Gabrielle Dennis

{{Infobox person

| name = Gabrielle Dennis

| image = Gabrielle Dennis on the Valder Beebe Show.jpg

| caption = Dennis in 2018

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1978|10|19}}

| birth_place = Cincinnati, Ohio, U.S.

| alma_mater = Howard University

| occupation = Actress, comedian, singer, television host

| years_active = 1990–present

}}

Gabrielle Dennis (born October 19, 1978) is an American actress and comedian, best known for starring in the sketch comedy HBO show A Black Lady Sketch Show.

Early life and education

Dennis was born and raised in Cincinnati.{{cite news |last1=Williams |first1=DeMarco |title=Actress Gabrielle Dennis On Good Roles And Gratifying Trips |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbestravelguide/2019/08/29/actress-gabrielle-dennis-on-good-roles-and-gratifying-trips/ |access-date=May 9, 2024 |work=Forbes |date=August 29, 2019}} She began studying dance at the age of four. She attended the School for Creative and Performing Arts in Cincinnati, and by the fifth grade she got her first acting gigs.{{cite magazine |last1=Dennis |first1=Gabrielle |title=The Wake-Up Call That Brought Gabrielle Dennis Back to Acting |url=https://www.backstage.com/magazine/article/gabrielle-dennis-big-door-prize-interview-76205/ |magazine=Backstage |access-date=May 8, 2024 |date=May 3, 2023}}{{cite web |last1=Yvonne |first1=Stacey |title=Actor Gabrielle Dennis on Her Love of Entertaining |url=https://blackgirlnerds.com/actor-gabrielle-dennis-on-her-love-of-entertaining/ |website=Black Girl Nerds |access-date=May 9, 2024 |date=September 18, 2021}}

Dennis attended Howard University, majoring in communications with a minor in theatre.{{cite news |last1=Jackson |first1=Destiny |title='The Big Door Prize' And 'A Black Lady Sketch Show' Star Gabrielle Dennis Talks About Black Identity And Finding Yourself |url=https://deadline.com/2023/06/gabrielle-dennis-interview-a-black-lady-sketch-show-1235397523/ |access-date=May 8, 2024 |work=Deadline |date=June 3, 2023}} After graduation, she took a job as a news station camera operator.

Career

Dennis has a background in dance, theatre, stand-up comedy, and singing.

In 2008, Dennis won the role of Janay Brice on The CW comedy series The Game. After the show was canceled, fans campaigned for its return where Dennis was able to reprise her role for two more seasons on BET. During her stint on The Game she landed roles in the direct-to-DVD film Bring It On: Fight to the Finish, and The Marc Pease Experience. She played Denise Roy on Spike's Blue Mountain State.

Dennis has since guest-starred on several series including Franklin & Bash, Bones, Justified, and Baby Daddy. In 2015, she landed the role of Pippy Rosewood, the toxicology expert and lesbian sister of Beaumont Rosewood (Chestnut) for Fox's Rosewood.

Dennis was in a recurring role as Candace on the hit show Insecure.

Dennis is in a recurring role as Tasha on the Netflix series The Upshaws.

Dennis played Whitney Houston in the BET miniseries, The Bobby Brown Story, which debuted in the United States and internationally in September 2018.Pederson, Erik (March 12, 2018). [https://deadline.com/2018/03/the-bobby-brown-story-whitney-houston-gabrielle-dennis-bet-1202326725/ "'The Bobby Brown Story': BET Miniseries Finds Its Whitney Houston"]. Deadline Hollywood

In 2018, she began starring as Tilda Johnson in the Marvel Comics-based series Luke Cage (2018).

She has also appeared in Old Spice commercials with comedian/actor Deon Cole.

In 2023, Dennis began playing the leading role of Cass in the Apple TV+ series The Big Door Prize.{{cite news |last1=Summers |first1=Juana |title=Gabrielle Dennis loves the mystery behind her new series, 'The Big Door Prize' |url=https://www.npr.org/2023/03/30/1167185950/gabrielle-dennis-loves-the-mysteriousness-behind-her-new-series-the-big-door-pri |access-date=May 8, 2024 |work=NPR |date=March 30, 2023}}{{cite news |last1=Pandya |first1=Hershal |title=Gabrielle Dennis Will Gladly Injure Herself for Comedy |url=https://www.vulture.com/article/gabrielle-dennis-a-black-lady-sketch-show-inteview.html |access-date=May 8, 2024 |work=Vulture |date=May 19, 2023}}

Filmography

=Film=

class="wikitable sortable"
Year ! Title ! Role ! Notes
1990 \| A Mom for Christmas \| Christmas Box \| TV movie
2004 \| He Can Get It \| Kyra \| Video
2005 \| The Wickeds \| Kate \| Video
2006 \| Let's Talk \| Khalil's Wife \| Short
rowspan="3"\| 2008 \| Drifter \| Miranda \|
Learning How to Speak \| Student \| Short
After School \| Robert's Wife \|
rowspan="5"\| 2009 \| Timer \| Girlfriend \|
Slinging Mud \| Guidance Counselor \| Short
Bring It On: Fight to the Finish \| Treyvonetta \| Video
{{sortname\|The\|Marc Pease Experience}} \| Tracey \|
Janky Promoters \| Female Fan \|
rowspan="3"\| 2011 \| Holly's Holiday \| Deena \| TV movie
Politics of Love \| Chelsea \|
He's Mine Not Yours \| Brooke \|
2012 \| Back Then \| Bobby Jo \|
rowspan="2"\| 2013 \| Reporting Live \| Guidance Counselor \|
What Would You Do for Love \| Paula \| TV movie
rowspan="3"\| 2014 \| Black Coffee \| Morgan \|
The Fright Night Files \| Serena \| TV movie
{{sortname\|A\|Super Secret\|nolink=1}} \| - \| Short
rowspan="2"\| 2015 \| My First Love \| Carmen \| Video; also executive producer
Call Me King \| Leena \|
2017 \| Girls Trip \| Herself \|
rowspan="2"\| 2022 \| A Madea Homecoming \| Laura \|
Wendell & Wild \| Wilma Elliot (voice) \| {{cite web\|url=https://collider.com/wendell-and-wild-cast-ving-rhames-david-harewood-netflix/\|title='Wendell & Wild' Teaser Announces Ving Rhames, David Harewood, and More Joining Voice Cast\|website=Collider\|last=King\|first=Jack\|date=March 14, 2022\|access-date=March 14, 2022}}
2025 \| One of Them Days \| Shayla \| {{cite magazine\|last=Stephan\|first=Katcy\|title=Keke Palmer and SZA's Buddy Comedy at TriStar Adds Dewayne Perkins, Amin Joseph, Gabrielle Dennis and DomiNque Perry (EXCLUSIVE)\|date=August 9, 2024\|magazine=Variety\|url=https://variety.com/2024/film/news/keke-palmer-sza-movie-cast-dewayne-perkins-amin-joseph-gabrielle-dennis-dominque-perry-1236101240/\|accessdate=September 21, 2024}}{{cite web\|title='One of Them Days' Trailer: Keke Palmer and SZA, in Her Acting Debut, Do Anything to Make Rent Money in R-Rated Buddy Comedy\|website=Variety\|first=Jack\|last=Dunn\|date=24 October 2024\|access-date=4 October 2024\|url=https://variety.com/2024/film/trailers/one-of-them-days-trailer-keke-palmer-sza-1236189225/}}

class="wikitable sortable"

Year

! Title

! Role

! Notes

1990

| A Mom for Christmas

| Christmas Box

| TV movie

2004

| He Can Get It

| Kyra

| Video

2005

| The Wickeds

| Kate

| Video

2006

| Let's Talk

| Khalil's Wife

| Short

rowspan="3"| 2008

| Drifter

| Miranda

Learning How to Speak

| Student

| Short

After School

| Robert's Wife

rowspan="5"| 2009

| Timer

| Girlfriend

Slinging Mud

| Guidance Counselor

| Short

Bring It On: Fight to the Finish

| Treyvonetta

| Video

{{sortname|The|Marc Pease Experience}}

| Tracey

Janky Promoters

| Female Fan

rowspan="3"| 2011

| Holly's Holiday

| Deena

| TV movie

Politics of Love

| Chelsea

He's Mine Not Yours

| Brooke

2012

| Back Then

| Bobby Jo

rowspan="2"| 2013

| Reporting Live

| Guidance Counselor

What Would You Do for Love

| Paula

| TV movie

rowspan="3"| 2014

| Black Coffee

| Morgan

The Fright Night Files

| Serena

| TV movie

{{sortname|A|Super Secret|nolink=1}}

| -

| Short

rowspan="2"| 2015

| My First Love

| Carmen

| Video; also executive producer

Call Me King

| Leena

2017

| Girls Trip

| Herself

rowspan="2"| 2022

| A Madea Homecoming

| Laura

Wendell & Wild

| Wilma Elliot (voice)

| {{cite web|url=https://collider.com/wendell-and-wild-cast-ving-rhames-david-harewood-netflix/|title='Wendell & Wild' Teaser Announces Ving Rhames, David Harewood, and More Joining Voice Cast|website=Collider|last=King|first=Jack|date=March 14, 2022|access-date=March 14, 2022}}

2025

| One of Them Days

| Shayla

| {{cite magazine|last=Stephan|first=Katcy|title=Keke Palmer and SZA's Buddy Comedy at TriStar Adds Dewayne Perkins, Amin Joseph, Gabrielle Dennis and DomiNque Perry (EXCLUSIVE)|date=August 9, 2024|magazine=Variety|url=https://variety.com/2024/film/news/keke-palmer-sza-movie-cast-dewayne-perkins-amin-joseph-gabrielle-dennis-dominque-perry-1236101240/|accessdate=September 21, 2024}}{{cite web|title='One of Them Days' Trailer: Keke Palmer and SZA, in Her Acting Debut, Do Anything to Make Rent Money in R-Rated Buddy Comedy|website=Variety|first=Jack|last=Dunn|date=24 October 2024|access-date=4 October 2024|url=https://variety.com/2024/film/trailers/one-of-them-days-trailer-keke-palmer-sza-1236189225/}}

=Television=

class="wikitable sortable"
Year ! Title ! Role ! Notes
1998–2000 \| Teen Summit \| Herself/Host \| Main Host
2004 \| The New Detectives \| Girlfriend \| Episode: "Vanished"
rowspan="2"\| 2005 \| Minding the Store \| Herself \| Episode: "Hot Girls of Comedy"
Ballin \| Herself/Host \| Main Host
2006 \| {{sortname\|The\|Underground\|The Underground (TV series)}} \| Herself/Cast Member \| Main Cast
2007 \| Campus Ladies \| Lena \| Episode: "Barri & Joan Rush a Black Sorority"
rowspan="3"\| 2008 \| Penn & Teller: Bullshit! \| Mock Trainer's Assistant \| Episode: "Sensitivity Training"
Wizards of Waverly Place \| Candace \| Episode: "Quinceanera"
My Name Is Earl \| Sassy Black \| Episode: "We've Got Spirit"
2008–12 \| {{sortname\|The\|Game\|The Game (U.S. TV series)}} \| Janay Brice \| Recurring Cast: Season 2–5
2009 \| Penn & Teller: Bullshit! \| Herself \| Episode: "Lie Detectors"
rowspan="2"\| 2010 \| Southland \| Michelle Hill \| Episode: "The Runner"
Blue Mountain State \| Denise Roy \| Main Cast: Season 1
2012 \| Franklin & Bash \| Nicole Toomin \| Episode: "Summer Girls"
rowspan="2"\| 2014 \| Justified \| Gloria \| Recurring Cast: Season 5
Baby Daddy \| Valerie Banks \| Episode: "Curious Georgie"
2015 \| Bones \| Alana Jackson \| Episode: "The Psychic in the Soup"
2015–16 \| Born Again Virgin \| Kelly/Bryn \| Episode: "Pilot" & "Call a Spade a Spade"
2015–17 \| Rosewood \| Pippy Rosewood \| Main Cast
rowspan="3"\| 2017 \| Tia Mowry at Home \| Herself \| Episode: "Booze and Bites"
Face Value \| Herself/Team Captain \| Episode: "Justin Hires Vs. Gabrielle Dennis"
Lady Dynamite \| Jessica Hu \| Episode: "Souplutions"
2017–18 \| Insecure \| Candice Peña \| Recurring Cast: Season 2, Guest: Season 3
rowspan="3"\| 2018 \| Luke Cage \| Tilda Johnson \| Main Cast: Season 2
The Bobby Brown Story \| Whitney Houston \| Episode: "Part I & II"
Hell's Kitchen \| Herself/Restaurant Patron \| Episode: "Families Come to Hell"
2018–19 \| S.W.A.T. \| Briana Harrelson \| Recurring Cast: Season 1 & 3, Guest: Season 2
rowspan="2"\| 2019 \| Rel \| Shannon \| Episode: "Cleveland"
American Soul \| Tina Turner \| Episode: "Proceed with Caution"
2019–23 \| A Black Lady Sketch Show \| Herself/Cast Member \| Main Cast
2021–23 \| The Upshaws \| Tasha Lewis \| Recurring Cast: Season 1–2, Guest: Season 3
2022 \| All American \| Lareesha \| Episode: "Turn Down for What"
2023–24 \| The Big Door Prize \| Cass \| Main Cast

class="wikitable sortable"

Year

! Title

! Role

! Notes

1998–2000

| Teen Summit

| Herself/Host

| Main Host

2004

| The New Detectives

| Girlfriend

| Episode: "Vanished"

rowspan="2"| 2005

| Minding the Store

| Herself

| Episode: "Hot Girls of Comedy"

Ballin

| Herself/Host

| Main Host

2006

| {{sortname|The|Underground|The Underground (TV series)}}

| Herself/Cast Member

| Main Cast

2007

| Campus Ladies

| Lena

| Episode: "Barri & Joan Rush a Black Sorority"

rowspan="3"| 2008

| Penn & Teller: Bullshit!

| Mock Trainer's Assistant

| Episode: "Sensitivity Training"

Wizards of Waverly Place

| Candace

| Episode: "Quinceanera"

My Name Is Earl

| Sassy Black

| Episode: "We've Got Spirit"

2008–12

| {{sortname|The|Game|The Game (U.S. TV series)}}

| Janay Brice

| Recurring Cast: Season 2–5

2009

| Penn & Teller: Bullshit!

| Herself

| Episode: "Lie Detectors"

rowspan="2"| 2010

| Southland

| Michelle Hill

| Episode: "The Runner"

Blue Mountain State

| Denise Roy

| Main Cast: Season 1

2012

| Franklin & Bash

| Nicole Toomin

| Episode: "Summer Girls"

rowspan="2"| 2014

| Justified

| Gloria

| Recurring Cast: Season 5

Baby Daddy

| Valerie Banks

| Episode: "Curious Georgie"

2015

| Bones

| Alana Jackson

| Episode: "The Psychic in the Soup"

2015–16

| Born Again Virgin

| Kelly/Bryn

| Episode: "Pilot" & "Call a Spade a Spade"

2015–17

| Rosewood

| Pippy Rosewood

| Main Cast

rowspan="3"| 2017

| Tia Mowry at Home

| Herself

| Episode: "Booze and Bites"

Face Value

| Herself/Team Captain

| Episode: "Justin Hires Vs. Gabrielle Dennis"

Lady Dynamite

| Jessica Hu

| Episode: "Souplutions"

2017–18

| Insecure

| Candice Peña

| Recurring Cast: Season 2, Guest: Season 3

rowspan="3"| 2018

| Luke Cage

| Tilda Johnson

| Main Cast: Season 2

The Bobby Brown Story

| Whitney Houston

| Episode: "Part I & II"

Hell's Kitchen

| Herself/Restaurant Patron

| Episode: "Families Come to Hell"

2018–19

| S.W.A.T.

| Briana Harrelson

| Recurring Cast: Season 1 & 3, Guest: Season 2

rowspan="2"| 2019

| Rel

| Shannon

| Episode: "Cleveland"

American Soul

| Tina Turner

| Episode: "Proceed with Caution"

2019–23

| A Black Lady Sketch Show

| Herself/Cast Member

| Main Cast

2021–23

| The Upshaws

| Tasha Lewis

| Recurring Cast: Season 1–2, Guest: Season 3

2022

| All American

| Lareesha

| Episode: "Turn Down for What"

2023–24

| The Big Door Prize

| Cass

| Main Cast

Source{{cite web |title=Gabrielle Dennis |url=https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/gabrielle-dennis/credits/3000014563/ |website=TV Guide |access-date=May 9, 2024}}