Da’Vine Joy Randolph Career Summary
My Oscar Book:
Da’Vine Joy Randolph (born May 21, 1986), American actress, who first gained recognition for her portrayal of psychic Oda Mae Brown in the Broadway production of Ghost (2012), for which she received a Tony nomination for Best Featured Actress in a Musical.
My Oscar Book
Occup Inheritanec:
Nationality
Birth: Mount Airy neighborhood of Philadelphia
Race/Ethnicity: Black
Social Class
Education: Temple University, musical theater
Training: Yale School of Drama
Stage Debut:
Broadway Debut: Screen Debut
London debut: Ghost
Oscar Role: The Holdovers, 2023, aged 37
Other Awards:
Cum advantage
Gap between first film and first nom
Marriage
Politics
Randolph appeared in the films The Angriest Man in Brooklyn (2014) and Office Christmas Party (2016) prior to receiving praise for her roles in Dolemite Is My Name (2019) and The United States vs. Billie Holiday (2020).
The turning point for her career was in 2023, where she received critical acclaim for her performance as a grieving mother in The Holdovers (2023), which earned her several awards, including Best Supporting Actress Oscar and BAFTA Awards.
Her TV credits include Selfie (2014), This Is Us (2016), People of Earth (2016–2017), Empire (2017–2018), High Fidelity (2020), Only Murders in the Building (2021–present), and The Idol (2023).
Da’Vine Joy Randolph was born on May 21, 1986, in Philadelphia, PA.
Da’Vine Joy Randolph’s first name is pronounced as “Day Vine Joy” with two names and has no middle name.
It took her parents 7 years to have children; she was a divine joy.
Randolph grew up in the Mount Airy neighborhood of Philadelphia.
As a youth, she attended Interlochen Arts Camp, studying theatre.
She went to Temple University to focus on classical vocal performance and opera, but in her junior year, she switched to musical theatre.
After graduating from Temple, she went to the Yale School of Drama, graduating from Yale in 2011 with master’s degree.
She is an alumna of the British American Drama Academy (BADA) after spending a summer studying Shakespeare at the University of Oxford.
Randolph auditioned for understudy role in the Broadway transfer of Ghost: the Musical (which was playing in London’s West End), but the producers decided to cast her in the principal role of Oda Mae Brown.
Before the casting of the Broadway transfer was announced, Sharon D. Clarke, who played Oda Mae in the London run of Ghost the Musical, suffered a minor knee injury. Randolph was quickly flown to London to cover the role in Clarke’s absence.
Her debut performance took place on Friday December 16, 2011, and she continued to share the role with understudy Lisa Davina Phillip until early January 2012, when Clarke returned.
After a preview period that began in March 2012, the Broadway production opened April 23, 2012, with Randolph playing opposite Richard Fleeshman and Caissie Levy in the leading roles. She was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical.
In 2013 she acted in her film debut in a supporting role, in Mother of George directed by Andrew Dosunmu. The film premiered at the 2013 Sundance Film Fest to positive reviews.
The following year she played a nurse in the comedy-drama The Angriest Man in Brooklyn (2014) starring Robin Williams.
Randolph rose to prominence acting in one of the main roles as Charmonique Whitaker in Selfie, which premiered on September 30, 2014. The show starred Karen Gillan and John Cho. It received mixed reviews and was canceled after one season, but the show continued to have a cult fan base. When asked about a Selfie revival in May 2022, Randolph responded that she would return in a movie or limited series if given the opportunity. She mentioned that it meant a lot to her and the cast, and that fans still talk about the series years after it aired. Randolph loved working on the show and that her character was one of her favorite roles.
From 2015 to 2017 Randolph performed a voice role as Christine in the series The Mr. Peabody & Sherman Show.
She also had guest roles on The Good Wife (2013), See Dad Run (2014), Life in Pieces (2015), and Veep (2017). She had a recurring role as Tanya in the drama series This Is Us (2016).
The same year, she had a part in Office Christmas Party (2016). She starred in one of the main roles as Yvonne Watson, a postal worker in the sitcom People of Earth for two seasons from 2016 to 2017.
She had recurring roles in the series Empire from 2017 to 2018 and in the series On Becoming a God in Central Florida in 2019.
She had breakout role as Lady Reed in Dolemite Is My Name (2019) starring Eddie Murphy. For her performance she received nominations for the African-American Film Critics Association, Black Reel Awards, and NAACP Image Awards for Best Supporting Actress.
The following year, she acted in Kajillionaire (2020), and she was a main cast member in High Fidelity (2020).
She took voice roles as Ranger Woolf in Madagascar: A Little Wild from 2020 to 2022, Tamarind Toucan in Tuca & Bertie (2021), Detective Gail Johnson in Ultra City Smiths (2021), Tina in Chicago Party Aunt from 2021 to 2022, and various roles in Birdgirl (2022). She also voiced roles in the animated films Trolls World Tour (2020) and Puss in Boots: The Last Wish (2022).
She took roles in The United States vs. Billie Holiday (2021) and the comedy The Lost City (2022).
In 2021, she took a main role in the sitcom The Last O.G. (2021).
Since 2021, she has taken a recurring role as Detective Williams in the series “Only Murders in the Building,” starring Steve Martin, Martin Short, and Selena Gomez.
She played a manager to a pop star in the controversial series “The Idol” (2023).
In 2023, she starred in Alexander Payne’s coming-of-age film The Holdovers as Mary Lamb, a cook and bereaved mother. The film premiered at the Telluride Film Fest.
Randolph received numerous nominations and awards, including winning the Best Supporting Actress Oscar, the BAFTA, the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role.
The same year, she played gospel singer Mahalia Jackson in the film Rustin.
Randolph also filmed an upcoming action comedy film with Rebel Wilson, Bride Hard.
Filmography
2013 Mother of George Marsea
The Purge: The Morning After De’Shondranique short
A Long Walk Mom short
2014 The Angriest Man in Brooklyn Nurse Rowan
2016 The Secrets of Emily Blair Fran
Office Christmas Party Carla
2019 Dolemite Is My Name Lady Reed
2020 Kajillionaire Jenny
The Last Shift Shazz
Trolls World Tour Bliss Marina / Shelia B voice[
Mama Got A Cough Yolanda video short
2021 The United States vs. Billie Holiday Roslyn
The Guilty CHP Dispatcher voice
2022
The Lost City Beth Hatten
A Little White Lie Delta Jones
Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, Mama Luna voice
On the Come Up Pooh
2023
Rustin, Mahalia Jackson
The Holdovers, Mary Lamb
2025
Shadow Force TBA post-production
Bride Hard TBA post-production
TV
Year Title Role Notes
2013 The Good Wife Margie episode: “A More Perfect Union”
Brenda Forever Pearl television film
2014 See Dad Run Mrs. Rothschild episode: “See Dad Become Room Mom”
Selfie Charmonique Whitaker Main cast
2015 Life in Pieces Janice episode: “Babe Secret Phone Germs”
2015–2017 The Mr. Peabody & Sherman Show Christine /Abby Fisher voice
2016 This Is Us Tanya recurring cast (season 1)
2016–2017 People of Earth Yvonne Watson main cast
2017 Veep Roberta Winston episode: “Qatar”
2017–2018 Empire Poundcake recurring cast (season 4)
2018 Home: Adventures with Tip & Oh Crushtina voice, episode: “Like Mother, Like Pit of Fire”
2019 On Becoming a God in Central Florida Rhonda recurring cast
2020 High Fidelity Cherise main cast
2020–2022 Madagascar: Little Wild Ranger Hoof voice, recur cast
2021 Cinema Toast Vivian voice, episode: “Kiss, Marry, Kill”
Tuca & Bertie Tamarind Toucan voice, 2 episodes
Ultra City Smiths Detective Gail Johnson voice, main cast
The Last O.G. Veesy main cast (season 4)
2021–present Only Murders in the Building Detective Williams recurring cast
2021–2022 Chicago Party Aunt Tina voice, main cast
2022 Birdgirl Various voices recurring cast
2023 The Idol Destiny recurring cast
Theatre
2007 Hair Tribe Prince Music Theater, May 26, 2007 – June 17, 2007
2010 The Servant of Two Masters, Clarice, Yale Repertory Theatre
March 12, 2010 – April 3, 2010
2012 Ghost: The Musical Oda Mae Brown Lunt-Fontanne Theatre
April 23, 2012 – August 18, 2012
2013 The Cradle Will Rock, NYC Center, July 10, 2013 – July 13, 2013
