# Adina Porter

Adina Elizabeth Porter is an American actress. She is best known for her roles as Lettie Mae Thornton on the HBO fantasy horror series True Blood (2008–2014), Kendra James on the HBO drama series The Newsroom (2012–2014), Indra on the CW science fiction drama series The 100 (2014–2020) and Sheriff Susan Peterkin on the Netflix teen drama series Outer Banks. She received further recognition for her roles as Sally Freeman, Lee Harris, Beverly Hope, Dinah Stevens, and Chief Burleson on the first, sixth, seventh, eighth, and tenth seasons of the FX anthology series American Horror Story (2011–present).
Porter began her acting career appearing on Off-Broadway stage, winning the Obie Award in 1996 for Venus. She made her Broadway debut in the 2001 revival of The Women. For her work in American Horror Story, she has been nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award and two Saturn Awards.

## 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 has been 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 second Saturn Award nomination, as well as a Primetime Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or Movie. She was later promoted to series regular for American Horror Story’s eight season entitled Apocalypse, playing Dinah Stevens. In 2021 she appeared again as a main character in the tenth season of the series, Double Feature, where she played Chief Burleson. In 2020 she played as Sheriff Susan Peterkin in Outer Banks.

## Filmography
### Film

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1992 | Swoon | Stenographer | |
| 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 | |
| 2010 | The Social Network | Gretchen's Associate | Uncredited |
| 2011 | About Sunny | Cheryl | |
| 2017 | The Last Word | Bree Wilson | |
| 2019 | Miss Virginia | Annette Johnson | |
| 2023 | Sitting in Bars with Cake | Tasha | |

### Television

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1990 | 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 | Recurring role (seasons 1–2), 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 | Episodes: "Allen", "Cell Test" |
| 2005 | Lackawanna Blues | Ricky | Television film |
| 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 | Episodes: "Everything's Got a Shelf Life", "So Help You God" |
| 2008–2014 | True Blood | Lettie Mae Thornton | Main role (seasons 1, 7); recurring role (seasons 2–3); special guest role (seasons 4–6); 32 episodes |
| 2009 | Cold Case | Laticia Myers | Episode: "Jurisprudence" |
| 2009 | CSI: Crime Scene Investigation | Denise Devine | Episode: "Coup de Grace" |
| 2009 | Operating Instructions | Celia | Television film |
| 2010 | Hawthorne | Nancy Breton | Episode: "The Match" |
| 2010 | 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 | Episodes: "The Poor Kids Do It Everyday", "What Are You Doing Here, Ho-Bag?" |
| 2012 | The Finder | Ms. Estelle | Episode: "Life After Death" |
| 2012 | Grey's Anatomy | Dr. Ramsey | Episode: "Remember the Time" 9x2 |
| 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 | Recurring role, 23 episodes |
| 2014–2020 | The 100 | Indra | Recurring role (seasons 2–7), 54 episodes |
| 2015 | Code Black | Susie | Episode: Pilot |
| 2015 | The Leftovers | G.R. Leader | Episode: "Ten Thirteen" |
| 2016–2017 | Underground | Pearly Mae | Recurring role, 7 episodes |
| 2016 | The Catch | FBI Agent Emily Clark | Episode: "The Wedding" |
| 2016 | American Horror Story: Roanoke | Lee Harris | Recurring role, 9 episodes |
| 2017 | Ray Donovan | Vicky | 4 episodes |
| 2017 | American Horror Story: Cult | Beverly Hope | Recurring role, 10 episodes |
| 2018 | American Horror Story: Apocalypse | Dinah Stevens | Main role, 7 episodes |
| 2019 | The Morning Show | Sarah Graveler | 3 episodes |
| 2020 | Outer Banks | Sheriff Peterkin | Recurring role, 8 episodes |
| 2021 | American Horror Story: Double Feature | Chief Burleson | Main role; 4 episodes |
| 2022 | Paper Girls | The Prioress | Main role; 6 episodes |
| 2023 | The Changeling | Lillian | Main role, 7 episodes |
| 2023 | The Power | The Voice | Main role (voiceover) 9 episodes |
| 2024 | The Perfect Couple | Enid Collins | Recurring role, 3 episodes |
| TBA | Firebug | Brenda Cephus | Upcoming TV series |

## Awards and nominations

| Year | Association | Category | 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 | Primetime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or Movie | American Horror Story: Cult | Nominated |
| 2018 | Saturn Awards | Best Supporting Actress on Television | American Horror Story: Cult | Nominated |