Charlayne Woodard facts for kids

Charlayne Woodard, born on December 29, 1953, is a talented American actress and writer for plays. She has won two Obie Awards and was nominated for a Tony Award and a Drama Desk Award. You might know her from the popular 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.

A cool fact about Charlayne Woodard is that she was the first Black Cinderella shown on TV or in a movie, playing the role of Cindy in an ABC Movie of the Week. More recently, she appeared in the Marvel Studios miniseries Secret Invasion as Priscilla Fury, which came out on June 21, 2023.

Charlayne Woodard's Acting Journey

Charlayne Woodard started her acting career in 1976. Her first professional 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 Film Roles

In 1977, Woodard made her big debut on Broadway in a new version of the musical Hair. She also had a supporting role in the movie version of Hair. That same year, she starred as Cindy in the TV movie Cindy and even performed on The Tonight Show.

In 1978, she was part of the original cast of the popular musical Ain't Misbehavin'. For this role, she was nominated for both a Tony Award and a Drama Desk Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical. She performed this role in London, Los Angeles, and later in a Broadway revival with the original cast. The musical was even filmed and shown on NBC, and an album of the original cast was released.

Plays Written by Charlayne Woodard

Besides acting, Charlayne Woodard is also a talented playwright. She has written and performed five plays by herself, where she plays all the characters. These plays are called Neat, Pretty Fire, In Real Life, The Night Watcher, and 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, so others can perform them too.

Notable Stage Performances

Charlayne Woodard has performed in many plays off-Broadway and in regional theaters. She played Gertrude in Hamlet alongside Oscar Isaac at the Public Theater. She also won her second Obie Award for her role in The Witch of Edmonton in 2010. Her first Obie Award was for her performance in In the Blood in 1999. She has worked with famous directors and actors in many different types of plays, from classic Shakespeare like Twelfth Night to modern works.

Memorable Film Appearances

Woodard has appeared in many films. In 1982, she was in Hard Feelings, which earned her a nomination for a Canadian Genie Award. She also acted alongside famous stars like Sean Penn in Crackers (1984) and Sally Field in An Eye for an Eye (1995).

She played Tituba in the 1996 drama film The Crucible, which starred Daniel Day-Lewis and Winona Ryder. You might also recognize her from M. Night Shyamalan’s movies Unbreakable (2000) and its sequel Glass (2019), where she acted with Samuel L. Jackson.

Television Roles and Series

Charlayne Woodard has had many roles on television. She was a main cast member on the series Pose (2018-2019). She also had important recurring roles in shows like In Treatment (Season 4), Animal Kingdom (2021), Prodigal Son (2019–2020), and Sneaky Pete (2019).

She played Sister Peg on Law and Order: Special Victims Unit for several years (2002 to 2011) and appeared in ER (2006–2007) and Chicago Hope (1994–2000). Most recently, she reunited with Samuel L. Jackson in the Marvel Studios miniseries Secret Invasion (2023), playing Priscilla Fury.

Charlayne Woodard's Filmography

Movies

Television Shows

Awards and Nominations

Charlayne Woodard has received many awards and nominations for her work as an actress and playwright.

See also

In Spanish: Charlayne Woodard para niños