Pernell Walker
| Pernell Walker | |
|---|---|
| Born | South Bronx, New York, U.S. |
| 🏫 Education | City College of New York (BA) Actors Studio Drama School at Pace University (MFA) |
| 💼 Occupation | Actress |
| 📆 Years active | 2007–present |
| Twitter= | |
Pernell Walker is an American film, television and theater actress, born in the South Bronx.
Early life[edit]
Walker began acting after having a difficult time socially in junior high school. Yearning for a creative outlet and change of environment, she decided to apply for performing arts high schools. A librarian in Paul Lawrence Dunbar Junior High School 120, helped her prepare for performing arts high school auditions. Walker went on to attend Talented Unlimited High School, where she began to learn and hone her craft as a young actor. In addition to being a focused young actor, Walker is also a two time silver medalist 97-98 of the local branch of the NAACP ACT-SO competition in acting. After graduating Talented Unlimited, Walker attended City College of the City University of New York as a Theater major. After earning her B.A in Theater, she trained and attended Actors Studio Drama School formerly of the New School University for her M.F.A.
Career[edit]
Walker came to public attention as Laura in Dee Rees's critically acclaimed 2011 lesbian coming of age drama Pariah, an expansion of a short film from 2007 in which she had also appeared.[1] For this she received a Black Reel Awards nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actress. She worked with Lee Daniels in The Butler. Her scene in Ava Duvernay’s When They See Us became a viral Instagram meme prior to the Biden inauguration, as her character predicted Trump’s defeat in the 2020 election.
Her television credits include Grace Campbell in City On The Hill, working with director Kevin Bacon, Ruby/Thunderthighs on The Deuce with director Michelle McClaren, The Night Of with director Steve Zaillian, director Carl Franklin for The Leftovers, director Tim Van Patten for Boardwalk Empire and Tina Fey for The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt.
Walker made her off-broadway debut in Radha Blanks’ SEED originating the role of Rashawn, directed by Niegel Smith for the Classical Theater of Harlem/Hip-Hop Theater Festival 2010-2011. She also appeared in Dolphins and Sharks by James Tyler, directed by Charlotte Brathwaite for the Labyrinth Theater Company in 2017. Later gaining recognition for her role as Munchies in Pulitzer prize winner Stephen Adly Guirgus’ Halfway Bitches Go Straight to Heaven, directed by John Ortiz for the Atlantic Theater Company's 2019-2020 season.
Film[edit]
Pariah, Laura, short 2007
Earl’s Post Prison Playdate, Vanessa,short 2007
Riot, Eve, short,2011
Common Grounds, Korina, short,2011
So Over You, Mia, short,2012
Busted On Brigham Lane, Mina, short,2012
Lee Daniel’s The Butler, Lorraine, 2013
Annie, Auditioning Mom, 2014
Money Monster, Laquisha (uncredited), 2016
Ambition’s Debt,Cinna,2017
Lost Cat Corona,Sales clerk,2017
Television[edit]
Blue Bloods, Medic, 1 episode,2013
The Leftovers, Celia Odalys, 1 episode,2014
Boardwalk Empire, Church Parishioner, 1 episode,2014
Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, Vonda, 2 episodes, 2015-2016
Vinyl, Smiling Sedgwick hooker, 1 episode,2016
The Night Of,Rikers PO, 1 episode,2016
When We Rise,Gwen Craig, 1 episode,2017
Law and Order:SVU, Kayla Price, 1 episode,2018
The Deuce, Ruby ”Thunderthighs”, 8 episodes 2017-2019
Dietland,Tiana, 2 episodes,2018
One Dollar, 2 episodes 2018
Adventures in New America, Serena, 8 episodes, 2018-2019
When They See Us, Gina Smith, 1 episode,2019
City On a Hill, Grace Campbell, 8 episodes, 2021
References[edit]
- ↑ Pernell Walker Talks Pariah, Blackfilm.com, December 23, 2011
External links[edit]
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