Persia White facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Persia White
White in 2024
Born	Persia Venessa White (1972-10-25) October 25, 1972 (age 52) Miami, Florida, U.S.
Occupation	Actress, singer
Years active	1988–present
Known for	Lynn Searcy in Girlfriends
Spouse(s)	Saul Williams ​ ​ (m. 2008; div. 2009)​ Joseph Morgan ​ ​ (m. 2014)​
Children	1

Left to right: Mara Brock Akil with White, Golden Brooks, Tracee Ellis Ross, and Jill Marie Jones in 2013

Persia White (born October 25, 1972) is an American actress and singer. She is well-known for playing Lynn Searcy in the TV show Girlfriends. She also had a role as Abby Bennett Wilson in The Vampire Diaries. Persia White released her own music album, Mecca, in 2009.

Early life and beginnings

Persia White was born in Miami, Florida. She grew up with three siblings. Her mother was Irish-American, and her father was Bahamian. Persia spent her early childhood years in The Bahamas.

When she was three, her father was in a car accident. He moved to Miami for medical care. Two years later, Persia and her mother and siblings also moved to South Florida. They did not live with her father again.

As a child, Persia joined the Miami Coconut Grove Children's Theater. When she was a teenager, she studied many arts. She learned dance, acting, singing, and painting. After high school, she signed with the Ford Agency. This helped her get her Screen Actors Guild card. Soon after, she moved to Los Angeles to start her acting career.

Acting career highlights

Persia White has acted in many different movies. These include independent films like Red Letters. She also appeared in the horror film Blood Dolls. She was in TV movies such as Operation Sandman and Suddenly.

On television, she has been in several popular shows. She had roles in Angel and NYPD Blue. She also appeared in Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Persia had a regular role on Breaker High with Ryan Gosling. She also played Anya on Sister, Sister.

Her most famous role was Lynn Searcy on Girlfriends. She was a main cast member from 2000 to 2008. Later, she played Bonnie's mother, Abby Bennett Wilson, on The Vampire Diaries. This was a recurring role from 2012 to 2017.

In 2019, Persia White reunited with her Girlfriends co-stars. They appeared together on an episode of the ABC show Black-ish.

Other projects and advocacy

Beyond acting, Persia White is also a co-producer. She helped create the award-winning documentary Earthlings. This film was narrated by Joaquin Phoenix. In 2011, she won an award for her acting in the film Dysfunctional Friends. This award was from the American Black Film Festival.

Persia White is a vegan. This means she does not eat animal products. She is also a strong supporter of human rights and animal rights. She cares deeply about the environment. In 2005, PETA honored her as a Humanitarian of the Year. She is also a board member for the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society. This group works to protect ocean wildlife.

Personal life and family

Persia White has a daughter, who was born around 1995.

In 2008, Persia White married singer Saul Williams. They had been together for five years. They first met in 2003 on the set of Girlfriends. They later separated in 2009.

After dating for three years, Persia White married actor Joseph Morgan. They got married in Ocho Rios, Jamaica, on July 5, 2014. Joseph Morgan also starred in The Vampire Diaries. After their marriage, Joseph adopted Persia's daughter. Her daughter's legal name was changed to Mecca Morgan White.

Awards and recognition

Music career

Mecca is Persia White's first music album. It was released online on October 31, 2009. The CD version came out on December 8, 2009. The album is named after Persia's daughter. Some songs from the album were featured in episodes of Girlfriends.