Aisha Dee
{{short description|Australian actress and singer}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2019}}
{{Use Australian English|date=February 2014}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Aisha Dee
| image = Aisha Dee on SBS On Demand.jpg
| caption = Dee in 2023
| birth_date = {{Birth year and age|1993}}
| birth_place = Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia
| occupation = Actress, singer
| years_active = 2008–present
}}
Aisha Dee (born 1993{{cite news |last1=Silva |first1=Marlee |title=Aisha Dee is sparking joy |url=https://harpersbazaar.com.au/aisha-dee-interview-august-2024/ |access-date=11 April 2025 |work=Harper's Bazaar Australia/New Zealand |date=August 2024}}) is an Australian actress and singer. She is best known for her main roles as Desi Biggins on the children's television series The Saddle Club (2008–09) and Kat Edison on the Freeform comedy-drama television series The Bold Type (2017–21). She plays the main role in the 2023 Australian drama miniseries Safe Home.
Early life and education
Aisha Dee was born on the Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia, to a white Australian mother and African American father.{{Cite web |date=2020-01-19 |title=The Bold Type's Aisha Dee Was Bullied For Natural Hair: 'I Was Called Pube-Head At School' |url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com.au/entry/the-bold-type-aisha-dee_au_5e23f2e4c5b632117614e9dc |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210728205346/https://www.huffingtonpost.com.au/entry/the-bold-type-aisha-dee_au_5e23f2e4c5b632117614e9dc |archive-date=28 July 2021 |access-date=2022-08-14 |website=HuffPost |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Miller | first=Gerri |date=November 30, 2011 |title=Aisha Dee: I Hate My Teenage Daughter's Mixed Chick |url=https://www.bet.com/article/7u1eu3/aisha-dee-i-hate-my-teenage-daughter-s-mixed-chick |url-status=live |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20120214000207/http://www.bet.com/news/celebrities/2011/11/30/aisha-dee-i-hate-my-teenage-daughter-s-mean-teen.html |archive-date=14 February 2012 |access-date=10 November 2012 |website=BET.com}}
She was raised in a one-bedroom apartment in Surfers Paradise and attended King's Christian College throughout her upbringing.{{Cite news |last=Watson |first=Ann |title=Aisha Dee on growing up on Gold Coast and achieving her acting dreams |language=en |work=Gold Coast Bulletin |url=https://www.goldcoastbulletin.com.au/lifestyle/aisha-dee-on-growing-up-on-gold-coast-and-achieving-her-acting-dreams/news-story/8273ba71f3e57df9f6815b45115e7b6d |url-status=live |access-date=11 October 2024 }} Dee was exposed to the performing arts early in life through her opera singer mother and her jazz musician father.{{Cite news |last=Nankervis |first=Brian |title=From The Saddle Club to Safe Home: singer and actor Aisha Dee on the soundtrack to her success |language=en |work=ABC Australia |url=https://www.abc.net.au/listen/programs/songsandstories/aisha-dee-singer-and-actor-in-the-saddle-club-and-the-bold-type/102403972 |url-status=live |access-date=20 December 2024 }} She credits watching Sesame Street reruns in her Gold Coast apartment in her younger years as the inspiration for pursuing a career in acting.{{Cite news |last=Anabel |first=Anita |title=The Bold Types’s Aisha Dee Opens Up About Her Mental Health Struggles |language=en |work=The Latch |url=https://thelatch.com.au/aisha-dee-interview/ |url-status=live |access-date=22 December 2024 }}
Career
In 2008, Dee had her first major television role as Desi Biggins on the Australian-Canadian children's series The Saddle Club.{{cite news |last1=Kale |first1=Neha |title=Aisha Dee on The Bold Type and moving to LA: 'Australia has a long way to go in terms of diversity' |url=https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2020/jul/09/aisha-dee-on-the-bold-type-and-moving-to-la-australia-has-a-long-way-to-go-in-terms-of-diversity |access-date=11 April 2025 |work=The Guardian |date=8 July 2020}} In 2010, Dee was a recurring character in the Australian-British show Dead Gorgeous as Christine.{{cite news |last1=Guyoncourt |first1=Sally |title=Apple Cider Vinegar cast in full - and where you've seen them before |url=https://inews.co.uk/culture/television/apple-cider-vinegar-cast-netflix-3519934 |access-date=11 April 2025 |work=The i Paper |date=5 February 2025}} From 2011 to 2013, she starred as Mackenzie Miller in the Fox sitcom I Hate My Teenage Daughter.{{cite news |last1=Miller |first1=Gerri |title=Aisha Dee: I Hate My Teenage Daughter' s Mixed Chick |url=https://www.bet.com/article/7u1eu3/aisha-dee-i-hate-my-teenage-daughter-s-mixed-chick |access-date=11 April 2025 |work=BET |date=30 November 2011}} She also co-starred as Elizabeth "Beth" Kingston on the ABC Family drama series Chasing Life, from 2014 to 2015.
Dee starred as Jules Koja in the Syfy horror anthology series Channel Zero: No-End House, which aired in 2017. On 22 August 2016, it was announced that Dee was cast as Kat Edison in the Freeform comedy-drama series The Bold Type, which premiered on 20 June 2017.{{Cite news |last=Picurro |first=Allison |title=Who Plays Jane On 'The Bold Type'? Katie Stevens Is No Stranger To The Small Screen |language=en |work=Romper |url=https://www.romper.com/p/who-plays-jane-on-the-bold-type-katie-stevens-is-no-stranger-to-the-small-screen-68909 |url-status=live |access-date=6 August 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200703234831/https://www.romper.com/p/who-plays-jane-on-the-bold-type-katie-stevens-is-no-stranger-to-the-small-screen-68909 | archive-date=3 July 2020}}{{Cite news |last=Petski |first=Denise |date=22 August 2016 |title=Katie Stevens, Aisha Dee & Meghann Fahy Cast As Leads In Freeform Pilot 'Issues' |language=en-US |work=Deadline |url=https://deadline.com/2016/08/katie-stevens-aisha-dee-meghann-fahy-cast-leads-freeform-pilot-issues-1201806897/ |url-status=live |access-date=6 August 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160823034841/http://deadline.com/2016/08/katie-stevens-aisha-dee-meghann-fahy-cast-leads-freeform-pilot-issues-1201806897/ |archive-date=23 August 2016}} On 4 October 2017, Freeform renewed the series for two additional seasons of 10 episodes each. The second season premiered on 12 June 2018{{Cite news |date=23 April 2018 |title=Exclusive: First Look at The Bold Type Season 2 Is Here! |language=en-US |work=E! Online |url=https://www.eonline.com/news/929225/the-bold-type-season-2-first-look-is-here-and-it-s-real-messy |url-status=live |access-date=9 August 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180809153526/https://www.eonline.com/news/929225/the-bold-type-season-2-first-look-is-here-and-it-s-real-messy |archive-date=9 August 2018}} and ended on 7 August 2018.{{Cite news |last=Aridi |first=Sara |date=7 August 2018 |title=What's on TV Tuesday: 'Carter' and 'The Bold Type' |language=en |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/07/arts/television/whats-on-tv-tuesday-carter-and-the-bold-type.html |url-status=live |access-date=9 August 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180808192536/https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/07/arts/television/whats-on-tv-tuesday-carter-and-the-bold-type.html |archive-date=8 August 2018}}
Dee played the lead role in the 2023 Australian TV drama miniseries, Safe Home.{{cite web | last=Sandford | first=Shannon | title=At times devastating, always powerful: new SBS drama Safe Home looks at domestic violence with nuance, integrity and care | website=The Conversation | date=11 May 2023 | url=http://theconversation.com/at-times-devastating-always-powerful-new-sbs-drama-safe-home-looks-at-domestic-violence-with-nuance-integrity-and-care-204910 | access-date=11 May 2023 | archive-date=16 August 2024 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240816113758/https://theconversation.com/at-times-devastating-always-powerful-new-sbs-drama-safe-home-looks-at-domestic-violence-with-nuance-integrity-and-care-204910 | url-status=live }}
In 2023, Dee became the first brand ambassador for Lancôme from Austalia and New Zealand.{{cite news |last1=Zuvela |first1=Teneal |title=‘The Bold Type’ Star Aisha Dee Is Changing The Face Of Beauty |url=https://www.elle.com.au/beauty/beauty-news/aisha-dee-interview-lancome-29024/ |access-date=11 April 2025 |work=Elle |date=27 August 2023}}
On 18 February 2025, Dee was named in two Stan Australia projects in film One More Shot and series Watching You.{{Cite web |last=Knox |first=David |date=2025-02-18 |title=14 new commissions as Stan celebrates 10 years {{!}} TV Tonight |url=https://tvtonight.com.au/2025/02/14-new-commissions-as-stan-celebrates-10-years.html |access-date=2025-02-18 |website=tvtonight.com.au |language=en-AU}}
Dee plays Chanelle in the 2025 Netflix limited series Apple Cider Vinegar.{{cite web |last=Maher |first=Dani |title=The stars of 'Apple Cider Vinegar' on the allure of Belle Gibson |website=Harper's Bazaar Australia |date=6 February 2025 |url=https://harpersbazaar.com.au/apple-cider-vinegar-kaitlyn-dever-aisha-dee-alycia-debnam-carey-interview/ |access-date=15 February 2025}}
Personal life
Dee identifies as queer. She enjoys line dancing.
Filmography
=Film=
| class="wikitable sortable"
! Year ! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable" | Notes !Ref |
| 2015
| TheCavKid | Maura | Short film | |
| 2020
| {{sortname|The|Nowhere Inn}} | Kayla | | |
| rowspan="3" | 2022
| Sissy | Cecilia / Sissy | | |
| Look Both Ways
| Cara | | |
| Collide
| Lily | |
| TBA
|Jenny | | |
=Television=
| class="wikitable sortable"
! Year ! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable" | Notes |
| 2008–2009
| {{sortname|The|Saddle Club}} | Desiree "Desi" Biggins | Recurring role; 24 episodes |
| 2009
| Katherine "Katie" Wallace | Television film |
| 2010
| Christine | Main role; 13 episodes |
| 2011–2013
| Mackenzie | Main role; 13 episodes |
| 2011
| Tasha | Guest role; 2 episodes |
| 2014–2015
| Elizabeth "Beth" Kingston | Main role; 34 episodes |
| rowspan="2" | 2015
| Olivia | Episode: "House of Cards" |
| Comedy Bang! Bang!
| Teen friend | Episode: "Thomas Middleditch Wears an Enigmatic Sweatshirt and Sweatpants and Pockets" |
| 2016–2017
| Kennedy | Main role; 10 episodes |
| 2017–2021
| {{sortname|The|Bold Type}} | Kat Edison | Main role; 52 episodes |
| 2017
| Jules Koja | Main role; 6 episodes |
| 2019
| Ghosting: The Spirit of Christmas | Jess | Television film |
| 2020
| Herself | Episode: "The Bold Type vs. RuPaul's Drag Race" |
| rowspan="2" | 2023
| Accused | Aaliyah Harris | Episode: "Esme's Story" |
| Safe Home
| Phoebe | Main role; 4 episodes |
| rowspan="2" |2025
|Chanelle | Miniseries: 6 episodes |
| Watching You
|Lina |TV series |
Awards and nominations
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| Year
! Award ! Category ! Work ! Result !Ref |
|---|
| 2017
| rowspan="2"|Teen Choice Awards | rowspan="2"|Choice Summer TV Star | rowspan="2"|The Bold Type | {{nom}} | |
| 2018
| {{nom}} | |
| 2022
|Sissy |{{nom}} | |
| 2023
|Asian Academy Creative Awards |Best Actress in a Leading Role |{{won}} |
| 2024
|Best Lead Actress |{{nom}} |
| 2024
|Best Lead Actress in a Drama |{{nom}} |
Discography
=The Saddle Club discography=
;Albums
- Best Friends (2009)
- Grand Gallop – Meilleures Amies (2009) – Released in France only
;Singles
- "These Girls" (2009)
=Dee Dee & the Beagles=
;Albums
- Dee Dee & the Beagles EP (2015)
=Aisha Dee=
;Albums
- Ice in My Rosé EP (2020)
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{IMDb name|id=3419668|name=Aisha Dee}}
- {{Instagram|aishtray|name=Aisha Dee}}
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20150622220552/https://instagram.com/deedeeandthebeagles/ Dee Dee & the Beagles]
{{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Dee, Aisha}}
Category:Australian child actresses
Category:Australian expatriate actresses in the United States
Category:Australian film actresses
Category:Australian television actresses
Category:Australian people of African-American descent
Category:Actresses from the Gold Coast, Queensland
Category:21st-century Australian actresses
Category:Musicians from the Gold Coast, Queensland