Alphonsia Emmanuel facts for kids
Alphonsia Emmanuel (born November 7, 1956) is a British actress. She is known for her roles in TV shows like House of Cards and movies such as Under Suspicion (1991), Peter's Friends (1992), and Still Crazy (1998). Alphonsia was also a member of the famous Royal Shakespeare Company and the Royal National Theatre.
Early Life and Education
Alphonsia Pamela Williams was born in Pointe Michel, Dominica, a beautiful island in the British West Indies, in 1956. When she was a baby, her parents, Lewis and Portia Williams, moved to the United Kingdom to find work. Alphonsia stayed with her grandparents in Dominica until she was two years old, then she joined her parents in London.
She went to Carlton Vale School and Claremont High School. There, she earned good grades in Law and English. During this time, Alphonsia became very interested in performing. She took dance classes and acted in many school plays. She thought about becoming an actress, but a career counselor told her that acting was "not for people like us." This made her feel discouraged.
From 1977 to 1980, Alphonsia attended Kingston University. She studied English and Drama and earned a special degree in education. After graduating, she worked as a teacher for a year, from 1980 to 1981. However, she still dreamed of a career in theatre. So, she trained at the Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art in London. In 1983, she finished her training and began her acting journey. She performed in fun pantomime shows and toured with the Temba Theatre Company in a play called Bitter Milk.
Acting Career Highlights
Alphonsia Emmanuel was a member of the famous Royal Shakespeare Company from 1983 to 1984. On stage, she played the Nurse in The Dillen (1983). She also appeared as Sophia de Lyonne in Pam Gems's Camille (1984). Another role was Muriel Farr in Louise Page's Golden Girls (1984), where she acted alongside Cathy Tyson, Josette Simon, and Kenneth Branagh. She also learned roles for two Shakespeare plays, Love's Labour's Lost and Measure for Measure. In 1985, for the RSC, she played Johanna in Trilogy of Reunions. Later, in 1989, Alphonsia played Valeria in Coriolanus at the Young Vic theatre. In 1997, she took on the big role of Cleopatra in Antony and Cleopatra at the Bridewell Theatre.
From 1985, Alphonsia regularly appeared in television dramas and comedies. She had ongoing roles as WPC Janice Hargreaves in Rockliffe's Babies and Desmond's. She also played Penny Guy in the popular TV series House of Cards in 1990. During the 1980s and early 1990s, she was often on stage in London. She played Duckling in This Country's Good (1988) at the Royal Court Theatre. At the National Theatre, she played Lucy in The Recruiting Officer (1988) and Irina Platt in Murmuring Judges (1991). In 1995, she acted in Venice Preserv'd at the Almeida Theatre.
Alphonsia also had roles in several films. She played Selina in Under Suspicion (1991). She was Sarah Johnson in Peter's Friends (1992). In 1998, she played Camille in Still Crazy and Miss James in Peggy Su!. Even though she had early success in theatre, she did not return to the Royal Shakespeare Company or the National Theatre after 1991. She felt there were not enough roles for Black actors in the industry. She decided to focus more on television and film. In 1991, she appeared as Mrs. Litton in the series Dynasty. In 1998, she played The Lady in an episode of The Demon Headmaster.
Recent Years and New Ventures
In 1999, Alphonsia Emmanuel married Marc Rosenfeld, an American lawyer who works to protect the environment. He is based in Antigua, a Caribbean island. Now, Alphonsia divides her time between London and the Caribbean.
In 2002, she came back to the UK to act as Karen Delage in the BBC drama Fields of Gold. In 2007, she helped start the Gale Theatre of London and Barbados. That same year, she appeared as Ruth in the play Blithe Spirit. In 2008, she also helped create the Caribbean Unity Theatre in Antigua.
