Tichina Arnold

Tichina Arnold

Arnold in 2008.
Born Tichina Rolanda Arnold
(1969-06-28) June 28, 1969
Queens, New York, U.S.
Education Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School
Occupation
  • Actress
  • model
  • comedian
  • singer
Years active 1983present
Spouse(s) Lamon Brewster (m. 1991; div. 1995)
DaRico Hines (m. 2012)
Partner(s) Carvin Haggins
Children 1
Website tichinaarnold.com

Tichina Rolanda Arnold (born June 28, 1969) is an American actress, comedian, model and singer. She is known for having portrayed the roles of Pamela James on the FOX sitcom Martin (1992–97) and the family matriarch Rochelle on the UPN/CW sitcom Everybody Hates Chris (2005–09). She also portrayed Judi Mann in the TV Land original sitcom Happily Divorced (2011–13) and currently plays Cassie Calloway on Survivor's Remorse (2014–).

Early life

Arnold was born in Queens, New York, to a middle-class African-American family. Her mother was a sanitation department worker and her father was a police officer.[1] She attended the Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts.[2]

Career

In 1986, Arnold appeared as Crystal, one of the three chorus girls who perform R&B numbers in Frank Oz's film musical Little Shop of Horrors along with future Martin co-star Tisha Campbell. Arnold was only 17 at the time, and her career continued steadily after that, with a role or two almost every year, including the films How I Got into College and the Paul Mazursky/Woody Allen collaboration Scenes from a Mall (1991). In February 1987 Arnold scored her first big break on television, with a permanent role on the soap opera Ryan's Hope. Her critically lauded role, as young heroine Zena Brown, landed her a Daytime Emmy Award nomination in 1988. She continued in the role until the series ended in January 1989. Later that year, Arnold was cast as Sharla Valentine, a high-school friend of Emily Ann Sago (played by Liz Vassey) on the ABC-TV daytime drama All My Children. She continued in the role until 1991.

Arnold's best-known television role was Pamela James on Martin Lawrence's sitcom Martin (1992–1997). She also played the recurring role of Nicole Barnes on the sitcom One on One. In 2000, she was reunited with Martin Lawrence in Big Momma's House. In 2007, she again reunited with Lawrence (this time as his character's wife) in the big screen road comedy/buddy film Wild Hogs. In 2003, she appeared in Civil Brand.[3] In a departure from her normally comedic casting, she played the title role in The Lena Baker Story, which was about the first and only woman to be executed by the electric chair in Georgia. Arnold played the role of the matriarch, Rochelle, on the sitcom Everybody Hates Chris which premiered in September 2005 and ended in May 2009. She also played the voice of the friend in The Boondocks, episode "Attack of the Killer Kung-fu Wolf Bitch" which aired in 2007. Her most recent stage credits, include: The Wiz Revival at the NY City Center as the part of Evillene, The Wicked Witch of the West. In 2010 she guest starred in the one-hour episode premiere of the Disney XD Original Series Pair of Kings as Aunt Nancy, and also reprise her role for one more episode.

Although not as widely known for her work in music, Arnold has experienced success as a recording artist; she co-wrote and performed the duet, "Movin Up," which reached #2 on the Billboard Club Play chart with fellow high school alum and house music artist Inaya Day. Arnold is credited using the moniker China Ro, a pseudonym that was derived from the using only the latter part of her first name and the first two letters of her middle name. Tichina Arnold played the best friend of Fran Drescher in the TV Land sitcom Happily Divorced, which is based on Fran Drescher's real-life marriage and divorce to series co-creator Peter Marc Jacobson.[4]

Personal life

In 1998, Arnold started her own company of designer headgear called "China Moon Rags".[5] The headbands were Swarovski crystal-embroidered bandanas. Celebrities such as her best friend Michel'le, Tisha Campbell, Janet Jackson, Vivica A. Fox, Regina King, Christina Aguilera and LisaRaye McCoy have modeled and been seen wearing Arnold's designs.[6] When her daughter was born, she stopped production.[7]

Arnold has a daughter, Alijah Kai Haggins (born March 16, 2004),[8][9] with music producer Carvin Haggins. On August 18, 2012, Arnold married St. Johns Men's Basketball assistant Coach and former Golden State Warrior's Assistant Coach, DaRico Hines in Honolulu, Hawaii.[10] In January 2016, Arnold's representative confirmed she and Hines were divorcing.[11]

Filmography

Film

Year Film Role Notes
1983 The Brass Ring Mary
1984 The House of Dies Drear Pesty
1986 Little Shop of Horrors Crystal
1988 Starlight: A Musical Movie Evelyn Ruth
1989 How I Got into College Vera Cook
1990 Scenes From a Mall Ticket Seller
1997 Fakin' Da Funk Tracy
1999 A Luv Tale
2000 Dancing in September Robber
2000 Big Momma's House Ritha
2002 Civil Brand Aisha
2002 Yo Alien Ray Goods
2005 Preaching to the Choir Desiree
2005 Getting Played Woman in Restaurant
2007 Wild Hogs Karen Davis
2008 Drillbit Taylor Photography Teacher
2008 Hope & Redemption: The Lena Baker Story Lena Baker
2009 Dance Flick Ray's Mamma
2012 Stolen Child Claudia Television film
2012 The Great Divide Tosha
2013 Summoned Mylene Television film
2014 More to Love Margo
2014 A Day Late and a Dollar Short Charlotte Television film
2014 Top Five Theatre Manager

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1989 Ryan's Hope Zena Brown
1989 The Cosby Show Delores Episode: "Theo's Women"
1990 Law & Order Leona Episode: "Out of the Half-Light"
1991 All My Children Sharla Valentine
19921997 Martin Pamela 'Pam' James Main Role (132 episodes)
1998 The Jamie Foxx Show Carla Episode: "Soul Mate to Cellmate"
1999 Pacific Blue Dana Brown Episode: "Ghost Town"
1999 The Norm Show Mrs. Murphy Episode: "Norm vs. the Boxer"
20012005 One on One Nicole Barnes Recurring role (15 episodes)
2002 Soul Food Adina Episode: "Past Imperfect"
2004 Listen Up Kiara Episode: "Thanksgiving"
20052009 Everybody Hates Chris Rochelle Main role (88 episodes)
2007 The Boondocks Nicole (voice) Episode: "Attack of the Killer Kung-Fu Wolf Bitch"
2009 Sherri Russell's Mamma Episode: "Pilot"
2009 Brothers Cynthia 3 episodes
2010 Pair of Kings Aunt Nancy 2 episodes
2011 Raising Hope Sylvia 3 episodes
2011 Are We There Yet? Vicky Howard Episode: "The Fight Party Episode"
2011, 2013 Let's Stay Together Dr. Knotts 2 episodes
20112013 Happily Divorced Judi Mann Main role
2014 Hit the Floor Derek's Mother 2 episodes
2014 Celebrity Wife Swap Herself Episode: "Tichina Arnold/Kelly Packard"
2014present Survivor's Remorse Cassie Calloway Main role

Awards and nominations

Year Award Category Nominated work Result
1988 Daytime Emmy Awards Outstanding Ingenue in a Drama Series Ryan's Hope Nominated
1989 Soap Opera Digest Awards Outstanding Female Newcomer: Daytime Nominated
1996 Image Awards Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series Martin Won
2006 BET Awards Best Actress Herself Nominated
Teen Choice Awards TV - Choice Parental Unit Everybody Hates Chris Won
TV - Choice Actress: Comedy Nominated
Image Awards Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series Won
2007 Nominated
2008 Nominated
2009 Nominated
2010 Nominated

References

  1. Valorie Burton Listen to Your Life Spotlight: Tichina Arnold. Blackamericaweb. December 20, 2004
  2. Tichina Arnold Biography - Yahoo! Movies. Movies.yahoo.com (1971-06-28). Retrieved on 2011-09-16.
  3. Nathan Southern "Allmovie"
  4. Star, Tyrell "Tichina Arnold’s New TV Show Pilot Happily Divorced", Tyrell Star, February 1, 2011.
  5. China Moon Rags pag
  6. September 2005 Interview. Thecrusade.net. Retrieved on 2011-09-16.
  7. Essence Magazine 2008 Interview. Realgossip101.blogspot.com (2008-01-29). Retrieved on 2011-09-16.
  8. Tichina Arnold On Wendy Williams Show, Friday 26 November 2010
  9. Jet Magazine Birth Announcement. Findarticles.com (2004-04-12). Retrieved on 2011-09-16.
  10. http://ballerwives.com/2011/08/05/actress-tichina-arnold-talks-upcoming-wedding-shows-off-her-engagment-ring/comment-page-1/#comment-66664,
  11. Chiu, Wendy (January 14, 2016). "Tichina Arnold and Rico Hines Divorce". People.com. Retrieved July 24, 2016.
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