Yaya DaCosta

Model • Actress

Birth Name: Camara DaCosta Johnson

Birth Date: November 15, 1982

Age: 42 years old

Birth Place: Harlem, New York

Following a successful stint on "America's Next Top Model" (The CW, 2006-2015), Yaya DaCosta pursued a career as an actress in films, television, and on stage, where she excelled at dramatic fare like "The Kids Are All Right" (2010), Lee Daniels' "The Butler" (2013) and "Whitney" (Lifetime, 2015), as well as the network series "Chicago Med" (NBC, 2015- ).

Born Camara DaCosta Johnson in Harlem, New York on November 15, 1982, she was the daughter of Brazilian and Nigerian parents, both of whom worked in the education field. DaCosta was interested in acting from a very early age, and earned her first exposure to performing through auditioning for educational films. She continued to pursue her dream of an acting career at the LaGuardia High School of Art and Music and Performing Arts, but decided to follow in her parents' footsteps and become a teacher.

After stints at Northfield Mount Hermon School and Brown University, where she majored in international relations and Africana studies, DaCosta accepted a challenge from friends to audition for "America's Next Top Model." She was selected to participate in the competition's third season and finished second, which led to a modeling contract with the Ford Agency and print work for the Lincoln Motor Company, Sephora, and other entities.

In 2005, DaCosta made her acting debut on an episode of the sitcom "Eve" (UPN, 2003-2006), with her first feature film appearance coming the following year in the dance drama "Take the Lead" (2006). DaCosta appeared briefly on the daytime soap opera "All My Children" (ABC/The Online Network, 1970-2011, 2013), but exited the show to focus on more substantive fare, including supporting roles in John Sayles' "Honeydripper" (2007) and a Broadway run of "The First Summer" with the Negro Ensemble Company.

DaCosta returned to film in television in 2009, logging guest appearances on "Ugly Betty" (ABC, 2006-2010), "The Messenger" (2009) and in "The Kids Are All Right" and "The Butler." Two years later, she was top-billed as Whitney Houston in "Whitney" (Lifetime, 2015), a biopic of the late singer that marked Angela Bassett's debut as director. That same year, she enjoyed a four-episode run as ER nurse April Sexton on "Chicago Fire" (NBC, 2012- ); she reprised the character, now as a series regular, on the spinoff series "Chicago Med."

Yaya DaCosta

Model • Actress

Birth Name: Camara DaCosta Johnson

Birth Date: November 15, 1982

Age: 42 years old

Birth Place: Harlem, New York

Credits

Not My Family: The Monique Smith StoryStream

The Lincoln LawyerStream

Black History Month Anthem

Our Kind of PeopleStream

Turning the Tables with Robin RobertsStream

Tamron HallStream

Bolden

Peel

Faith Under Fire: The Antoinette Tuff StoryStream

The Nice GuysStream

Chicago MedStream

Chicago MedStream

WhitneyStream

Chicago P.D.Stream

Whitney

The Real

Big Words

Mother of George

Lee Daniels' The ButlerStream

Chicago FireStream

UnforgettableStream

Body of ProofStream

Let's Stay Together

Shanghai Hotel

In TimeStream

Whole Lotta Sole

The Kids Are All RightStream

Afropop: The Ultimate Cultural Exchange

Racing for Time

Army WivesStream

HoneydripperStream

Ugly BettyStream

Take the Lead

HouseStream

EveStream

Law & Order: Special Victims UnitStream

Access Hollywood

The SimpsonsStream

Photos

News aboutYaya DaCosta

9 ‘Chicago Med,’ ‘Fire,’ and ‘P.D.’ Weddings, Ranked

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Yaya DaCosta Opens Up About Lifetime’s ‘Monique Smith Story’ & Her ‘Chicago Med’ Exit

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‘The Lincoln Lawyer’ Star Yaya DaCosta Speaks Out on Her ‘Unexpected’ Exit & Andrea’s Future

‘America’s Next Top Model’ Alum Yaya DaCosta Reunited With Tyra Banks to Heal ‘Real Trauma’

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‘The Lincoln Lawyer’: Yaya DaCosta on Andrea Taking Responsibility, Relationship With Mickey, & More (VIDEO)

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Raising the Bar

‘The Lincoln Lawyer’ Season 2 Part 2 Trailer: Will Mickey Win Lisa’s Case? (VIDEO)

‘Chicago Med’: Yaya DaCosta Looks Back on ‘Beautiful’ Wedding & Ponders April’s Future

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‘The Lincoln Lawyer’: Yaya DaCosta Teases ‘So Much Fire in That Courtroom’ in Season 2 Part 2

‘The Lincoln Lawyer’ Season 2 Trailer: Mickey Gets Close to Lana Parilla — Why Is She Arrested? (VIDEO)

‘The Lincoln Lawyer’ Season 2 Release Date, Cast & First-Look Photos

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‘Chicago Med’: First Look at Ethan & April’s Wedding in Brian Tee’s Final Episode (PHOTO)

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‘Our Kind of People’ Finale Will Set up an ‘Explosive’ Season 2 — Watch Sneak Peek (VIDEO)

Tubi Celebrates Black History Month With ‘Howard High,’ ‘Pass the Mic’ & More

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Brian Tee Talks Ethan’s ‘Chicago Med’ Return & If He’s Moved on From April

10 Shows With Shocking (Non-Death) Exits in 2021

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‘Our Kind of People’: How Does it Compare to Lee Daniels’ Other Fox Shows? (POLL)

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The ‘Our Kind of People’ Cast Explains Why You’ll Be Tuning in Every Week (VIDEO)

‘Our Kind of People’: Yaya DaCosta Is Very Ambitious in New Trailer (VIDEO)

‘Our Kind of People’: Yaya DaCosta Shakes Things Up in Fox Trailer (VIDEO)

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