LisaRaye McCoy
LisaRaye McCoy (born September 23, 1967),[3][4][5][6] known as LisaRaye, is an American actress, fashion designer, model, businesswoman and former first lady of the Turks and Caicos Islands. McCoy is best known for portraying Diana "Diamond" Armstrong in the 1998 film The Players Club, Neesee James on the UPN/The CW sitcom All of Us from 2003 until 2007 and Keisha Greene in the VH1 romantic comedy series Single Ladies which originally aired from 2011 to 2015.[7] She was also married to Michael Misick, the first Premier of the Turks and Caicos Islands, from 2006 until 2010; during that time she served as First Lady of Turks and Caicos.[8][9]
LisaRaye McCoy | |
|---|---|
McCoy hosting the Dark and Lovely & Essence Magazine Panel in Chicago on June 12, 2010. | |
| Born | September 23, 1967 Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| Nationality | American |
| Other names |
|
| Education | Eastern Illinois University |
| Occupations |
|
| Years active | 1992–present |
| Spouse(s) | [2] |
| Partner | Kenji Pace (1988–1990) |
| Children | 1 |
| Relatives | Da Brat (half-sister) |
Biography
Early life
McCoy was born in Chicago, Illinois.[10][11][12] McCoy is the daughter of David Ray McCoy, a Chicago businessman,[13] and Katie McCoy,[14] a former professional model. Her paternal half-sister is Da Brat. Growing up on the south side of Chicago, McCoy attended St. James College Prep, Kenwood Academy and later Thornridge High School; graduating in 1986.[15] After high school, McCoy attended Eastern Illinois University before pursuing an acting career.[16]
Career
McCoy made her acting debut as the lead in Reasons, an independent film directed by Monty Ross. McCoy is perhaps best known for her role as Diamond in The Players Club, directed and written by Ice Cube.[17] She also appeared in The Wood, opposite Taye Diggs, Rhapsody, All About You, and Go for Broke. In 2003, McCoy starred as Neesee James in the UPN/ The CW sitcom All of Us, where she played Duane Martin's ex-wife. The series ended in 2007.[18] McCoy began her career as a model for fashion, but before that she was married to Archie Amerson. She did shows in churches and high schools in her native Chicago. In addition to acting, McCoy has also appeared in dozens of music videos, including "Know Filter 2" by Shleah, Tugoa, T.Lee, "Download" by Lil' Kim, Changing Faces's "Same Tempo", Ginuwine's "Last Chance", Ludacris' "Number 1 Spot", Calvin Richardson's "True Love," Sisqó's "Incomplete", Lil Jon and Ice Cube's "Roll Call", "I Don't Wanna See" and " I Really Want to Sex Your Body," by Link, Tupac Shakur's "Toss It Up", "Never Be The Same Again" by Ghostface Killah & Carl Thomas, ""Unpredictable" by Jamie Foxx, Ooohhhwwweee" by Master P, "Slip N' Slide by Danny Boy, and "Are You in the Mood" by Teddy & Dru Down. She also had a cameo in Seven's music video "Girls" & Jaheim's music video "Back Tight Wit You"[17][19] McCoy also recorded the single "Would You?" with rapper Benzino.[20] In 2005, McCoy launched two fashion lines: Luxe & Romance, a lingerie line that was introduced during New York's Fashion Week, and Xraye, a jeans line for women.[21] In 2011, she launched her jean collection "The LisaRaye Collection" in partnership with PZI Jeans, and a hair line, "LisaRaye Glamour." That same year, she was the Ambassador/Grand Marshal for the 70th Magic City Classic parade and football game in Birmingham, Alabama.[citation needed]
The actress has an upcoming movie "You Married Dat" release date to be announced. The movie stars Juhahn Jones, Michael Colyar, Trisha Mann, Apryl Jones, Trisha Mann, and Audra Kinkead.[citation needed]
Personal life
McCoy has a daughter named Kai Morae Pace (born December 5, 1989) with Kenji Pace. In 1992, McCoy married Tony Martin. They divorced in 1994. In April 2006, McCoy married Michael Misick, who had been elected the Premier of the Turks and Caicos Islands in a position previously known as Chief Minister of the Turks and Caicos Islands in 2003. They were married in a lavish ceremony before 300 guests, followed by a three-week honeymoon to Jerusalem, Bali and Dubai.[22] During their marriage, McCoy's title was "First Lady of Turks and Caicos." In August 2008, Premier Misick released a statement announcing that he and McCoy were divorcing.[23] Misick resigned from office in March 2009 after an investigation found "clear signs of corruption" involving selling off public land to fund his own investments. He fled Turks and Caicos, and was eventually arrested in Brazil and extradited back to the islands to stand trial.[24]
McCoy is a convert to Christianity.[25]
"Queen Mother of Ghana" claims
McCoy has incorrectly referred to herself as "Queen Mother of Ghana" on multiple occasions, including a 2019 appearance on The Wendy Williams Show. Her claims and the uncritical reporting of American media outlets were widely mocked on Ghanaian social media,[26] with journalist Nana Aba Anamoah accusing her of "ignorance" and noting that the title does not exist as Ghana is a republic not a monarchy.[27] McCoy was crowned "queen mother" during a ceremony at a Los Angeles nightclub in September 2019.[28] She was given the title by Yahweh ben Yahweh ben Yahweh, a self-proclaimed "imperial king" and former member of a hip hop group from Orange County, Florida.[26] McCoy stated that "To have such an honor bestowed upon me by my own African people [sic] is a testament to my hard work and character".[29] Yahweh, who refers to himself as "The Imperial Majesty King Yahweh The Holy Ghost", had in turn purchased the title of nkosuohene from a chief of the small town of Kwanyako in Ghana's Central Region. Granting of such honorary titles to foreigners is a common practice in Ghana.[26]
McCoy visited Kwanyako herself in July 2021, promising to finance a vocational centre for women and a local performance troupe.[30]
Filmography
Film and TV Movies
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | Reasons | Iris | |
| 1998 | The Players Club | Diana "Diamond" Armstrong | |
| 1999 | The Wood | Lisa | |
| 2000 | The Cheapest Movie Ever Made | Brenda | |
| Rhapsody | Victoria | TV Movie | |
| 2001 | Date from Hell | Keisha | Short |
| All About You | Lisa | ||
| 2002 | Civil Brand | Frances Shepard | |
| Go for Broke | Belinda/Star | ||
| 2003 | Love Chronicles | Marie Toursaant | |
| Gang of Roses | Maria | ||
| 2004 | Super Spy | - | Video |
| 2005 | Beauty Shop | Rochelle | |
| The Proud Family Movie | Choreographer (Voice) | TV Movie | |
| Envy | Tasha | ||
| 2009 | Contradictions of the Heart | Kiki | |
| 11-04-08: The Day of Change | Herself | TV Movie | |
| 2011 | Video Girl | Patricia | |
| 2012 | The Promise | Ms. Fuller | Short |
| 2014 | Lap Dance | Sugar | |
| 2015 | Skinned | Mother [31][32][33][34] | |
| 2016 | Love Under New Management: The Miki Howard Story | Sylvia Rhone | TV Movie |
| 2018 | No More Mr Nice Guy | Bridget St. John | |
| 2019 | Love Dot Com: The Social Experiment | Deloris Quinn | |
| 2020 | Holiday Heartbreak | Summer St. John | TV Movie |
| 2021 | Twice Bitten | Monique | |
| For the Love of Money | Dahlia | ||
| Scarlett | Allyson Davis | TV Movie | |
| In the Gray | Renee | Short | |
| 2022 | Greed: A Seven Deadly Sins Story | Miss Viv | TV Movie |
| Chocolate City 3: Live Tour | Shawna Diva | ||
| You Married Dat | Dr. Reid | ||
| The Royal | Elsie | ||
| Single Not Searching | Angela |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | Martin | Swinger Woman | Episode: "Swing Thing" |
| 1997 | In the House | Delivery Woman | Episode: "Saint Marion" & "Abstinence Makes the Heart Grow Fonder" |
| 2001-02 | Source: All Access | Herself/Host | TV Series |
| 2002 | The It Factor | Herself | Episode: "Unaired Pilot" |
| Teen Summit | Herself | Episode: "Video Girls" | |
| 2003 | The It Factor: Los Angeles | Herself | Episode: "Mali Finn Casts 9 New Actors" |
| 2003–07 | All of Us | Neesee James | Main Cast |
| 2004 | Faking It | Herself | Episode: "Three 'R's to Protecting Stars" |
| 2005 | Steve Harvey's Big Time Challenge | Herself | Episode: "Episode #2.14" |
| Turn Up the Heat with G. Garvin | Herself | Episode: "Meals in Minutes" | |
| 2006 | Trumpet Awards | Herself/Host | TV Special |
| 2008 | Hollywood Trials | Herself | Episode: "Episode #1.6" |
| 2010 | Trumpet Awards | Herself/Co-Host | TV Special |
| Life After | Herself | Episode: "Elise Neal" | |
| 2010–11 | LisaRaye: The Real McCoy | Herself | Main Cast |
| 2011 | Hawthorne | Chandra | Episode: "Just Between Friends" |
| 2011–15 | Single Ladies | Keisha Greene | Main Cast |
| 2013 | Hell's Kitchen | Herself | Episode: "9 Chefs Compete" |
| 2016 | Being | Herself | Episode: "LisaRaye McCoy" |
| 2017 | Hip Hop Squares | Herself/Contestant/Panelist | Episode: "BBD vs SWV" & "Da Brat vs LisaRaye" |
| Face Value | Herself/Team Captain | Episode: "Al Shearer vs. LisaRaye McCoy" | |
| 2017-18 | Ballers | Amber's Mother | Episode: "Yay Area" & "Rough Ride" |
| 2018 | Black Card Revoked | Herself | Episode: "LisaRaye, Affion Crockett, K. Dubb" |
| The Proposal | Herself | Episode: "103" | |
| 2018-22 | The Family Business | Donna Duncan | Main Cast: Season 1-2 & 4, Guest: Season 3 |
| 2019 | Growing Up Hip Hop: Atlanta | Herself | Episode: "So So Triggered" & "Firestorm" |
| Murder in the Thirst | Herself/Host | TV Series | |
| Uncensored | Herself | Episode: "LisaRaye McCoy" | |
| You Hittin Dat | Dr. Reid | Recurring Cast | |
| Tales | Mavis | Episode: "Brothers" | |
| South Side | Herself | Episode: "Mild Sauce Meatballs" | |
| 2020 | Iyanla, Fix My Life | Herself | Episode: "LisaRaye McCoy: 3 Generations, 1 Family Breakdown" |
| 2020-22 | A House Divided | Alexis | Main Cast: Season 2-4 |
Music Videos
| Year | Song Title | Artist |
|---|---|---|
| 1995 | "Are You in the Mood" | Teddy featuring Dru Down and Luniz |
| 1996 | "Toss It Up" | 2Pac featuring Danny Boy, K-Ci & JoJo and Aaron Hall |
| "Slip N' Slide" | Danny Boy featuring Tha Dogg Pound | |
| 1998 | "Same Tempo" | Changing Faces |
| "I Don't Wanna See" | Link | |
| "I Really Want to Sex Your Body" | ||
| 1999 | "True Love" | Calvin Richardson |
| 2000 | "Incomplete" | Sisqó |
| 2001 | "Never Be the Same Again" | Ghostface Killah featuring Raekwon and Carl Thomas |
| "Ooohhhwwweee" | Master P featuring Weebie | |
| 2003 | "Backtight" | Jaheim |
| 2004 | "Real Nigga Roll Call" | Lil Jon & the East Side Boyz featuring Ice Cube |
| 2005 | "Number One Spot" | Ludacris |
| "Unpredictable" | Jamie Foxx featuring Ludacris | |
| 2009 | "Download" | Lil' Kim |
| "Last Chance" | Ginuwine | |
| "Girls" | Seven featuring Lil' Kim |
Award nominations
| Year | Award | Category | Work | Result | Refs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | NAACP Image Awards | Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series | All of Us | Nominated |
See also
References
- ^ Behlin III, Johnnie Lee (2009). WHY: A Guideline for Relationships (Ways of Women/Minds of Men). ISBN 9781441576798. Retrieved September 25, 2017.
- ^ NewsOne – Michael Misick
- ^ Encyclopedia of African American Actresses in Film and TV, p. 209.
- ^ This Week's Best Photos, Jet magazine, p. 42. October 15, 2007.
- ^ "Lisa Raye 50th Birthday". September 24, 2017. Archived from the original on December 21, 2021. Retrieved September 25, 2017 – via YouTube.
- ^ Thaddaeus McAdams (September 23, 2017). "LisaRaye's 50th Juke Joint Birthday Celebration – Arrivals". Getty Images. Getty Images. Retrieved September 25, 2017.
- ^ Historical Dictionary of Native American Television
- ^ New Millennium First Lady' Lisaraye – Sexy and Savvy (JET Magazine – January 7, 2008)
- ^ Lisaraye's Fairy Tale Comes True – Ebony Magazine – September 2006
- ^ "IMAGINEI MAGAZINE". imagineimag.com. Retrieved June 30, 2016.
- ^ Historical Dictionary of African American Television – By Kathleen Fearn-Banks, Anne Burford-Johnson
- ^ "This single lady is the real McCoy". August 2, 2012. Retrieved July 14, 2016.
- ^ Essence – Things You Didn't Know About LisaRaye
- ^ Black Celeb Kids -The Big Kids File (Three Generations Of Black Women)
- ^ Classfinders – Lisaraye McCoy
- ^ "LisaRaye Biography". askmen.com. Retrieved August 14, 2008.
- ^ a b Jason Buchanan (2008). . Movies & TV Dept. The New York Times. Archived from the original on August 8, 2008. Retrieved May 20, 2008.
- ^ "CW Cans 'All of Us'". Vibe (magazine). May 16, 2007. Retrieved August 14, 2008.
- ^ . Billboard. Archived from the original on June 26, 2014. Retrieved August 14, 2008.
- ^ "Lisa Raye with Ginuwine last chance video". THEINSIDER. January 5, 2011. Retrieved January 11, 2011.
- ^ "Turks & Caicos Chief Minister announces engagement to Hollywood actress". caribbeannetnews.com. August 11, 2005. Retrieved August 14, 2008.
- ^ "Will You Marry Me 2008 – Celebrity Weddings – LisaRaye & Michael Misick's Gallery". Essence. Retrieved February 28, 2014.
- ^ "Turks and Caicos premier to divorce US actress LisaRaye McCoy". Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. August 13, 2008. Archived from the original on July 22, 2012. Retrieved August 14, 2008.
- ^ "Michael Misick Extradited From Brazil & Charged". bernews.com. January 7, 2014.
- ^ "Lisa Raye McCoy's Truth!". YouTube. Archived from the original on December 21, 2021.
- ^ a b c "FACT-CHECK: Lisa Raye McCoy is Queen mother of Ghana?". Ghana Fact. November 15, 2019. Retrieved January 1, 2022.
- ^ crabbe, Nathaniel (November 2, 2019). "Nana Aba 'angrily exposes' top US actress over her claim of being Queen Mother of Ghana in video". YEN. Retrieved January 1, 2022.
- ^ Morgan, Glennisha (September 24, 2019). "LisaRaye Crowned Queen Mother Of Ghana For Her Humanitarian Work". Retrieved January 1, 2022.
- ^ Atwell, Ashleigh Lakieva (September 25, 2019). "LisaRaye McCoy Crowned A Queen Mother Of Ghana". Blavity. Retrieved January 1, 2022.
- ^ "Actress LisaRaye McCoy Received At the Royal Palace in Agona Kwanyako (Ghana) – Photos/Video". Eurweb. July 17, 2021. Retrieved January 1, 2022.
- ^ "LisaRaye TV Film 'Skinned' to Debut in 2016".
- ^ "LisaRaye McCoy Confronts Colorism, Pigmentocracy in Her Directorial Debut, "Skinned"". January 8, 2016.
- ^ "LisaRaye's Film on Skin Bleaching to Make TV Debut in 2016". December 15, 2015.
- ^ "LisaRaye McCoy -- Threatened with Defamation Suit over Skin Cancer Claims".
External links
- LisaRaye McCoy at IMDb