Garcelle Beauvais facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Garcelle Beauvais
Beauvais in April 2022
Born	(1966-11-26) November 26, 1966 (age 58) Saint-Marc, Haiti
Other names	Garcelle Beauvais-Nilon
Occupation	Actress television personality interior designer former model
Years active	1984–present
Spouse(s)	Daniel Saunders ​ ​ (m. 1991; div. 2000)​ Mike Nilon ​ ​ (m. 2001; div. 2011)​
Children	3

Garcelle Beauvais (born November 26, 1966) is a talented Haitian-American actress and TV personality. You might know her from her main roles in the TV show The Jamie Foxx Show or the crime drama NYPD Blue. She has also appeared in popular movies like Coming to America (1988) and its sequel Coming 2 America (2021). Other films include White House Down (2013) and Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017).

In 2020, Garcelle joined the cast of the reality TV series The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. She also co-hosted the daytime talk show The Real from 2020 to 2022.

Early Life and Moving to the U.S.

Garcelle Beauvais was born in Saint-Marc, Haiti. Her mother, Marie-Claire Beauvais, was a nurse, and her father, Axel Jean Pierre, was a lawyer. When Garcelle was three, her parents divorced.

At age seven, she moved to the United States with her mother and six older brothers and sisters. They settled in Peabody, Massachusetts. When she first arrived, Garcelle only spoke French and Creole. She learned English by watching Sesame Street on television!

Garcelle's Career Journey

Starting as a Model

Garcelle moved to Miami at 16 to start a modeling career. She bravely went to a modeling agency without an appointment. The owner of the agency actually spotted her at a red light while she was putting on lipstick!

After modeling in Miami for about a year, Garcelle moved to New York City at 17. She signed with the Ford Modeling Agency. She appeared in print ads for big brands like Avon, Mary Kay, and Clairol. She also modeled for catalogs like Neiman Marcus and Nordstrom. Garcelle even walked the runway for famous designers such as Calvin Klein.

Beauvais walking the runway at 2011 The Heart Truth fashion show in New York City

Garcelle has been on the covers of many well-known magazines. These include Harper's Bazaar, People, Essence, and Ebony. In 2017, she was featured on five different magazine covers. In 2019, she appeared in an article for Vogue Italia.

Acting in Film and Television

Garcelle's first TV appearance was in 1984. She was in the crime drama series Miami Vice. At 19, she played a small role in the romantic comedy film Coming to America (1988).

In 1994, she became more well-known as an actress. She played Cynthia Nichols in the TV show Models Inc.. From 1996 to 2001, she co-starred in The Jamie Foxx Show. She played Francesca "Fancy" Monroe, who was the love interest of Jamie Foxx's character.

From 2001 to 2004, Garcelle played Assistant District Attorney Valerie Heywood on NYPD Blue. She was the love interest of Detective Baldwin Jones. Later, in 2011 and 2012, she played Hanna Linden on the law drama Franklin & Bash.

In 2013, Garcelle played the First Lady in the action movie White House Down. Jamie Foxx played the President in that film. In 2017, she was Doris Toomes, the wife of Michael Keaton's character, in Spider-Man: Homecoming.

Garcelle also appeared in music videos. She was in R. Kelly's video for "Down Low (Nobody Has to Know)". She also appeared in Luther Vandross's music video "Take You Out" in 2001. She had a recurring role as Henrietta on the TV series Grimm. In 2016, Garcelle became a co-host of the show Hollywood Today Live.

She played Veronica Garland, the Wicked Stepmother, in the web series Tell Me a Story. She also played Dennis Quaid's love interest in Merry Happy Whatever. Garcelle joined The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills in 2020. She was the first Black cast member on the show. In September 2020, she started co-hosting The Real. She also returned for the sequel movie Coming 2 America.

In 2022, Garcelle signed a deal with NBCUniversal Television and Streaming. This means her company, Garcelle Beauvais Productions, will create new TV shows and movies. That same year, she was cast in the Hulu mystery series The Other Black Girl. She also starred in TV movies like Caught in His Web and Black Girl Missing for Lifetime. In April 2024, it was announced that Garcelle will be a producer for three new films for the Lifetime channel. She said she was excited to continue working with Lifetime to create more "Black Girl Missing" movies.

On August 4, 2024, Garcelle Beauvais co-hosted the Miss USA 2024 beauty pageant with Keltie Knight.

Other Projects and Businesses

In 2008, Garcelle started her own children's jewelry line called Petit Bijou. In 2013, she wrote a children's book called I Am Mixed. This book helps twins explore what it's like to have parents from different backgrounds.

Her memoir, a book about her own life, is called Love Me As I Am: My Journey from Haiti to Hollywood to Happiness. It was published in April 2022.

Home Decor and Design

On July 13, 2022, Garcelle launched her home collection, "Garcelle at Home," on HSN. The collection is inspired by her Haitian heritage. It includes items like comforter sets, lamps, pillows, and doormats.

Garcelle's Family Life

Garcelle was married to producer Daniel Saunders. They have a son named Oliver Saunders, who was born in 1991. Their marriage ended in divorce.

In May 2001, Garcelle married Mike Nilon, who is a talent agent. They have twin sons, Jax Joseph and Jaid Thomas Nilon, born on October 18, 2007. Garcelle filed for divorce in May 2010.

Garcelle Beauvais is Catholic.

Awards and Recognition

Garcelle Beauvais has received several awards and nominations for her work:

See also

In Spanish: Garcelle Beauvais para niños

• List of people from Massachusetts