Rutina Wesley

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Template:Short description Template:Use mdy dates Script error: No such module "infobox".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".Script error: No such module "Check for clobbered parameters".Template:Wikidata image Rutina Wesley (born December 21, 1978)[1] is an American actress. She is best known for her roles as Tara Thornton in the HBO fantasy drama series True Blood, Nova Bordelon on the OWN drama series Queen Sugar, and Maria in the HBO post-apocalyptic drama series The Last of Us.

Early life and education

Wesley was born and raised in Las Vegas, Nevada.[2] Her father, Ivery Wheeler, is a professional tap dancer, and her mother, Cassandra Wesley, was a showgirl.[3] She attended high school at the Las Vegas Academy of International Studies, Performing and Visual Arts.[4] She studied dance at Simba Studios and the West Las Vegas Arts Center.[5]

While at the Las Vegas Academy, Wesley missed some auditions for college training programs. She finally decided to attend the University of Evansville in Indiana.[6]

After Wesley earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theatre Performance in 2001,[7] her grandmother suggested that she do a nursing course to have a practical fallback job, but Wesley insisted on pursuing her artistic education.[6] She enrolled at the Juilliard School in 2001[8] and graduated in May 2005 (Group 34).[9] Her studies included a summer spent at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London.[10]

Career

File:True Blood - 2011 International Comic-Con.jpg
Wesley at the International Comic-Con San Diego with Ryan Kwanten, Deborah Ann Woll, Anna Paquin, Stephen Moyer, and Nelsan Ellis from the TV series True Blood in 2011.

In December 2006, Wesley was featured in David Hare's Broadway play The Vertical Hour.[3] In 2007, Wesley also appeared in The Public Theater production of In Darfur by playwright Winter Miller, co-starring Heather Raffo and Aaron Lohr, among others.[11]

Wesley had a minor role in the 2005 film Hitch, which was edited out in the final cut.[5] In 2007, she made her on-screen debut as the main character in the film How She Move, from British director Ian Iqbal Rashid. The character Raya Green, who enters a step-dancing competition to secure funds for her education, was inspired by Tony Manero, portrayed by John Travolta in Saturday Night Fever.[12] Prior to the shooting of the film, Wesley underwent a five-week dance rehearsal period.[5] Portraying a woman of Jamaican descent, she also took dialect coaching for the role.[13]

Wesley auditioned for the role Tara Thornton in the HBO series True Blood in 2007 and secured the part after creator Alan Ball chose her because "[she] was the first person who showed [Tara's] vulnerable side".[3]

In January 2015, it was announced that Wesley had been cast in a recurring role on the NBC drama series Hannibal. She portrayed Reba McClane, "a blind woman who enters into a relationship with Francis Dolarhyde (Richard Armitage), and helps soothe his murderous urges—at least at first."[14] Wesley appeared as Liza Warner in the fourth season of Arrow.[15][16]

In 2016, Wesley was cast as the lead character Nova Bordelon in the Oprah Winfrey Network drama series Queen Sugar, produced by Ava DuVernay and Oprah Winfrey.[17]

In 2023, Wesley portrayed Maria in the HBO series The Last of Us.[18]

Personal life

Wesley divides her time between Astoria, Queens, and Los Angeles, California. In 2005, she married her former Juilliard classmate Jacob Fishel, an actor. After separating in July, Wesley filed for divorce on August 16, 2013, citing irreconcilable differences.[19]

In November 2017, Wesley announced her partnership to Shonda, a chef from New Orleans. They later broke up in 2019.[20]

Filmography

Film

Year Movies Roles Notes
2007 How She Move Raya Green
2012 California Winter Marcy Sanchez
2013 Script error: No such module "Sort". Tina Short
2014 13 Sins Shelby
Last Weekend Nora Finley-Perkins
2015 Script error: No such module "Sort". Alicia
Broad Squad Joanne TV movie
2017 Last Looks Sister Short
2019 Live and Let Die Solitaire (voice) Video
Stucco Officer Short
2021 Outsiders Ramila

Television

Year TV show Role Notes
2008 Numb3rs Sarah/Jenny Calandro Episode: "Magic Show"
2008–14 True Blood Tara Thornton Main Cast
2009–12 Script error: No such module "Sort". Yvette (voice) Guest Cast: Season 1 & 3
2010 True Blood: Webisodes Tara Thornton Episode: "Sookie, Tara & Lafayette"
2010–11 Generator Rex Providence Cadet Kenwyn Jones (voice) Guest Cast: Season 1-2
2011 Bandwagon: The Series Auditioner Episode: "It's Your One Shot"
2012 True Blood: Jessica's Blog Tara Thornton Episode: "Big Vampire Sisters"
2015 Hannibal Reba McClane Recurring Cast: Season 3
2015–17 Arrow Liza Warner/Lady Cop Guest Cast: Season 4-5
2016–22 Queen Sugar Nova Bordelon Main Cast
2019 The Walking Dead Jocelyn Episode: "Scars"
2022 DMZ Athena Episode: "Home"
2023–25 The Last of Us Maria 5 Episodes

Guest Cast: Season 1–2

2024 Monster High Venus McFlytrap (voice) Recurring Cast: Season 2

Awards and nominations

Year Award Category Nominated work Result
2009 5th Scream Awards Best Supporting Actress True Blood Nominated
14th Satellite Awards Best Cast – Television Series Won
2010 16th Screen Actors Guild Awards Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series Nominated
2013 44th NAACP Image Awards Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series Nominated
2017 48th NAACP Image Awards Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series Queen Sugar Nominated
17th Black Reel Awards Won
2018 49th NAACP Image Awards Nominated
18th Black Reel Awards Won
2019 50th NAACP Image Awards Nominated
19th Black Reel Awards Won
2020 51st NAACP Image Awards Nominated
20th Black Reel Awards Nominated
2022 53rd NAACP Image Awards Nominated

See also

References

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External links

Template:Black Reel Award for Outstanding Actress, Drama Series Template:Authority control

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