Lonette McKee

Lonette McKee
Born
Lonette Rita McKee[1][2]

(1954-07-22) July 22, 1954 (age 70)[3]
Detroit, Michigan, U.S.
Alma materThe New School
Occupation(s)Actress, singer
Years active1968–present
Spouse
Leo Compton
​
​
(m. 1983; div. 1990)​
[4]
FamilyKathy McKee (sister)
Websitelonettemckee.com

Lonette Rita McKee[2][1] (born July 22, 1954)[5] is an American actress and singer. She made her big screen debut starring as Sister Williams in the original 1976 musical-drama film Sparkle. McKee later appeared in films Which Way Is Up? (1977), The Cotton Club (1984), Brewster's Millions (1985), Round Midnight (1986), Gardens of Stone (1987), Jungle Fever (1991), Malcolm X (1992), Men of Honor (2000), Honey (2003) and ATL (2006).

McKee became the first African American to play the coveted role of Julie and received critical acclaim for her performance in Broadway musical Show Boat in 1983, for which she received a Tony Award nomination for Best Actress in a Musical. She also starred in The First and played Billie Holiday in Lady Day at Emerson's Bar and Grill. McKee also received three Drama Desk and three NAACP Image Awards nominations during her career.[6]

  1. ^ a b Gilbert Valarie C., Women and Mixed Race Representation in Film, McFarland, Incorporated, Publishers, 2021
  2. ^ a b Library of Congress, Catalog of Copyright Entries Third series, Library of Congress. Copyright Office, 1971
  3. ^ McCann, Bob (2007). Encyclopedia of African American Actresses in Film and Television. McFarland and Company. ISBN 978-0-7864-5804-2. Retrieved September 19, 2017.
    - VideoHound's Golden Movie Retriever, Volume 2005
  4. ^ Stark, John. "After Singing Her Own Blues, Lonette Mckee Finds a Perch as Off Broadway's Billie Holiday" People, November 3, 1986
  5. ^ Who Sang what on Broadway, 1866–1996: The singers (L-Z)
    - Ann M. Savage (ed), Women's Rights: Reflections in Popular Culture – The Women of Brewster's Place (1989)
  6. ^ "Lonette McKee – Broadway Cast & Staff | IBDB". www.ibdb.com.