Film and TV Actress who initially gained fame for her roles in the films Take the Lead and Star Trek: First Contact. Early in her career, she won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series for Hill Street Blues. In 2016, she began appearing in the Netflix original series Luke Cage as Mayor Mariah Dillard.
She graduated from Boston University.
By her 60th birthday, she won four Emmy Awards and three Screen Actors Guild Awards.
She married Roderick Spencer in 1983. The couple have two adopted children, Mavis and Duncan.
She received a Golden Globe nomination for her role in Passion Fish, which also starred Angela Bassett.
