Shari Headley facts for kids

Shari Headley (born July 15, 1964) is an American actress. She is famous for playing Lisa McDowell in the funny romantic movie Coming to America (1988). She also appeared in its sequel, Coming 2 America (2021). You might also know her from films like The Preacher's Wife (1996) and Johnson Family Vacation (2004).

On TV, Shari Headley was a regular on the soap opera All My Children from 1991 to 1994. She played Detective Mimi Reed. She also starred in the drama series 413 Hope St. (1997–1998). For this role, she was nominated for an award. From 2014 to 2016, she played Jennifer Sallison in the TV show The Haves and the Have Nots.

Early Life and Modeling

Shari Headley was born in Queens, New York City. She is the youngest of four children. Her family has roots in Trinidad. Her father was a dental technician. He hoped Shari would become a doctor. In college, she studied pre-medicine. But she also took drama classes and acted in school plays.

In 1984, Shari started her modeling career. Her sister sent a photo of her to the Ford Modeling Agency without Shari knowing. Shari became a finalist in a special campaign. After that, she joined Ford. She modeled for popular magazines like Glamour and Mademoiselle.

Her Acting Career

Shari Headley first acted in a TV show called The Cosby Show in 1985. She later appeared in other shows like Miami Vice, Quantum Leap, and Matlock.

Starring in Coming to America

In 1988, Shari got a big role as Lisa McDowell. She played the daughter of a fast-food restaurant owner in the romantic comedy Coming to America. In the movie, Eddie Murphy plays her love interest. The director, John Landis, chose her because she was not very well known then. The movie was a huge success. It earned over $288 million worldwide.

TV Roles and Other Films

The year after Coming to America, Shari starred with Louis Gossett Jr. in the TV series Gideon Oliver. She played Zina, his character's daughter. In 1991, she joined the cast of All My Children. She played police officer Mimi Reed. She was nominated for an award for this role. She was a regular on the show until 1994. She also returned for guest appearances in 1995 and 2005.

After All My Children, she appeared in shows like New York Undercover and Walker, Texas Ranger. In 1996, she had a supporting role in the movie The Preacher's Wife. In 1997, she got a main role in the TV series 413 Hope St.. Even though the show was short-lived, she received another award nomination for her acting.

In the early 2000s, Shari returned to daytime TV. She had roles in Guiding Light (2001–2002) and The Bold and the Beautiful (2004–2005). In 2004, she played Jacqueline Johnson in the comedy film Johnson Family Vacation. Jacqueline was the wife of Mack Johnson, played by Steve Harvey. She also had guest roles in popular shows like Veronica Mars, House, Castle, and Switched at Birth.

From 2014 to 2016, Shari was part of the TV show The Haves and the Have Nots. She played District Attorney Jennifer Sallison. In 2019, she had a recurring role in On Becoming a God in Central Florida. In 2021, she played Queen Lisa Joffer again in the movie Coming 2 America.

Personal Life

Shari Headley was married to actor and entertainer Christopher Martin. He is known as "Play" from the hip-hop group Kid N' Play. They were married from May 1993 to June 1995. They have one son together.

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See also

In Spanish: Shari Headley para niños