Eureka

Background:

“People think that I am Persian, Indian, East Indian, Spanish, everything. People think that I am everything. Nobody knows what I am. And that was a problem when I was first working because it was like, 'She doesn't really look this or that.' Now people know who I am and it is not a problem. If I get some work, I'll just have to get the work looking like me.” Salli Richardson

American actress born to a Caucasian father and a Cherokee mother Salli Richardson has established a non-stop career since making her start in the theater in her homeland of Chicago. She is known for working with minority filmmakers such as Mario Van Peebles in “Posse” (1993), Lou Diamond Phillips in “Souix City” (1994), Keenan Ivory Wayans in “A Low Down Dirty Shame” (1994), Tim Reid in “Once Upon a Time... When We Were Colored” (1995) and Reginald Hudlin in “The Great White Hype” (1996). More recent and forthcoming movie credits include “Butter” (1998), the Denzel Washington-directed “Antwone Fisher” (2002), “Biker Boyz” (2003), “Anacondas: The Hunt for the Blood Orchid” (2004), “I Am Legend” (2007), “Black Dynamite” (2008) and “Pastor Brown” (2009). On the small screen, the classy and brainy performer has had recurring roles in UPN's “Mercy Point” (1998-1999, as Kim), CBS's “Family Law” (1999, as Viveca Foster) and “CSI: Miami” (2003, as Erica Logan), as well as regular roles in Showtime's “Rude Awakenings” (2000-2001, as Nancy Adams) and Sci-Fi Channel's “Eureka” (2006-2007, as Allison Blake). She has also done several TV films, including “Soul Of The Game” (1996), “True Women” (1997), and guested in such series as “Silk Stalkings,” “Star Trek: Deep Space Nine,” “Stargate SG-1,” “House M.D.,” “NYPD Blue” and “Bones.” Her voice could also be heard as Elisa Maza on Disney's cartoon series, “Gargoyles” (1994-1996).

“The things that are most important to me are my close friends, my family, and being good to them. The people I've met in LA have been wonderful. Its great to be living here.” Salli Richardson

5' 4” Richardson has been married to actor-husband Dondre Whitfield since 2002. They currently reside in Los Angeles, California with their only daughter, Parker Richardson Whitfield. Richardson is a vegan-vegetarian. She was once romantically involved with the late actor/rapper Tupac Shakur and actor Matthew McConaughey (together in 2000).

Mrs. Whitfield

Childhood and Family:

Salli Elise Richardson was born on November 23, 1967, in Chicago, Illinois. Her father, who works as the director of Neighborhood Relations/Educational Programs and Office of Community Affairs for the University of Chicago, is of Italian and Irish lineage and her mother, Marcia Harris, is an African-American/Cherokee. Growing up in Chicago, she played tennis for the University of Chicago Laboratory High School and also studied opera in her high school years.

Salli married long-time boyfriend and fellow actor Dondre Whitfield on September 8, 2002. The couple have one daughter together, Parker Richardson Whitfield.

Wife of I Am Legend

Career:

A native daughter of Chicago, Salli Richardson launched her professional acting career with the Chicago-based Kuumba Workshop before eventually heading to Hollywood. While still in Chicago, she received her first taste of acting in front of the film cameras as Denise in the black independent movie “Up Against the Wall” (1991), starring Marla Gibbs and Ron O'Neal, who also served as the director, and went on to appear along side Alex Baldwin, Meg Ryan and Kathy Bates in Norman Rene's comedy “Prelude to a Kiss” and with Damon and Marlon Wayans and Stacey Dash in the Damon Wayans-written “Mo' Money”(both 1992).

Richardson began her career in Hollywood by having a guest spot in a 1992 episode of the long-running police series “Silk Stalkings” called “Wild Card,” playing Shelley. She returned to Chicago to film the romantic comedy “How U Like Me Now” (1993), penned and helmed by Darryl Roberts, and was next cast by Mario Van Peebles in the supporting role of Lana in the director/actor's Western movie “Posse” (also 1993). In addition to acting, the gifted actress also sang “If I Knew Him At All” on the soundtrack of “Posse.” She stated, “I don't think there's anything else I've ever wanted to do. My mother used to run a recording studio in Chicago and I used to sit in the studio and watch all the bands record. I was interested in singing. I would sing to Minnie Riperton records. I was always in a choir, and I have a song on the soundtrack of “Posse.”

From 1994 to 1996, Richardson provided the voice of Elisa Maza on the Disney animated series “Gargoyles,” which is considered as one of the best cartoon series ever. Other actors who also participated on the syndicated show included Jonathan Frakes (as David Xanatos), Marina Sirtis (as Demona), Edward Asner (as Hudson) and Keith David (as Goliath). Richardson also voiced Maza in three episodes of “Gargoyles: The Goliath Chronicles” (1996) and in several videos released during 1995 to 1998, including “Gargoyles: The Heroes Awaken” (1995), “Gargoyles: Brothers Betrayed” (1998) and “ Gargoyles: Deeds of Deception” (1998).

Besides her voice-over gigs, Richardson continued to build her acting career. She costarred with Lou Diamond Phillips in his directorial debut movie “Souix City” (1994), played Nicole Scott, the daughter of Bill Cosby, on the TV series reunion “I Spy Returns” (1994, directed by Jerry London), costarred with Keenen Ivory Wayans, Charles S. Dutton and Jada Pinkett Smith in the Wayans-directed “A Low Down Dirty Shame” (1994), supported the wonderful Natalie Cole for the made-for-TV film “Lily in Winter” (1994) and worked with the Award-winning filmmaker Tim Reid on the drama “Once Upon a Time... When We Were Colored” (1995), which nabbed a Acapulco Black Film Festival for Best Film. In the HBO telepic “Soul Of The Game” (1996), which was nominated for an Image for Outstanding Television Movie or Mini-Series, she played Lahoma and appeared with Samuel L. Jackson and Jeff Goldblum in the boxing comedy film “Great White Hype” (1996), directed by Reginald Hudlin. She joined Dana Delany, Angelina Jolie, Rachael Leigh Cook and Michael York for the television film “True Women” (1997), adapted from a book by Janice Woods Windle, portrayed the costarring role of Blusette Ford on the indie-thriller “Butter” (1998) and had the title role in Mario Avila's romance “Lilie” (1999).

The busy performer could also be seen as a guest star in such television series as “Star Trek: Deep Space Nine” (1993, as Fenna/Nidell), “Roc” and “New York Undercover” (both 1994), “Stargate SG-1” (1997), “The Pretender” (1998) and “The Jamie Foxx Show” (1999). She played the recurring role of Kim in four episodes of the UPN medical drama “Mercy Point” during the 1998-99 season and began her three-episodic part as Viveca Foster on the CBS television drama “Family Law” in 1999. After leaving the show, she won the regular role of Nancy Adams on the lesbian-themed comedy series “Rude Awakenings,” a gig she held from 2000 to 2001, and returned to film to play Nelli McPherson on the 2002 comedy “Baby of the Family.” Still in that same year, she appeared as Karen on Jeffrey W. Byrd's “Book of Love,” but she did not snag a high-profile role until actor Denzel Washington cast her in the role of Berta Davenport in his directorial debut, the biopic “Antwone Fisher,” starring Derek Luke in the title role.

Billed as Salli Richardson-Whitfield since her marriage to actor Dondre Whitfield in the late 2002, Richardson rejoined Derek Luke for the following year's action film “Biker Boyz,” which also starred Laurence Fishburne, Kid Rock, Djimon Hounsou, Orlando Jones, Lisa Bonet and Meagan Good, among others, and landed the prominent role of Gail Stern on the horror/thriller “Anacondas: The Hunt for the Blood Orchid” (2004), for director Dwight H. Little. In between the projects, she had a recurring role on the CBS crime series “CSI: Miami” (2003), playing Erica Logan.

Next up for Richardson, she guested in the series “Second Time Around,” “NYPD Blue” (both 2004), “House M.D.,” “1-800-Missing,” “The War at Home” (all 2005) and “Bones” (2006) before undertaking the regular role of Department of Defense agent (and later head of Global Dynamics) Allison Blake on the science-fiction series “Eureka,” opposite Colin Ferguson as Sheriff Jack Carter and Joe Morton as Henry Deacon. Debuted on July 18, 2006, the show was in the end of second season by October 2007. She revisited the big screen in December 2007 to play the wife of Will Smith, Zoe Neville, in “I Am Legend,” which received a total of 11 nominations, including a Saturn nomination for Best Science Fiction Film and an Image nomination for Outstanding Motion Picture. Also in 2007, she was also spotted along side husband Dondre Whitfield co-hosting an infomercial for TimeLife's “Midnight Soul” music collection.

“I think I've always wanted to perform.” Salli Richardson

Richardson will costar with Michael Jai White in the action/comedy “Black Dynamite” (2008), directed by Scott Sanders. She is also has a starring role in the upcoming movie “Pastor Brown” (2009), playing Jessica 'Jesse' Brown, opposite Keith David as the minister.

Awards:
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