Tessa Thompson

Tessa Lynne Thompson is a Hollywood star like no other. From award-winning performances to her multi-faceted career, this actress, producer, singer, and songwriter is a force to be reckoned with. Raised between Los Angeles and Brooklyn, New York, Tessa's multi-ethnic background is reflective of her talents. Her father, singer-songwriter Marc Anthony Thompson, is of Afro-Panamanian descent and is the founder of the musical collective Chocolate Genius, Inc. Her mother has white and Mexican ancestry. She also has a younger half-sister, Zsela, who is a singer and songwriter. Thompson's professional acting career began with the Los Angeles Women's Shakespeare Company while she was studying at Santa Monica College. It was here that she earned a NAACP Theatre Award nomination for her performance in Romeo and Juliet. Her true breakthrough came with leading roles in Tina Mabry's independent drama film Mississippi Damned (2009) and Tyler Perry's drama film For Colored Girls (2010). Thompson's incredible talent is not limited to acting. She has also starred in numerous music videos, including Big Boi's "Thom Pettie" in 2012 and Janelle Monae's "Electric Lady" in 2013. Never one to rest on her laurels, she also made her music debut in 2018 with her single "Sulphur Soul". At school, Thompson attended Santa Monica High School, where she played Hermia in a student production of A Midsummer Night's Dream. She then attended Santa Monica College (SMC), where she studied cultural anthropology and is a member of the alma mater. And if that wasn't enough, she also attended lectures by Lisa Wolpe of the Los Angeles Women's Shakespeare Company (LAWSC). With her incredible career and powerful presence, Thompson is an inspiring role model for women everywhere. As she once said: "You can be powerful and look gorgeous at the same time." So if you ever need some motivation to take on the world, just remember: Tessa Thompson would approve. And here's a joke for you: What did one actress say to the other? "Break a leg... but not too badly!"