Erika Alexander facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Erika Alexander
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Alexander at Comic-Con in 2012
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| Born |
Erika Rose Alexander
November 19, 1969 Winslow, Arizona, U.S.
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| Occupation | Actress, writer, producer, activist |
| Years active | 1986–present |
| Spouse(s) |
Tony Puryear
(m. 1997; div. 2017) |
| Awards | 1996 – NAACP Image Award; Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series (Living Single) 1998 – NAACP Image Award; Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series (Living Single) |
Erika Rose Alexander (born November 19, 1969) is an American actress, writer, and producer. She is famous for her roles as Pam Tucker on the TV show The Cosby Show (1990–1992) and Maxine Shaw on the sitcom Living Single (1993–1998). She has won several awards for her acting, including two NAACP Image Awards for her work on Living Single. Erika Alexander has also appeared in many movies like Get Out (2017) and American Fiction (2023). For American Fiction, she was even nominated for a special award called the Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Performance.
Early Life and School
Erika Alexander was born on November 19, 1969, in Winslow, Arizona. She grew up in Flagstaff, Arizona, until she was eleven years old. Then, her family moved to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She is one of six children. Her dad, Robert, was a schoolteacher, and her mom, Sammie, wrote children's books. Erika went to Philadelphia High School for Girls.
Acting Career
Erika Alexander was discovered when she was just 14 years old. She was taking a summer acting class when a film company noticed her talent. Her first big movie role was in 1986, playing Joan in a film called My Little Girl. In 1989, she acted in a very long play called The Mahabharata, which lasted nine hours!
In 1990, Erika starred with Whoopi Goldberg in the movie The Long Walk Home. This film was about the American Civil Rights Movement. Soon after, she joined the popular TV show The Cosby Show as Pam Tucker. She was on the show from 1990 until it ended in 1992.
Later in 1993, Erika Alexander got another big role. She started playing Maxine Shaw, a smart and funny lawyer, in the TV show Living Single. This role became very popular, and she played Maxine for five years until 1998. Because of her amazing work on Living Single, she won two NAACP Image Awards for Best Actress in a Comedy Series.
After Living Single, Erika continued to act in many TV shows and movies. In 1998, she appeared in the miniseries Mama Flora's Family with Cicely Tyson and her former co-star Queen Latifah. In 2001, she starred in the comedy film 30 Years to Life. She won an award for her acting in that movie too.
Erika also had roles in popular TV shows like Judging Amy, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, Criminal Minds, and House. In 2006, she acted alongside Denzel Washington in the science fiction movie Déjà Vu. From 2012 to 2015, she had a recurring role in the comedy series Last Man Standing.
In 2017, Erika Alexander played Detective Latoya in the very popular horror film Get Out. She also appeared in the drama series Bosch and the superhero show Black Lightning. More recently, she has been in the Hulu series Wu-Tang: An American Saga and the Starz comedy Run the World. In 2023, she starred in the movie American Fiction, which earned her another award nomination.
Writing and Producing
Erika Alexander is not just an actress; she is also a talented writer and producer. In 2012, she helped create a science-fiction graphic novel called Concrete Park with her husband at the time, Tony Puryear. A graphic novel is like a comic book but often longer and more detailed.
In 2018, she wrote part of the Buffy the Vampire Slayer comic series. In 2023, she created and co-wrote an audio series called Finding Tamika, which won a special award.
Erika is also a co-founder of a company called Color Farm Media. This company works on entertainment projects that also have a positive social impact. In 2020, her company released a documentary film called John Lewis: Good Trouble. This film was about the life of John Lewis, a very important leader in the American Civil Rights Movement.
Political Activity
Erika Alexander has also been involved in politics. She supported Hillary Clinton during the 2008 election. She even traveled to different college campuses with Chelsea Clinton to talk about the election.
Personal Life
Erika Alexander was married to artist and screenwriter Tony Puryear from 1997 to 2017.
