# JoNell Kennedy

JoNell Kennedy is an American actress, producer and writer.

## Life and career

Kennedy's father, Joe Nathan Kennedy was a government employee, and mother is Joan Marie Johnson, was a member of the '60s girl group The Dixie Cups. She began her career in Chicago appearing in productions on the Steppenwolf Theatre, The Goodman Theatre and Victory Gardens Theatre. In 1992, Kennedy received Joseph Jefferson Award for Best Revue Actress for her role in the Spunk: Three Tales by Zora Neale Hurston. Since then, Kennedy appeared in Intimate Apparel, Eden, Cry the Beloved Country, Puddin' and Pete, Marvin's Room and Midsummer Night's Dream. In 2002, Kennedy recorded album with a soul band The Soul of John Black.
Kennedy made her screen debut in 1992, appearing in an supporting role in the romantic comedy film How U Like Me Now starring Salli Richardson. She later appeared in films Goodbye Lover (1998), Me and You and Everyone We Know (2005), Guess Who (2005), Dreamgirls (2006) and Fertile Ground (2011). On television, Kennedy guest-starred on more than 60 shows, including Living Single, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Seinfeld, The X Files, Touched by an Angel, Friends, The Mentalist, NCIS, Criminal Minds, Chicago Fire, NCIS: Los Angeles and Grey's Anatomy.

## Personal life

Kennedy was married to fellow actor Morocco Omari from 2001 until 2006.

## Filmography
### Film

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1992 | How U Like Me Now | Sharon | |
| 1996 | Last Exit to Earth | Hera | TV movie |
| 1996 | Style & Substance | Adinah Green | TV movie |
| 1997 | Riot | Young Maggie | TV movie |
| 1998 | Goodbye Lover | Evelyn | |
| 2000 | Little Richard | Peggie Penniman | TV movie |
| 2000 | Another Woman's Husband | Bets | TV movie |
| 2001 | Imposter | Screaming Nurse | |
| 2003 | Hope | Sara | Short |
| 2003 | Jonah | Queen of Nineveh | Short |
| 2003 | 44 Minutes: The North Hollywood Shoot-Out | Cathy | TV movie |
| 2004 | Andre Royo's Big Scene | The Sound Person | Short |
| 2004 | Collateral | Waitress | |
| 2004 | The Male Groupie | Sonji | Short |
| 2005 | Me and You and Everyone We Know | Pam | |
| 2005 | Guess Who | Winnie | |
| 2006 | Results | Cassie | Short |
| 2006 | Life Is Not a Fairy Tale | Barbara | TV movie |
| 2006 | Kubuku Rides (This Is It) | Angel | Short |
| 2006 | Dreamgirls | JoAnn | |
| 2007 | Girl, Positive | - | TV movie |
| 2007 | Steep | Toni | Short |
| 2008 | Proud American | LaKeesha | |
| 2011 | Fertile Ground | Brittany McGraw | |
| 2014 | In the Morning | Amara | |
| 2017 | The Last Two Lovers at the End of the World | - | |
| 2017 | Myself When I Am Real | - | Short |
| 2019 | Bolden | Ida Bass | |
| 2020 | Nocturne | Gordon | |
| 2022 | Una Great Movie | Zoe | |

### Television

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1994 | The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr. | Lenore Raymond | Episode: "Hard Rock" |
| 1994 | Living Single | Rebecca | Episode: "Hot Fun in the Wintertime" |
| 1994 | The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air | Karen | Episode: "Grumpy Young Men" |
| 1995 | Hope and Gloria | Sheryl | Episode: "Are We Having Fun Yet?" |
| 1995 | The Crew | Rosetta | Episode: "Around the World in 80 Ways (The T&A of PSA?)" |
| 1997 | Seinfeld | Secretary | Episode: "The Nap" |
| 1997 | ER | Judy Munder | Episode: "One More for the Road" |
| 1997 | Ned and Stacey | Lucy | Episode: "Sex, Lies, and Commercials" |
| 1997–98 | Malcolm and Eddie | Maura McGee | Recurring Cast: Season 2 |
| 1998 | Mad About You | Paul's Flight Attendant | Episode: "Separate Planes" |
| 1998 | NewsRadio | Cheryl | Episode: "Jackass Junior High" |
| 1998 | Veronica's Closet | Tanya | Episode: "Veronica's Great Model Search" |
| 1999 | Caroline in the City | Wanda | Episode: "Caroline and the Big Bad Bed" |
| 1999 | The Wayans Bros. | Famali | Episode: "Green Card" |
| 1999 | The X-Files | Dr. Amina Ngebe | Episode: "The Sixth Extinction" |
| 2000 | Touched by an Angel | Judith | Episode: "Living the Rest of My Life" |
| 2001 | The District | Prostitute | Episode: "The D.C. Strangler" |
| 2001 | Three Sisters | Admitting Nurse | Episode: "My Birth and Welcome to It" |
| 2001 | Jack & Jill | Jeweller | Episode: "...And Nothing But the Truth" |
| 2002 | Friends | Nurse #1 | Episode: "The One Where Rachel Has a Baby: Part 1" |
| 2002 | Sabrina the Teenage Witch | Monique | Episode: "Free Sabrina" |
| 2004 | Judging Amy | Rose Thompson | Episode: "Dancing in the Dark" |
| 2006 | Bones | Dr. Lawrence | Episode: "The Titan on the Track" |
| 2007 | All of Us | Sabine | Episode: "He's Got Game" |
| 2009 | My Name Is Earl | Reverend's Wife | Episode: "Gospel" |
| 2009–12 | The Mentalist | Coroner Pat | Recurring Cast: Season 2, Guest: Season 5 |
| 2011 | The Cape | Donna | Episode: "Pilot" |
| 2011 | Futurestates | Roxanne | Episode: "Exposure" |
| 2011 | Tyler Perry's House of Payne | Kathleen | Episode: "Mother's Day Out" |
| 2011 | Torchwood | Veronica | Episode: "Miracle Day: Escape to LA" |
| 2012 | Southland | Danell | Episode: "Wednesday" |
| 2013 | NCIS | Navy Commander Lisa Cleveland | Episode: "Detour" |
| 2013 | Criminal Minds | Sgt. Lynne Johnson | Episode: "The Inspiration" & "The Inspired" |
| 2015 | Real Husbands of Hollywood | Dr. Young | Episode: "One in a Bazillion" |
| 2015 | Shameless | Dr. Giles | Episode: "Crazy Love" |
| 2016 | Hawaii Five-0 | Leann Stockwell | Episode: "Umia Ka Hanu" |
| 2016 | Conviction | June Dwyer | Episode: "Pilot" |
| 2016 | Code Black | Jackie | Episode: "What Lies Beneath" |
| 2016–19 | NCIS: Los Angeles | Navy Commander Susan Yelton | Guest Cast: Season 7 & 11 |
| 2018 | General Hospital | Police Officer Abby Martin | Episode: "Episode #1.14105" |
| 2018 | The Rich and the Ruthless | Earthaletta | Main Cast: Season 2 |
| 2018 | The Affair | Kristina | Episode: "Episode #4.3" |
| 2019 | You're the Worst | Yvette | Recurring Cast: Season 5 |
| 2019 | Chicago Fire | Jasmine Lacey | Episode: "No Such Thing as Bad Luck" |
| 2019 | Proven Innocent | Amina Jackson | Recurring Cast |
| 2020–21 | All Things Undone | Tilly (voice) | Main Cast |
| 2021–22 | The Ms. Pat Show | Cheryl | Recurring Cast: Season 1, Guest: Season 2 |
| 2022 | FBI | Ann Tasker | Episode: "Ambition" |
| 2022 | Grey's Anatomy | Duda Kyat | Episode: "Legacy" |
| 2022 | 9-1-1 | Doctor James | Episode: "Boston" |
| 2022 | From Scratch | Barbara | Episode: "Heirlooms" |
| 2022 | The Rookie: Feds | Renee | Episode: "Flashback" |
| 2023 | Fright Krewe | Marie Laveau (voice) | Episode: "The Blood Awakening" |
| 2024 | Chicago Med | Sheryl Russell | Episode: "Family Matters" |

### Video games

| Year | Title | Role |
| 2006 | Saints Row | Stilwater's Resident |
| 2006 | The Sopranos: Road to Respect | Carol, Additional Voices |
| 2007 | Conan | Argos Maiden, Additional Voices |
| 2008 | Saints Row 2 | N/A |
| 2009 | Red Faction Guerrilla | N/A |
| 2013 | Grand Theft Auto V | The Local Population |
| 2015 | Call of Duty: Black Ops III | Additional Voices |