Desiree Ross

{{Infobox person

| name = Desiree Ross

| image =

| birth_date =

| birth_place = Columbia, South Carolina, U.S.

| occupation = Actress

| years_active = 2012–present

}}

Desiree Ross is an American actress. She is best known for starring as Sophia Greenleaf in the Oprah Winfrey Network drama series, Greenleaf, from 2016 to 2020.{{Cite web |date=2017-03-02 |title='Greenleaf' Actress Desiree Ross Talks Impressing Oprah! • EBONY |url=https://www.ebony.com/entertainment/greenleaf-actress-desiree-ross-talks-impressing-oprah/ |access-date=2022-08-06 |website=EBONY |language=en-US}} She also starred alongside Dolly Parton in the Lifetime television film, A Country Christmas Story in 2013.{{Citation |title=A Country Christmas Story (TV Movie 2013) - IMDb |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3076718/fullcredits |language=en |access-date=2022-08-06}}

Life and career

Ross was born and grew up in Columbia, South Carolina.{{cite web|url=http://wavenewspapers.com/simply-jessica-desiree-ross-talks-about-her-new-series/|title=SIMPLY JESSICA: Desiree Ross talks about her new series - Wave Newspapers|date=June 9, 2016|publisher=|accessdate=June 27, 2016|archive-date=April 7, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200407012530/http://wavenewspapers.com/simply-jessica-desiree-ross-talks-about-her-new-series/|url-status=dead}} She is the elder of two children in her family.{{cite web|url=http://www.greenleafown.tv/cast/desiree-ross|title=Desiree Ross - GreenleafOwn.tv|date=March 30, 2016|publisher=|accessdate=June 27, 2016}} She began acting in short films before she was cast as lead in the Lifetime television film A Country Christmas Story opposite Dolly Parton, Mary Kay Place and Megyn Price.{{cite web|url=http://www.channelguidemag.com/tv-news/2013/11/07/country-christmas-story-dolly-parton-stars-new-lifetime-holiday-film/|title=A Country Christmas Story: Dolly Parton stars in new Lifetime holiday film - Channel Guide Magazine|date=November 7, 2013|publisher=|accessdate=June 27, 2016}} The following year, Ross had a recurring role as Mira in the TNT post-apocalyptic drama series Falling Skies.{{cite web|url=http://www.mylifetime.com/movies/a-country-christmas-story/cast/desiree-ross|title=Desiree Ross|publisher=|accessdate=June 27, 2016}}

In 2015, Ross was cast in a series regular role in the Oprah Winfrey Network drama series, Greenleaf.{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2015/08/lynn-whitfield-merle-dandridge-desiree-ross-cast-own-drama-greenleaf-craig-wright-oprah-winfrey-1201504761/|title=Lynn Whitfield, Desiree Ross & Merle Dandridge Cast in OWN Drama 'Greenleaf'|first=Denise|last=Petski|date=August 24, 2015|publisher=|accessdate=June 27, 2016}}{{cite web|url=https://www.indiewire.com/2015/08/lynn-whitfield-merle-dandridge-and-desiree-ross-cast-in-owns-church-drama-greenleaf-150739/|title=Lynn Whitfield, Merle Dandridge and Desiree Ross Cast in OWN's Church Drama, 'Greenleaf'|first=Tambay A.|last=Obenson|date=August 24, 2015|publisher=|accessdate=June 27, 2016|archive-date=August 13, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160813005657/http://www.indiewire.com/2015/08/lynn-whitfield-merle-dandridge-and-desiree-ross-cast-in-owns-church-drama-greenleaf-150739/|url-status=dead}} She plays Sophia Greenleaf, the daughter of series lead' Grace 'Gigi' Greenleaf (played by Merle Dandridge). The series also stars Lynn Whitfield, Keith David, and Oprah Winfrey.{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2016/01/greenleaf-own-megachurch-drama-series-premiere-date-oprah-winfrey-1201687643/|title='Greenleaf': OWN's Megachurch Drama Series Gets Premiere Date - Deadline|author=Denise Petski|work=Deadline|date=January 21, 2016 |accessdate=February 19, 2016}}

Filmography

class="wikitable sortable"
Year ! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable" \| Notes
2012 \|Park Bench \|Soccer player \|Short film
2012 \|Crossing the River \|Michaela \|Short film
2013 \|Old Souls \|Hope \|Short film
2013 \|A Country Christmas Story \|Grace Gibson \|Television film
2014 \|Falling Skies \|Mira \| Recurring role, 6 episodes
2015 \|Chevy \|Dawn \|Unsold ABC pilot
2015 \|Secrets in the Fall \|Katie \|
2016–20 \| Greenleaf \| Sophia Greenleaf \| Series regular
2019 \|If You're Gone \|Anna Redmond \|
2020 \|The Resident \|Yvette Barnes \|Season 3, Episode 17 "Doll E. Wood"

class="wikitable sortable"

Year

! Title

! Role

! class="unsortable" | Notes

2012

|Park Bench

|Soccer player

|Short film

2012

|Crossing the River

|Michaela