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Tessa Thompson Biography

Birth Name:Tessa Lynne Thompson

Birth Place:Los Angeles, California, United States

Profession Actress, Producer, Soundtrack

Fast Facts

Honored by ESSENCE magazine's Black Women in Hollywood Awards in 2018
Won a Gotham Award for Breakthrough Actor for her role in "Dear White People․"
Granddaughter of bandleader Bobby Ramos
Daughter of singer Marc A․ Thompson, member of the band "Chocolate Genius․"
Made her stage debut in the LA Women's Shakespeare Company's 2002 play "The Tempest․"
Often takes on the role of strong, independent characters
Has been a member of the musical group "Caught a Ghost․"

Awards

2009Grand Jury Prize-Best Actor: winner
2011Black Reel-Best Breakthrough Performance: winner
2014AAFCA Award-Breakthrough Performance: winner
2014Gotham Independent Film Award-Breakthrough Actor: winner
2015AAFCA Award-Best Supporting Actress: winner
2015BFCC Award-Best Supporting Actress: winner
2015Black Reel-Outstanding Actress, Motion Picture: nominated
2015Breakthrough Award-: nominated
2015Breakthrough Performer-: winner
2015Image Award-Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture: nominated
2015ICP Award-Best Supporting Actress: nominated
2016All Def Movie Award-Best Actress: nominated
2016Black Reel-Outstanding Supporting Actress, Motion Picture: winner
2016Black Reel-Outstanding Original Song: nominated
2016Image Award-Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture: winner
2016Seattle Film Critics Award-Best Music, Original Song: winner
2016Teen Choice Award-Choice Movie Actress: Drama: nominated
2018Saturn Award-Best Supporting Actress: nominated
2018Black Reel-Outstanding Supporting Actress, Motion Picture: nominated
2018Black Reel-Outstanding Supporting Actress, Drama Series: nominated
2018Empire Award-Best Female Newcomer: nominated
2018Image Award-Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture: nominated
2018NTFCA Award-Best Supporting Actress: nominated
2018Odyssey Award-Best Support Actress: nominated
2018Teen Choice Award-Choice Movie Actress: Sci-Fi: nominated
2018The BAM Award-Best Cast: nominated
2019COFCA Award-Actor of the Year (for an exemplary body of work): nominated
2019Best Actress-: winner
2019Grand Jury-Best Performance: winner
2019People's Choice Award-Favorite Female Movie Star: nominated
2019Teen Choice Award-Choice Action Movie Actress: nominated
2019The BAM Award-Best Cast: nominated
2020Chlotrudis Award-Best Actress: nominated
2021Saturn Award-Best Supporting Actress in a Television Series: nominated
2021BFCC Award-Best Actress: winner
2021Black Reel-Outstanding Actress: nominated
2021Black Reel-Outstanding Actress, TV Movie/Limited Series: nominated
2021Critics Choice Award-Best Actress in a Limited Series or a Movie Made for Television: nominated
2021Gotham Independent Film Award-Outstanding Lead Performance: nominated
2021Image Award-Outstanding Actress in a Television Movie, Limited Series or Dramatic Special: nominated
2021IFJA Award-Best Actress: nominated
2021ICP Award-Best Performance: nominated
2021NYFCO Award-Best Actress: winner
2021OAFFC Award-Best Female Lead: nominated
2021PCA Award-Best Female Leading Role: nominated
2021Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Television Movie: nominated
2021VHS Award-Best Actress: nominated
2021WAFCA Award-Best Actress: nominated
2021WFCC Award-Best Screen Couple: winner
2022EDA Award-Best Actress: nominated
2022BAFTA Film Award-Best Leading Actress: nominated
2022Black Reel-Outstanding Actress: winner
2022BOFA-Best Actress: nominated
2022CIC Award-Best Actress: winner
2022CinEuphoria-Best Actress - International Competition: nominated
2022COFCA Award-Best Actress: nominated
2022Dorian Award-Film Performance of the Year: nominated
2022Image Award-Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture: nominated
2022LEJA Award-Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role: nominated
2022SFBAFCC Award-Best Actress: nominated
2025BFCC Award-Best Actress: winner
2025CFCA Award-Best Actress: nominated
2025Actress Award for Film-Black Cinema & Television: winner
2025Tribute Award-Spotlight: winner
2025Gotham Independent Film Award-Outstanding Lead Performance: nominated
2025NYFCO Award-Best Actress: nominated
2025VHS Award-Best Actress: nominated
2026AAFCA Award-Best Actress: winner
2026EDA Award-Best Actress: nominated
2026Astra Award-Best Actress in a Motion Picture Drama: nominated
2026Black Reel-Outstanding Film: nominated
2026Black Reel-Outstanding Lead Performance: nominated
2026Dorian Award-Film Performance of the Year: nominated
2026Independent Spirit Award-Best Lead Performance: nominated
2026Girls on Film Award-Best Ensemble Cast: nominated
2026Golden Globe-Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Motion Picture - Drama: nominated
2026Image Award-Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture: nominated
2026ICS Award-Best Actress: nominated
2026Queerty-Film Performance: nominated