Actress Essence Atkins began appearing onscreen in the late '80s, with small appearances on shows like Saved By the Bell and The Cosby Show. She would go on to land a series of starring roles on short-lived series throughout the '90s like Under One Roof and Smart Guy before finding lasting success with a starring role on the comedy series Half and Half, which she stayed with from 2002 to 2006. After the show ended its run, Atkins made a number of appearances in movies like Love for Sale and Dance Flick.
Essence Atkins
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- Was given the middle name Uhura after the character Lieutenant Uhura on the original Star Trek series.
- Grew up in the St. Albans neighborhood in Queens.
- First credited role was Paula Young on The Cosby Show.
- Had a regular role on the short-lived series Under One Roof, which was the first African-American prime-time soap opera, airing on CBS briefly in the spring of 1995.
- Volunteered for Greater Than AIDS, a leading public information response to the HIV/AIDS epidemic.