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Jazz Raycole
Born
Jazzmine Raycole Dillingham

(1988-02-11) February 11, 1988 (age 36)
Occupation Actress, dancer
Years active 1995–present

Jazzmine Raycole Dillingham (born February 11, 1988) is an American actress and dancer. She is best known for her role as Claire Kyle on the ABC sitcom My Wife and Kids during its first season. She is credited as Jazzmine Raycole.

Early life and education

Raycole was born in Stockton, California, the daughter of Ray, a water company superintendent, and Claudia Dillingham, who owned a dance studio and managed Raycole's career during her childhood. A trained dancer, Raycole first danced when she was a toddler. Raycole studied dance under both her mother and Barbara Faulkner, and was a competitive dancer by the age of four. She was part of the Boston Ballet in 2001, and also taught dance classes that year. Raycole was home schooled by her mother.

Career

Raycole's acting career began in 1995, when she appeared in two films: voicing a puppy in Babe and as Onika Harris in Waiting to Exhale. One of her earliest roles on television was a guest spot on sitcom Ellen. She also once featured as the voice of a one-time appearing character named Chloe on Nickelodeon's Hey Arnold! in 2003.

In 2001, Raycole appeared in the first dozen episodes of My Wife and Kids as Claire Kyle, with Damon Wayans portraying her father. However, she was subsequently replaced on the show by Jennifer Freeman when the second season began. It is reported that Raycole herself said "I was 12 years old when I got that job. The producers wanted a different thing, they wanted someone a little bit older. I wasn't ready for that," she said. "I ended up going to New York to dance, which was my first passion. I really thank God for that because I got to grow and travel."

She has made several guest appearances on television series, including Malcolm & Eddie, The Jamie Foxx Show, Smart Guy, Everybody Hates Chris, Monk and Crazy Ex-Girlfriend. Between 2007 and 2008, she portrayed Allison Hawkins in the post-apocalyptic drama Jericho. She replaced Geffri Maya Hightower, who played the role in the show's pilot episode. Raycole appeared regularly as Lyric Ballentine on the TV Land sitcom The Soul Man (2012−14). From 2017 to 2018, Raycole starred as college student Sydney Fletcher on the BET series The Quad. She also played the daughter of Stanley Hudson on the TV show The Office.

Raycole appeared as Mae, the girlfriend of Kimiko Glenn's character, in the television film Ghosting: The Spirit of Christmas (2019). She portrayed Sage, a pregnant woman who has Gerstmann-Straussler-Scheinker syndrome, in short-lived series Council of Dads. In 2020, Raycole was set to play in the lead role of Izzy, Mickey's client in the drama series The Lincoln Lawyer, which was based on the Michael Connelly novels and was written by David E. Kelley, The pilot was passed on by CBS due to a scheduling conflict, but in 2021, Raycole was one of the few actors who returned in her role when Netflix picked up the series, taking it to air in 2022.

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1995 Babe Puppy Voice
1995 Waiting to Exhale Onika Harris

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1997 The Parent 'Hood Sierra Episode: "Nick the Player"
1998 From the Earth to the Moon Lead Dancer Miniseries
1998 Ellen Angela Episode: "Ellen: A Hollywood Tribute: Part 2"
1998 Smart Guy Vanessa Episode: "Henderson House Party"
1998 The Jamie Foxx Show Kayla Episode: "We Got No Game"
1999 Malcolm & Eddie Geneva Jensen Episode: "Daddio"
2001-2002 My Wife and Kids Claire Kyle Main cast (season 1; last appearance in season 2)
2003 Hey Arnold! Chloe (voice) Episode: "Ghost Bride/Gerald vs. Jamie O."
2004 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Megan Episode: "Careless"
2004 Clubhouse Vicky Episode: "Pilot"
2005–2007 Everybody Hates Chris Lisa / Prom Girl 4 episodes
2006 Monk Kimberly Episode: "Mr. Monk and the Big Game"
2006, 2007 The Office Melissa Hudson 2 episodes
2006–2008 Jericho Allison Hawkins Recurring role
2007 Lincoln Heights Sharon Episode: "Flashpoint"
2008 Without a Trace Kelli Peters Episode: "A Bend in the Road"
2009 10 Things I Hate About You Belinda Episode: "Don't care About My Bad Reputation"
2009 Eastwick Justine 2 episodes
2010 First Day Paige Main cast (season 1)
2011 Brave New World Hillary King TV movie
2012 New Girl Miriam Episode: "Fancyman Part 2"
2012 The Secret Life of the American Teenager Jane Episode: "Allies"
2012 Perception Vicky Episode: "Kilimanjaro"
2012–2014 The Soul Man Lyric Ballentine Main cast (season 1), recurring role (seasons 2–3)
2013 Suburgatory Amber Episode: "Body Talk"
2013 Rizzoli & Isles Ashley Harper Episode: "Judge, Jury and Executioner"
2013 Bones Jessica Miller Episode: "The Fury in the Jury"
2014 A Lesson in Romance Eve TV movie
2014, 2015 Faking It Jasmine / Online Date 2 episodes
2015 Vanity Zoe Main cast
2015 iZombie Bethany Miller Episode: "Real Dead Housewife of Seattle"
2016 Crazy Ex-Girlfriend Tanya Episode: "I'm Back at Camp with Josh!"
2017 Sweet/Vicious Danielle Fox Episode: "Pure Heroine"
2017–2018 The Quad Sydney Fletcher Main cast
2019 I Ship It Winnie Recurring role (season 2)
2019 Ghosting: The Spirit of Christmas Mae TV movie
2020 Council of Dads Sage 3 episodes
2022–present The Lincoln Lawyer Izzy Letts Main cast

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Jazz Raycole para niños

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