Kimberly Elise facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Kimberly Elise
Elise in 2012
Born	Kimberly Elise Trammel (1967-04-17) April 17, 1967 (age 58) Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S.
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1995–present
Spouse(s)	Maurice Oldham ​ ​ (m. 1989; div. 2005)​ George McCrary ​ (m. 2023)​
Children	2

Kimberly Elise Trammel (born on April 17, 1967) is an American actress. She is known for her roles in many popular movies and TV shows. Kimberly Elise started her film career in 1996 with the movie Set It Off. She later gained a lot of praise for her acting in Beloved (1998).

Elise was nominated for an Independent Spirit Award for Best Female Lead for her role in the 2004 film Woman Thou Art Loosed. She also played main characters in several TV movies. She starred in the CBS crime drama Close to Home (2005–2007) and the VH1 show Hit the Floor (2013-2016). Kimberly Elise has won four NAACP Image Awards for her amazing work.

About Kimberly Elise's Early Life

Kimberly Elise Trammel was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Her mother, Erma Jean, was an elementary school teacher. Her father, Marvin Trammel, owned a business that found people for important jobs. Kimberly has three brothers and sisters. She studied at The American Film Institute to learn about directing. She also earned a degree in Mass Communications from the University of Minnesota.

Kimberly Elise's Acting Career

Starting Out in the 1990s

Kimberly Elise first appeared on the big screen in 1996. This was in the crime action movie Set It Off. In the film, she played one of four women who decide to rob a bank. Other stars in the movie included Jada Pinkett Smith, Queen Latifah, and Vivica A. Fox. The movie was very successful and made over $41 million.

In 1997, she acted in a TV movie called The Ditchdigger's Daughters. Her performance in this movie was highly praised. She even won an award for Best Supporting Actress at the 19th annual CableACE Awards. This helped her get a role in the 1998 movie Beloved. In this film, she acted alongside famous stars like Oprah Winfrey and Danny Glover. Even though the movie didn't make a lot of money, Kimberly Elise received great reviews for her acting. She won the Chicago Film Critics Association Award for Most Promising Actress. She also won a Satellite Award for Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture. This role also earned her first nomination for an NAACP Image Award.

Roles in the 2000s

In 2000, Kimberly Elise played Loretta Claiborne in The Loretta Claiborne Story. This movie was shown on ABC as part of The Wonderful World of Disney. She received good reviews for her portrayal of Claiborne. Later that year, she was the main female star in Jamie Foxx's movie Bait.

In 2002, Elise starred with Denzel Washington in the crime film John Q. This movie was a big success, earning over $100 million. She then had a main role in the independent drama Woman Thou Art Loosed. In this film, she played Michelle, a young woman who had been abused. She finally found help while in prison. For this role, she won a Black Reel award for Best Actress. She was also nominated for an Independent Spirit Award for Best Female Lead. After this, she starred again with Denzel Washington in the political thriller The Manchurian Candidate.

In 2005, Elise starred in the comedy-drama film Diary of a Mad Black Woman. This movie was written by Tyler Perry. Kimberly Elise received positive reviews for her acting. The film was a huge box office success, making over $50 million. She won her first NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture for this movie.

From 2005 to 2007, Elise was a main star in the CBS crime drama series Close to Home. She played Maureen Scofield, a prosecutor in Indianapolis. Her character was written out of the show in the last episode. The series ended in May 2007. She won an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series in 2006 for her work on this show. She also made guest appearances in two dramas by Shonda Rhimes: Private Practice in 2007 and Grey's Anatomy in 2009.

In 2007, Kimberly Elise appeared in two movies based on true stories. First was Pride, where she acted with Terrence Howard. This film was about the true story of a swimming coach named Jim Ellis. Later, she appeared again with Denzel Washington in The Great Debaters. This movie was based on the story of the Wiley College debate team. In 2009, she starred with Cuba Gooding Jr. in the TV movie Gifted Hands: The Ben Carson Story. She won an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Television Movie, Mini-Series or Dramatic Special for this role.

Working in the 2010s

In 2010, Elise starred in the drama film For Colored Girls. She played Crystal, a wife who was being hurt. Many critics praised her acting in this film. One journalist even called her "the great lost Best Supporting Actress contender" of that year. She won an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture for her performance.

Elise also had main roles in several independent films during the 2000s. This included a leading role in Ties That Bind (2011). In 2014, she co-starred with Whoopi Goldberg in the Lifetime TV movie A Day Late and a Dollar Short. In 2013, she began starring in the VH1 comedy-drama series Hit The Floor. Later in 2016, Elise starred in the Christmas comedy-drama film Almost Christmas. She acted alongside Danny Glover, Gabrielle Union, and Mo'Nique. Her next role was in Death Wish with Bruce Willis. This was a remake of a 1974 movie. In 2019, she appeared in the science fiction film Ad Astra.

Recent Work in the 2020s

In 2020, Kimberly Elise was cast in the Apple TV+ drama series The Mosquito Coast. She acted alongside Justin Theroux in this show. The series is based on a novel from 1981 by Paul Theroux.

Kimberly Elise's Personal Life

Kimberly Elise was married to Maurice Oldham from 1989 to 2005. They had two daughters, born in 1990 and 1998. Maurice Oldham passed away in 2007 from a large blood clot. Kimberly Elise married George McCrary in August 2023.

Kimberly Elise is a vegan, which means she does not eat any animal products. She has worked with PETA to encourage others to live a vegan lifestyle.

Filmography

Film

Television

Awards and Nominations

Kimberly Elise has won many awards for her acting. Here are some of them:

African-American Film Critics Association

• 2010: Won – Best Supporting Actress for For Colored Girls

Black Reel Awards

• 2002: Won – Best Supporting Actress for Bojangles (2001)
• 2005: Won – Best Actress, Independent Film for Woman Thou Art Loosed (2004)
• 2006: Won – Best Actress for Diary of a Mad Black Woman
• 2011: Won – Outstanding Ensemble for For Colored Girls

CableACE Award

• 1997: Won – Supporting Actress in a Movie or Miniseries for The Ditchdigger's Daughters (1997)

Chicago Film Critics Association Awards

• 1999: Won – Most Promising Actress for Beloved (1998)

Golden Satellite Awards

• 1999: Won – Best Actress in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture – Drama for Beloved (1998)

NAACP Image Awards

• 2006: Winner – Image Award Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture for Diary of a Mad Black Woman
• 2007: Winner – Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series for Close to Home
• 2010: Winner – NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Television Movie, Mini-Series or Dramatic Special for Gifted Hands: The Ben Carson Story
• 2011: Winner – Image Award Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture for For Colored Girls

Images for kids

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  Kimberly Elise in 2012

See also

In Spanish: Kimberly Elise para niños