Penny Johnson Jerald facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Penny Johnson Jerald
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Jerald at Paleyfest 2012
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| Born |
Penny Johnson
March 14, 1961 |
| Education | Juilliard School (BFA) |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1983–present |
| Spouse(s) |
Gralin Jerald
(m. 1982) |
| Children | 1 |
Penny Johnson Jerald is an American actress known for her many roles on television. She was born on March 14, 1961. You might know her from shows like The Larry Sanders Show, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, 24, Castle, and The Orville. She also voiced a character in The Lion King movie.
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Becoming an Actress
Penny Johnson Jerald grew up in Baltimore, Maryland. She was one of seven children in her family. From a young age, she dreamed of becoming an actress.
She went to Western High School first. Later, she transferred to Park School of Baltimore. To become a professional actress, she trained at the famous Juilliard School. She studied there with other talented actors who also became well-known.
Early Acting Roles
Penny Johnson Jerald started her acting journey with small parts. Her first time on screen was in an episode of American Playhouse in 1983. She then got a bigger role as Vivian Conway in The Paper Chase from 1984 to 1986.
She also appeared in popular shows like General Hospital in 1986. In 1989, she was in the movie Do the Right Thing. That same year, she played Virginia "Vicki" Harper in the TV show Homeroom.
Rising to Fame
In 1992, Penny Johnson Jerald got a big break. She was cast as Beverly Barnes in The Larry Sanders Show. Beverly was a calm and organized personal assistant. Her performance earned her a nomination for Best Actress in a Comedy Series in 1996. She also received an NAACP Image Award nomination in 1998. She played Beverly until the show finished in 1998.
During the 1990s, she also made guest appearances on many other TV shows. These included Star Trek: The Next Generation and Cosby. She also acted in TV movies like Class of '61 and the film What's Love Got to Do with It.
Sci-Fi and Drama Roles
After The Larry Sanders Show, Penny Johnson Jerald joined Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. She played Kasidy Yates, a freighter captain and a love interest for the main character, Benjamin Sisko. She was a recurring character from 1995 until the show ended in 1999.
In 1997, she appeared in the movie Absolute Power. She also had a recurring role as Lynette Evans on the medical drama ER from 1998 to 1999. In 2000, she played Roscoe Dellums in the TV movie The Color of Friendship, which won an Emmy Award. She also guest-starred on shows like Frasier and The X-Files.
Playing Sherry Palmer in 24
One of her most famous roles began in 2001. She played Sherry Palmer in the action series 24. Sherry was the wife of Senator David Palmer. Penny Johnson Jerald felt this role really challenged her acting skills. She said most of her past characters were "easy-going."
She appeared in almost all episodes of the first season. She also returned for many episodes in the second and third seasons. In 2003, she and her 24 co-stars were nominated for a Screen Actors Guild Award.
More Notable Performances
In 2003, Penny Johnson Jerald played Condoleezza Rice in DC 9/11: Time of Crisis. This TV movie was about the September 11 attacks. She played the role again in the miniseries The Path to 9/11 in 2006.
She also had a recurring role on the sitcom Eve. In 2007, she played Rebecca Parrish in three episodes of the sci-fi series The 4400. She also appeared in October Road.
Later, she voiced Amanda Waller in the animated series Justice League: Gods and Monsters Chronicles in 2015.
Captain Gates in Castle
In 2011, Penny Johnson Jerald joined the cast of Castle for its fourth season. She played Captain Victoria "Iron" Gates, the new captain of the 12th Precinct. She replaced the previous captain.
In 2015, she shared on Twitter that she was leaving the show. She said she was "saddened" and "surprised" by the news. The show's producer said it was "very difficult" to write her character out of the series.
Recent Work
After Castle, she was cast as Dr. Claire Finn in the science-fiction series The Orville. This show started on Fox and later moved to Hulu.
In 2019, Penny Johnson Jerald provided the voice for Sarafina in The Lion King. This was a remake of the classic 1994 animated film.
Personal Life
Penny Johnson Jerald married Gralin Jerald in 1983. They have one daughter together.
She also teaches acting workshops. She and her husband, who is a musician, started the Outreach Christian Theater Company in 1994. She produces and directs plays for this company.
Images for kids
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Jerald at Paleyfest 2012
See also
In Spanish: Penny Johnson Jerald para niños
