Michael Michele American actress Michael Michele is known for her extensive television work from Homicide: Life on the Street to Kevin Hill to ER. Michael Michele Williams was born August 30, 1966 in Evansville, Indiana. Her mother is Theresa, an African American corporate manager, while her father is Jerry, a Caucasian entrepreneur. Michele attended Howard Roosa Elementary School, and she was a standout in volleyball, track, and basketball during her high school years. Entering the entertainment industry through music videos, Michele was first spotted by the public through R&B singer Freddie Jackson’s videos. She went on to make her onscreen debut in 1988 with 1st and Ten opposite Delta Burke. She continued to dabble in film and television until she landed a recurring role from 1995 to 1996 on Central Park West. She appeared with Lauren Hutton, Raquel Welch, and Mariel Hemingway. When that gig came to an end, she returned to her sporadic guest appearances and bit parts in films. Finally earning her second recurring role, she appeared on the television series Homicide: Life on the Street from 1998 to 1999. Cast regulars included Richard Belzer, Melissa Leo, and Reed Diamond. In 2000, she reprised her role as Detective Rene Sheppard for Homicide: The Movie. The film added stars Daniel Baldwin, Ned Beatty, and Isabella Hofmann.
From 1999 to 2002, she supplemented her fame by winning a prime role on the medical drama ER. Working during the height of the show’s popularity, Michele shared the screen with Anthony Edwards, Noah Wyle, Alex Kingston, Ming Na, and many others. Capitalizing on her exposure, Michele won a role in the biopic Ali with stars Will Smith, Jamie Foxx, Jon Voigt, and Jada Pinkett Smith. On the film front, she also earned a supporting role in the romantic comedy How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days with Kate Hudson, Matthew McConaughey, and Adam Goldberg. Jumping from one recurring gig to another, Michele next worked on Kevin Hill. Panned by the critics and viewers, the show only lasted for one season. It was a general disappointment for leads Taye Diggs, Jon Seda, and Christina Hendricks. Most recently, she has been seen in the films Company Town, Judy’s Got a Gun, and the television series Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. In her personal life, Michele has been romantically linked with Jimmy Rodriguez, a New York entrepreneur in the restaurant business. They welcomed their first child, J Brandon, on December 21, 2004. When she’s not acting, Michele is busy mentoring underprivileged children. |
