Lisa Nicole Carson American actress Date of Birth: 12.07.1969 Country: USA

Biography of Lisa Nicole Carson

Lisa Nicole Carson was born on July 12, 1969, in Brooklyn, New York. She was the third child in a family of four children. When her father, a journalism professor, got a job at the University of Florida, the whole family moved to Gainesville. In their new neighborhood, they became the first African American family, and the white children in the area started hurling insults at Lisa. Despite the initial shock, Lisa remembers this experience with understanding, saying, "It was quite shocking. But also beautiful because it taught me about different races... I was the only black girl doing a lot of things, like being a cheerleader and participating in the theater program." Lisa's mother, Nicole, was a preschool teacher, and she instilled a love for art and aesthetics in all her children. As a child, Lisa loved to sing and often neglected her household responsibilities because she was so focused on her new passion. She got her first role in a school production of "Fiddler on the Roof" about the lives of Jews when she was just eight years old.

When Lisa Nicole turned 14, her parents divorced, and her mother moved to New York. Lisa recalls her feelings, saying, "It wasn't so painful for me. I thought it was their business." After finishing high school, Lisa went straight to college in Gainesville, but she dropped out after a year, disappointed with the theater program. Her father persuaded her to enroll in nursing school, but instead, she returned to live with her mother in Harlem. In New York, she started looking for work in the theater. Lisa Nicole did not take acting lessons but watched a lot of movies and admired actors like Marlon Brando, Cicely Tyson, and Diana Ross. She looked for casting calls in newspapers or made phone calls, and sometimes she would even dress up on the subway, running late for her next audition. In 1990, Lisa got a role in an off-Broadway play and continued her training in a summer theater, eventually becoming a member of the renowned Negro Ensemble.

After appearing in the TV shows "The Cosby Show" and "Law & Order," Lisa made her feature film debut in 1994 in Carl Clay's directorial work, "Let's Get Bizzee." This was followed by her role in the film "Devil in a Blue Dress" alongside Denzel Washington and the pilot episode of the series "Divas." Her involvement in the series required Lisa to showcase not only her acting abilities but also her singing and dancing skills. However, the project failed to captivate the audience and secure financial support, leaving Lisa devastated to learn that her breakout role would fade into obscurity. Nonetheless, while living in New York, Lisa occasionally sang in the all-female rock group "Mascara" and heard whispers about the buzz surrounding the popular series "ER." Her agent didn't even believe her when she passed the audition and landed a recurring role as Carla Reece in the medical drama. In 1997, Lisa was offered a career-defining role in the series "Ally McBeal," which she brilliantly embraced, even though her character was not originally intended to be African American.

Critics were divided into two camps - some applauded "Ally McBeal," while others openly expressed their disgust. After the first season of the series, rumors circulated in the media about Calista Flockhart's alleged anorexia, but Lisa was seen as one of the few plus-sized prime-time actresses who managed to be both voluptuous and fatally attractive. Lisa Nicole starred in the drama film "Eve's Bayou," directed by Casey Lemmons. She played the passionate mistress of Samuel L. Jackson's character, a seemingly devoted family man leading a dangerous double life. In 1999, Lisa appeared in the comedy film "Life" alongside Eddie Murphy and Martin Lawrence. Finally, Lisa Nicole decided to take driving lessons, a skill that would prove useful both on the set of "Ally McBeal" and in "ER." However, her acting career was subsequently overshadowed by her serious mental illness.

In 2000, Lisa spent eight days in a psychiatric hospital. Then, she was seen in a restaurant, dressed in tattered clothes, talking to herself and cursing at the police while trying to escape from the hands of orderlies. Undergoing treatment for schizophrenia, Lisa Nicole Carson disappeared from the public eye, and since 1999, she has not appeared in any productions. "Being black and an actress is a real challenge. It's a burden and a blessing given at birth. It's a burden because there are not many roles written for black actors. It's a blessing because these are amazing times for black women. I wouldn't trade places with anyone in the world," Lisa once said.