Charlayne Woodard

Charlayne Woodard Headshot

Writer • Actress

Birth Name: Charlaine Woodard

Birth Date: December 29, 1953

Age: 70 years old

Birth Place: Albany, New York

American actress and playwright Charlayne Woodard turned early Broadway success into a career that spanned over several decades. The New York native was nominated for a Tony for her performance in the original cast of "Ain't Misbehavin'", a role that she began as a 24-year-old.

While appearing on Broadway, she starred in "Cindy" (ABC, 1978), a television adaption of the classic "Cinderella" fairy tale told with an all African-American cast. She made an equally splashy feature film debut when she joined "Ain't Misbehavin'" costar Nell Carter as one of the "White Boys" singers in Milos Forman's big screen rendering of the musical "Hair" (1979).

After starring in the Canadian drama "Hard Feelings" (1982), she spent the next several years taking small roles on television shows such as "Taxi" (ABC, 1978-83) and "Spenser: For Hire" (ABC, 1985-88), while mixing in small roles in features like Louis Malle's "Crackers" (1984). She starred opposite Harry Dean Stanton and Crispin Glover in the dramedy "Twister" (1989), and then began a recurring role on the hit sitcom "Roseanne" (ABC, 1988-97, 2018-).

Woodard portrayed Vonda, one of the factory coworkers of the title character. She then began appearing on the daytime soap opera "Days of Our Lives" (NBC, 1965-) as Desiree McCall. She continued working in features with roles in the Kevin Bacon comedy "He Said, She Said" (1991) and the Michael Keaton crime drama "One Good Cop" (1991). Another high-profile recurring part followed when she was cast as one of Will Smith's aunts on "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" (NBC, 1990-96).

During this time period, Woodard found new success as a playwright. Her initial offering "Pretty Fire" debuted in 1993 and went on to win multiple awards. Her television career continued to flourish as she added recurring roles on the popular medical dramas "Chicago Hope" (CBS, 1994-2000) and "ER" (NBC, 1994-2009). She also enjoyed a memorable multi-episode turn playing Catholic nun Sister Peg on "Law and Order: Special Victims Unit" (NBC, 1999-). Her character was ultimately killed in an accidental shooting.

She gained notice on the big screen playing opposite Daniel Day-Lewis and Winona Ryder in the film adaption of "The Crucible" (1996). Her film work included a pivotal role in M. Night Shyamalan's "Unbreakable" (2000), and its sequel "Glass" (2019). While remaining active in theater productions, Woodard kept her hand in television with guest roles in shows like "The Leftovers" (HBO, 2014-17) and "The Blacklist" (NBC, 2013-).

Credits

Pose-a-Thon for Pride

Actor
Show
2020

Bluff City LawStream

Guest Star
Gertrude
Series
2019
36%

Prodigal SonStream

Guest Star
Dr. Gabrielle Le Deux
Series
2019
58%

All RiseStream

Guest Star
Judge Prudence Jenkins
Series
2019

GlassStream

Actor
Mrs. Price
Movie
2019
37%

PoseStream

Actor
Helena St. Rogers
Series
2018
98%

BullStream

Guest Star
Dawn Taylor
Series
2016

The LeftoversStream

Guest Star
Lois Makepeace
Series
2014
91%

Chasing LifeStream

Guest Star
Monica Bradley
Series
2014

Things Never SaidStream

Actor
Charlotte
Movie
2012
67%

Terminator: The Sarah Connor ChroniclesStream

Guest Star
Series
2008
85%

SharkStream

Guest Star
Series
2006
52%

In Justice

Guest Star
Show
2006

BonesStream

Guest Star
Diane Rollins
Series
2005
90%

MediumStream

Guest Star
Series
2005

DC Sniper: 23 Days of Fear

Actor
Mildred Muhammad
Movie
2003

Sunshine State

Actor
Loretta
Movie
2002

The Million Dollar HotelStream

Actor
Jean Swift
Movie
2000
24%

UnbreakableStream

Actor
Elijah's Mother
Movie
2000
70%

Law & Order: Special Victims UnitStream

Guest Star
Sister Peg
Series
1999
78%

Family Law

Guest Star
Series
1999

The Wedding

Actor
Show
1998

Around the Fire

Actor
Kate
Movie
1998

Touched by Evil

Actor
Det. Duvall
Movie
1997

Eye for an EyeStream

Actor
Angel Kosinsky
Movie
1996
8%

Run for the Dream: The Gail Devers Story

Actor
Gail Devers
Movie
1996

The CrucibleStream

Actor
Tituba
Movie
1996
70%

Bless This House

Guest Star
Show
1995

Buffalo Girls

Actor
Doosie
Show
1995

Buffalo Girls

Actor
Doosie
Miniseries
1995

ERStream

Guest Star
Angela Gilliam
Series
1994

Chicago Hope

Guest Star
Series
1994

Angie

Actor
Floor Nurse
Movie
1994

FrasierStream

Guest Star
Arlene
Series
1993
95%

He Said, She Said

Actor
Cindy
Movie
1991

One Good Cop

Actor
Cheryl Clark
Movie
1991

The Fresh Prince of Bel-AirStream

Guest Star
Series
1990

TwisterStream

Actor
Lola
Movie
1989

RoseanneStream

Guest Star
Vonda
Series
1988
76%

WiseguyStream

Guest Star
Emanja Mora
Series
1987

Spenser For HireStream

Actor
Series
1985

Hard Feelings

Actor
Winona Lockhart
Movie
1981

Cent rancunes

Actor
Movie
1981

TaxiStream

Guest Star
Nina Chambers
Series
1978

Cindy

Actor
Cindy
Movie
1978

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