# Novella Nelson

Novella Christine Nelson (December 17, 1939 – August 31, 2017) was an American actress and singer. She established her career as a singer, both on the off-Broadway and Broadway stage and in cabaret-style locales.

## Career

Starting in 1961, Nelson had a decades-long stage career, performing, directing and producing, primarily in New York. She was a featured performer on Broadway in 1970 in the musical Purlie. In 1975, Nelson directed the play La Femme Noire at The Public Theater. Her film career began at age 39 with a small part in 1977's An Unmarried Woman, and continued for the next several decades with roles in movies and television.
She may be best known for her role as Mrs. Tate in the 2002 movie Antwone Fisher.

## Early life

Nelson was born on December 17, 1939, in Brooklyn, New York, to James and Evelyn (formerly Hines) Nelson. Her father was a pastor and a taxi driver. Her mother was an executive assistant at magazine publisher Women's Wear Daily.
An African American, she attended the predominantly white Brooklyn College in the late 1950s, majoring in biochemistry. She took a speech class, which was an acting course, and was asked to perform in a play. For the play she took on the role of Berenice, the housekeeper, in The Member of the Wedding by Carson McCullers. After being on stage in this and other plays, the future actress changed course becoming a theatre major.

## Death

Nelson died of cancer on September 1, 2017, aged 77, in her native Brooklyn, New York.

## Filmography
### Film

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1978 | An Unmarried Woman | Jean Starret | |
| 1979 | The Seduction of Joe Tynan | Carla Willis | |
| 1980 | The Torture of Mothers | | |
| 1984 | The Cotton Club | Madame St. Clair | |
| 1984 | The Flamingo Kid | Lizzy | |
| 1987 | Orphans | Mattie | |
| 1990 | Privilege | Yvonne Washington | |
| 1990 | The Bonfire of the Vanities | Media Jackal | |
| 1990 | Green Card | Marriage Celebrant | |
| 1991 | Strictly Business | Olivia | |
| 1993 | Weekend at Bernie's II | Mobu | |
| 1994 | Dead Funny | Frances | |
| 1995 | The Keeper | Mrs. Lemont | |
| 1995 | Mercy | Angela | |
| 1996 | Manny & Lo | Georgine | |
| 1996 | Girl 6 | Angela's Aunt | |
| 1997 | White Lies | Leon's Mother | |
| 1997 | The Devil's Advocate | Botanica Woman | |
| 1998 | 1999 | Rufus' Shrink | |
| 1998 | A Perfect Murder | Ambassador Alice Wills | |
| 1999 | Judy Berlin | Carol | |
| 2001 | The Gilded Six Bits | Mama Banks | Short |
| 2002 | Antwone Fisher | Mrs. Tate | |
| 2003 | Head of State | Moderator | |
| 2003 | Conversations with Id | Aunt Mae | Short |
| 2004 | Birth | Lee | |
| 2004 | Dear Wendy | Clarabelle | |
| 2005 | Preaching to the Choir | Aunt June | |
| 2006 | Stephanie Daley | Dr. Peterson | |
| 2006 | Premium | Jayme | |
| 2006 | Griffin & Phoenix | Maya Restaurant Owner | |
| 2007 | The Ten | Judge Sophia R. Jackson | |
| 2007 | August Rush | Social Services Office Attendant | Uncredited |
| 2008 | The Toe Tactic | Victoria Hadaway | |
| 2008 | Compliments of the Serpent | Barbara Stanton | Video short |
| 2010 | It's Kind of a Funny Story | The Professor | |
| 2011 | The Inheritance | Aunt Bee | |
| 2011 | Somebody's Hero | Maureen | |
| 2012 | Nancy, Please | Dr. Bannister | |
| 2012 | Bama & Fred | Bama | Short |
| 2014 | A Walk Among the Tombstones | Librarian | |
| 2015 | Sweet Kandy | Bernice Boyd | |
| 2017 | Collar | Fiona Taylor | |
| 2017 | You Were Never Really Here | Diner Woman | |
| 2017 | Spell | Safi | |

### Television

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1978 | Watch Your Mouth | Mrs. King | "Chicago Red and Mugger – Part 2" |
| 1983 | Chiefs | Nellie Cole | TV miniseries |
| 1984 | A Doctor's Story | Mrs. Thornton | TV film |
| 1984 | He's Fired, She's Hired | Serena Cole | TV film |
| 1986 | The Equalizer | Miriam Blain | Episode: "The Line" |
| 1987 | Kojak: The Price of Justice | Pearl | TV film |
| 1988 | Hothouse | Olivia | "The Subject of Sex" |
| 1989 | A Man Called Hawk | Mrs. Webster | "Never My Love" |
| 1989 | The Littlest Victims | Mrs. Munson | TV film |
| 1989 | As the World Turns | Sarah Franklin | "1.8637" |
| 1990 | Law & Order | Judge Gloria Crutcher | "Out of the Half-Light" |
| 1992 | Citizen Cohn | Second Annie Lee Moss | TV film |
| 1993 | Daybreak | Mrs. Chaney | TV film |
| 1993-2004 | One Life to Live | Judge Barbara Fitzwater | various episodes |
| 1995 | New York News | Evelyn Gates | "New York News" |
| 1995 | Law & Order | Mrs. Washington | "Humiliation" |
| 1995 | New York Undercover | Prof. Cortez | "Old Tyme Religion" |
| 1996 | Harambee! | Queenesther | TV film |
| 1996 | The Summer of Ben Tyler | Rosetta Tyler | TV film |
| 1997 | Oz | Loretta Smith | "Plan B" |
| 1997 | Dellaventura | Aretha Jefferson | "Music of the Night" |
| 1998 | Mama Flora's Family | Pearl (1955–1970) | TV miniseries |
| 1998 | Sex and the City | Madame Lordes | "Oh Come All Ye Faithful" |
| 1999 | Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | Mrs. Mosley | "Sophomore Jinx" |
| 2001 | 100 Centre Street | Isabelle | "Things Change" |
| 2003 | Third Watch | Sondra Richards | "In Confidence" |
| 2004 | The West Wing | Gail Fitzwallace | "Gaza", "NSF Thurmont" |
| 2007 | The Starter Wife | Nana Vera | TV miniseries |
| 2008 | Army Wives | Vivian Burton | "Thank You for Letting Me Share", "Transitions" |
| 2010 | 30 Rock | Novella Nelson | "The Moms" |

## Discography

Novella Nelson (album)
* Released: 1970
* Format: LP
* Label: Arcana
* Singles: "Mean World", "Long Road Home", "(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay", "Lilac Wine", "Johnny (Guns and Drums)", "I'm Troubled", "Do What You Gotta Do", "Cold Water Flat", "Porgy", and "I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel To Be Free"
Walk Him Up The Stairs-Prologue / Down Home (Purlie promo w. Linda Hopkins & Cleavon Little)
* Released: 1970
* Format: LP
* Label: Ampex
Where Do You Go / The Bar (single w. Gordy Rose)
* Released: 1971
* Format: LP
* Label: Stock Bridge