# Jeryl Prescott

Jeryl Prescott Gallien (also known as Jeryl Prescott Sales) is an American actress, best known for her roles as Jacqui in The Walking Dead (2010-2012; 2016), Madame Xanadu in Swamp Thing (2019), and Aktropaw in Ahsoka (2023).

## Life and career

Jeryl Prescott was born Hartsville, South Carolina. At a young age, Prescott and her mother worked for a local group called Willing Workers, a local community organization.
Prior to 2010, Prescott earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Industrial Management, and worked as a trucker. She later achieved her PhD in American Literature, and has a Master's Degree in African American Literature. She worked as a professor at Wake Forest University in 1998, and the North Carolina School of the Arts.
Prescott portrayed Jacqui in Season 1 of the television series The Walking Dead, which premiered on AMC in 2010. Prescott, a resident of Winston-Salem, North Carolina, divides her time between that city and Los Angeles. Prescott was originally cast for just two episodes of the premiere season of The Walking Dead. However, her character, Jacqui, was then written into the series cast of the season as well. Prescott reprises her role as Jacqui in the Season 3 episode "Hounded", as one of the voices that speaks to Rick on the phone.
In 2014, Prescott directed, wrote and starred in the drama film Stand Down Soldier. Later, Prescott recurred as Cherry in Ray Donovan on Showtime. Prescott also appeared as a Judge Delilah Nunes in the Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior, which debuted on CBS in 2011. Additionally, Prescott appeared as Felicite in the film, Bolden! (2011). She has also cast in a film, produced by Harry Lennix, based on William Shakespeare's Henry IV, Part 1. On television, she also guest-starred on Brothers & Sisters, Southland, Parks and Recreation and Revolution. She also has appeared in films The Birth of a Nation (2016) and High Flying Bird (2019).
Prescott had a recurring role during the second season of Ray Donovan in 2014, and the following year on the adaptation of the comic book series Powers. She guest starred on NCIS: Los Angeles, Scandal, and Shameless. In 2019, she was cast in her first series regular role, on the DC Universe series Swamp Thing playing the role of Madame Xanadu. The series was canceled after one season. She also appeared in two episodes of HBO drama series, Big Little Lies in 2019 and guest-starred on 9-1-1, Batwoman and Nancy Drew. In 2021 she appeared in the Netflix romantic comedy film Resort to Love and later took the recurring role in the BET+ drama series, All the Queen's Men. In 2023, she appeared in the romantic drama film, To Live and Die and Live.
In May 2023, Prescott was honored with the Sarcoidosis Crystal Spotlight Award by the Foundation of Sarcoidosis Research.

## Filmography
### Film

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 2002 | Max | Miss Kurtz | Short film |
| 2003 | The Epicureans | Tina Williams | |
| 2005 | The Skeleton Key | Mama Cecile | |
| 2006 | Red Autumn | Jasmine | Short film |
| 2008 | Vacancy 2: The First Cut | Deputy | |
| 2009 | The Life I Meant to Live | Narvis | |
| 2009 | Rx | Principal Simmons | Television film |
| 2011 | Under-Tow | Angela | |
| 2012 | The Wedding | Madame Secretary | Short |
| 2012 | H4 | Northumberland | |
| 2013 | Get a Job | Assistant Principal | |
| 2015 | The Cold Descent | Desdemona Lark | |
| 2015 | Stand Down Soldier | Stacy Armstrong | Also director, writer and producer |
| 2015 | Conflict of Interest | Mrs. Simmons | |
| 2016 | The Birth of a Nation | Janice | |
| 2018 | Dead Women Walking | Sarah | |
| 2018 | West of Hell | Desdemona Lark | |
| 2018 | Her Only Choice | Denise | |
| 2018 | Persephone: Pictures at the End of the World | Dr. Rodgers | |
| 2019 | High Flying Bird | Emera Umber | |
| 2019 | Bolden | Felicite Lamennais | |
| 2020 | Unpregnant | Peg | |
| 2021 | Resort to Love | Naomi King | |
| 2023 | To Live and Die and Live | Ummi | |
| 2023 | Deadly DILF | Kendra | |
| 2023 | A Haitian Wedding | | |

### Television

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 2006 | Surface | Receptionist | 1 episode |
| 2006 | One Tree Hill | Counselor | Episode: "Nothing Left to Say But Goodbye" |
| 2008 | Criminal Minds | Medical Examiner | Episode: "In Heat" |
| 2009 | Hawthorne | Nursing Attendant | Episode: "Yielding" |
| 2010 | Brothers & Sisters | Waitress | 1 episode |
| 2010; 2012, 2016 | The Walking Dead | Jacqui | Season 1 (recurring, 5 episodes) Season 3 (guest star, 1 episode) Season 7 (archive footage, 1 episode) |
| 2011 | Southland | Nina Brown | Episode: "Cop or Not" |
| 2011 | Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior | Judge Delilah Nunes | Episode: "The Time Is Now" |
| 2011 | Parks and Recreation | Bank Teller | Episode: "End of the World" |
| 2013 | Revolution | Rosie | Episode: "The Song Remains the Same" |
| 2013 | Castle | Nurse | Episode: "The Fast and the Furriest" |
| 2014 | Eagleheart | Angry Onlooker | Episode: "Honch" |
| 2014 | Modern Family | Shopper | Episode: "The Wedding, Part 1" |
| 2014 | Gang Related | Brenda Plemmons | Episode: "Pecados del Padre" |
| 2014 | Ray Donovan | Cherry | 5 episodes |
| 2015 | Powers | Golden | 4 episodes |
| 2015 | Battle Creek | Tracey | Episode: "Heirlooms" |
| 2015 | Kingmakers | Lorraine Bradley | ABC pilot |
| 2016 | Game of Silence | Coroner | Episode: "Pilot" |
| 2017 | NCIS: Los Angeles | Barbara | Episode: "Battle Scars" |
| 2017 | Rebel | Ms. Biden | Episode: "Redemption" |
| 2017 | American Koko | Syreena | 3 episodes |
| 2017 | Scandal | Admiral Bregoli | Episode: "Watch Me" |
| 2018 | Shameless | Gabarieo | Episode: "A Gallagher Pedicure" |
| 2018 | NCIS | Annie Sullivan | Episode: "A Thousand Words" |
| 2019 | Swamp Thing | Madame Xanadu | Series regular 10 episodes |
| 2019 | Big Little Lies | Cecilia | Episodes: "Tell-Tale Hearts" and "She Knows" |
| 2019; 2024 | 9-1-1 | Tina Washington | 2 episodes |
| 2020 | Cherish the Day | Elegant Woman | Episode: "Genesis" |
| 2020 | Batwoman | Sophie Moore's mother | Episode: "Grinning From Ear to Ear" |
| 2020; 2021 | Nancy Drew | Millicent "Millie" Nickerson, Edith Nickerson | 2 episodes |
| 2021-2023 | All the Queen's Men | Judge Martha Ross | 11 episodes |
| 2023 | The Good Doctor | Elaine | Episode: "Second Chances and Past Regrets" |
| 2023 | Ahsoka | Aktropaw | 3 episodes |
| 2024 | General Hospital | Judge Caldwell | 3 episodes in May |
| 2024 | S.W.A.T. | Judy Kincaid | Episode: "Vanished" |