CW teen soap Star Crossed in 2014. In 2015, she co starred in the second season of NBC medical drama, The Night Shift as Gwen Gaskin. In 2015, Dandridge was cast as the lead character in the Oprah Winfrey Network drama series, Greenleaf opposite Lynn Whitfield. She plays the role of Grace Greenleaf, Greenleaf's estranged daughter. Dandridge has received critical acclaim for her first leading screen role. From November 9, 2017, to January 7, 2018, Dandridge starred as Papa Ge the God of Death in the Broadway musical revival of Once on This Island, at the Circle in the Square Theater. She returned to the role of Papa Ge in a limited run from June 18 to August 19, 2018. Along with cast, she received Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album nomination for cast recording. In 2020, Dandridge was cast in a series regular role in the eight episode HBO Max thriller drama series The Flight Attendant. In 2021 she was cast to reprise her role as Marlene from the critically acclaimed game The Last of Us, in the HBO series of the same name.

Year Title Role Notes 2003 Angel Lacey Episode: "Home" 2003 The Edge Agent Angela Wells Television pilot 2003 NCIS Marcy Carruthers Episode: "Sea Dog" 2005 Third Watch Nikki Episode: "Too Little, Too Late" 2005 All My Children Lois Recurring role 2005 Guiding Light Lawyer Episode: "July 21, 2005" 2007 I'm Paige Wilson Gloria Television pilot 2010 The Deep End Jennifer Hutchins Episode: "An Innocent Man" 2010 24 Kristen Smith Episode: "Day 8, 12:00am–1:00am" 2010 Matadors Brooke Comas Television pilot 2010 CSI: Miami Stacy Garrett Episode: "Sleepless In Miami" 2011 Lie to Me D. A. Jill Ottinger Episode: "Saved" 2011 Love Bites Krista Episode: "How To " 2011 Ringer Dr. Anabel Morris Episode: "Shut Up and Eat Your Bologna" 2011–2012 Sons of Anarchy Rita Roosevelt 6 episodes 2012 Criminal Minds Agent Lynn Brooks Episode: "A Family Affair" 2012–2013 The Newsroom Maria Guerrero 2 episodes 2013 Company TownLouise Television pilot 2013 Nikita Zoe Episode: "Inevitability" 2014 The Mentalist Lydia Faulk Episode: "Il Tavolo Bianco" 2014 Star Crossed Vega 7 episodes 2014 Drop Dead Diva Nadine Comer Episode: "Afterlife" 2014 Stalker Dean Lisa Miner Episode: "Pilot" 2014 NCIS: Los Angeles CIA Officer Nicole Borders Episode: "Reign Fall" 2015 Perception Robyn Sherman Episode: "Meat" 2015 Suits Leah Episode: "Intent" 2015 Rosewood Charlotte Episode: "Vitamins and Vandals" 2015–2016 The Night Shift Gwen Gaskin 15 episodes 2016–2020 Greenleaf Grace Greenleaf 60 episodes 2018 Murphy Brown Diana Macomber Episode: "Three Shirts to the Wind" 2020 The Flight Attendant Kim Hammond 8 episodes 2021 Truth Be Told Zarina Killebrew 10 episodes 2022–present Station 19 Fire Chief Natasha Ross Recurring (season 5) Series regular (season 6 present) 2023 The Last of Us Marlene 2 episodes 2023–2024 Alice's Wonderland Bakery The Silver Queen Voice; 6 episodes

Year Title Role Theatre 1994 Once on This Island Performer Chicago 1994 The Robber Bridegroom Rosamund Roosevelt University, Chicago 1994 As You Like It Rosalind Roosevelt University, Chicago 1997 Balm in Gilead Ann Gilead Theatre, Chicago 1997 The Kentucky Cycle Performer Truman College, Chicago 1997 Company Kathy Chicago 1997 Sweet and Hot Performer Theatre Building, Chicago 1998 Heart and Soul Andrea Chicago 1998 Richard II Performer Gilead Theatre Company, Chicago 1998 Ain't Misbehavin' European tour 1998 Smokey Joe's Cafe Swing National tour 2000 Jesus Christ Superstar Mary Magdalene Ford Center for the Performing Arts, Broadway 2001 Aida Nehebka National tour 2002 Aida Aida (Replacement) Palace Theatre, Broadway 2002–2008 Rent Joanne Jefferson (replacement) Nederlander Theatre, Broadway 2003 Showtune: Celebrating the Words & Music of Jerry Herman Woman 2 Pasadena Playhouse, Pasadena 2006–2007 Tarzan Kala Richard Rodgers Theatre, Broadway 2008 Spamalot The Lady of the Lake Shubert Theatre, Broadway 2009–2010 Rent Joanne U. S. tour 2015 Spamalot The Lady of the Lake Hollywood Bowl, Los Angeles 2017–2018 Once on This Island Papa Ge Circle in the Square Theatre, Broadway 2023 A Little Night Music Desirée Armfeldt Pasadena Playhouse, Pasadena

Year Award Category Nominated work Result Ref. (Reference(s)) 2016 British Academy Games Awards Performer Everybody's Gone to the Rapture 2019 Grammy Awards Best Musical Theater Album Once on This Island 2021 Screen Actors Guild Awards Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series The Flight Attendant