Diarra Kilpatrick is an American actress. She is best known for acting on the ABC Digital series American Koko and HBO's Perry Mason. Kilpatrick also appeared in Private Practice, The Last O.G., and The Twilight Zone.[2][3]
Diarra Kilpatrick | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1983/1984 (age 38–39)[1] Detroit, Michigan, USA |
| Nationality | American |
| Occupation |
|
| Years active | 2007- |
| Notable work | American Koko |
Kilpatrick was raised in Detroit.[4] She is the half-sister of Kwame Kilpatrick.[4] She grew up performing in productions at Meadow Brook Theater. When she turned 12, she joined Mosaic Youth Theatre and starred in her first production.[4][1] Kilpatrick graduated from Detroit Country Day[2] and attended NYU Tisch for her bachelor's degree.[1]
Kilpatrick moved to Los Angeles in 2007 and acted in local theater productions including Three Sisters After Chekhov, The Interlopers, and Tarell Alvin McCraney's In the Red and Brown Water.[2]
In 2015, she wrote, produced, and starred in a satirical web series, American Koko, and launched it on YouTube.[1] The series won the American Black Film Festival’s Best Web Series Award in 2015, after which it caught the attention of Julius Tennon, the husband of Viola Davis.[1] The series was developed through their production company, JuVee Productions,[1] and was purchased by ABC. The original first season was re-shot and a second season was also produced.[3] Both seasons premiered online on ABC Digital on June 19, 2017.[5] It follows Koko (played by Kilpatrick), who "is a Los Angeles race detective at the Everyone’s a Little Racist Agency, which has the daunting mandate of ending racism in America."[6]
Kilpatrick wrote and starred in a pilot for Amazon Studios in fall 2017, The Climb. It is a "Detroit-set comedy about an assistant who ditches her job to find internet fame."[7] The series was not picked up by Amazon.[8]
She appeared in The Twilight Zone reboot, and had supporting roles on Private Practice, The Last O.G., and HBO's Perry Mason.[9][10]
Kilpatrick is married.[10]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | Forbidden Fruits | Lisa | |
| 2007 | Unfinished | Waitress | Short |
| 2008 | Keepin' the Faith: Higher Ground | Asia | |
| 2009 | All Americana | Steph | Short |
| Gang Girl | Bess Roundtree | ||
| Hollywood, je t'aime | Kaleesha | ||
| Surrender | Bess Roundtree | Short | |
| 2011 | Under-Tow | Shar | Short |
| Talking with the Taxman About Poetry | Afton | ||
| 2012 | H4 | Clarice | |
| 2014 | Stand Down Soldier | Billi | |
| Four Women | Sarah | Short | |
| 2015 | Lila & Eve | Maya | |
| The Brink | Jane | Short | |
| 2016 | The Salton Sea | The Hitchhiker | |
| 2017 | The Climb | Nia | TV Movie |
| 2020 | Baldwin Beauty | - | Short |
| 2021 | The Goldfish | Maya | Short |
| Nash Bridges | Lena Harris | TV Movie | |
| 14 Days | Faitma | Short |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | House | Sally | Episode: "The Itch" |
| 2008–12 | Private Practice | Nurse Danielle | 5 episodes |
| 2009 | The Game | Groupie | Episode: "Take a Bow" |
| The Young and the Restless | Young Maid | Episode: "Episode #1.9195" | |
| 2010–11 | Disaster Date | Herself | Recurring role (Season 3); main role (Season 4) |
| 2011 | Hart of Dixie | Mother | Episode: "Gumbo & Glory" |
| 2012 | Mike & Molly | Amira | Episode: "Surprise" |
| 2013 | Southland | Yvette | Episode: "Babel" |
| 2014; 2017 | American Koko | Akosua Miller | Main role, producer, writer |
| 2015 | Major Crimes | Peaches Williams | Episode: "The Jumping Off Point" |
| 2019 | The Twilight Zone | Didi Scott | Episode: "The Comedian" |
| The Last O.G. | Lisa | Recurring role | |
| 2020– | Perry Mason | Clara Drake | Recurring role (Season 1); main role (Season 2) |
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