Charlayne Woodard facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Charlayne Woodard
Woodard at Dramatists Guild of America in 2015
Born	Charlaine Woodard (1953-12-29) December 29, 1953 (age 71) Albany, New York, U.S.
Education	Art Institute of Chicago (BFA)
Occupation	Actress, playwright
Years active	1977–present
Spouse(s)	Alan Michael Harris ​ (m. 1991)​

Charlayne Woodard (born December 29, 1953) is a talented American actress and playwright. She has won two Obie Awards, which are special awards for off-Broadway theater. She was also nominated for a Tony Award and a Drama Desk Award, which are big honors in theater.

You might know her from the TV show Pose where she was a regular cast member. She also played the main character in the movie Run For The Dream: The Gail Devers’ Story. Charlayne Woodard made history by being the first Black Cinderella on TV or in a movie, starring in the ABC Movie of the Week, Cindy. More recently, she appeared in the Marvel Studios miniseries Secret Invasion in 2023.

Charlayne Woodard's Career Journey

Charlayne Woodard started her professional acting career in 1976. Her first big role was in a traveling play called Don't Bother Me I Can't Cope. This play was special because it was directed by Vinette Carroll, the first Black woman to direct a show on Broadway.

Early Broadway and TV Roles

In 1977, Charlayne made her first appearance on Broadway in a show called Hair. She also had a supporting role in the movie version of Hair. That same year, she starred as Cinderella in the TV movie Cindy. She even performed on The Tonight Show!

In 1978, she joined the original cast of the popular musical Ain't Misbehavin'. For her amazing performance, she was nominated for both a Tony Award and a Drama Desk Award. She performed this role in London, Los Angeles, and even in a Broadway revival ten years later. The musical was so popular that NBC filmed it with the original cast, and RCA released the cast album.

Plays Written by Charlayne Woodard

Besides acting, Charlayne Woodard is also a talented writer. She has written and performed five solo plays, which are plays where only one person performs. These plays are:

• Neat
• Pretty Fire
• In Real Life
• The Night Watcher
• Flight

She also wrote a play called The Garden, which was performed at the La Jolla Playhouse and Baltimore Center Stage. Her plays are published by Dramatists Play Service.

Charlayne Woodard's Theater Work

Charlayne has performed in many plays off-Broadway, which are shows not on the main Broadway stages but still very important. Some of her notable roles include:

• Playing Gertrude in Hamlet alongside Oscar Isaac.
• Starring in War at Lincoln Center.
• Appearing in The Witch of Edmonton, for which she won her second Obie Award.
• Her role in in the Blood earned her first Obie Award.
• She also performed in The Caucasian Chalk Circle and Twelfth Night.

She has also acted in many regional theater productions across the country.

Charlayne Woodard in Movies

Charlayne Woodard has appeared in many films throughout her career.

• In 1982, she was in Hard Feelings and was nominated for a Canadian Genie Award.
• She acted alongside famous stars like Sean Penn in Crackers (1984).
• She was in Twister (1989) and One Good Cop (1991).
• In 1996, she played Tituba in the drama film The Crucible, which also starred Daniel Day-Lewis and Winona Ryder.
• She worked with director M. Night Shyamalan in Unbreakable (2000) and its sequel Glass (2019), where she played Mrs. Price.
• She also appeared in Sunshine State (2002) and The Million Dollar Hotel (2000).

Charlayne Woodard on Television

Charlayne Woodard has had many roles on television.

• She was a regular on the show Pose (2018).
• She played Priscilla Fury in the Marvel Studios miniseries Secret Invasion (2023).
• She had recurring roles in popular shows like In Treatment (Season 4), Animal Kingdom (2021), and Prodigal Son (2019–2020).
• She also appeared in Sneaky Pete (2019), Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles (2008), and Sweet Justice (1994).
• Many people remember her as Sister Peg on Law and Order: Special Victims Unit from 2002 to 2011.
• She also had roles in ER (2006–2007) and Chicago Hope (1994–2000).

Filmography

Film Roles

Television Roles

Awards and Nominations

Charlayne Woodard has received many awards and nominations for her work in theater and film.

See also

In Spanish: Charlayne Woodard para niños