Jill Marie Jones
{{short description|American actress}}
{{for|other people named Jill Jones|Jill Jones (disambiguation)}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Jill Marie Jones
|image = Jill Marie Jones 2018.jpg
| caption = Jones in 2018
| birth_date =
| birth_place = Dallas, Texas, U.S.
| death_date =
| death_place =
| occupation = Actress, dancer
| years_active = 1993–present
}}
Jill Marie Jones Born 4th January 1975 is an American actress and former professional dancer and cheerleader. Jones is best known for her role as Antoinette "Toni" Childs-Garrett on the UPN comedy series, Girlfriends (2000–2006). Jones has appeared in a number of films, and had the recurring role as Cynthia Irving on the Fox supernatural series, Sleepy Hollow (2013–15). From 2015 to 2016, she starred as Amanda Fisher in the Starz horror-comedy series, Ash vs Evil Dead.
Early life
Jones was born in Dallas, Texas. After attending Duncanville High School, and Texas Woman's University, Jones was a Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader for two years, a Dallas Mavericks Dancer for one year, and toured with the United Service Organization (USO) and United States Department of Defense to Korea, Japan, Israel, and Egypt. She has also performed on Monday Night Football and "The Miss Texas Pageant." She started her career as a model, before moving to Los Angeles to pursue acting full-time.{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/movies/person/523787/Jill-Marie-Jones/biography|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140418092225/http://www.nytimes.com/movies/person/523787/Jill-Marie-Jones/biography|url-status=dead|archive-date=18 April 2014|department=Movies & TV Dept.|work=The New York Times|author=Nathan Southern|date=2014|title=Jill Marie Jones - Biography - Movies & TV - NYTimes.com|access-date=20 February 2015}}
Career
File:Mara Brock Akil and Girlfriends cast.jpg, Persia White, Golden Brooks and Tracee Ellis Ross in 2013. ]]
Jones made her screen debut in 2000, on the Saturday morning series City Guys. Later that year, she won the co-leading role alongside Tracee Ellis Ross, Golden Brooks and Persia White on the UPN comedy series, Girlfriends which was created by Mara Brock Akil. She played the role of self-centered and materialistic Toni Childs for six seasons of the series. In May 2006, it was confirmed that Jones left Girlfriends because her contract ended.{{Cite web |title=December 2007 {{!}} blackfilm.com {{!}} features {{!}} THE PERFECT HOLIDAY {{!}} An Interview with Jill Marie Jones |url=http://www.blackfilm.com/20071214/features/jillmariejones_p2.shtml |access-date=2023-01-25 |website=www.blackfilm.com}} When asked in a 2007 interview whether she felt the character of Toni Childs had run its course, Jones responded: "No, I think if Toni came back and when I say no, I say it because there are brilliant writers on ‘Girlfriends’. There is so much more that you can do. For me and my career, my contract was up after six seasons and there's a whole film world that I wanted to experience and that's what I’ve been doing. I think if Toni came back to the show, there would be so much more to write and much more to bring. That's a testament to how great Mara and the rest of the writers are".{{cite web|url = http://www.blackfilm.com/20071214/features/jillmariejones_p2.shtml|title = The Perfect Holiday: An Interview with Jill Marie Jones|publisher = Black Film| first = Wilson| last = Morales|date = December 18, 2007|access-date = March 27, 2009}}
After leaving Girlfriends, Jones began starring in films. She had the female leading roles in comedy films Universal Remote and Redrum (both 2007), and appeared in The Perfect Holiday, opposite Queen Latifah and Terrence Howard as well as Morris Chestnut, Rachel True, and Gabrielle Union. In August 2007, Jones filmed Major Movie Star with Jessica Simpson.{{cite web|url=http://blackvoices.aol.com/blogs/2007/07/17/jill-marie-jones-joins-jessica-simpson-in-major-movie-star/|title=Black News, Entertainment, Style and Culture - HuffPost Black Voices|work=The Huffington Post|access-date=20 February 2015|archive-date=8 July 2012|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120708220652/http://blackvoices.aol.com/blogs/2007/07/17/jill-marie-jones-joins-jessica-simpson-in-major-movie-star/|url-status=dead}} In September 2008, she appeared in the Ne-Yo video for "She Got Her Own" which is a remix to his hit single "Miss Independent". She next appeared in the 2010 music video "Got Your Back" starring T.I. ft. Keri Hilson. Jones also co-starred alongside Laura Harring in the 2009 independent film Drool.{{cite web|url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/drool/|title=Drool|website=Rotten Tomatoes |date=22 January 2009|access-date=20 February 2015}}
In 2010, Jones was cast in the leading role in the TBS micro-series, Gillian in Georgia. In 2013, she appeared on the second season of FX series, American Horror Story in the episode "Spilt Milk" as a call girl named Pandora. Later that year, Jones was cast in the recurring role as Cynthia Irving in the Fox supernatural drama series, Sleepy Hollow.{{cite web|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/sleepy-hollow-jill-marie-jones-650128|title='Sleepy Hollow': Jill Marie Jones Joins Season 1 - The Hollywood Reporter|author=Philiana Ng|work=The Hollywood Reporter|date=22 October 2013 |access-date=20 February 2015}} In February 2015, Starz announced that Jones was cast in a leading role as Michigan State Trooper Amanda Fisher in the comedy horror series Ash vs Evil Dead.Hipes, Patrick; [https://deadline.com/2015/02/jill-marie-jones-ash-vs-evil-dead-casting-starz-1201376901/ "Jill Marie Jones To Co-Star In Starz’s ‘Ash Vs. Evil Dead’"], Deadline Hollywood, 19 February 2015 (retrieved 19 February 2015).{{cite web|url=http://blogs.indiewire.com/shadowandact/jill-marie-jones-scores-female-lead-role-in-starz-original-series-based-on-evil-dead-film-franchise-20150219|title=Jill Marie Jones Scores Female Lead Role in Starz Original - Shadow and Act|author=Tambay A. Obenson|date=19 February 2015|work=Shadow and Act|access-date=20 February 2015}} In 2018, Jones began starring and producing the Urban Movie Channel drama series Monogamy.{{Cite web|url=https://www.essence.com/entertainment/only-essence/jill-marie-jones-umc-monogamy/|title=Jill Marie Jones Loves Playing Crazy Characters|date=6 December 2020 }} In 2019, she reunited with her Girlfriends co-stars Tracee Ellis Ross, Golden Brooks and Persia White in an episode of Ross's ABC comedy series Black-ish.{{Cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2019/09/abc-cast-from-the-past-week-girlfriends-blackish-the-connors-blues-brothers-2000-fresh-off-the-boat-crazy-rich-asians-1202736140/|title=ABC Reunites Cast Members From TV And Film With "Cast From The Past" Week|first1=Dino-Ray|last1=Ramos|date=September 16, 2019}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.thewrap.com/tracee-ellis-ross-to-reunite-with-girlfriends-cast-on-black-ish-this-season/|title=Tracee Ellis Ross to Reunite With 'Girlfriends' Cast on 'Black-ish'|date=September 12, 2019}}
In 2021, Jones was cast in the Oprah Winfrey Network legal drama series Delilah created by Craig Wright.{{Cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2020/08/own-orders-drama-series-delilah-greenleaf-creator-craig-wright-maahra-hill-cast-title-role-1203023297/|title=OWN Orders Drama Series 'Delilah' From 'Greenleaf' Creator Craig Wright With Maahra Hill Cast In Title Role|first1=Nellie Andreeva, Denise|last1=Petski|first2=Nellie|last2=Andreeva|first3=Denise|last3=Petski|date=August 26, 2020}} The show was canceled after single season. She had a supporting role in the period romantic drama film Charming the Hearts of Men later that year. In 2023, she got a recurring role in the Showtime drama series, The Chi.{{Cite web|url=https://www.thewrap.com/the-chi-season-6-jill-marie-jones/|title='The Chi' Casts Jill Marie Jones of 'Girlfriends' Fame as Guest Star|first=Kayla|last=Cobb|date=August 16, 2023}}
Filmography
=Film=
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| Year
! Title ! Role ! Notes |
|---|
| 2007
| Redrum | Tonya | |
| 2007
| Universal Remote | Mary Sciary | |
| 2007
| Robin | |
| 2008
| Private Connie Johnson | Also known as Private Valentine: Blonde & Dangerous |
| 2008
| Ronnie Macer | |
| 2009
| Drool | Imogene Cochran | |
| 2010
| Nikki Ross | |
| 2011
| Coco | |
| 2014
| Men, Money & Gold Diggers | Dedra |Direct-to-video |
| 2014
| Kate | |
| 2018
|Boo! |Elyse | |
| 2021
|Viola | |
=Television=
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| Year
! Title ! Role ! Notes |
|---|
| 2000
| Cheerleader Captain | Episode: "Shock Treatment" |
| 2000–2006
| Antoinette 'Toni' Marie Childs Garrett | 137 Episodes |
| 2010
| Gillian in Georgia | Gillian | 10 episodes |
| 2012
| American Horror Story: Asylum | Pandora | Episode: "Spilt Milk" |
| 2013–2015
| Cynthia Irving | 6 episodes |
| 2015–2016
| Amanda Fisher | 10 episodes |
| 2018–present
|Maggie |Series regular, also Executive producer |
| 2019
| Tina | Episode: "Feminisn't" |
| 2021
|Tamara Roberts |Series regular, 8 episodes |
| 2023
| Zenay |Episode: "Welcome to the New Do" |
| 2023–present
| Bianca |Recurring role |
References
{{Reflist|2}}
External links
- {{IMDb name |0428382 |Jill Marie Jones}}
- {{twitter|msjillmjones}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Jones, Jill Marie}}
Category:American film actresses
Category:American cheerleaders
Category:People from Duncanville, Texas
Category:Duncanville High School alumni
Category:American television actresses
Category:21st-century American actresses
Category:Actresses from Dallas
Category:Texas Woman's University alumni
Category:21st-century African-American actresses
Category:20th-century African-American actresses