# Nadine Ellis

Nadine Ellis (born April 15, 1971) is an American actress. She starred as Stacy Lawrence, the leading character in the BET romantic comedy series, Let's Stay Together (2011–2014). Ellis also has appeared in more than 80 television shows and feature film, notable had regular roles in the Netflix teen drama Greenhouse Academy (2017–18), and Fox drama series, Our Kind of People (2021–22).

## Life and career

Ellis was born and raised in Queens, New York. She graduated from Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School and later attended New York Institute of Technology. Ellis later moved to Los Angeles for acting career and began appearing in episodes of television shows such as Any Day Now, Men, Women & Dogs, Nikki and V.I.P.. Ellis also was a member of a dance group The Pussycat Dolls. She also played dancers in films Nutty Professor II: The Klumps (2000), Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle (2003), Gigli (2003), Starsky & Hutch (2004), 13 Going on 30 (2004), Guess Who (2005), Idlewild (2006), Hairspray (2007), 500 Days of Summer (2009), and Iron Man 2 (2010). From 2004 to 2008, Ellis had a recurring role in the Comedy Central comedy series, Reno 911!.
In 2011, Ellis was cast in the leading role of Stacy Lawrence in the BET romantic comedy series, Let's Stay Together. The series was cancelled after four seasons in 2014. Ellis later had starring roles in a number of made-for-television movies, include Somebody's Child (2012), Four of Hearts (2013), and Love the One You're With (2014), as well guest-starred on Bones, Timeless, Training Day, Lucifer and Jane the Virgin. She starred in the 2017 comedy film Another Man Will directed by David E. Talbert, and appeared in the comedy film Daphne & Velma (2018). From 2017 to 2018 she starred as Judy Hayward in the Netflix teen drama series, Greenhouse Academy. From 2019 to 2020, Ellis had a recurring role as Brenda Williams in the Showtime comedy-drama series, Shameless.
In 2021, Ellis was cast as Leah Franklin Dupont in the Fox prime time soap opera, Our Kind of People, replacing LeToya Luckett who had been originally cast in the role. The series was cancelled after one season in 2022. She later starred in the Holiday movies Christmas for Sale (2021), The Christmas Clapback (2022), and The Holiday Stocking (2022).

## Filmography
### Film

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 2000 | Nutty Professor II: The Klumps | Dancer | |
| 2002 | The Hot Chick | Palace Girl | |
| 2003 | Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle | Treasure Chest Dancer | |
| 2003 | Gigli | Beach Dancer | |
| 2004 | Starsky & Hutch | Nightclub Dancer | |
| 2004 | 13 Going on 30 | Dancer | |
| 2005 | Guess Who | Dancer | |
| 2006 | Idlewild | Church Dancer | |
| 2007 | Live Free or Die Hard | Teller | |
| 2007 | Hairspray | Dynamites | |
| 2008 | Tropic Thunder | Speedman Assistant | |
| 2008 | An American Carol | Parent | |
| 2008 | A Muppets Christmas: Letters to Santa | Dancer | TV movie |
| 2009 | 500 Days of Summer | Dancer | |
| 2010 | Iron Man 2 | Ironette Dancer | |
| 2011 | He's Mine Not Yours | Danielle | |
| 2011 | GayCare | Tammy Chowsky | Short |
| 2012 | The Coalition | Kennedy Lorenze | Video |
| 2012 | Somebody's Child | Hope | TV movie |
| 2013 | Four of Hearts | April | |
| 2014 | Love the One You're With | Diana | TV movie |
| 2015 | Fear Files | Bianca Wayne | TV movie |
| 2016 | 9 Rides | Uber Pool Woman | |
| 2016 | Timeless: Continuum Recon | NASA Mathematician | Short |
| 2017 | Another Man Will | Cynthia Scott | |
| 2017 | Can't Buy My Love | Dr. Richwood | TV movie |
| 2017 | Like a Racehorse | - | Short |
| 2018 | Daphne & Velma | Elizabeth Blake | |
| 2018 | Love Just Is | Sheryl Jackson | Short |
| 2019 | Back to the Goode Life | Kandi | |
| 2020 | Influence | Teresa Graham | |
| 2020 | The Aerialist | Bianca | |
| 2021 | Christmas for Sale | Farrah Hightower | TV movie |
| 2022 | The Christmas Clapback | Kira | |
| 2022 | The Holiday Stocking | Dani Holiday | TV movie |
| 2024 | It Takes A Village | Ophelia Cooke | Short |

### Television

| Year | Legacy | Role | Notes |
| 2000 | Any Day Now | - | Episode: "It's a Mother-Daughter Thing" |
| 2001 | Men, Women & Dogs | Gail | Episode: "Old Dogs, New Tricks" |
| 2001 | Nikki | Dancer | Episode: "Superhero Blues" & "Milli Vanikki" |
| 2002 | V.I.P. | Chandra | Episode: "Saving Private Irons" |
| 2003 | American Dreams | Vandella #2 | Episode: "Life's Illusions" |
| 2004 | The Practice | Officer Annie Carroll | Episode: "Police State" |
| 2004 | Cold Case | Blanche (1939) | Episode: "The Letter" |
| 2004 | ER | Mason's Wife | Episode: "Where There's Smoke" |
| 2004-08 | Reno 911! | Nurse | Recurring Cast: Season 2 & 5, Guest: Season 4 |
| 2005 | 24 | Mary | Recurring Cast: Season 4 |
| 2006 | Las Vegas | Dealer | Episode: "Fidelity, Security, Delivery" |
| 2007 | Everybody Hates Chris | Mrs. Booker | Episode: "Everybody Hates Snow Day" |
| 2007 | Two and a Half Men | Jeanie | Episode: "Mr. McGlue's Feedbag" |
| 2007 | Exes & Ohs | Einstein | Episode: "There Must Be Rules..." |
| 2007 | Boston Legal | Singer #3 | Episode: "Green Christmas" |
| 2009 | Lie to Me | Female Secret Service Agent | Episode: "Love Always" |
| 2010 | How I Met Your Mother | Lady Cop | Episode: "Girls Versus Suits" |
| 2010 | FlashForward | Angie Tremont | Episode: "Course Correction" |
| 2011-14 | Let's Stay Together | Stacy Lawrence-Whitmore | Main Cast |
| 2012 | Bones | Dr. Alyson Noble | Episode: "The Past in the Present" |
| 2013 | Touch | Coroner | Episode: "Fight or Flight" |
| 2016 | Timeless | Katherine Johnson | Episode: "Space Race" |
| 2017 | Training Day | Regina Finney | Episode: "Quid Pro Quo" |
| 2017-18 | Greenhouse Academy | Judy Hayward | Main Cast: Season 1-2 |
| 2017-19 | Jane the Virgin | Jane's Therapist | Guest Cast: Season 3 & 5 |
| 2019 | NCIS: New Orleans | Survivors for Peace Leader | Episode: "Chaos Theory" |
| 2019 | The Affair | Amy | Episode: "508" |
| 2019 | NCIS: Los Angeles | Lieutenant Commander Quinn | Guest Cast: Season 10-11 |
| 2019 | Solve: The Podcast | Barbara | Episode: "Till Death Do Us Part" |
| 2019-20 | Shameless | Brenda Williams | Recurring Cast: Season 10 |
| 2020 | Stuck with You | Lacey | Episode: "Beware of the Ex" |
| 2021 | Country Comfort | Georgina | Recurring Cast |
| 2021 | All American | Ms. Sims | Episode: "All American: Homecoming" |
| 2021-22 | Our Kind of People | Leah Franklin-Dupont | Main Cast |
| 2024 | Quantum Leap | Connie Davis | Episode: "The Outsider" |
| 2024 | Bel-Air | Annie Alton | Recurring Cast: Season 3 |

### Music videos

| Year | Song | Artist | Role |
| 2001 | "Rock the Boat" | Aaliyah | Dancer |
| 2018 | "Bender" | Verbal + Icarus | Reveler |