Tina Lifford facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Tina Lifford
Lifford in 2019
Occupation	Actress, author, playwright
Years active	1983–present

Tina Lifford is an American actress and playwright. A playwright is a person who writes plays for the stage. She is famous for her role as the single mother Joan Mosley in the Fox TV show South Central (1994). She also played Renee Trussell in the NBC drama series Parenthood from 2010 to 2015.

Since 2016, Lifford has starred as Violet Bordelon, also known as Aunt Vi, in the popular drama series Queen Sugar. She has also appeared in major movies like Grand Canyon (1991), Blood Work (2002), and Hostage (2005).

Acting Journey

Early Career

Tina Lifford started her acting career in the 1980s. She appeared in popular television shows like Hill Street Blues, Cagney & Lacey, and Murder, She Wrote. From 1983 to 1988, she had a recurring role in the show Knots Landing.

Her first movie role was in The Ladies Club in 1986. After that, she acted in many other films. Some of these include Colors (1988), Grand Canyon (1991), and Pay It Forward (2000).

Starring Roles

In 1994, Lifford played the main character, Joan Mosley, in the comedy-drama series South Central. The show was about a single mother raising her children in Los Angeles. Although the show didn't last long, it was praised by critics.

Lifford also had important roles in many TV movies. She played Jackie Joyner-Kersee in Run for the Dream: The Gail Devers Story (1996). In 1997, she portrayed Winnie Mandela in the movie Mandela and de Klerk. She also appeared in The Temptations (1998), a miniseries about the famous music group.

Guest Appearances and Recurring Roles

Throughout her career, Lifford has been a guest star on more than 50 TV shows. These include Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, NYPD Blue, ER, and NCIS.

She also had recurring roles, which means she appeared in several episodes of a series. She played a judge on CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (2004–2005). From 2010 to 2015, she played the mother of Jasmine Trussell in the family drama Parenthood. She also had a role in the political drama Scandal in 2015.

Success with Queen Sugar

In 2016, Lifford began starring in the drama series Queen Sugar on the Oprah Winfrey Network. The show was created by Ava DuVernay and Oprah Winfrey. Lifford plays Violet "Aunt Vi" Bordelon, the aunt of the main characters.

Her character, Aunt Vi, is a strong and loving woman who helps guide her family. For her work on Queen Sugar, Lifford has been nominated for two NAACP Image Awards and a Black Reel Award.

Selected Film and TV Roles

Tina Lifford has acted in many movies and television shows. Here are some of her notable roles.

Film

• Colors (1988) as Mrs. Craig
• Grand Canyon (1991) as Deborah
• Babe (1995) as the voice of a Sheep
• Pay It Forward (2000) as Principal
• Blood Work (2002) as Detective Jaye Winston
• Hostage (2005) as Laura Shoemaker
• Catch and Release (2006) as Eve

Television

• Knots Landing (1983-1988) as Tina
• South Central (1994) as Joan Mosely
• Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1995) as Lee
• Family Law (1999–2001) as Judge Alice Kingston
• CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (2004–2005) as Judge Witherspoon
• ER (2005) as Evelyn Pratt
• Lincoln Heights (2007–2009) as Dorothy Hammond
• Parenthood (2010–2015) as Renee Trussell
• Scandal (2015–2017) as CIA Director Lowry
• Queen Sugar (2016–2022) as Violet Bordelon

Awards and Nominations