Nicole Ari Parker
Encyclopedia
Nicole Ari Parker Kodjoe (born October 7, 1970), also known as Nikki Kodjoe, is an American actress and a former model. She is perhaps best known for her role as attorney Teri Joseph
on the Showtime television drama series Soul Food and her role as Becky Barnett in Boogie Nights
.
. She is the only child of her divorced parents, health care professional Susan Parker and dentist Donald Parker. Parker's ethnic background is African American
and Cherokee
. At the age of 17, she won best actress in the state of Maryland's high school competition and then moved to the Washington Ballet Company before applying to the New York University
's Tisch School of the Arts
. She graduated with an acting degree in 1993.
, Boogie Nights
, 200 Cigarettes
, and the 1999 Sundance Film Festival
winner The Adventures of Sebastian Cole
. She starred with her husband, model and actor Boris Kodjoe
, in UPN
's situation comedy
Second Time Around.
After a string of odd jobs (including scooping ice cream), bit-roles and low wage work in the theater circuit, Parker was offered her breakthrough role on Soul Food. In Soul Food, she showcased her singing voice in several episodes. Parker also had a guest appearance on CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
, playing a singer. She played the role of Stephanie in the movie Divas, alongside Khalil Kain. She also had a lead role in the 1998 film Exiled: A Law & Order Movie
. She worked alongside Martin Lawrence
in two of his films: Blue Streak
and Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins
.
on May 21, 2005 in Gundelfingen
, Germany
. She gave birth to their first child, a girl, Sophie Tei-Naaki Lee Kodjoe, on March 5, 2005. Sophie has spina bifida
, which was diagnosed at birth. Parker gave birth to the couple's second child, Nicolas Neruda Kodjoe, a boy, on October 31, 2006 in Atlanta
, Georgia
. The family resides in Atlanta.
Teri Joseph
Teri Joseph Carter is a fictional character from the Showtime television series Soul Food. The character first appeared in the 1997 film Soul Food, and was portrayed by Vanessa L. Williams...
on the Showtime television drama series Soul Food and her role as Becky Barnett in Boogie Nights
Boogie Nights
Boogie Nights is a 1997 drama film written and directed by Paul Thomas Anderson. Set in Los Angeles's San Fernando Valley, the script focuses on a young nightclub dishwasher who becomes a popular star of pornographic films, and chronicles his rise and fall from the Golden Age of Porn of the 1970s...
.
Early life
Parker was born in Baltimore, MarylandMaryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
. She is the only child of her divorced parents, health care professional Susan Parker and dentist Donald Parker. Parker's ethnic background is African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
and Cherokee
Cherokee
The Cherokee are a Native American people historically settled in the Southeastern United States . Linguistically, they are part of the Iroquoian language family...
. At the age of 17, she won best actress in the state of Maryland's high school competition and then moved to the Washington Ballet Company before applying to the New York University
New York University
New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
's Tisch School of the Arts
Tisch School of the Arts
Tisch School of the Arts is one of the 15 schools that make up New York University ....
. She graduated with an acting degree in 1993.
Career
Early in her career she appeared in several critically acclaimed independent films including The Incredibly True Adventure of Two Girls in LoveThe Incredibly True Adventure of Two Girls in Love
The Incredibly True Adventure of Two Girls in Love is a 1995 film, written and directed by Maria Maggenti, of the story of two very different high school girls who fall in love. It generated good notices and publicity at the 1995 Sundance Film Festival. It also launched the film careers of Laurel...
, Boogie Nights
Boogie Nights
Boogie Nights is a 1997 drama film written and directed by Paul Thomas Anderson. Set in Los Angeles's San Fernando Valley, the script focuses on a young nightclub dishwasher who becomes a popular star of pornographic films, and chronicles his rise and fall from the Golden Age of Porn of the 1970s...
, 200 Cigarettes
200 Cigarettes
200 Cigarettes is a 1999 comedy-drama film starring Ben Affleck, Casey Affleck, Dave Chappelle, Guillermo Díaz, Angela Featherstone, Janeane Garofalo, Gaby Hoffman, Kate Hudson, Courtney Love, Jay Mohr, Martha Plimpton, Christina Ricci and Paul Rudd. The film also features paintings by Sally...
, and the 1999 Sundance Film Festival
Sundance Film Festival
The Sundance Film Festival is a film festival that takes place annually in Utah, in the United States. It is the largest independent cinema festival in the United States. Held in January in Park City, Salt Lake City, and Ogden, as well as at the Sundance Resort, the festival is a showcase for new...
winner The Adventures of Sebastian Cole
The Adventures of Sebastian Cole
The Adventures of Sebastian Cole is a 1998 American comedy-drama film written and directed by Tod Williams and starring Adrian Grenier as the title character.-Plot:...
. She starred with her husband, model and actor Boris Kodjoe
Boris Kodjoe
Boris Frederic Cecil Tay-Natey Ofuatey-Kodjoe , better known as Boris Kodjoe, is an Austrian-born German actor and former fashion model who works primarily in the United States...
, in UPN
UPN
United Paramount Network was a television network that was broadcast in over 200 markets in the United States from 1995 to 2006. UPN was originally owned by Viacom/Paramount and Chris-Craft Industries, the former of which, through the Paramount Television Group, produced most of the network's...
's situation comedy
Situation comedy
A situation comedy, often shortened to sitcom, is a genre of comedy that features characters sharing the same common environment, such as a home or workplace, accompanied with jokes as part of the dialogue...
Second Time Around.
After a string of odd jobs (including scooping ice cream), bit-roles and low wage work in the theater circuit, Parker was offered her breakthrough role on Soul Food. In Soul Food, she showcased her singing voice in several episodes. Parker also had a guest appearance on CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation is an American crime drama television series, which premiered on CBS on October 6, 2000. The show was created by Anthony E. Zuiker and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer...
, playing a singer. She played the role of Stephanie in the movie Divas, alongside Khalil Kain. She also had a lead role in the 1998 film Exiled: A Law & Order Movie
Exiled: A Law & Order Movie
Exiled: A Law & Order Movie is a 1998 television film that is based on the Law & Order police procedural and legal drama television series; it originally aired on NBC. Written by Charles Kipps and Chris Noth, the movie revolves around Noth's Det. Mike Logan character...
. She worked alongside Martin Lawrence
Martin Lawrence
Martin Fitzgerald Lawrence is an American actor, film director, film producer, screenwriter, and stand up comedian. He came to fame during the 1990s, establishing a Hollywood career as a leading actor, most notably the films Bad Boys, Blue Streak, and Big Momma's House...
in two of his films: Blue Streak
Blue Streak (film)
Blue Streak is a 1999 American action comedy film directed by Les Mayfield and starring Martin Lawrence. The film is a remake of the 1965 British film The Big Job, although the original film is uncredited...
and Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins
Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins
Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins is a 2008 American comedy film written and directed by Malcolm D. Lee and distributed by Universal Pictures. The film features an all star cast featuring: Martin Lawrence, Michael Clarke Duncan, Mike Epps, Mo'Nique, Cedric the Entertainer, Louis CK and James Earl...
.
Personal life
Parker eloped with actor Joseph Falasca in March 2001. Their marriage lasted only eight months; they divorced later that year. She married her Soul Food co-star Boris KodjoeBoris Kodjoe
Boris Frederic Cecil Tay-Natey Ofuatey-Kodjoe , better known as Boris Kodjoe, is an Austrian-born German actor and former fashion model who works primarily in the United States...
on May 21, 2005 in Gundelfingen
Gundelfingen
Gundelfingen im Breisgau is a municipality directly north of the city Freiburg in Baden-Württemberg in southern Germany.Gundelfingen is one of the larger municipalities in the Breisgau-Hochschwarzwald district...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. She gave birth to their first child, a girl, Sophie Tei-Naaki Lee Kodjoe, on March 5, 2005. Sophie has spina bifida
Spina bifida
Spina bifida is a developmental congenital disorder caused by the incomplete closing of the embryonic neural tube. Some vertebrae overlying the spinal cord are not fully formed and remain unfused and open. If the opening is large enough, this allows a portion of the spinal cord to protrude through...
, which was diagnosed at birth. Parker gave birth to the couple's second child, Nicolas Neruda Kodjoe, a boy, on October 31, 2006 in Atlanta
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
, Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
. The family resides in Atlanta.
Filmography
- The Incredibly True Adventure of Two Girls in LoveThe Incredibly True Adventure of Two Girls in LoveThe Incredibly True Adventure of Two Girls in Love is a 1995 film, written and directed by Maria Maggenti, of the story of two very different high school girls who fall in love. It generated good notices and publicity at the 1995 Sundance Film Festival. It also launched the film careers of Laurel...
(1995) - Divas (1995)
- Boogie NightsBoogie NightsBoogie Nights is a 1997 drama film written and directed by Paul Thomas Anderson. Set in Los Angeles's San Fernando Valley, the script focuses on a young nightclub dishwasher who becomes a popular star of pornographic films, and chronicles his rise and fall from the Golden Age of Porn of the 1970s...
(1997) - The End of ViolenceThe End of ViolenceThe End of Violence is a 1997 film by the German director Wim Wenders. The film's cast includes Bill Pullman, Gabriel Byrne, Traci Lind, Rosalind Chao, Andie MacDowell, and Loren Dean, among others. It also features a soundtrack marked with the signature sounds of Wenders regulars Jon Hassell, Ry...
(1997) - Exiled: A Law & Order MovieExiled: A Law & Order MovieExiled: A Law & Order Movie is a 1998 television film that is based on the Law & Order police procedural and legal drama television series; it originally aired on NBC. Written by Charles Kipps and Chris Noth, the movie revolves around Noth's Det. Mike Logan character...
(1998) - The Adventures of Sebastian ColeThe Adventures of Sebastian ColeThe Adventures of Sebastian Cole is a 1998 American comedy-drama film written and directed by Tod Williams and starring Adrian Grenier as the title character.-Plot:...
(1998) - SparkSpark (film)Spark is a 1998 film starring Terrence Howard and Nicole Ari Parker. Garret Williams made his directorial debut with this tale of an urban black couple trapped in a desert town of rednecks after their car breaks down after hitting a dog. Byron and Nina are driving a BMW from Chicago to L.A...
(1998) - Mute Love (1999)
- 200 Cigarettes200 Cigarettes200 Cigarettes is a 1999 comedy-drama film starring Ben Affleck, Casey Affleck, Dave Chappelle, Guillermo Díaz, Angela Featherstone, Janeane Garofalo, Gaby Hoffman, Kate Hudson, Courtney Love, Jay Mohr, Martha Plimpton, Christina Ricci and Paul Rudd. The film also features paintings by Sally...
(1999) - Blue StreakBlue Streak (film)Blue Streak is a 1999 American action comedy film directed by Les Mayfield and starring Martin Lawrence. The film is a remake of the 1965 British film The Big Job, although the original film is uncredited...
(1999) - The Loretta Claiborne Story (film) (1999)
- Dancing in SeptemberDancing in SeptemberDancing in September is a 2000 television film starring Isaiah Washington and Nicole Ari Parker.-Plot:It focused on a black television producer , who works for a major network, and the troubles she faces in her environment, mainly painting a positive portrayal of Blacks in the media.-Cast:*Nicole...
(2000) - Remember the TitansRemember the TitansRemember the Titans is a 2000 American sports film produced by Jerry Bruckheimer and directed by Boaz Yakin. Inspired by real events, the plot was conceived from a screenplay written by Gregory Allen Howard. The film starts as a new coach of the Titans, a football team previously coached by the...
(2000) - Loving Jezebel (2000)
- Brown Sugar (2002)
- King's RansomKing's RansomKing's Ransom is a 2005 comedy film, directed by Jeffrey W. Byrd and written by Wayne Conley, who was a writer for Kenan & Kel.-Plot:Malcolm King is a wealthy, selfish, obnoxious businessman who is about to divorce his wife Renee...
(2005) - Welcome Home Roscoe JenkinsWelcome Home Roscoe JenkinsWelcome Home Roscoe Jenkins is a 2008 American comedy film written and directed by Malcolm D. Lee and distributed by Universal Pictures. The film features an all star cast featuring: Martin Lawrence, Michael Clarke Duncan, Mike Epps, Mo'Nique, Cedric the Entertainer, Louis CK and James Earl...
(2008) - Imagine ThatImagine ThatImagine That is a country/pop song written for Patsy Cline by Justin Tubb."Imagine That" was one of three minor hits produced by Patsy Cline in 1962. By this time as well, Patsy Cline was already a very successful Country/Pop singer, racking up a string of major hits like "I Fall to Pieces",...
(2009) - Pastor BrownPastor BrownPastor Brown is an upcoming feature film, set for release in 2010. It was written by Rhonda Baraka and directed by Rockmond Dunbar. The film was shot in Atlanta, Georgia. Pastor Brown stars Salli Richardson, Nicole Ari Parker, Michael Beach, Monica, and Keith David...
(2009) - 35 and Ticking35 and Ticking35 and Ticking is an african american comedy/romance film directed by Russ Parr.The film features a large African American ensemble cast, starring Meagan Good, Nicole Ari Parker, Tamala Jones, Kevin Hart, Kym Whitley, Luenell, Darius McCrary, Dondre Whitfield, Mike Epps, Clifton Powell, Jill Marie...
(2011)
Television
- CosbyCosbyCosby is a situation comedy television series broadcast on CBS from September 16, 1996 to April 28, 2000, loosely based on the British sitcom One Foot in the Grave. The program starred Bill Cosby, Phylicia Rashād...
(1999–2000) - CSI: Crime Scene InvestigationCSI: Crime Scene InvestigationCSI: Crime Scene Investigation is an American crime drama television series, which premiered on CBS on October 6, 2000. The show was created by Anthony E. Zuiker and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer...
(1 episode, guest appearance, 2002) - Soul FoodSoul foodSoul food cuisine consists of a selection of foods traditional in the cuisine of African Americans. It is closely related to the cuisine of the Southern United States...
(2000–2004) - Second Time AroundSecond Time AroundSecond Time Around is an American television show from the UPN Network that ran during the 2004-05 season. After 13 episodes, the show was cancelled, citing low ratings.-Premise:...
(2004–2005) - All of UsAll of UsAll of Us is an American sitcom that premiered on the now-defunct UPN network in the United States on September 16, 2003, where it aired for its first three seasons. October 1, 2006, the show moved to The CW, a new network formed by the merger of UPN and The WB All of Us is an American sitcom that...
(2004) - The Deep EndThe Deep End (TV series)The Deep End is an American television series created by David Hemingson and produced by 20th Century Fox Television for the ABC television network...
(2010) (Susan Oppenheim)
Awards and nominations
- Image Awards
- 2001, Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture: Remember the TitansRemember the TitansRemember the Titans is a 2000 American sports film produced by Jerry Bruckheimer and directed by Boaz Yakin. Inspired by real events, the plot was conceived from a screenplay written by Gregory Allen Howard. The film starts as a new coach of the Titans, a football team previously coached by the...
(Nominated) - 2001, Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series: Soul Food (Nominated)
- 2002, Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series: Soul Food (Nominated)
- 2003, Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture: Brown Sugar (Nominated)
- 2003, Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series: Soul Food (Nominated)
- 2004, Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series: Soul Food (Nominated)
- 2005, Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series: Soul Food (Nominated)
- 2001, Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture: Remember the Titans
- Screen Actors GuildScreen Actors GuildThe Screen Actors Guild is an American labor union representing over 200,000 film and television principal performers and background performers worldwide...
- 1998, Outstanding Cast in a Motion Picture: Boogie NightsBoogie NightsBoogie Nights is a 1997 drama film written and directed by Paul Thomas Anderson. Set in Los Angeles's San Fernando Valley, the script focuses on a young nightclub dishwasher who becomes a popular star of pornographic films, and chronicles his rise and fall from the Golden Age of Porn of the 1970s...
(Nominated)
- 1998, Outstanding Cast in a Motion Picture: Boogie Nights