fiction.wikisort.org - Actor

Tanya Patrice Wright (born May 3, 1971) is an American entrepreneur, actress and author. Born and raised in South Bronx, NY, Tanya has always been drawn to a life in the arts. Her first creative award was given to her in 5th grade as "best writer," which she was given for her imaginative story about a Christmas tree. Tanya studied Comparative Literature at Vassar College, and after her graduation, she went on to be offered her first main-line acting gig: Tanya Simpson on The Cosby Show. She is best known for her starring on Buddies as Phyllis Brooks, as well as her recurring roles on 24 as Patty Brooks, NYPD Blue as Officer Maya Anderson, on True Blood as Deputy Kenya Jones, and as Crystal on the Netflix original series Orange Is the New Black.[1]

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Tanya Wright
Born	Tanya Patrice Wright (1971-05-03) May 3, 1971 (age 51) The Bronx, New York, U.S.
Occupation	Actress entrepreneur author
Years active	1986–present
Relatives	Sheena Wright (sister)

Biography

Tanya Wright was born in the Spring of 1971 in The Bronx[2] to a 15 year old mother, Debra Fraser-Howze, who later became an AIDS activist.[3][4] Her sister, Sheena Wright, is a nonprofit executive who is the first woman president of the United Way of New York City.[5][6]

Tanya is an alumna of the Oliver Scholars Program and graduated high school from George School, a private Quaker school. She received a degree in Independent Studies/Comparative Literature at Vassar College.[7]

Career

Over the course of her career, Tanya made the decision to start wearing her hair naturally.[8] Tanya wrote a book entitled Butterfly Rising,[9] which was released on August 5, 2012.[10] Tanya is also a screenwriter, having written the screenplay for her book, for which she will also be directing and producing.[7]

Wright started a haircare line called HAIRiette in which some the proceeds go to The Actor's Fund.[11]

She starred in the play The Little Birch Tree in elementary school which started her acting career. While attending Vassar, she audition and landed a role in The Cosby Show.

Awards

• Tanya is a two-time winner of the Screen Actor's Guild (SAG) Award, Best Acting Ensemble for her portrayal of Crystal Burset in Orange is the New Black.
• Tanya is the recipient of SOBRO's "Most innovative Business" Award for HAIRiette.[1]

Filmography

Film

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1999	Mutiny	-	[12]
2001	The Brothers	LaMuzindah
2005	Ralph & Stanley	Dr. Reynolds	Short
2011	Butterfly Rising	Rose
	Aide-de-Camp	Anna	Short
2012	Why Stop Now	Lisa
2018	My Christmas Inn	Ellis	TV Movie

Television

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1986	The Cosby Show	Tanya Simpson	Episode: "The Card Game" & "Man Talk"
1991	Parker Lewis Can't Lose	Girlfriend	Episode: "Boy Meets Girl"
1994	Beverly Hills, 90210	Assistant	Episode: "Intervention"
1995	Living Single	Tanya	Episode: "If the Crew Fits"
	Family Matters	India	Episode: "We're Going to Disney World: Part 2"
	Burke's Law	Scrub Nurse	Episode: "Who Killed the King of the Country Club?"
1996	The Wayans Bros.	Toya	Episode: "The Odd Couples"
	Buddies	Phyllis Brooks	Main Cast
	The Jamie Foxx Show	Casey Coles	Episode: "Burned Twice by the Same Flame"
1998	Police Academy: The Series	Cassandra Cunningham	Recurring Cast
	Mama Flora's Family	Ernestine	Episode: "Episode #1.1 & #1.2"
1999	Moesha	Andrea	Episode: "Good Vibrations?" & "Fired Up"
2000–01	The District	Laura Clayson/Annette Haywood	Episode: "Imperfect Victims" & "Running Towards Fire"
2001–02	24	Patty Brooks	Recurring Cast: Season 1
2002	NYPD Blue	Officer Maya Anderson	Guest: Season 9, Recurring Cast: Season 10
2003–04	The Handler	Marcy	Main Cast
2004	Strong Medicine	Lily's Mother	Episode: "Touched by an Idol"
2006	Windfall	Dr. Bailey	Episode: "Urgent Care"
2007	ER	Megan Strand	Episode: "Sea Change"
	Standoff	Diana Marsh	Episode: "Lie to Me"
2008–14	True Blood	Deputy Kenya Jones	Recurring Cast
2013	The Carrie Diaries	-	Episode: "Express Yourself"
2013–18	Orange Is the New Black	Crystal Burset	Recurring Cast: Season 1-4, Guest: Season 6
2014	The Good Wife	Liana Depaul	Episode: "Message Discipline"
2018	I'm Dying Up Here	Nurse	Episode: "Deathbed Confessions"
	Madam Secretary	Dana Cook	Episode: "E Pluribus Unum"

References

External links

• Tanya Wright at IMDb
• Tanya Wright on Twitter

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