Penny Johnson Jerald facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Penny Johnson Jerald
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Penny Johnson 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 (born March 14, 1961) is a talented American actress. She is well-known for playing many different characters on TV. You might know her as Beverly Barnes from The Larry Sanders Show. She also played Kasidy Yates in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. Later, she was Sherry Palmer in the thrilling series 24. More recently, she played Captain Victoria "Iron" Gates on Castle. She is also Dr. Claire Finn on the science-fiction show The Orville. Penny Johnson Jerald even lent her voice to Sarafina in The Lion King and Mufasa: The Lion King.
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Early Life and Training
Penny Johnson Jerald was born in Baltimore, Maryland. She grew up with six brothers and sisters. From a young age, she dreamed of becoming an actress. She went to Western High School first. Then, she transferred to Park School of Baltimore. To become a professional actress, she trained at the famous Juilliard School. She studied there with other future actors.
Acting Career Highlights
Penny Johnson Jerald started her acting journey with small parts. Her first TV appearance was in 1983 on American Playhouse. She got her first big role as Vivian Conway. This was in the TV show The Paper Chase from 1984 to 1986. She also appeared in General Hospital and the movie Do the Right Thing. In 1989, she played Virginia "Vicki" Harper in the sitcom Homeroom.
Breaking Through in Comedy
In 1992, Penny Johnson Jerald got a major role. She played Beverly Barnes, a calm personal assistant, on The Larry Sanders Show. Her performance earned her a nomination for a CableACE Award in 1996. Two years later, she was nominated for an NAACP Image Award. She continued playing Beverly until the show ended in 1998.
During the 1990s, she also appeared in many other TV shows. These included Star Trek: The Next Generation and Grace Under Fire. She also acted in the TV movie Class of '61. She played Lorraine in the film What's Love Got to Do with It (1993).
Science Fiction and Drama Roles
After The Larry Sanders Show, Jerald joined Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. She played Kasidy Yates, a freighter captain. Her character became a love interest for the main hero, Benjamin Sisko. She was a recurring character from 1995 to 1999. In 1997, she appeared in the film Absolute Power. She also had a recurring role on ER as Lynette Evans. This was from 1998 to 1999.
In 2000, she played Roscoe Dellums in the TV movie The Color of Friendship. This movie won an Emmy Award. Jerald also guest-starred on popular shows like Frasier and The X-Files.
Playing Powerful Characters
One of Jerald's most famous roles began in 2001. She played Sherry Palmer in the Fox series 24. Sherry was the wife of Senator David Palmer. Jerald felt this role truly challenged her acting skills. She appeared in almost all episodes of the first season. She also returned for the second and third seasons. In 2003, she received a Screen Actors Guild Award nomination with her 24 co-stars.
In 2003, 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 guest roles on the sitcom Eve. She played Rebecca Parrish in three episodes of The 4400 in 2007. Jerald also had a recurring role on October Road.
Later Career and Voice Acting
In 2011, Jerald joined the cast of Castle. She played Captain Victoria "Iron" Gates. She was the new captain of the 12th Precinct. In 2015, she announced she was leaving the series. She was surprised and sad about the news.
Later, she was cast as Dr. Claire Finn in The Orville. This is a science-fiction series. In 2019, Jerald used her voice for Sarafina in The Lion King. This was a remake of the 1994 animated film. She will also voice Sarafina again in Mufasa: The Lion King.
Personal Life
Penny Johnson Jerald married Gralin Jerald in 1983. They have a daughter together. Besides acting, Jerald also teaches acting workshops. She and her husband started the Outreach Christian Theater Company in 1994. She produces and directs plays for the company.
Images for kids
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A friendly robot for kids
See also
In Spanish: Penny Johnson Jerald para niños
