Shari Headley

Born in Queens, New York City, Headley is the youngest of four children.{{cite magazine|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Nr0DAAAAMBAJ&dq=%22Shari+Headley%22+-wikipedia&pg=PA36|pages=36−38|last=Haywood|first=Ritchette|date=August 22, 1988|title=Shari Headley: Eddie Murphy's Movie Bride Talks About Love, Men And Money|magazine=Jet|publisher=Johnson Publishing Company}} She is of part Trinidadian descent.{{cite web|url=http://fierceforblackwomen.com/2014/06/10/shari-headley-stars-at-home-and-in-the-community|title=Shari Headley Stars At Home And In The Community|work=fierceblackwoman.com|access-date=September 2, 2017}} Headley's father worked as a dental technician, and had wanted his daughter to be a doctor.{{cite news|last=Cook|first=Bruce|date=July 20, 1988|title=Detour led her to film career|page=E4|newspaper=The Day}} In college, she was a premedical student, minoring in drama and performing in school plays.

In 1984, Headley's modeling career began after her sister submitted a photo of Shari to the Ford Modeling Agency, without Headley's knowledge.{{cite news|date=April 21, 1991|title=Channel chatter|page=15|newspaper=The Daily Gazette}} She was a finalist in Eileen Ford's Face of the 80s campaign, and joined Ford afterwards. Headley modeled for various magazines, including Glamour and Mademoiselle.{{Cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3NQDAAAAMBAJ&q=shari+headley&pg=PA32|title=Ebony|date=March 3, 1989|publisher=Johnson Publishing Company|via=Google Books}}

Headley made her acting debut appearing in an episode of NBC sitcom The Cosby Show in 1985. Headley later appeared on Miami Vice, Quantum Leap,{{cite news|last=Burlingame|first=Jon|date=March 14, 1990|title='Andre's Mother' deals with death, denial, AIDS|page=B3|newspaper=Spokane Chronicle}} and Matlock. In 1988, she portrayed Lisa McDowell, an heiress to a fast food restaurant, in romantic comedy Coming to America.{{cite news|last=Knapp|first=Larry|date=July 7, 1988|title=Eddie Murphy makes a comic detour with 'America'|page=4|newspaper=The Cavalier Daily}} Eddie Murphy appears as her love interest in the film.{{cite web|url=http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/coming_to_america/|title=Coming to America|website=Rotten Tomatoes |date=June 29, 1988|access-date=February 7, 2016}} Being relatively unknown at the time, the film's director John Landis stated she was chosen in the role for that reason.{{cite news|date=November 20, 1988|title=Which of the characters below is played by... Eddie Murphy?|page=10|newspaper=New Straits Times}} One reviewer opined she and Murphy "shined" together,{{cite news|last=Dorsey|first=Kristina|date=July 3, 1988|title=Murphy drops wiseguy role in 'America' and returns to 'Saturday Night' innocence|page=C4|newspaper=The Day}} though another critic found Headley's performance "bland."{{cite news|last=Steelman|first=Ben|date=July 2, 1988|title=Eddie Murphy's finally maturing|page=3D|newspaper=Star-News}} The film was a box-office success grossing a worldwide total of $288,752,301.{{cite web|url=http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=comingtoamerica.htm|title=Coming to America (1988) – Box Office Mojo|access-date=February 7, 2016}}

The following year, Headley had a starring role alongside Louis Gossett Jr. in the short-lived ABC drama series, Gideon Oliver. In the series, she played Zina, the daughter of Gossett's character.{{cite news|last=O'Connor|first=John J.|date=February 20, 1989|title='Gideon Oliver' a bit too formidable|page=32|newspaper=The Free-Lance Star}} Later that year, she co-starred in the Kojak television film series.{{cite news|date=April 10, 1991|title='20/20' scares up ratings|page=3D|newspaper=Star-News}} In 1991, Headley joined the cast of ABC daytime soap opera, All My Children playing police officer Mimi Reed.{{cite news|date=November 6, 1991|title=AMC Actress Happy to Be a Commuter|page=7C|newspaper=Calhoun Times}} At the 25th NAACP Image Awards, she received an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Daytime Drama Series nomination, but lost to Victoria Rowell.{{cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=o1gEAAAAMBAJ&q=Shari+Headley+all+my+children&pg=PA37|title=The Crisis|access-date=February 7, 2016}} Headley received a second nomination the following year.{{cite news|url=https://newspapers.library.in.gov/cgi-bin/indiana?a=d&d=INR19940101-01.1.11&e=-------en-20--1--txt-txIN-%22Shari+Headley%22------|date=January 1, 1994|title=26th NAACP Image Award Announces Nominee|page=B5|newspaper=Indianapolis Recorder}} She was a regular on All My Children from 1991 to 1994, and returned to the series in 1995 and 2005.

After leaving the soap, she guest-starred on New York Undercover, Walker, Texas Ranger, and Cosby. In 1996, she had a supporting role in the comedy-drama film The Preacher's Wife directed by Penny Marshall.{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Z7JzuND1xFIC&dq=%22Shari+Headley%22+-wikipedia&pg=PA153|page=153|title=Screen World 1997|last=Willis|first=John|author-link=John A. Willis|date=1998|publisher=Applause Books|isbn=9781557833204}} In 1997, Headley landed a leading role as Juanita Barnes in the short-lived FOX drama series, 413 Hope St. alongside Richard Roundtree.{{cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1997-sep-10-ca-30583-story.html|title=Wayans Takes a Detour to the Gritty Side With '413 Hope St.'|work=Los Angeles Times|date=September 10, 1997 |access-date=February 7, 2016}}{{cite news|last=Bark|first=Ed|date=September 11, 1997|title=New Fox show offers 'Hope' for future episodes|page=3D|newspaper=Star-News}} The series was cancelled after only ten episodes,{{cite news|date=November 1, 1997|title=Fox cancels 413 Hope Street|page=A9|newspaper=Baltimore Afro-American}} but Headley received an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series nomination for her performance.{{cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/event/ev0000345/1998?ref_=nmawd_awd_1|title=Image Award|website=IMDb |access-date=February 7, 2016}} Headley portrayed Barbara, a woman looking for a man, in the pilot episode of Love Boat: The Next Wave.{{cite news|date=April 13, 1998|title=Tonight's Highlights|page=7A|newspaper=The Item}} She appeared as a counselor on sitcom The Wayans Bros..{{cite news|date=May 9, 1999|title=Thursday Best Bets|page=35|newspaper=Lakeland Ledger}}

In the early 2000s, Headley returned to daytime television playing the recurring roles of Felicia Boudreau on Guiding Light (2001–2002){{cite news|last=Goldstein|first=Toby|date=September 15, 2001|title=Great news for Nikki fans|page=4D|newspaper=Times Daily}} and Heather Engle in The Bold and the Beautiful (2004–2005). In 2004, she played Mack Johnson's (portrayed by Steve Harvey) wife Jacqueline in the comedy film, Johnson Family Vacation.{{cite web|url=http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/johnson_family_vacation/|title=Johnson Family Vacation|website=Rotten Tomatoes |date=April 7, 2004|access-date=February 7, 2016}} In 2007, she appeared in the comedy-drama film Towelhead.{{cite web|url=http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/towelhead/|title=Towelhead|website=Rotten Tomatoes |date=September 8, 2007|access-date=February 7, 2016}} She also had guest starring roles on Veronica Mars, House, Castle, and Switched at Birth.{{cite web|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/lists/stars-coming-america-are-they-1095528/eriq-la-salle-darryl-jenks/|title=The Stars of 'Coming to America': Where Are They Now?|last=Haylock|first=Zoe|date=June 29, 2018|website=The Hollywood Reporter|access-date=November 3, 2022}}

In 2014, she joined the cast of Oprah Winfrey Network primetime soap opera, The Haves and the Have Nots created by Tyler Perry, playing District Attorney Jennifer Sallison.{{Cite news|url=http://fierceforblackwomen.com/2014/06/10/shari-headley-stars-at-home-and-in-the-community/|title=Shari Headley Stars at Home and in Community|date=June 10, 2014|work=Fierce for Black Women|access-date=February 8, 2018|language=en-US}} She was promoted to series regular as of season four. In 2019, she had a recurring role in On Becoming a God in Central Florida. Headley reprised her role of Queen Lisa Joffer from Coming to America in the sequel Coming 2 America in 2021.{{Cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2019/08/coming-2-america-sequel-shari-headley-eddie-murphy-paramount-1202666423/|title='Coming 2 America' Sequel: Shari Headley Officially Returning|first1=Amanda|last1=N'Duka|date=August 12, 2019}}

Headley was married to actor and entertainer Christopher Martin, better known as "Play" from the hip-hop rap duo Kid N' Play, from May 1993 until they divorced in June 1995.{{Cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0tMDAAAAMBAJ&q=shari+headley&pg=PA32|title=Ebony|date=February 3, 1993|publisher=Johnson Publishing Company|via=Google Books}}{{Cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=sboDAAAAMBAJ&q=shari+headley&pg=PA61|title=Jet|date=March 29, 1993|publisher=Johnson Publishing Company|via=Google Books}} Martin and Headley have one son together.{{cite news|date=July 31, 2001|title=Kid 'N Play rapper needs to pay for his kid|page=D4|newspaper=Sunday Free Lance-Star}}

{{reflist}}

• {{Official website|shariheadley.com}}
• {{IMDb name|0372191|Shari Headley}}

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Category:1964 births

Category:20th-century American actresses

Category:21st-century American actresses

Category:American film actresses

Category:American people of Trinidad and Tobago descent

Category:American soap opera actresses

Category:American television actresses

Category:Living people

Category:Actresses from Queens, New York

Category:20th-century African-American actresses

Category:21st-century African-American actresses