Emayatzy Corinealdi
Emayatzy Evett Corinealdi ( ; born January 14, 1980) is an American actress. She is best known for her leading role in the Ava DuVernay film "Middle of Nowhere" (2012) and ‘’Miles Ahead’’ (2016), and ‘’The Invitation’’ (2015). and Tessie Graham in ‘’Hand of God’’ (2014-2017), Candace Brewer in ‘’Ballers’’ (2017-2019), and Tia Young in ‘’The Red Line’’ (2019). Early life. Corinealdi was born in Fort Knox, Kentucky, the daughter of Rosemarie Hilton and Edward Corinealdi. Her father is Panamanian, while her mother is African-American from Ohio. As a member of a military family, she was raised  between Germany and the U.S. states of Ohio, Kansas, and New Jersey. She studied in New Jersey at the Actor's Training Studio, then at the William Esper Studio in New York City, then at Playhouse West. Career. In her early career, Corinealdi co-starred in a number of independent and short films, had the recurring role on the CBS daytime soap opera, "The Young and the Restless", and appeared in the Hallmark television film, "The Nanny Express" (2008). In 2012, she made her feature film debut as the lead in the drama "Middle of Nowhere". Corinealdi won the 14th  Annual American Black Film Festival Star Project, an international acting competition for emerging multicultural artists. Later that year, she won the Gotham Independent Film Award for Breakthrough Actor for the film. She was also nominated for an Independent Spirit Award for Best Female Lead. In 2013 Corinealdi appeared in the short film "The Door", part of Miu Miu's fashion series "Women's Tales", which reunited her with her "Middle of Nowhere" director Ava DuVernay. In 2014, Corinealdi was cast in the drama series "Hand of God". Later that year, she won the role of Frances Taylor Davis, the wife  of Miles Davis in the biographical film "Miles Ahead".