Mariann Aalda facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Mariann Aalda
Born	(1948-05-07) May 7, 1948 (age 77) Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Occupation	Actress, comedian
Years active	1978–present

Mariann Aalda gives a TEDx talk about standing up to ageism.

Mariann Aalda (born May 7, 1948) is an American actress, comedian, and performer who has appeared on television, in movies, and on stage. She is known for being a pioneer for African-American actresses on daytime television.

Acting Career

Early Television Roles

Mariann Aalda became well-known in the early 1980s for her role on the ABC television show The Edge of Night. She played DiDi Bannister-Stoner from 1981 until the show ended in 1984. Her role was important because she was one of the first African-American heroines on a daytime soap opera.

Before this, she was a writer and performer with a comedy group called Off Center Theatre in New York. She also toured with an improv comedy group named The Proposition.

Major TV Shows

Aalda had regular roles in several popular TV shows. In the sitcom The Royal Family, she played the daughter of characters played by famous comedians Redd Foxx and Della Reese.

She also appeared in the HBO series 1st & Ten. In this show, she played the wife of a character played by O. J. Simpson.

Aalda also had memorable guest roles. On the sitcom Designing Women, she played Lita Ford, the girlfriend of the character Anthony. On the soap opera Sunset Beach, she played Lena Hart, a character who faced many challenges.

Movie Appearances

Mariann Aalda has also acted in several movies. She played the mother of the main character in the movie Class Act. She was also Coach Harrison in the film Nobody's Perfect.

She had smaller roles in other well-known films. These include Beaches, Pretty Woman, and The Wiz.

A Voice for Positive Aging

In recent years, Aalda has become a leader in the "positive aging" movement. This movement encourages people to have a good attitude about getting older. She gave a popular TEDx Talk on the subject and has been called an "Age Disruptor" by the AARP (American Association of Retired Persons).

She shares her message about aging with humor as a stand-up comedian. She also performs a one-woman show called Getting Old Is a ...But I'm Gonna Wrestle That ... to the Ground!. The show was very successful at the 2019 National Black Theatre Festival.

Selected Film and TV Shows

Here are some of the movies and television shows Mariann Aalda has appeared in.

See also

In Spanish: Mariann Aalda para niños