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Anna Deavere Smith Biography

Birth Name:Anna Deavere Smith

Birth Place:Baltimore, Maryland, United States

Profession Actress, Writer, Producer

Fast Facts

  • Her acclaimed theater work has earned her an Obie award, a Drama Desk Award and a Special Citation from the New York Drama Critics Circle
  • Founded Anna Deavere Smith Works with the goal of creating an international community of artists and thinkers capable of addressing social issues
  • Served as an Artist in Residence at The Ford Foundation, MTV Networks, The Aspen Institute, the Center for American Progress and Grace Cathedral in San Francisco
  • Holds honorary degrees from Julliard, The School of Visual Arts, University of Pennsylvania, Wesleyan, Radcliffe, Northwestern, Bryn Mawr, Haverford, Barnard, Simmons College, and The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
  • Best known as Gloria Akalitus on "Nurse Jackie" and Nancy McNally on "The West Wing․"
  • Created a form of theater that combines journalistic interview techniques with artistic interpretation of subjects' words
  • Published "Talk to Me: Listening Between the Lines" and "Letters to a Young Artist․"

Awards

  • 2003Image Award-Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series: nominated
  • 2003WAFCA Award-Best Supporting Actress: winner
  • 2004Black Reel-Film: Best Supporting Actress: winner
  • 2004Image Award-Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series: nominated
  • 2008Gotham Independent Film Award-Best Ensemble Performance: nominated
  • 2009Critics Choice Award-Best Acting Ensemble: nominated
  • 2009Gold Derby Film Award-Ensemble Cast: nominated
  • 2011Image Award-Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series: nominated
  • 2013Actor-Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series: nominated
  • 2013Image Award-Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series: nominated
  • 2014Image Award-Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series: nominated
  • 2016Image Award-Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series: nominated
  • 2018Black Reel-Outstanding Guest Actress, Comedy Series: nominated
  • 2019Black Reel-Outstanding Guest Actress, Comedy Series: winner
  • 2019Critics Choice Award-Best Actress in a Movie Made for Television or Limited Series: nominated
  • 2019Image Award-Outstanding Actress in a Television Movie, Limited-Series or Dramatic Special: nominated
  • 2019Image Award-Outstanding Writing in a Motion Picture (Television): nominated
  • 2019Vision Award-Best Performance - Drama: nominated