# Maria Howell

Wanda Maria Howell is an American actress and singer.

## Life and career

Howell was born in Gastonia, North Carolina and graduated Winston-Salem State University in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. She worked as jazz singer and made her film debut in The Color Purple (1985) and later began appearing in film and television. She lived in Okinawa, Japan, from 1995–2001.
In the 2000s, Howell returned to United States and made guest appearances on television series such as Drop Dead Diva, Army Wives, The Game, Necessary Roughness, and The Vampire Diaries, and well co-starred in films include Daddy's Little Girls (2007), Mississippi Damned (2009), The Blind Side (2009), and What to Expect When You're Expecting (2012). In 2013, Howell played Seeder in The Hunger Games: Catching Fire. Also in 2012, she was cast in recurring role of NBC post-apocalyptic series Revolution as Grace Beaumont, and in 2013 played Ida Hayes in Lifetime comedy-drama Devious Maids.
From 2016 to 2018, Howell played Lt. Theresa Hawkins in the Bounce TV prime time soap opera Saints & Sinners. In 2019 she co-starred opposite Kristin Chenoweth in the Hallmark Channel Christmas film, A Christmas Love Story. In 2021 she had a recurring role in the BET+ thriller series, Sacrifice.

## Filmography
### Film

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1985 | The Color Purple | Church Choir Soloist | |
| 1996 | The Closest Thing to Heaven | Viola Holiday | |
| 2006 | Barbed Wire | Barbara | Short film |
| 2007 | Daddy's Little Girls | Wife | |
| 2008 | Reverie | Momma | Short film |
| 2009 | Mississippi Damned | Shelia Hobbs | |
| 2009 | The Blind Side | CPS Welfare Worker | |
| 2009 | A Peacock-Feathered Blue | Ms. Bean | Short film |
| 2012 | What to Expect When You're Expecting | Jules' Doctor | |
| 2012 | Little Red Wagon | Angie | |
| 2013 | The Hunger Games: Catching Fire | Seeder | |
| 2014 | Addicted | Nina | |
| 2014 | Christmas Wedding Baby | Miranda | |
| 2014 | The Good Lie | INS Agent | |
| 2016 | The Divergent Series: Allegiant | Council Member | |
| 2016 | Sons 2 the Grave | Ruth Jennings | |
| 2016 | Hidden Figures | Ms. Sumner | |
| 2017 | American Made | NSC | |
| 2019 | Homeless Ashes | Virginia | |
| 2022 | Gigi & Nate | Chairman Filling | |
| 2024 | Summer Camp | Judy | |

### Television

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1993 | The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles | Goldie | 2 episodes |
| 1993 | Linda | Shirley | TV film |
| 1993 | Scattered Dreams | Elsa | TV film |
| 1995 | American Gothic | Choir Soloist | Episode: "Eye of the Beholder" |
| 2007 | K-Ville | Loretta Sweeney | Episode: "Flood, Wind, and Fire" |
| 2008 | Living Proof | Kate | TV film |
| 2008 | Army Wives | Counselor | Episode: "Thank You for Letting Me Share" |
| 2009 | Army Wives | Major Barcenilla | Episode: "Fields of Fire" |
| 2009 | Drop Dead Diva | Hilda Carrera | Episode: "The Dress" |
| 2009–2017 | The Vampire Diaries | Mrs. Halpern, Ayana Bennett | 3 episodes |
| 2010 | Past Life | Mrs. Connors | Episode: "Regressing Henry" |
| 2010 | Detroit 1-8-7 | Woman Accident Witness | Episode: "Pharmacy Double/Bullet Train" |
| 2011 | The Game | Valencia | Episode: "The Right to Choose Episode" |
| 2011 | Field of Vision | Lucy's Teacher | TV film |
| 2011 | Necessary Roughness | Joanne Huff | Episode: "Pilot" |
| 2011 | Single Ladies | Nurse | Episode: "Take Me to the Next Phase" |
| 2011 | It's Supernatural | Barren Woman | Episode: "Bill Ligon" |
| 2012 | Firelight | Mrs. Easle | TV film |
| 2012–2014 | Revolution | Grace Beaumont | Recurring role, 10 episodes |
| 2013 | Devious Maids | Ida Hayes | Recurring role, 8 episodes |
| 2016–2018 | Saints & Sinners | Lt. Theresa Hawkins | Recurring role, 15 episodes |
| 2017 | The Haves and the Have Nots | Melissa’s mother | 2 episodes |
| 2017 | Criminal Minds | Dr. Lode Barren | 1 episodes |
| 2019 | A Christmas Love Story | Carol | |
| 2021 | Delilah | Adora | Episode: "The Long Game" |
| 2021–present | Little Ellen | Tallulah (voice) | Recurring role |
| 2021 | The Resident | Judge Lola Rawlins | Episode: "Past, Present, Future" |
| 2021 | Sacrifice | Estelle Winchester | Recurring role, 7 episodes |
| 2022 | To Her, with Love | Maya | |

### Video games

| Year | Title | Role |
| 2017 | Minecraft: Story Mode | Tripwire |
| 2020 | Maneater | Female Hunter |