Adina Porter - wikipedia Adina Porter Adina Porter Adina Elizabeth Porter ( 1971 - 03 - 13 ) March 13, 1971 ( age 47 ) New York City, New York, U.S Occupation Actress Years active 1988 -- present Spouse ( s ) David Raymond Hecht ( divorced ) Larry Earl Madison ( widowed ) Children Adina Elizabeth Porter ( born March 13, 1971 ) is an American actress, best known for her television performances as Lettie Mae Thornton on the HBO dark fantasy horror series True Blood, Kendra James on HBO 's The Newsroom, Indra on the CW post-apocalyptic science fiction drama series The 100, and Lee Harris and Beverly Hope on the sixth and seventh seasons of the FX anthology series American Horror Story for which she received a Primetime Emmy Award nomination. She began her career appearing on Off - Broadway stage, winning the Obie Award in 1996 for Venus. Contents 1 Life and career 1.1 Theater 1.2 Television and film 2 Filmography 2.1 Film 2.2 Television 3 Awards and nominations 4 References 5 External links Life and career Porter was born and raised in New York City, New York. She graduated from the State University of New York at Purchase. Her first acting teacher was Butterfly McQueen. She was married twice and has two children with her second husband, Larry Earl Madison Jr. Theater Porter began her acting career in the theatre, appearing in off Broadway plays and in regional theatre. Her off - Broadway credits include The Debutante Ball, Jersey City, Aven ' U Boys, Girl Gone, Silence, Cunning, Exile, Dancing on Moonlight and Hurricane. In 1996, she received Obie Award for Distinguished Performance by an Actress for her performance in Venus. Her Broadway debut came in 2001 with the Roundabout Theater 's revival of The Women, directed by Scott Elliott, broadcast as part of PBS 's Stage on Screen series, in addition, she performed in multiple productions at the New York Shakespeare Festival. Television and film Porter began her screen career playing guest starring roles on television dramas include Law & Order, New York Undercover, Brooklyn South, and NYPD Blue. She had a recurring role as housekeeper Gwen Walker in the NBC period drama American Dreams from 2002 to 2003. In film, she made her debut in 1992 Leopold / Loeb New Queer Cinema feature, Swoon. She went to appear in small roles in films The Peacemaker ( 1997 ), Gia ( 1998 ), Body Shots ( 1999 ), The Fluffer ( 2001 ), and The Salon ( 2005 ). In 2005, Porter played Ricky in the film adaptation of Ruben Santiago - Hudson 's play Lackawanna Blues for HBO. She received Black Reel Award for Best Supporting Actress : Television Movie / Cable for her role. She went to appear ER, Prison Break, Without a Trace, House, and Law & Order : Special Victims Unit. In 2008, Porter was cast as Lettie Mae Thornton, mother to Rutina Wesley 's Tara Thorton, in the HBO drama series, True Blood. She was promoted to series regular in seventh and final season of show. In 2012, she guest starred in an episode of Grey 's Anatomy. From 2012 to 2014, she also had a recurring role on the HBO series The Newsroom playing Kendra James. In 2014, she began appearing in a recurring role as Indra in the CW post-apocalyptic drama, The 100. Porter also starred in two unsold drama pilots for ABC, Doubt in 2013, and The Jury in 2016. In 2016, she played Pearly Mae during first season of WGN America period drama Underground. Later that year, Porter was cast as Lee Harris in the FX anthology series American Horror Story : Roanoke, after previously appearing as a minor character in American Horror Story : Murder House in 2011. For her performance in Roanoke, she received critical acclaim and was nominated for a Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actress on Television. She later portrayed Beverly Hope in American Horror Story : Cult where she received similar praise from critics and received a Primetime Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or Movie. In 2018, she was also confirmed to appear in the eighth season of the show. Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes Swoon Stenographer Geoffrey Beene 30 Woman Short film 1997 The Peacemaker Police NYPD 1998 Gia Girl at Group Therapy 1999 Body Shots Detective Thompson 2001 The Fluffer Silver 2002 Pipe Dream Lauren Gunther 2005 The Salon Percy 's wife 2005 Lackawanna Blues Ricky Television film 2009 Operating Instructions Celia The Social Network Gretchen 's Associate Uncredited 2011 About Sunny Cheryl 2011 The Changing Room Sarah Short film 2017 The Last Word Bree Wilson Television Year Title Role Notes Law & Order Woman Neighbor Episode : `` Out of the Half - Light '' 1994 Law & Order Sheryl Decker Episode : `` Nurture '' 1994 New York Undercover Jasmine Hopkins Episode : `` Pilot '' 1995 Law & Order Mary Byman Episode : `` Savages '' 1997 Brooklyn South Angela Withers Episode : `` Life Under Castro '' 1998 Brimstone Rachel Episode : `` Repentance '' 1999 Snoops Angela Jackson Episode : `` The Grinch '' 2000 The District Ella 's Assistant Episode : `` Pilot '' 2000 Judging Amy N / A Episode : `` Unnecessary Roughness '' 2000 Any Day Now Diane Episode : `` Where 's the Justice in That ? '' 2000 City of Angels Hazina Episode : `` Smoochas Gracias '' 2001 NYPD Blue Tisha Episode : `` Dying to Testify '' 2002 Strong Medicine Malia Episode : `` Compassionate Release '' 2002 The Guardian Assistant D.A. Episode : `` Monster '' 2002 Crossing Jordan Vicki Moran Episode : `` Prisoner Exchange '' 2002 -- 2003 American Dreams Gwen Walker 15 episodes 2003 NYPD Blue Ifeoma Okafor Episode : `` Meet the Grandparents '' 2005 ER Mrs. Hopkins Episode : `` Back in the World '' 2005 Jack & Bobby N / A Episode : `` A Child of God '' 2005 CSI : NY Shannon Goodall Episode : `` On the Job '' 2005 Prison Break Leticia Barris 2 episodes 2006 Without a Trace Harriet Lewis Episode : `` Watch Over Me '' 2007 House M.D. Claudia Episode : `` Family '' 2007 Law & Order : Special Victims Unit Janelle Odami Episode : `` Fight '' 2007 -- 2010 Saving Grace Tamara Cooley 2 episodes 2008 -- 2014 True Blood Lettie Mae Thornton 30 episodes 2009 Cold Case Laticia Myers Episode : `` Jurisprudence '' 2009 CSI : Crime Scene Investigation Denise Devine Episode : `` Coup de Grace '' Hawthorne Nancy Breton Episode : `` The Match '' The Whole Truth Detective Sweeney Episode : `` Cold Case '' 2011 Criminal Minds : Suspect Behavior Jeanette Rawlins Episode : `` Two of a Kind '' 2011 Private Practice Stacy Episode : `` A Step Too Far '' 2011 American Horror Story : Murder House Sally Freeman Episode : `` Murder House '' 2011 Prime Suspect Detective Kendra Cannon Episode : `` The Great Wall of Silence '' 2011 -- 2012 Ringer Principal Caruso 2 episodes 2012 The Finder Ms. Estelle Episode : `` Life After Death '' 2012 Grey 's Anatomy Dr. Ramsey Episode : `` Remember the Time '' 2012 Glee History Teacher Episode : `` The Role You Were Born to Play '' 2012 The Vampire Diaries Nandi LaMarche Episode : `` We 'll Always Have Bourbon Street '' 2012 -- 2014 The Newsroom Kendra James 23 episodes 2014 -- present The 100 Indra 40 episodes 2015 Code Black Susie Episode : `` Pilot '' 2015 The Leftovers G.R. Leader Episode : `` Ten Thirteen '' 2016 -- 2017 Underground Pearly Mae 7 episodes 2016 The Catch FBI Agent Emily Clark Episode : `` The Wedding '' 2016 American Horror Story : Roanoke Lee Harris 9 episodes 2017 Ray Donovan Vicky 4 episodes 2017 American Horror Story : Cult Beverly Hope 10 episodes 2018 American Horror Story : Apocalypse Dinah Stevens Upcoming series Awards and nominations Year Association Nominated work Result 2006 Black Reel Awards Best Supporting Actress : Television Movie / Cable Lackawanna Blues Nominated 2017 Saturn Awards Best Supporting Actress on Television American Horror Story : Roanoke Nominated 2018 American Horror Story : Cult Nominated Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or Movie Pending References Jump up ^ `` Adina E. Porter and David R. Hecht ''. The New York Times. August 3, 1992. ^ Jump up to : `` Adina Porter Talks About Husband ; Got Her Children From Married Life Or A Previous Boyfriend ? ''. LIVERAMPUP. ^ Jump up to : `` Adina Porter ''. Retrieved October 20, 2016. ^ Jump up to : `` Adina Porter ''. Retrieved October 20, 2016. Jump up ^ `` Adina Porter - Lortel Archives ''. Retrieved October 20, 2016. Jump up ^ `` True Blood : Actor Bio : Adina Porter ''. HBO.com. Retrieved June 23, 2012. Jump up ^ `` ' True Blood ' Promotes Adina Porter to Series Regular ''. Retrieved October 20, 2016. Jump up ^ `` ' Grey 's Anatomy ' : ' True Blood, ' ' Newsroom ' Actress Checks In ''. Retrieved October 20, 2016. Jump up ^ Petski, Denise ( February 18, 2016 ). `` DeWanda Wise Aims At ' Shots Fired ' ; Adina Porter Joins ' The Jury ' ''. Retrieved October 20, 2016. Jump up ^ Pedersen, Erik ( April 15, 2015 ). `` Adina Porter Cast In WGN America 's ' Underground ' ''. Retrieved October 20, 2016. Jump up ^ Pehanick, Maggie. `` American Horror Story : If You Watched Season 1, You 've Already Seen This Actress ''. Retrieved October 20, 2016. External links Adina Porter on IMDb LCCN : no2015081496 VIAF : 316562031 Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Adina_Porter&oldid=854746957 '' Categories : 1971 births Living people Actresses from New York City 20th - century American actresses 21st - century American actresses Obie Award recipients American television actresses African - American actresses American film actresses American stage actresses Hidden categories : Use mdy dates from November 2013 Articles with hCards Wikipedia articles with LCCN identifiers Wikipedia articles with VIAF identifiers Talk Contents About Wikipedia Asturianu تۆرکجه Deutsch Español فارسی Français 한국어 Italiano Қазақша Nederlands Polski Português Русский Српски / srpski Suomi 7 more Edit links This page was last edited on 13 August 2018, at 14 : 10 ( UTC ). Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution - ShareAlike License ; additional terms may apply. By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Wikipedia ® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization. About Wikipedia

Question: who played tara's mom on true blood
Answer: Porter