LaTanya Richardson Jackson facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
LaTanya Richardson Jackson
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![]() Jackson in 2005
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Born |
LaTanya Richardson
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Other names | LaTanya Jackson |
Education | Spelman College (BA) |
Occupation | Actress |
Years active | 1989–present |
Spouse(s) | |
Children | 1 |
LaTanya Richardson Jackson is an American actress. She started her acting career in plays that were not on Broadway. Later, she began playing supporting roles in television shows and movies. Until 2013, her acting roles were usually credited under her birth name, LaTanya Richardson.
Richardson has appeared in many popular films. These include Fried Green Tomatoes (1991), Malcolm X (1992), and Sleepless in Seattle (1993). She also acted in When a Man Loves a Woman (1994) and U.S. Marshals (1998). On television, she was seen in shows like 100 Centre Street (2001–2002) and Luke Cage (2016–2018).
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Early Life and Family
LaTanya Richardson Jackson was born in Atlanta, Georgia. In 1970, she was a student at Spelman College. This was an all-female college for Black students. While there, she met Samuel L. Jackson, who was studying at Morehouse College. Morehouse was an all-male college for Black students.
LaTanya and Samuel L. Jackson got married in 1980. They have one child together, who was born in 1982. After her daughter was born, Richardson Jackson took a break from acting regularly. She wanted to focus on her family.
Acting Career Highlights
LaTanya Richardson Jackson has had many interesting roles in her career. In 2003, she played Paulina Pritchett in the musical movie The Fighting Temptations. She has also acted in four movies with her husband, Samuel L. Jackson. These films include Juice (1992) and Freedomland (2006).
Broadway and Theater
In 2014, Richardson Jackson was nominated for a Tony Award. This award was for Best Lead Actress in a Play. She earned this nomination for her role in the play A Raisin in the Sun. This was her second time acting on Broadway. Her first Broadway role was in 2009 in the play Joe Turner's Come and Gone.
She also appeared in the Broadway play To Kill a Mockingbird. This play was based on the famous book. From 2017 to 2023, Richardson Jackson was a regular guest star on the TV show Grey's Anatomy. She played Diane, who was Maggie Pierce’s adoptive mother.
In September 2022, LaTanya Richardson Jackson directed a play for the first time on Broadway. She directed a new version of August Wilson's play The Piano Lesson. This play was shown at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre.
Film and Television Roles
LaTanya Richardson Jackson has been in many films and TV shows. For her early film roles, she was usually credited as LaTanya Richardson. This was true from 1991 to 2009. One exception was the 2006 film Freedomland, where she was credited as LaTanya Richardson Jackson. Since 2019, she has consistently used LaTanya Richardson Jackson for her film credits.
On television, she was also credited as LaTanya Richardson for most of her roles from 1989 to 2013. However, in a 2012 episode of Damages, she was credited as LaTanya Richardson Jackson. Since 2014, she has consistently used LaTanya Richardson Jackson for her TV credits.
Awards and Recognitions
LaTanya Richardson Jackson has received several awards and nominations for her work.
- In 2010, she won two Audie Awards for the audiobook Nelson Mandela's Favorite African Folktales. She won for Audiobook of the Year and Multi-Voiced Performance.
- In 2014, she was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play for A Raisin in the Sun.
- She was also nominated for a Black Reel Awards in 2014. This was for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a TV Movie for The Watsons Go to Birmingham.
- In 2016, she received an Image Award nomination. This was for Outstanding Actress in a Television Movie or Limited Series for Show Me a Hero.
- In 2025, she was nominated for another Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play for Purpose.