Aja Naomi King

Aja Naomi King

King in 2014
Born (1985-01-11) January 11, 1985
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Occupation Actress
Years active 2010-present

Aja Naomi King (born January 11, 1985)[1] is an American actress. She began her career in guest-starring roles on television, and starred as Cassandra Kopelson in the short-lived CW medical comedy-drama, Emily Owens, M.D. (2012–13).

In 2014, King began starring as Michaela Pratt in the ABC legal drama series, How to Get Away with Murder, for which she received NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series nomination in 2015. She also has starred in the independent movies Four (2012) and Reversion (2015). In 2016 she appeared in the historical film The Birth of a Nation as Cherry Turner.

Early life

King was born in Los Angeles, California and grew up in Walnut, California.[2] She received a BFA in Acting from the University of California, Santa Barbara, and an MFA from Yale University's School of Drama in 2010.[1] At Yale University, King performed in a number of productions, including A Midsummer Night's Dream, Little Shop of Horrors and Angels in America.[1]

Career

2010–2013

King appeared in several short films in the early period of her career. She made her television debut in 2010 with guest-starring role in the CBS procedural Blue Bloods, and later appeared on Person of Interest, The Blacklist and Deadbeat. She made her feature film debut in the 2011 independent film Damsels in Distress as a minor character. Her big break came in 2012 when she was cast as new surgical intern Cassandra Kopelson and the series primary antagonist, on the CW medical comedy-drama series, Emily Owens, M.D.[3] The series was canceled after a single season in 2013. She later starred in the Amazon Studios comedy pilot The Onion Presents: The News.[4]

In 2013, King co-starred in two independent films. She played Wendell Pierce's character daughter Abigayle in the independent drama Four, released on September 13, 2013.[5] Along with her castmates, she won a Los Angeles Film Festival Award for Best Performance by Cast for her role in this movie.[6] She also appeared alongside Laverne Cox, Britne Oldford and Franky G in the 36 Saints.[7] In 2014 she had supporting role in the romantic comedy The Rewrite starring Hugh Grant and Marisa Tomei. The movie was filmed in 2013, but had theatrical release in the United States on 2015.[8]

King in 2014

2014–present: breakthrough

In early 2014, King had a recurring role of Ali Henslee in the ABC medical drama series, Black Box starring Kelly Reilly as title character. The series was canceled after single season. On February, 2014 she was cast as one of the lead characters in the ABC legal thriller How to Get Away with Murder produced by Shonda Rhimes.[9] The series stars Viola Davis as a law professor Annalise Keating. King plays the role of Michaela Pratt, one of the five lead students, alongside Jack Falahee, Alfred Enoch, Matt McGorry and Karla Souza. The series premiered on September 25, 2014 with generally positive reviews from critics and a massive 14 million viewers.[10] King received her first NAACP Image Award nomination for her performance in series.[11]

In 2015, King had her first the leading role, in the science-fiction thriller film Reversion. The film had limited theatrical release on October 9, 2015.[12][13] Also in 2015, she was cast as the female lead in the historical drama film The Birth of a Nation, based on the story of the 1831 slave rebellion led by Nat Turner. The film also stars Nate Parker, Aunjanue Ellis, Gabrielle Union and Armie Hammer.[14] She played Nat Turner's wife, Cherry. The film premiered in competition at the 2016 Sundance Film Festival on January 25, 2016, and received positive reviews from critics.[15] King's performance as a young slave was also well received. Variety placed her in their list of one of the "Biggest Breakthrough Performances" at Sundance, writing that "King transforms herself from contemporary glamour girl to 19th-century slave in Nate Parker’s festival smash. A harrowing scene late in the film opposite Parker as Nat Turner reveals a depth and range King has never been asked to deliver in her small screen work, and a potential new star is born."[16] King has also been listed as a possible contender for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress in 2017.[17]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
2008 Gloria Mundi Dancer Short film
2010 A Basketball Jones Sara Walker Short film
2010 Eve Celebrity Short film
2011 Damsels in Distress Positive Polly
2012 Love Synchs Selene Short film
2013 36 Saints Joan
2013 Four Abigayle Los Angeles Film Festival Award for Best Performance by Cast
2014 The Rewrite Rosa
2015 Reversion Sophie Clé
2016 The Birth of a Nation Cherry Turner

Television

Year Title Role Notes
2010 Blue Bloods Denise Episode: "Samaritan"
2012 Person of Interest Lisa Episode: "Wolf and Cub"
2012–2013 Emily Owens, M.D. Cassandra Kopelson Series regular (13 episodes)
2013 The Blacklist Elysa Ruben Episode: "Frederick Barnes"
2014 Deadbeat N'Cole Episode: "Out-Of-Body Issues"
2014 Black Box Ali Henslee 8 episodes
2014–present How to Get Away with Murder Michaela Pratt Series regular (39 episodes)
Nominated—NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series (2015)

References

  1. 1 2 3 "'Aja Naomi King: Biography". Los Angeles Film Festival. Retrieved 2013-07-21.
  2. ↑ Magazine, Glamour. "Want to Know More About the Cast of How to Get Away With Murder? We Have the Info!". Glamour. Retrieved 2016-03-06.
  3. ↑ "'Emily Owens M.D.:Aja Naomi King Interview". The CW Network. Retrieved 2013-07-26.
  4. ↑ "'Aja Naomi King Joins Cast Of Amazon Studios Comedy Pilot 'The Onion Presents: The News". IndieWire Shadow and Act. Retrieved 2013-07-26.
  5. ↑ "'Interview with Joshua Sanchez, "Four""". Film Society of Lincoln Center. Retrieved 2013-07-26.
  6. ↑ "Winners Announced for 2012 Los Angeles Film Festival". Film Independent. 24 June 2013. Retrieved 8 May 2013.
  7. ↑ "Film Review: '36 Saints'". Variety. September 9, 2014. Retrieved 29 September 2014.
  8. ↑ Jacob Shamsian. "Binghamton-set movie 'The Rewrite' to screen on campus with star Hugh Grant and director Marc Lawrence". Pipe Dream. Retrieved January 30, 2016.
  9. ↑ Andreeva, Nellie. "Aja Naomi King Cast In ABC Pilot 'Murder'; Arden Myrin in NBC's 'Bad Judge'". Deadline.com. Retrieved 2014-02-13.
  10. ↑ Michael O'Connell (September 26, 2014). "TV Ratings: 'How to Get Away With Murder' Tops ABC's Winning Shonda Rhimes Block". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 29 September 2014.
  11. ↑ Variety Staff. "'Get On Up,' 'Selma,' 'Dear White People' Score NAACP Image Award Nominations (Full List)". Variety. Retrieved March 1, 2015.
  12. ↑ Tambay A. Obenson (September 14, 2015). "Pics: Aja Naomi King Headlines Sci-fi Thriller 'Reversion – Shadow and Act". Shadow and Act. Retrieved September 20, 2015.
  13. ↑ Tambay A. Obenson (September 18, 2015). "EXCLUSIVE Trailer & Poster: Aja Naomi King Headlines Sci-fi Thriller 'Reversion' (Opens Oct. 9)". Shadow and Act. Retrieved September 20, 2015.
  14. ↑ Dave McNary. "Aja Naomi King Joins Armie Hammer in Nat Turner Movie – Variety". Variety. Retrieved April 10, 2015.
  15. ↑ "The Birth of a Nation". January 26, 2016. Retrieved January 30, 2016.
  16. ↑ Variety Staff. "Sundance Film Festival 2016: 19 Biggest Breakout Stars – Variety". Variety. Retrieved January 30, 2016.
  17. ↑ Ramin Setoodeh. "Oscars 2017: How Sundance Launched 'The Birth of a Nation,' 'Weiner' – Variety". Variety. Retrieved February 1, 2016.

External links

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