Rachel True

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Rachel True
Born
Rachel India True

(1966-11-15) November 15, 1966 (age 59)
New York City, U.S.
OccupationActress
Years active1990–present

Rachel India True [1] [2] (born November 15, 1966) [1] is an American actress. She is best known for her roles in such films as The Craft (1996), Nowhere (1997), and Half Baked (1998). True is also known for her role as Mona Thorne on the UPN sitcom Half & Half , which ran from 2002 to 2006.

Contents

Early life

True was born in New York City, the middle of three children. Her father is of Ashkenazi Jewish descent, whereas her mother is of African American heritage. Her younger sister, Noel, is also an actress. True attended New York University. [3]

Career

True made her television debut in 1991 on the Cosby Show episode "Theo's Final". In 1993, she moved to Los Angeles and made her feature film debut playing Chris Rock's character's girlfriend in the comedy CB4 . [4] On television, she appeared in episodes of Hangin' with Mr. Cooper , Beverly Hills, 90210 , Getting By , The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air , Family Matters , Dream On and well as made-for-television movies Moment of Truth: Stalking Back (1993) and A Walton Wedding (1995). [4] In 1995, she had supporting role in the erotic horror film Embrace of the Vampire starring Alyssa Milano.

In 1996, True landed her breakthrough role as Rochelle Zimmerman in the supernatural horror film, The Craft , where she played a member of a teenage coven. [5] [6] True stated that she had to "fight" to audition for the part and was actively going up against her future co-stars Fairuza Balk, Neve Campbell and Robin Tunney. Her role was originally written for a white actress, but that didn't deter her from auditioning. [7] [8] In 1997, she starred in the comedy-drama film, Nowhere alongside James Duval, the film received mixed reviews from critics. [9] [10] The following year, True starred as Dave Chappelle's romantic interest in the comedy film, Half Baked . Also from 1997 to 1998, she also had the recurring role of Janet Clemens on The Drew Carey Show . From 1999 to 2000, she appeared in the ABC drama series, Once and Again .

True appeared in a number of independent movies, include With or Without You (1999), The Big Split (1999), and Groove (2000). She starred alongside Monica and Essence Atkins in the 2000 romantic drama film Love Song . From 2002 to 2006, True starred with Essence Atkins in the UPN comedy series, Half & Half , as paternal half-sisters who barely knew each other until becoming adults. She returned to film, playing the supporting role in the 2007 comedy The Perfect Holiday . The following years, she appeared in a number of smaller and made-for-television films, include The Asylum productions Social Nightmare (2013), Blood Lake: Attack of the Killer Lampreys (2014), Sharknado 2: The Second One (2014), and Sharknado: Heart of Sharkness (2015). In 2017, True worked as a tarot-card reader in Echo Park. [11] [12]

True released her book, True Heart Intuitive Tarot, Guidebook And Deck in 2020. [13] She appeared in horror films Agnes and Horror Noire in 2021. [14] [15] The following year, she joined the cast of the second season of Amazon Prime Video comedy series, Harlem . [16] Also that year, True was cast in Half Baked 2 , the sequel to the 1998 cult comedy, reprising her role as Mary Jane Potman. [17]

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
1990A Girls' Guide to SexBridgetTV movie
1993 CB4 Daliha
Moment of Truth: Stalking Back KatieTV movie
1995 A Walton Wedding Girl StudentTV movie
Embrace of the Vampire Nicole
1996 The Craft Rochelle Zimmerman
1997 Nowhere Mel
1998 Half Baked Mary Jane Potman
With or Without YouMisha
1999 The Big Split Jenny
The Apartment Complex Tasha
The Auteur TheorySasha Swann
2000 Groove Beth
Love Song ReneeTV movie
2002 New Best Friend Julianne Livingston
2007 The Perfect Holiday Brenda
2009The Killing of WendyAyanda
Pink EyeWygeniaShort
2011Thugs, the Musical!Lisa RowlandsShort
2012NoahTemba (voice)
Sugar MommasThomasinaTV movie
White Room: 02B3ThreeShort
2013Social NightmareMrs. LangranTV movie
2014 Blood Lake: Attack of the Killer Lampreys MarcyTV movie
Sharknado 2: The Second One 1st Officer Jonni ValentineTV movie
2015A House Is Not a HomeSimi Valley 911 Operator (voice)
Sharknado: Heart of SharknessHerself
2017Stage FrightMelissa AmeiaTV movie
LimelightMrs. Roberts
Good GriefPepper
2018The ManorDoctor Tryvniak
2021Assault on VA-33Sasha
Agnes Sister Ruth
Horror Noire Charlotte
2024 Half Baked: Totally High Mary Jane

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
1991–92 The Cosby Show NickiGuest Cast: Season 7-8
1993 Hangin' with Mr. Cooper YvetteEpisode: "Boyz in the Hoodz"
Getting By AndreaEpisode: "The Suit"
Renegade DawnEpisode: "Vanished"
Beverly Hills, 90210 Jan MylerRecurring Cast: Season 4
Tall Hopes -Episode: "Scalped"
Thea CandyEpisode: "Artie's Party"
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air RhettaEpisode: "Take My Cousin... Please"
1994–95 Dream On Linda CastoriniGuest: Season 4, Recurring Cast: Season 6
1995 Family Matters SueEpisode: "What's Up Doc?"
1997 Boston Common CherylEpisode: "To Bare Is Human"
1997–98 The Drew Carey Show Janet ClemonsRecurring Cast: Season 3
1998 Damon MoniqueEpisode: "The Last Cub Scout"
1999–2000 Once and Again MaliRecurring Cast: Season 1
2000 Providence Talia WeberEpisode: "Family Ties"
2001 Dawson's Creek KiraEpisode: "Hopeless"
2002–06 Half & Half Mona Rose ThorneMain Cast
2006 Noah's Arc BrooklynEpisode: "Give It Up"
2006–08 Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-List HerselfRecurring Cast: Season 2 & 5, Guest: Season 3-4
2007 E! True Hollywood Story HerselfEpisode: "Kathy Griffin"
2017 Being Mary Jane TiffanyEpisode: "Feeling Seen"
2019 Better Things PascalEpisode: "Show Me the Magic"
2019–21 The Boulet Brothers' Dragula Herself/Guest JudgeEpisode: "Halloween Haunt" & "Monsters of Rock"
2020History of HorrorHerselfEpisode: "Witches"
2022 Queer for Fear HerselfEpisode: "Episode #1.2 & #1.4"
Family Reunion CherylEpisode: "Remember When the Raccoon Crashed the Wedding?"
2023 Harlem AimeeRecurring Cast: Season 2

Awards and nominations

YearAwardsCategoryRecipientOutcome
1997 Fangoria Chainsaw Awards Best Supporting Actress"The Craft"Nominated

References

  1. 1 2 McCann, Bob (2022). Encyclopedia of African American Actresses in Film and Television . Jefferson, NC: McFarland & Company. p. 327. ISBN   978-0-7864-3790-0.
  2. ↑ Gilbert, Ruth (March 18, 1991). "Theatre Listings: Off Off Broadway". New York Magazine. p. 94. Retrieved July 21, 2023.
  3. ↑ "Rachel True". TVGuide.com. Retrieved April 25, 2015.
  4. 1 2 "Rachel True". Rotten Tomatoes .
  5. ↑ Gleiberman, Owen (May 10, 1996). "The Craft". Entertainment Weekly . Retrieved April 25, 2015.
  6. ↑ Kuehl, KayLee Chie (October 17, 2022). "Why Rachel True's Character in 'The Craft' Is the Most Interesting in the Coven". Collider .
  7. ↑ Clarke, Cassandra (November 3, 2020). "The Craft: Rachel True on the Racism She Encountered From Casting to Filming to Promotion". CBR .
  8. ↑ "MVP of Horror: Rachel True reflects on her experience as the only Black star of 'The Craft'". Yahoo! . October 30, 2020.
  9. ↑ "Nowhere" – via www.rottentomatoes.com.
  10. ↑ "Stylish 'Nowhere' Finds Youthful Despair". Los Angeles Times. May 9, 1997.
  11. ↑ Mention, Bry'onna (October 30, 2020). "Rachel True Wanted More for Rochelle in 'The Craft,' Too". Cosmopolitan .
  12. ↑ Lepore, Kristen (May 24, 2017). "Rochelle From The Craft Is a Tarot Card Reader in Echo Park". L.A. Weekly . Retrieved May 30, 2017.
  13. ↑ True, Rachel (2020). True Heart Intuitive Tarot, Guidebook and Deck. ISBN   978-1328566263.
  14. ↑ N'Duka, Amanda (December 20, 2019). "Rachel True, Sean Gunn Join 'Agnes'; Sherilyn Fenn, Franco Nero Topline 'Immortalist'; Cameron Douglas, Elisabeth Röhm In 'The Runner'". Deadline Hollywood .
  15. ↑ Mangum, Trey. "'Horror Noire' Anthology Series Casts Rachel True, Luke James, Tony Todd And 10 More". Shadow and Act.
  16. ↑ Cordero, Rosy (October 20, 2022). "'Harlem': Rachel True, Sherri Shepherd & Lil Rel Howery Among 7 New Cast For Season 2".
  17. ↑ D'Alessandro, Anthony (November 11, 2022). "'Half Baked 2': Rachel True Returns, Dexter Darden Joins Cast & More". Deadline Hollywood .
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