LisaRaye McCoy (born September 23, 1967),[3][4][5][6] known as LisaRaye, is an American actress. She 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 in 2010 | |
| Born | September 23, 1967 Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| Other names |
|
| Education | Eastern Illinois University |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1992–present |
| Spouses | |
| Partner | Kenji Pace (1988–1990) |
| Children | 1 |
| Relatives | Cynthia McCoy Scott Da Brat (Sister) |
Biography
editEarly life
editMcCoy 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 Cynthia McCoy Scott. Growing up on the south side of Chicago, McCoy attended St. James College Prep school, Kenwood Academy and, later,Thornridge High School, graduating in 1986.[15] After high school, McCoy attended Eastern Illinois University before pursuing an acting career.
Career
editMcCoy 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.[16] 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.[17] 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"[16][18] McCoy also recorded the single "Would You?" with rapper Benzino.[19] 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.[20] 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]
Personal life
editMcCoy has a daughter named Kai Morae Pace (born December 5, 1989) with Kenji Pace. In 1992, McCoy married American football player 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 (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.[21] During their marriage, McCoy's title was "First Lady of the Turks and Caicos." In August 2008, Premier Misick released a statement announcing that he and McCoy were divorcing.[22] Misick resigned from office in March 2009 after an investigation found "clear signs of corruption", involving the selling-off of public land to fund his own investments. He fled the Turks and Caicos, and was eventually arrested in Brazil, where he was extradited back to the islands to stand trial.[23]
McCoy is a convert to Christianity.[24]
"Queen Mother of Ghana" claims
editMcCoy has inaccurately referred to herself as the "Queen Mother" of Ghana on multiple occasions, including during a 2019 appearance on The Wendy Williams Show. Her remarks, along with the lax and uncritical reporting of American media outlets in response, were widely mocked on Ghanaian social media,[25] with journalist Nana Aba Anamoah accusing her of "ignorance"; Anamoah further stated that the title does not exist in the country, as Ghana is a republic and not a monarchy.[26] McCoy was allegedly crowned "queen mother" during a ceremony at a Los Angeles nightclub, in September 2019.[27] She was given the supposed title by Yahweh ben Yahweh ben Yahweh, a self-proclaimed "imperial king" and former member of a hip-hop group from Orange County, Florida.[25] McCoy, at the time, stated that "To have such an honor bestowed upon me by my own African people is a testament to my hard work and character".[28] Yahweh, who refers to himself as "The Imperial Majesty King Yahweh The Holy Ghost", purchased the title of nkosuohene from a chief of the small town of Kwanyako in Ghana's Central Region.[25]
McCoy visited Kwanyako herself in July 2021, promising to finance a vocational centre for women and a local performance troupe.[29]
Filmography
editFilm
edit| 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 | CIA Lady | Video |
| 2005 | Beauty Shop | Rochelle | |
| The Proud Family Movie | Choreographer (Voice) | TV movie | |
| Envy | Tasha | ||
| 2009 | Contradictions of the Heart | Kiki | |
| 2011 | Video Girl | Patricia | |
| 2012 | The Promise | Ms. Fuller | Short |
| 2014 | Lap Dance | Sugar | |
| 2015 | Skinned | Mother [30][31][32][33] | |
| 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 | ||
| 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 | ||
| 2024 | Lunar Lockdown | Warden Meyers |
Television
edit| 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 | Main Host |
| 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 | Main Host |
| 2008 | Hollywood Trials | Herself | Episode: "Episode #1.6" |
| 2010 | Trumpet Awards | Herself/Co-Host | Main Co-Host |
| 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" |
| 2015 | She's Got Game | Herself | Episode: "Surprise, Surprise" & "Game Over" |
| 2016 | Being | Herself | Episode: "LisaRaye McCoy" |
| 2017 | Hip Hop Squares | Herself/Contestant | 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 | Guest Cast: Season 3-4 |
| 2018 | Black Card Revoked | Herself | Episode: "LisaRaye, Affion Crockett, K. Dubb" |
| The Proposal | Herself | Episode: "103" | |
| 2018-24 | The Family Business | Donna Duncan | Guest: Season 1, Recurring Cast: Season 2-4, Main Cast: Season 5 |
| 2019 | Growing Up Hip Hop: Atlanta | Herself | Episode: "So So Triggered" & "Firestorm" |
| Murder in the Thirst | Herself/Host | Main Host | |
| Uncensored | Herself | Episode: "LisaRaye McCoy" | |
| You Hittin Dat | Dr. Reid | Recurring Cast | |
| Huge in France | Dr. Rose | Episode: "Episode Six" | |
| 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" |
| 2020-23 | Cocktails with Queens | Herself/Co-Host | Main Co-Host |
| A House Divided | Alexis | Main Cast: Season 2-5 | |
| 2021 | Dish Nation | Herself/Guest Host | Recurring Guest Host: Season 10 |
| 2023 | Asking for a Friend | Herself/Host | Main Host |
| Legacy | Debra Simmons | Main Cast |
Music Videos
edit| Year | Song | Artist |
|---|---|---|
| 1995 | "Are You in the Mood" | Teddy featuring Dru Down and Luniz |
| "Mindblowing" | David Josias | |
| "With You" | Somethin' for the People | |
| 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 Really Want to Sex Your Body" | Link | |
| "I Don’t Wanna See" | ||
| ”Thugz Cry" | Bizzy Bone | |
| 1999 | "True Love" | Calvin Richardson |
| “Crave” | Marc Dorsey | |
| 2000 | "Incomplete" | Sisqó |
| 2001 | "Never Be the Same Again" | Ghostface Killah featuring Raekwon and Carl Thomas |
| "Ooohhhwwweee" | Master P featuring Weebie | |
| 2003 | "Backtight" | Jaheim |
| "Would You?" | Benzino featuring LisaRaye and Mario Winans | |
| 2004 | "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 | |
| 2013 | "Age Ain't A Factor" | Jaheim |
| 2021 | "Friends and Family" | The Isley Brothers featuring Snoop Dogg |
Stage
edit- If These Hips Could Talk (2003)
- The Vagina Monologues (2006)
- You Gonna Make Me Love Somebody Else (2006)
- Gossip, Lies & Secrets (2007)
- Married But Single (2016)
- Married But Single Too (2017)
Award nominations
edit| Year | Award | Category | Work | Result | Refs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | NAACP Image Awards | Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series | All of Us | Nominated |
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Behlin III, Johnnie Lee (2009). WHY: A Guideline for Relationships (Ways of Women/Minds of Men). Xlibris Corporation. 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. 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
- ^ a b Jason Buchanan (2008). "LisaRaye McCoy". 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.
- ^ "Discography – Benzino/Mario Winans/Lisa Raye". 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". October 27, 2020.
- ^ "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".