Lela Rochon facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Lela Rochon
Rochon at the New York City Essence Awards, 1998.
Born	Lela Rochon Staples (1964-04-17) April 17, 1964 (age 61) Torrance, California, U.S.
Education	California State University, Dominguez Hills
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1984–present
Spouse(s)	Adolfo Quiñones ​ ​ (m. 1982; div. 1987)​ Antoine Fuqua ​ (m. 1999)​
Children	2

Lela Rochon Fuqua (born Lela Rochon Staples on April 17, 1964) is an American actress. She is well-known for her main role as Robin Stokes in the 1995 romantic drama movie Waiting to Exhale. Lela Rochon has also appeared in other films like Harlem Nights (1989), Boomerang (1992), The Chamber (1996), and Any Given Sunday (1999).

Early Life and Education

Lela Rochon was born in Torrance, California, a city near Los Angeles, California. Her mother, Zelma, was a nurse, and her father, Samuel Staples, owned a business and was a graphic artist.

Lela graduated from Cerritos High School in Cerritos, California in 1982. She then went to California State University, Dominguez Hills (CSUDH). In 1986, she earned a bachelor's degree in broadcast journalism. She also studied sociology and theater. In 2016, Lela Rochon returned to CSUDH to give a speech at a graduation ceremony.

Acting Career Highlights

Lela Rochon's career began in the 1980s. She has appeared in many movies and TV shows.

Starting Out in Acting

In 1984, Lela Rochon was an extra in the movie Breakin’. From 1986 to 1988, she was one of the "Spudettes" in over 30 TV commercials for Budweiser/Bud Light. She also appeared in the 1985 TV movie A Bunny's Tale.

Lela Rochon was featured in several music videos. These included "My Forever Love" by Levert and "It's Over Now" by Luther Vandross. She also appeared in Lionel Richie's "All Night Long (All Night)" video and Tupac Shakur's "I Get Around".

She had guest roles in popular TV shows. These included The Cosby Show, Amen, 227, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, and Hangin' with Mr. Cooper.

Lela Rochon's first movie role was in 1985 in Fox Trap. In 1989, she acted alongside Eddie Murphy in Harlem Nights. She worked with Eddie Murphy again in the 1992 romantic comedy Boomerang. In 1995, she was a regular cast member in the first season of The Wayans Bros. sitcom.

Becoming a Star

Lela Rochon in 2010

In 1995, Lela Rochon got a major role in the successful drama film Waiting to Exhale. She starred alongside Whitney Houston, Angela Bassett, and Loretta Devine. She played the character Robin Stokes. For this role, she was nominated for an MTV Movie Award for Best Breakthrough Performance. She also received an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture.

In 1996, Rochon starred in the TV movie Mr. and Mrs. Loving. She was nominated for a Cable Ace Award for Best Actress. Later that year, she played the main female role in the crime thriller The Chamber. The next year, she starred with Jim Belushi and Tupac Shakur in Gang Related.

In 1998, Lela Rochon had a leading role in the romantic drama Why Do Fools Fall in Love. She also appeared in Knock Off with Jean-Claude Van Damme. In 1999, she was in Any Given Sunday, directed by Oliver Stone.

In 2001, Rochon returned to television in the Lifetime crime drama series The Division. She was one of the main characters but left after one season.

Recent Work

In 2004, Lela Rochon co-starred with Katie Holmes in the romantic comedy movie First Daughter. In 2009, she had a small role in the crime drama Brooklyn's Finest. This movie was directed by her husband, Antoine Fuqua.

In 2013, she played a main role in Let The Church Say Amen. This TV movie was directed by Regina King. She later appeared in films like Supremacy (2014) and Reversion (2015).

More recently, she had a recurring role in the CBS crime drama series Training Day in 2017. In 2019, she appeared in the Oprah Winfrey Network drama David Makes Man. As of 2024, Lela Rochon was cast in a main role in the BET+ crime family drama series, The Family Business: New Orleans.

Personal Life

Lela Rochon has been married twice and has two children. Her first marriage was to dancer and actor Adolfo Quiñones from 1982 to 1987. In 1999, she married film director Antoine Fuqua. They have a daughter named Asia Rochon Fuqua and a son named Brando Fuqua.

Filmography

Lela Rochon has appeared in many films and television shows.

Film Roles

Television Roles

Awards and Nominations

Lela Rochon has been recognized for her acting with several nominations.