Essence Atkins facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Essence Atkins
Atkins in 2019
Born	Essence Uhura Atkins (1972-02-07) February 7, 1972 (age 53) Brooklyn, New York, U.S.
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1986–present
Spouse(s)	Jaime Mendez ​ ​ (m. 2009; div. 2016)​
Children	1

Essence Uhura Atkins (born February 7, 1972) is an American actress. She is known for her roles in many popular TV shows. She started acting on television when she was a teenager.

Essence Atkins is especially famous for her roles in comedy shows. She played Tasha Yvette Henderson in Smart Guy from 1997 to 1999. Later, she starred as Dee Dee Thorne in Half & Half (2002–2006). She also played Suzanne Kingston-Persons in Are We There Yet? (2010–2013). More recently, she was Ashley Wayne in Marlon (2017–2018). She has also appeared in movies like How High (2001) and A Haunted House (2013).

Her Acting Journey

Essence Atkins began her acting career in 1986. Her first TV role was on the famous show The Cosby Show. After that, she had guest roles on other sitcoms, including Family Matters.

In 1995, she got a main role in the TV drama Under One Roof. The next year, she co-starred with Keri Russell in the teen show Malibu Shores. She also appeared in the pilot episode of Saved by the Bell: The College Years in 1993.

From 1997 to 1999, Essence Atkins starred in the sitcom Smart Guy. She played Yvette Henderson, the older sister. From 2002 to 2006, she starred in Half & Half as Dee Dee Thorne. This show was about two half-sisters.

Essence Atkins also acted in several movies. These include How High (2001), Deliver Us from Eva (2003), and Dance Flick (2009). From 2010 to 2013, she starred in the TV series Are We There Yet? with Terry Crews. She also worked with Marlon Wayans in the comedy movies A Haunted House (2013) and A Haunted House 2 (2014). Later, she joined Marlon Wayans again in his NBC sitcom Marlon, which ran for two seasons.

In 2019, Essence Atkins took on a main role in the drama series Ambitions.

Her Personal Life

In September 2009, Essence Atkins married Jaime Mendez. He was a college football player. They first met online in 2008. Her co-star from Half & Half, Valarie Pettiford, performed at their wedding reception. Essence Atkins and Jaime Mendez later divorced in 2016. They have one child together.

Awards and Recognitions

Essence Atkins has been nominated for several awards for her acting.

See also

In Spanish: Essence Atkins para niños