# Sophina Brown

Sophina Brown Simmons is an American television actress. She starred as Raina Troy in the CBS legal drama Shark from 2006 to 2008, and later joined the cast of another CBS drama, Numbers, playing Nikki Betancourt from 2008 to 2010. Her last credit is the role of Sarah in the Hulu series Kindred, cancelled in 2022 after eight episodes.

## Career

Right after graduating from college, Brown got one of her first professional jobs in The National Tour of the musical Fame. Soon afterward, she made her Broadway debut in The Lion King. On television, she guest-starred on Law & Order and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, before was cast as regular in the CBS legal drama series Shark opposite James Woods. The series ran from 2006 to 2008. Brown later was cast in the CBS drama series Numbers, wherein she played Nikki Betancourt, an "adrenaline junkie" and former "loose cannon" LAPD officer. She joined the series in 2008 and remained to its finale in 2010.
In early 2010s, Brown has had number of guest-starring roles on television, include Castle, Brothers & Sisters, The Good Wife, and NCIS. From 2013 to 2014, she co-starred in the short-lived ABC Family series Ravenswood. In 2016, Brown was cast in the NBC drama Cruel Intentions, based on the 1999 film of same title. As of 2021, Sophina Brown is starring on the BET series Twenties by Lena Waithe. She most recently starred in the FX series Kindred, adapted from the celebrated novel by Hugo Award-winner Octavia E. Butler.

## Personal life

Brown was born in Saginaw, Michigan. She has a BFA in Theatre Performance from the University of Michigan.
Brown married actor and Shark co-star Henry Simmons in May 2010.

## Filmography
### Film

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 2007 | Because I Said So | Milly's Staff #1 / Matisse | |
| 2015 | Synapse | Aamina McDavitt | |
| 2015 | Two Bellmen | Sariah | Short film |

### Television

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 2000 | Strangers with Candy | Sydney | Episode: "Ask Jerri" |
| 2001 | Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | Mrs. Williams | Episode: "Secrets" |
| 2001 | The Education of Max Bickford | Woman #1 | Episode: "Hearts and Minds" |
| 2003 | Law & Order | Dana | Episode: "Absentia" |
| 2003 | Hack | Tammi Anderson | Episode: "True Lies" |
| 2003–04 | Chappelle's Show | Various | Recurring role |
| 2005 | Committed | Roberta | Episode: "The Snow Episode" |
| 2005 | Numbers | Bianca Styles | Episode: "Scorched" |
| 2006 | Without a Trace | Dr. Lydia Adams | Episode: "Blood Out" |
| 2006–08 | Shark | Deputy DA Raina Troy | Main cast |
| 2008–10 | Numbers | Nikki Betancourt | Main cast (seasons 5–6) |
| 2010 | Castle | Brooke Carver | Episode: "Under the Gun" |
| 2010 | Brothers & Sisters | Bitsy Fairbank | Episode: "A Righteous Kiss" |
| 2010 | Law & Order: LA | Julia Chaffey | Episode: "Ballona Creek" |
| 2011 | NCIS: Los Angeles | Jennifer Grear | Episode: "Empty Quiver" |
| 2011 | The Good Wife | Katrina Bishop | Episode: "Ham Sandwich" |
| 2012 | Bones | Melanie Carmichael | Episode: "The Partners in the Divorce" |
| 2013 | NCIS | Kelly Daniels | Episode: "Chasing Ghosts" |
| 2013–14 | Ravenswood | Terry Beaumont | Recurring role |
| 2015 | Scream | Det. Lorraine Brock | 2 episodes |
| 2016 | Cruel Intentions | Naomi Donovan | Episode: "Unaired Pilot" |
| 2017 | Zoo | Leanne Ducovney | Recurring role (season 3) |
| 2018 | 9-1-1 | Candace Creedy | Episode: "Worst Day Ever" |
| 2020 | Station 19 | Joyce | Episode: "Out of Control" |
| 2020 | Grey's Anatomy | Joyce Williams | Episode: "No Time for Despair" |
| 2020–21 | Twenties | Ida B. | Main cast |
| 2021 | Legacies | Lucia | Episode: "Goodbyes Sure Do Suck" |
| 2022 | The Orville | Captain Losha | Episode: "From Unknown Graves" |
| 2022 | Kindred | Sarah | Main cast |