Karyn Parsons
| Karyn Parsons | |
|---|---|
| Born |
October 8, 1966 Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Nationality | American |
| Education | Santa Monica High School |
| Occupation | Actress, producer, television writer |
| Years active | 1987–2002 |
| Known for | Hilary Banks – The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air |
| Spouse(s) |
Randy Brooks (divorced) Alexandre Rockwell (m. 2003) |
| Children | 4 |
Karyn Parsons–Rockwell (born October 8, 1966)[1] is an American actress, best known for her role as Hilary Banks on the NBC sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air which ran from 1990–96. She also starred in the 1995 film Major Payne playing Emily Walburn.
Early life
Parsons was born in Los Angeles, California. In an interview for Essence in 2008, she described her parentage as biracial.[2] Her mother, Louise Parsons, is an African American from Charleston, South Carolina and her father, Kenneth B. Parsons, is of Welsh descent and from Butte, Montana. She attended Santa Monica High School.[3]
Career
Parsons starred as Hilary Banks on the sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, which aired on NBC from 1990 to 1996. She co-created, co-produced, co-wrote, and co-starred on the Fox sitcom Lush Life in 1996, which was later canceled after four episodes. In 2001, she starred in the critically acclaimed but short-lived television series The Job with Denis Leary.
Besides television, Parsons has starred in several films, particularly in comedies such as Late Nights (1992), Major Payne (1995), and The Ladies Man (2000). Parsons' current project is Sweet Blackberry, producing a line of animated films about unsung black heroes. The first in the series is about Henry "Box" Brown, a slave who mailed himself to freedom.[4]
Personal life
Parsons' first marriage was to The Young and the Restless actor Randy Brooks, by whom she had two sons, but they later divorced in the 1990s. Parsons married director Alexandre Rockwell in 2003. Together they have a daughter, Lana (born June 8, 2003), and a son, Nico (born April 11, 2007).[5]
Filmography
| Year | Title | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 1989 | Death Spa | Brooke |
| 1992 | Class Act | Ellen |
| 1995 | Major Payne | Emily Walburn |
| 1998 | Mixing Nia | Nia |
| 2000 | Ladies Man, TheThe Ladies Man | Julie Simmons |
| 2002 | 13 Moons | Lily |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 | Bronx Zoo, TheThe Bronx Zoo | Girl | Episode: "Changes" |
| 1987 | Bronx Zoo, TheThe Bronx Zoo | Student #2 | Episode: "The Power of a Lie" |
| 1988 | Hunter | Elizabeth Childs | Episode: "Renegade" |
| 1988 | CBS Summer Playhouse | Lynette | Episode: "Roughhouse" |
| 1990–96 | Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, TheThe Fresh Prince of Bel-Air | Hilary Banks | Main cast; 146 episodes |
| 1992 | Blossom | Hilary Banks | Episode: "Wake Up Little Suzy" |
| 1992 | Out All Night | Hilary Banks | Episode: "The Great Pretender" |
| 1995 | John Larroquette Show, TheThe John Larroquette Show | Annie | Episode: "Several Unusual Love Stories" |
| 1996 | Gulliver's Travels | Lady-in-waiting | Miniseries |
| 1996 | Lush Life | Margot Hines | Main cast; 4 episodes |
| 1999 | Melrose Place | Jackie Zambrano | 2 episodes |
| 1999 | Linc's | Elaine | Episode: "Dog Day Afternoon" |
| 2001–02 | Job, TheThe Job | Toni | 10 episodes |
| 2002 | Static Shock | Tracy | Voice; episode: "Static Shaq" |
References
- ↑ "Karyn Parsons Profile". NNDB.com. Retrieved 2007-09-24.
- ↑ http://www.blackcelebkids.com/2008/07/01/karyn-parsonsits-hard-being-biracial-in-americaraising-biracial-kids/
- ↑ Karyn Parsons Biography - Yahoo! Movies
- ↑ Maltais, Michelle (December 22, 2005). "Delivered from slavery". Los Angeles Times. Tribune Media. Retrieved February 16, 2015.
- ↑ Hunt, Stephen (February 3, 2008). "Fresh Prince's Hilary Produces a Little Black History". Calgary Herald. Postmedia Network. Retrieved February 16, 2015.