Salli Richardson-Whitfield

Biography

Salli Richardson-Whitfield is an American actress, director and producer. She was born in Chicago and began acting in the Kuumba Workshop theater at the University of Chicago Laboratory Schools. After small parts in Prelude to a Kiss (1992) and Posse (1993), she became known for playing Angela in A Low Down Dirty Shame (1994). She voiced Elisa Maza on the animated series Gargoyles from 1994 to 1996, appeared as Viveca Foster in the CBS legal drama Family Law from 1999 to 2002, and played Allison Blake on the Syfy series Eureka from 2006 to 2012. Her film credits include The Great White Hype (1996), Antwone Fisher (2002), Anacondas: The Hunt for the Blood Orchid (2004) and I Am Legend (2007). She later turned to directing and producing, earning five Primetime Emmy nominations, and in 2024 became the first black woman nominated for Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series, for Winning Time.

58years old

Turns 59 on November 23in 13 days

Born November 23, 1967Chicago
Star sign: SagittariusThe sign runs November 22 to December 21
Salli Elise Richardson (birth name)Also credited as Salli Elise Richardson-Whitfield

Movie Career

Films: 11
Career span: 18 years1992 to 2010

Genres

Drama64%, 7 films
Action36%, 4 films
Adventure27%, 3 films
Comedy27%, 3 films
Romance27%, 3 films

First and latest

Photos

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Behind the award
In 2024, Richardson-Whitfield was nominated for Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series at the 76th Primetime Emmy Awards. She earned the nomination for directing the "BEAT L.A." episode of Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty, becoming the first black woman to do so.
Behind the award
In 2026, Richardson-Whitfield was nominated twice for Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series at the 78th Primetime Emmy Awards, the first black woman to do so. Her nominations were for an episode of The Gilded Age and an episode of Task.
Early training
Richardson-Whitfield launched her acting career at the Kuumba Workshop theater at the University of Chicago Laboratory Schools, where she also played tennis in high school and graduated in 1985.
A role that slipped away
In 2014, Richardson landed a recurring part on Lifetime's The Lottery as the country's first lady, but Shelley Conn got the role instead.
Behind the camera
Richardson-Whitfield's first directing work was on two episodes of Eureka. Then in 2016 she directed two episodes of Queen Sugar, Ava DuVernay's drama series, for Oprah Winfrey Network.
Behind the camera
Richardson-Whitfield signed a project development deal with HBO in September 2020, and produces and directs episodes of HBO's The Gilded Age and Adam McKay's Winning Time.