Victoria Rowell facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Victoria Rowell
Rowell in 2012
Born	Victoria Lynn Rowell (1959-05-10) May 10, 1959 (age 66) Portland, Maine, U.S.
Occupation	Actress, director, writer, producer
Years active	1987–present
Spouse(s)	Tom Fahey ​ ​ (m. 1989; div. 1990)​ Radcliffe Bailey ​ ​ (m. 2009; div. 2014)​
Children	2

Victoria Lynn Rowell (born May 10, 1959) is an American actress, writer, and director. She started her career as a ballet dancer and model. Her first acting role was in the 1987 comedy film Leonard Part 6.

In 1990, Rowell became famous for her role as Drucilla Winters on the CBS daytime TV show The Young and the Restless. This was her longest role on television. She was nominated for three Daytime Emmy Awards for this part. She left the show in 2007. Rowell is also known for playing Dr. Amanda Bentley in the CBS crime drama Diagnosis: Murder from 1993 to 2001. For several years, she worked on both shows at the same time. She has won 11 NAACP Image Awards for her work.

Early Life and Dance

Victoria Lynn Rowell was born in Portland, Maine, on May 10, 1959. Her biological mother had English roots. Her birth father was of Jamaican descent. When Victoria was very young, she and her two sisters, Sheree and Lori, were placed into child services. This happened when Victoria was only 16 days old.

Victoria lived with foster parents, Agatha C. and Robert Armstead, in Maine. When she was eight, she started taking ballet lessons. She later danced with important groups like the American Ballet Theater II. She also studied at the Juilliard School of Music Dance Extension program. After her dance training, Rowell taught dance as a guest artist in New England.

Acting Career

In the 1980s, Victoria Rowell became a popular model for fashion shows and catalogs. She made her first movie appearance in the 1987 comedy Leonard Part 6. She also had a recurring role on The Cosby Show. In 1988, she appeared on another CBS soap opera, As the World Turns.

The Young and the Restless

In 1990, Rowell got the role of Drucilla Barber on The Young and the Restless. Her character started as a street kid who became a ballet dancer. Fans loved Drucilla, and Victoria was nominated for three Daytime Emmy Awards in the late 1990s. She also won 11 NAACP Image Awards for playing Drucilla.

Victoria played Drucilla from 1990 to 1998. She came back briefly in 2000, and then regularly from 2002 until 2007. In 2007, Rowell became unhappy with the show. She felt there were not enough African-American actors or crew members in important roles. She also felt her ideas for Drucilla's story were not heard. This led her to leave the show. In the story, Drucilla fell off a cliff and was thought to be dead. Fans have often asked for her character to return. However, CBS has said they are not planning to bring Drucilla back. In 2014, Rowell spoke out on social media. She criticized the show for not having enough African-Americans in decision-making positions.

Diagnosis: Murder and Films

From 1993 to 2001, Rowell starred as Dr. Amanda Bentley in the CBS show Diagnosis: Murder. She acted alongside Dick Van Dyke. For most of this time, she worked on both Diagnosis: Murder and The Young and the Restless. One episode of Diagnosis: Murder even took place on the set of The Young and the Restless. In that episode, Rowell played both Dr. Amanda Bentley and Drucilla. The show ran for 178 episodes and had two TV movies after it ended.

In the 1990s, Rowell also acted in several movies. She played the love interest of Eddie Murphy's character in the 1992 comedy The Distinguished Gentleman. In 1994, she was an FBI agent in the comedy Dumb and Dumber. She also appeared in the science-fiction film Full Eclipse (1993) and the action film Barb Wire (1996). In 1997, she was in the drama film Eve's Bayou. In the 2000s, she appeared in films like Motives and A Perfect Fit. In 2006, she played Samuel L. Jackson's character's wife in Home of the Brave. She also had recurring roles on TV shows like Single Ladies and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.

Writing and Directing

In 2008, Rowell released her memoir called The Women Who Raised Me: A Memoir. This book was about her experiences growing up in foster care. She later wrote two novels: Secrets of a Soap Opera Diva: A Novel (2010) and The Young and the Ruthless: Back in the Bubbles (2013).

Rowell also started creating and directing her own shows. She created, directed, and starred in the comedy series The Rich and the Ruthless, which ran from 2017 to 2021. In 2018, she created the miniseries Jacqueline and Jilly. In 2020, she directed her first feature film, Everything Is Fine. She has since directed several other films, including A Rich Christmas (2021) and Stranger Next Door (2022). In 2022, she returned to CBS with a recurring role in the medical drama Good Sam. In 2024, she co-starred in the comedy film Summer Camp.

Personal Life

Rowell (left) with Maj. Gen. Nadja West in Washington, D.C. in 2013

Victoria Rowell married Tom Fahey in 1989. They had a daughter named Maya but divorced the next year. Rowell also has a son named Jasper with musician Wynton Marsalis. In 2009, she married Atlanta artist Radcliffe Bailey. They divorced in 2014.

Helping Foster Children

In 1990, Rowell started the "Rowell Foster Children Positive Plan." This organization helps foster children by giving them emotional support and money. It especially helps those who want to become actors or dancers, just like Victoria did. In 2004, she appeared on the talk show Dr. Phil. On the show, she helped a young person who had left foster care by offering a job, dental care, and a scholarship from her foundation.

In 2006, the University of Southern Maine gave Rowell an honorary degree. This was to recognize her important work helping foster children. In 2007, she published her memoir, The Women Who Raised Me. The book shares her experiences in foster care and honors the women who cared for her and her sisters. She also made a documentary film called The Mentor about these women.

In 2008, Rowell received the first Gift of Adoption Celebration of Adoption Award. This award honors people who help connect children with adoptive families. In 2012, Rowell co-authored a book called Tag, Toss & Run: 40 Classic Lawn Games.

Filmography

Film

Television

Awards and Nominations

See also

In Spanish: Victoria Rowell para niños