Lisa Nicole Carson

**Lisa Nicole Carson** (born July 12, 1969) is an American actress. She is known for her work on U.S. television, including supporting roles in NBC-TV's *ER* and Fox's *Ally McBeal*. Carson appeared in the roles simultaneously, but afterwards, she withdrew from acting until 2012 when she appeared in the final episode of David E. Kelley's *Harry's Law*.

## Career

Carson appeared in productions at the famed Negro Ensemble Company. Her first notable credit came in 1991, when she appeared in *Law & Order* and in 1992 she had a non-speaking, minor role in the comedy series, *The Cosby Show*. She was a regular on *The Apollo Comedy Hour* before appearing in film in *Let's Get Bizzee* (1993), *Jason's Lyric* (1994) and *Devil in a Blue Dress* (1995). She has appeared in *Love Jones* and *Life*. She also performed as an R&B singer in the 1995 television movie *Divas*. She had a role in the 1997 movie *Eve's Bayou*, as Mattie Mereaux.

On television, she played the recurring character Carla Reece, the on/off girlfriend of Eriq La Salle's Dr Peter Benton in NBC's *ER* between 1996 and 2001. Between 1997 and 2002 she played prosecutor Renee Raddick in Fox's *Ally McBeal*, a role for which she received multiple award nominations. Carson was fired from both roles, amid reports about her erratic behavior on and off set, alleged drug use, being arrested and admissions to a mental health facility. In 2012, she was featured in a guest appearance in the second-season finale of the canceled NBC-TV series *Harry's Law* reprising her character Renee Raddick from *Ally McBeal*.

In 2017, she starred as Mae Bell, the mother of singer Ricky Bell, in the BET miniseries *The New Edition Story*.

## Personal life

In the July 2015 issue of *Essence*, Carson gave an interview in which she openly described her struggles with bipolar disorder, as well as with substance abuse issues, and how her illness has affected her life and career. After having taken a 10-year hiatus from show business to live and receive treatment in New York's Lennox Hill Hospital, she reported having moved back to Los Angeles with plans to revitalize her acting career.

In 2000, she had been arrested for 'interfering with a lawful business establishment' and 'not leaving the premises' after a disorderly conduct incident at a luxury hotel.

## References

1. ↑ Vivan, Rhiannon. "Calista Flockhart: I have zero ambition", 2008-02-24. Retrieved on 2009-02-19.
2. ↑ Lisa Nicole Carson
3. ↑ What Happened to Lisa Nicole Carson?. *Clutch Magazine*. Retrieved on December 28, 2015.
4. ↑ https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0004808/
5. ↑ Georgina Pattinson. "THE CURSE OF TV SUCCESS; You Would Think That Starring in a Successful TV Series Such as Ally McBeal Would Bring Happiness, So Why Is the Cast of This (and Other) Shows Dogged by Personal Problems, Asks Georgina Pattinson?". Retrieved on May 28, 2020.
6. ↑ "Woman, Interrupted: Lisa Nicole Carson Opens Up About her Struggle With Bipolar Disorder", ESSENCE. Retrieved on May 28, 2020.
7. ↑ Staff. "NEWSMAKERS: "Ally McBeal" co-star's 'Tabloid Tale'", Hollywood.com, March 19, 2001. Retrieved on May 28, 2020.

## External links

* Lisa Nicole Carson article at *Wikipedia*
* Lisa Nicole Carson links at FreeOnes
* Lisa Nicole Carson at Babepedia