Tracee Ellis Ross is a distinguished American actress. She is widely recognized for her leading roles in the television series Girlfriends (2000–2008) and Black-ish (2014–2022), the latter of which garnered her five nominations for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series.
Early Life & Family
Tracee Ellis Ross, originally named Tracee Joy Silberstein, was born on October 29, 1972, in Los Angeles, California. She is the daughter of Motown singer and actress Diana Ross and music industry executive Robert Ellis Silberstein.
Her father is of Jewish descent, while her mother is African-American and practices the Baptist faith. To honor both her parents after her father changed his surname, she chose the name Tracee Ellis Ross.
She has a younger sister, Chudney Lane Silberstein, and an older half-sister, Rhonda Ross Kendrick. Additionally, she has a half-brother, Evan Ross, who is also an actor and musician.
Education
Ross received her education at The Dalton School in Manhattan, Riverdale Country School in the Bronx, and the prestigious Institut Le Rosey in Switzerland. During her teenage years, she pursued a career in modeling.
She then enrolled at Brown University, where she participated in theatrical productions, ultimately earning a degree in theatre in 1994.
Following her graduation, Tracee Ellis Ross continued her career in the fashion industry, serving as both a model and a contributing fashion editor for Mirabella and New York magazines. She has also been honored with an honorary degree from Spelman College.
Tracee Ellis Ross Career
Tracee Ellis Ross began her television acting career in 1998 with NBC’s Race Against Fear: A Moment of Truth, portraying a former track athlete confronting issues of abuse.
In 2000, she made an appearance on MTV’s The Lyricist Lounge Show and secured her significant role as Joan Clayton in the sitcom Girlfriends, which enjoyed an eight-season run and garnered her two NAACP Image Awards.
Concurrently, she guest-starred on Second Time Around and co-starred in HBO’s Life Support alongside her brother Evan and Queen Latifah.
After making guest appearances on Private Practice and CSI in 2011, Tracee Ellis Ross landed the role of Dr. Carla Reed in BET’s Reed Between the Lines, which earned her a third NAACP Image Award.
Her most recognized performance came in 2014 as Dr. Rainbow Johnson on ABC’s Black-ish, where she received several awards and nominations for both the Emmy and SAG awards. In 2019, she partnered with Kenya Barris to co-create and narrate the spinoff Mixed-ish.
Tracee Ellis Ross began her film career with the independent film Far Harbor in 1996, followed by her role in Sue Lost in Manhattan in 1997.
Her first significant studio performance occurred in 2000 in the film Hanging Up, where she starred alongside Diane Keaton, Meg Ryan, and Lisa Kudrow.
She subsequently featured in films such as In the Weeds, I-See-You.Com, Tyler Perry’s Daddy’s Little Girls, and Labor Pains.
In 2020, Ross achieved a notable milestone by portraying the character Grace Davis in The High Note, which also marked her debut as a singer with songs like “Love Myself” and “New to Me” included in the soundtrack.
Personal Life
Tracee’s strong emphasis on privacy regarding her personal life has resulted in limited information about her relationship history. Nonetheless, it is known that she previously dated Abou Thiam, an executive at Def Jam.
Net Worth
Tracee Ellis Ross is a multifaceted American talent, recognized as an actress, comedian, model, director, and television host, with a net worth estimated at $16 million.
She gained prominence for her starring roles in the popular sitcoms Girlfriends and Black-ish. Additionally, her film credits include titles such as Hanging Up, Daddy’s Little Girls, and The High Note.
