Garcelle Beauvais

Haitian-American

Actress + Co-host, Hollywood Today Live

Website: garcelle.com

Instagram: @garcelle

Haitian-born actress, Garcelle Beauvais is the youngest of seven children born to Marie-Claire Beauvais and Axel Jean pierre; a nurse and lawyer respectively. After her parents’ divorce, Garcelle and her siblings moved to Massachusetts with their mother.

Miami, Florida would become the family’s second home, and also the start to Garcelle’s modeling career when she signed with Ford Models and Irene Marie Models at the age of 17. From modeling for Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom and Essence, to appearing in episodes for Miami Vice (1984-1985), Family Matters (1991-1996), and The Fresh Prince of Belair (1992-1995), 1994 would mark the year that Garcelle really began to gain national attention when she played Cynthia Nichols on the soap opera, Models, Inc. By 1996, she landed a leading role as Francesca “Fancy” Monroe on the 90s sitcom, the Jamie Foxx Show on the WB TV network. Five seasons and 100 episodes later, her success would lead her to an assistant district attorney role on ABC’s NYPD Blue (2001-2004).

Her other notable works include: playing Ronal Isley’s wife on R. Kelly’s music video for his certified platinum song, down low (1995); playing Luther Vandross’ girlfriend in his music video, Take You Out (2001); publishing ‘I Am Mixed’ – a children’s book that addressed diversity and race (2013); and switching from a guest-host to a co-host position on Hollywood Today Live earlier this year.

Interesting fact: Garcelle was a rose bearer in Coming to America (1988) – which was also her very first film role.

Sources: garcelle.com and CBS News