Elise Neal facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Elise Neal
Neal at the Slim Fast fashion show in 2008
Born	Elise Demetria Neal (1966-03-14) March 14, 1966 (age 59) Memphis, Tennessee, U.S.
Education	University of the Arts
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1991–present

Elise Demetria Neal (born March 14, 1966) is an American actress. She is well-known for her roles in TV shows and movies. Elise became famous in 1997 with parts in films like Rosewood, Money Talks, and Scream 2.

Later, she starred as Yvonne Hughley in the TV comedy The Hughleys (1998–2002). For this role, she was nominated twice for an NAACP Image Award for Best Actress in a Comedy Series. Her other notable movies include Restaurant (1998), Mission to Mars (2000), and Logan (2017). She also received a Screen Actors Guild Award nomination for her work in Hustle & Flow (2005).

Early Life and Dance

Elise Neal was born on March 14, 1966, in Memphis, Tennessee. Her mother was a nurse, and her father worked in construction. As a child, Elise attended Lakeview Elementary. She was very active and enjoyed ballet dancing and being a cheerleader.

She graduated from Overton High School for the Creative and Performing Arts. From 1984 to 1988, she studied at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia. After two years, Elise moved to New York City. There, she performed in musical theater and traveled the world with different touring groups. Her experience in dance and theater helped her get roles in commercials. This eventually led her to Los Angeles to pursue acting. Elise was also a member of the Tennessee Ballet Company.

Acting Career Highlights

Elise Neal started her career as a talented dancer. In the early 1990s, she appeared in several hip hop and R&B music videos. She was a background dancer in videos for artists like Chubb Rock, Black Sheep, Father MC, Aretha Franklin, Trick Daddy, and Vanessa Williams. She was also featured in King Magazine in November 2007.

Early Film and TV Roles

Elise made her first movie appearance in Spike Lee's Malcolm X (1992). She then got a role as Janice Sinclair on the TV show Loving. Later, she played fighter pilot J.J. Fredericks on the series seaQuest 2032.

A big role for her was playing Hallie in the movie Scream 2. Her character was originally planned to be one of the villains, but the script was changed. She also played a school teacher named Scrappie in Rosewood.

Breakthrough in Comedy

Elise's breakthrough role was playing Yvonne Hughley. She was the wife of D.L. Hughley in the TV sitcom The Hughleys (1998−2002). For this role, she received two NAACP Image Award nominations for Best Actress in a Comedy Series. After The Hughleys, Neal played Kindergarten teacher Tia Jewel in All of Us. She left that series in 2005.

She has also made guest appearances on popular TV shows. These include Law & Order, Hangin' with Mr. Cooper, and Method & Red. Other movie roles include Paid in Full, Money Talks, and Mission to Mars. In the movie Restaurant, she played Jeanine, a waitress who dreamed of becoming a singer. In 2001, Elise acted in a remake of Brian's Song. She played the wife of football player Gale Sayers.

Recent Work and Producing

In 2006, Elise Neal received her third NAACP Image Award nomination. This was for Best Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture for the film Hustle & Flow. In this movie, she played Yevette, the wife of Anthony Anderson's character. Her role in the 2007 film 4 Life also featured her first song on a soundtrack, "I'm Down Baby". She also appeared in the series K-Ville as Ayana Boulet.

Elise has also started producing her own projects. She is creating a reality show about her R&B music group, "Assorted Flavors." She is also developing a fitness and lifestyle brand. She has several movie projects through a deal with Mandalay Bay Entertainment. She appeared on the reality show Hollywood Divas.

She played Alana in Love Ranch (2010). Neal also guest-starred on an episode of The Soul Man. In 2014, she played singer Gladys Knight in the movie Aaliyah: The Princess of R&B. Critics noted her performance was one of the best in the film. Elise played Kathryn Munson in the 2017 superhero film Logan. She also appeared on the TV series Into the Dark.

Filmography

Film

Television

Music Videos

Documentary

Awards and Nominations

Elise Neal has been recognized for her acting with several awards and nominations.

See also

In Spanish: Elise Neal para niños