Rutina Wesley
Biography
Rutina Wesley is an American actress who grew up in Las Vegas, Nevada, and trained in dance before studying theater performance at the University of Evansville, where she earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in 2001. She then attended the Juilliard School, graduating in 2005, and spent a summer at London's Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. Her stage work includes David Hare's The Vertical Hour on Broadway in 2006 and In Darfur at the Public Theater in 2007. She took the lead in the step-dancing film How She Move (2007), and became known as Tara Thornton in True Blood. Later roles include Reba McClane on Hannibal, Liza Warner on Arrow, and Nova Bordelon, the central character of Queen Sugar, while in 2023 she played Maria Miller in The Last of Us. Dean College awarded her an honorary Doctor of Arts degree in 2023.
47years old
Turns 48 on December 21in 40 days
- Born Las Vegas
- Star sign: SagittariusLast day of the sign, on the Capricorn cusp
Movie Career
- Films
- 4
- Career span
- 8 years2007 to 2015
Every film, newest first
- 2015The Perfect GuyIMDb rating 5.6
- 201413 SinsIMDb rating 6.3
- 2014Last WeekendIMDb rating 5.5
- 2007How She MoveIMDb rating 3.6
Genres
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Big break
In 2007 Rutina Wesley tried out for Tara Thornton on the HBO show True Blood. Alan Ball, who created it, gave her the part since she was the first to reveal the character's vulnerable side.
First role
Wesley made her on-screen debut as the lead in How She Move, a character inspired by John Travolta's Tony Manero in Saturday Night Fever, and trained for five weeks in dance and dialect.
A role that slipped away
Wesley appeared in a minor part in the 2005 movie Hitch, but the role was cut from the final version.
Rutina Wesley movies on Netflix
Worked with
Rutina Wesley shares two films with Devon Graye, and one with each of the others. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.
Films together
Devon Graye's page
Ron Perlman's page
Chris Mulkey's page
Patricia Clarkson's page
Ritchie Montgomery's page
Pruitt Taylor Vince's page
Daniel StammDirector, 1 film, 2014
All films by Daniel Stamm
David M. RosenthalDirector, 1 film, 2015
All films by David M. Rosenthal
Ian Iqbal RashidDirector, 1 film, 2007
All films by Ian Iqbal Rashid
Awards
One award and honor.
| Year | Award | Film | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Other honors | |||
| Black Reel Award for Outstanding Actress, Drama Series | Queen Sugar | Won | |
Online
Official profiles and reference pages.