Tracee Ellis Ross

Tracee Ellis Ross Headshot

Actress

Birth Date: October 29, 1972

Age: 51 years old

Birth Place: Los Angeles, California

Parents: Diana Ross

Siblings: Evan Ross

A tall, wide-eyed, curly-haired versatile performer comfortable working in many different capacities, Tracee Ellis Ross succeeded as a TV host, model, writer and producer, but had a greater drive to pursue acting, building a career as most up and comers do, taking roles in small scale independents despite the legendary status of her mother, singer-actress Diana Ross.

Having worked extensively in the fashion industry, working as a model and contributing editor to such publications as Mirabella and New York, Ross made her big screen debut in "Far Harbor" (1996), an independent feature that cast her as a Jewish/African-American mixed race woman. While the character's background was similar to her own, she did, of course, actually have to act in the film and embraced the opportunity to immerse herself in this fictional character, receiving positive reviews for her transformation. The following year she debuted as host of "The Dish," a Lifetime TV magazine series keeping tabs on popular culture. Hosting segments and reviewing various offerings in print, film and television, Ross proved a capable and highly watchable presenter. Her next small screen appearance was in the 1998 NBC movie drama "Race Again Fear: A Moment of Truth Movie," playing a former high school track star who remained silent about her abuse at the hands of a coach. A role in the odd independent feature "Sue" (1998) predated Ross' first studio film, Diane Keaton's "Hanging Up" (2000). Here she played the less-than-effective assistant of Meg Ryan's character. She was used to greater effect in the MTV series "The Lyricist Lounge Show," a hip-hop variety series mixing music, dramatic sketches and comedic skits. Reliable and quick-witted with excellent comic timing, Ross shone in segments pairing her with Heather McDonald, the two playing ridiculously two-faced, back-stabbing girlfriends. More supportive where the titular pals in her next series "Girlfriends" (2000-08), a UPN sitcom centering around four young African-American women. Here she played Joan, a successful lawyer looking for love.

Credits

Screen Actors Guild Awards

Self
Awards
2024

Carol Burnett: 90 Years of Laughter + Love

Self
Special
2023

Live with Kelly and MarkStream

Guest
Talk
2023

American FictionStream

Actor
Lisa Ellison
Movie
2023
93%

Candy Cane LaneStream

Actor
Carol Carver
Movie
2023
46%

Cold Copy

Actor
Diane Heger
Movie
2023

The Hair TalesStream

Executive Producer
Docuseries
2022

The Hair TalesStream

Self
Docuseries
2022

Norman Lear: 100 Years of Music and Laughter

Music Performer
Special
2022

The Jennifer Hudson ShowStream

Guest
Talk
2022

Let's Unpack That

Guest
Show
2022

black-ish: A Celebration -- An ABC News Special

Self
Show
2022

Oscars 2022

Host
Show
2022

The Premise

Actor
Series
2021
42%

Growing Up AnimalStream

Narrator
Miniseries
2021

The Runaway Bunny

Voice
Narrator
Show
2021

The Drew Barrymore ShowStream

Guest
Talk
2020

The Greatest @ATHOME Videos

Guest
Reality
2020

Celebrity Game FaceStream

Self
Game Show
2020

Jimmy Kimmel Live!: Extras

Guest
Show
2020

The High Note

Actor
Grace Davis
Movie
2020

mixed-ishStream

Actor
Rainbow Johnson
Series
2019
76%

mixed-ishStream

Creator
Series
2019
76%

mixed-ishStream

Guest Star
Rainbow Johnson
Series
2019
76%

mixed-ishStream

Writer
Series
2019
76%

A Little Late With Lilly Singh

Guest
Talk
2019
82%

The Kelly Clarkson ShowStream

Guest
Talk
2019

Tamron HallStream

Guest
Talk
2019

Today With Hoda & Jenna

Guest
Show
2019

Desus & Mero

Guest
Show
2019

Little

Actor
HomeGirl
Movie
2019

Today 3rd Hour

Guest
Show
2018

Busy Tonight

Guest
Talk
2018

2018 American Music Awards

Executive Producer
Show
2018

2018 American Music Awards

Host
Show
2018

Stand Up to Cancer

Guest
Show
2018

PeopleTV Specials

Guest
Show
2018

Grown-ishStream

Guest Star
Rainbow Johnson
Series
2018

Icons, Idols & Influencers

Actor
Show
2017

2017 American Music Awards

Host
Show
2017

Carpool Karaoke: The SeriesStream

Music Performer
Reality
2017

The Gong Show

Guest
Game Show
2017

Daily Pop

Guest
News
2017

Live with Kelly and Ryan

Guest
Talk
2017

Desus & MeroStream

Guest
Talk
2016

Harry

Guest
Talk
2016

2016 BET Awards

Host
Show
2016

2016 BET Awards

Host
Show
2016

To Tell the TruthStream

Guest
Game Show
2016

ChelseaStream

Guest
Talk
2016
41%

Sunday Today With Willie Geist

Guest
Talk
2016

The Daily Show with Trevor NoahStream

Guest
Talk
2015

FABLife

Guest
Talk
2015

The Late Show With Stephen ColbertStream

Guest
Talk
2015

Close Up With The Hollywood Reporter

Guest
Show
2015

BET Awards 2015

Host
Show
2015

Celebrity Family FeudStream

Guest
Game Show
2015

Black Girls Rock! 2015

Host
Show
2015

Lip Sync BattleStream

Contestant
Reality
2015

The Late Late Show With James Corden

Guest
Talk
2015

Variety Studio: Actors on Actors

Guest
Show
2014

Women of Power

Guest
Show
2014

Black-ishStream

Actor
Rainbow Johnson
Series
2014
92%

Black-ishStream

Director
Series
2014
92%

Black-ishStream

Voice
Rainbow Johnson
Series
2014
92%

Black-ishStream

Writer
Series
2014
92%

blackish: Extras

Actor
Show
2014

Hollywood Today Live

Guest
Show
2014

Late Night With Seth MeyersStream

Guest
Talk
2014

The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon

Guest
Show
2014

The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy FallonStream

Guest
Talk
2014

Portlandia: Extras

Actor
Show
2014

Broad CityStream

Guest Star
Winona
Series
2014
99%

Black Girls Rock! 2013: Extras

Actor
Show
2013

Black Girls Rock! 2013

Host
Show
2013

The Arsenio Hall Show

Guest
Show
2013

Bethenny

Guest
Show
2013

The Real

Guest
Talk
2013

Exhale

Guest
Show
2013

Black Girls Rock 2012

Host
Show
2012

Steve Harvey

Guest
Talk
2012

Larry King NowStream

Guest
Talk
2012

LIVE with Kelly

Guest
Talk
2011

Black Girls Rock!

Host
Show
2011

Reed Between the Lines: Extras

Actor
Show
2011

Reed Between the Lines

Actor
Dr. Carla Reed
Show
2011

Dish Nation

Guest
Talk
2011

Big Morning Buzz Live

Guest
Show
2011

PortlandiaStream

Guest Star
Series
2011
94%

The Gayle King Show

Guest
Show
2011

Five

Actor
Alyssa
Movie
2011

ConanStream

Guest
Talk
2010

The Talk

Guest
Talk
2010

Access Hollywood Live

Guest
Show
2010

The Nate Berkus Show

Guest
Talk
2010

Watch What Happens Live With Andy CohenStream

Guest
Talk
2009

The Wendy Williams ShowStream

Guest
Talk
2008

Private PracticeStream

Guest Star
Dr. Ellen Sicher
Series
2007

Daddy's Little GirlsStream

Actor
Cynthia
Movie
2007
26%

Life Support

Actor
Tanya
Movie
2007

Our World With Black Enterprise

Guest
Show
2006

etalk

Guest
Show
2006

I See You.com

Actor
Movie
2006

Vibe Awards on UPN

Host
Show
2005

An All-Star Salute to Patti LaBelle: Live From Atlantis

Host
Show
2005

Project RunwayStream

Guest
Reality
2004

Second Time Around

Guest Star
Show
2004

The Ellen DeGeneres Show

Guest
Talk
2003

Jimmy Kimmel Live!Stream

Guest
Talk
2003

Jimmy Kimmel Live!Stream

Host
Talk
2003

UPN's Funky Flubs

Host
Show
2003

Lift Every Voice

Guest Star
Show
2002

CSI: Crime Scene InvestigationStream

Guest Star
Series
2000

GirlfriendsStream

Actor
Joan Clayton
Series
2000

GirlfriendsStream

Director
Series
2000

106 & Park: BET's Top 10 Live

Actor
Show
2000

106 & Park: BET's Top 10 Live

Guest
Show
2000

Hanging UpStream

Actor
Kim
Movie
2000
12%

A Fare to Remember

Actor
Jane
Movie
1999

Kickin' It: With Byron Allen

Guest
Show
1998

Race Against Fear: A Moment of Truth Movie

Actor
Kaycee King
Movie
1998

The View

Guest
Talk
1997

Sue

Actor
Linda
Movie
1997

Sue Lost in Manhattan

Actor
Linda
Movie
1997

Access Hollywood

Guest
News
1996

Far Harbor

Actor
Kiki
Movie
1996

Mr. Spreckman's Boat

Actor
Kiki
Movie
1996

Extra

Guest
News
1994

E! News

Actor
News
1991

America's Funniest Home VideosStream

Guest Star
Series
1990

CBS News Sunday Morning

Guest
News
1979

Good Morning America

Guest
News
1975

Sesame StreetStream

Guest Star
Series
1969

Today

Guest
News
1952

News aboutTracee Ellis Ross

SAG Awards

2024 Screen Actors Guild Awards: How to Watch, Presenters, Nominees & More

Eddie Murphy

Eddie Murphy’s Holiday Film ‘Candy Cane Lane’ Sets Prime Video Premiere

Tracee Ellis Ross, John Stamos, Hannah Waddingham

10 Sitcom Stars Who Would Make Great Villains

Girlfriends cast

Catch Up With the ‘Girlfriends,’ 15 Years After the Series Finale

Norman Lear 100 Years of Music and Laughter poster

‘Norman Lear: 100 Years of Music & Laughter’ Guests: George Clooney, Rita Moreno, Tom Hanks & More

Pamela Adlon, William Jackson Harper, Jodie and Daria from 'Daria'

‘Daria’ Spinoff ‘Jodie’ Now Animated Film as Pamela Adlon, William Jackson Harper & More Join Cast

Tracee Ellis Ross and Anthony Anderson
Preview

Tracee Ellis Ross & Anthony Anderson Get Emotional Over Final ‘black-ish’ Scene (VIDEO)

Blackish cast
Preview

Going Out in Style: ‘Black-ish’ Team Shares Their Favorite Behind-the-Scenes Stories

Black-ish Anthony Anderson Season 8 ABC
Exclusive

‘Black-ish’: Dre & Bow Disagree About Parenting in Sneak Peek (VIDEO)

Black-ish - season 8 - Michelle Obama and Anthony Anderson
Preview

‘Black-ish’: How Michelle Obama Became a Season 8 Guest Star

Michelle Obama presenting at the 2020 BET Awards

‘Black-ish’: Michelle Obama to Guest Star in 8th and Final Season (PHOTO)

Tracie Ellis Ross, Aisha Tyler, Matthew Davis

10 Stars Who Recurred on the Original ‘CSI’

Jon Bernthal as Chase Milbrandt in The Premise on FX on Hulu
Preview

‘The Premise’: 3 Reasons to Stream B.J. Novak’s Anthology Series

The Premise FX Daniel Dae Kim Jon Bernthal Lucas Hedges Kaitlyn Dever

‘The Premise’: FX Unveils Star-Studded First Look at B.J. Novak’s Anthology Series

Black-ish-Season 7 - Tracee Ellis Ross and Anthony Anderson

‘Black-ish’ Renewed for 8th and Final Season at ABC

Supernatural Sam Dean Death Jimmy Fallon The Crown Gillian Anderson

Best Lines of the Week (November 13-19): ‘It’s OK, You Can Go Now’

Best Lines featuring Black-ish, GMA with Matthew McConaughey, and Leslie Jones

Best Lines of the Week (October 16-22): ‘You Are Elegant, You Are Refined’

black-ish Season 7 Premiere Tracee Ellis Ross
Fall Preview

Coronavirus Hits ‘black-ish’ Season 7 With Bow Working the Frontline

CSI Guest Stars John Krasinski Viola Davis Taylor Swift

10 Big-Name Stars Who Appeared on ‘CSI,’ Now 20 Years Old

black-ish animated special abc

‘black-ish’ Promo Teases Animated Special & More Coming in Season 7 (VIDEO)

Tracee Ellis Ross and Regina King at BET's Black Girls Rock

Regina King, Tracee Ellis Ross & More Reimagine ‘Golden Girls’ With All-Black Cast

black-ish cast abc

‘black-ish’ to Air Animated Election Special Ahead of Season 7 Premiere

black-ish
Exclusive

Bow & Dre Debate Over Pops’ Bad Behavoir in ‘black-ish’ Sneak Peek (VIDEO)

Scrabble GO App

‘Office,’ ‘Queer Eye’ & ‘black-ish’ Stars Exchange Words in Scrabble GO Battle Royale

Tracee Ellis Ross Blackish Hairstyles

Tracee Ellis Ross’ Hairstylist Shares Her Favorite ‘Black-ish’ Looks (PHOTOS)

Mark-Paul Gosselaar, Arica Himmel, Mykal-Michelle Harris, Ethan William Childress, Tika Sumpter
Fall Preview

‘Mixed-ish’ EP Tracee Ellis Ross on How ‘black-ish’ Prequel Will Be Different

daria spinoff

Tracee Ellis Ross to Lead ‘Daria’ Spinoff ‘Jodie’ for MTV Studios

ANTHONY ANDERSON, MILES BROWN
Preview

How ‘black-ish’ Tackles the Divisive Topic of Football in ‘FriDre Night Lights’

Gladys Knight performs an Aretha Franklin tribute at the 2018 American Music Awards

Gladys Knight’s Aretha Tribute & More Buzzed-About 2018 AMA Moments

famous-tv-family-cover

Ethan Peck & 10 More TV Stars From Famous Families (PHOTOS)

black-ish - Tracee Ellis Ross and Anthony Anderson

Will Bow and Dre Get Divorced on ‘Black-ish’?

black-ish - ANTHONY ANDERSON, TRACEE ELLIS ROSS

‘black-ish’ EP Says Bow and Dre’s Marital Issues Are Here to Stay

Untitled design (13)

‘Westworld’ Star Evan Rachel Wood & More TV Women Who’ve Dealt With Unequal Pay

ANTHONY ANDERSON, TRACEE ELLIS ROSS

ABC Shelves Politically Charged ‘black-ish’ Episode Over ‘Creative Differences’

da'Vinchi and Yara Shahidi in grown-ish
Q&A

‘grown-ish’ Star da’Vinchi Talks Playing Cash Mooney and His Future With Zoey

Tracee Ellis Ross

Is Tracee Ellis Ross Leaving ‘black-ish’? Star Calls Out Unequal Pay

DIANA ROSS

The 5 Most Talked-About Moments From the 2017 American Music Awards

Tracee Ellis Ross

Tracee Ellis Ross Announced as Host of 2017 American Music Awards

ANTHONY ANDERSON, TRACEE ELLIS ROSS
Q&A

Dre and Bow Tackle Postpartum Depression in Season 4 of ‘Black-ish’

Black-ish stars Tracee Ellis Ross and Anthony Anderson

‘Black-ish’ Creator Teases How New Family Dynamics Test the Johnsons in Season 4

black- ish - JENIFER LEWIS, LAURENCE FISHBURNE, MARCUS SCRIBNER, ANTHONY ANDERSON, YARA SHAHIDI, MILES BROWN, MARSAI MARTIN, TRACEE ELLIS ROSS, finale preview
Finale

Baby Boom! Eva Longoria Goes Behind the Camera for the Emotional May 10 Season Finale of ‘black-ish’

TV's Favorite Feminists

5 TV Feminists We Love

Connie Britton posts a selfie

International Women’s Day 2017: How TV’s Top Female Stars Celebrated

It’s a [Spoiler]!: Dre and Bow Find Out Baby Johnson’s Gender on ‘black-ish’

Tracee Ellis Ross, winner of Best Performance in a Television Series - Musical or Comedy for 'Black-ish,' kisses her award at the 74th Annual Golden Globe Awards

Tracee Ellis Ross on What Her Golden Globe Win Means for the Industry

Black-ish - Anthony Anderson, Tracee Ellis Ross - 'Being Bow-racial'

‘black-ish’: Rainbow Being Biracial Isn’t (Always) a Laughing Matter

16-48-2010

How ‘Mom’, ‘black-ish’, ‘Speechless’ and Other Sitcoms Get Serious

TRACEE ELLIS ROSS, ANTHONY ANDERSON

‘black-ish’: A New Johnson Is On the Way in Season 3

Black-ish, LAURENCE FISHBURNE, MILES BROWN, JENIFER LEWIS, MARCUS SCRIBNER, ANTHONY ANDERSON, YARA SHAHIDI, TRACEE ELLIS ROSS, DEON COLE, MARSAI MARTIN

‘Black-ish’ Remembers the ‘Good Times’ in a Season Finale Tribute (PHOTOS)

Sesame Street - Cast

6 Celebrities Singing Their Way to ‘Sesame Street’ on HBO (PHOTOS)

The Middle – Neil Flynn, Charlie McDermott, Patricia Heaton, Eden Sher, Atticus Shaffer

What’s Worth Watching: ‘The Middle’ and ‘black-ish’ on ABC for Wednesday, September 23