LisaRaye McCoy: Biography

Possessing a charmingly seductive smile and a distinctively vibrant but laid-back personality, voluptuous actress/model LisaRaye first caught the eye of television viewers with an appearance on the popular television series In the House. Born in Chicago in September 1967, LisaRaye never really took the idea of a career in acting seriously until persuaded by an insistent roommate to attend a local audition in her hometown. Making her screen debut in the low-budget action movie Reasons, LisaRaye received numerous critical kudos despite the fact that the film went largely unseen. Though the movie never did find a distributor, director Monty Ross convinced the budding young actress to move out to L.A. during pilot season, and LisaRaye soon landed minor roles on such shows as Martin and In the House. Subsequently appearing in rapper Tupac Shakur's final music video, her memorable appearance caught the eye of rapper/actor Ice Cube, who was at the time planning his directorial debut, The Players Club. LisaRaye was quickly cast in the film, and her memorable performance as a troubled stripper left a solid impression on audiences. Though her appearances thus far had shown an impressive talent developing, it was following her appearance in The Wood (1999), that LisaRaye's career truly began to ignite. In 2000 LisaRaye found her widest audience yet as the host of Source: All Access, a popular series dedicated to exploring hip-hop culture. She quickly gained a loyal following with her winning smile and extensive knowledge of all things hip-hop. As film roles continued to role in, the millennial turnover found LisaRaye approaching her biggest role to date in the 2002 film Civil Brand. A harrowing look into life in women's prison, the film took home top awards at both the American Black Film Festival and The Urbanworld Film Festival. Soon following little sister Da Brat into a career in music, LisaRaye next began collaborating with Benzino to record a song to be featured in the film Redemption. 2003 proved an equally lucrative year for LisaRaye as she prepared for the release of the Barry Levinson comedy Envy, the female-driven Western Guns and Roses, and her new sitcom All of Us. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide