The Cast OfThe Parkers
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The Cast Of The Parkers
Countess Vaughn stars as Kim Parker, a young woman embarking on her college career with a very unusual accessory - her mother. Vaughn began entertaining at the age of three where she sang in her native Idabel, Oklahoma, church. She remembers listening to gospel great Mahalia Jackson, jazz/blues great Dinah Washington and R&B/pop diva Whitney Houston, each becoming an important influence on the emerging young songstress. At age nine, her soulful rendition of the Bacharach/David classic What the World Needs Now is Love, Sweet Love resulted in her being named the Star Search junior vocalist champion and overall junior champion. Following that success, Vaughn turned her attention to television with stints on the comedy series 227, The Fresh Prince of Bel Air, Thea, Hangin' With Mr. Cooper and Roc, as well as performing in a variety of television specials including The Lou Rawls Parade of Stars; Magical World of Disney; The Orange Bowl Parade; and The Easter Seals Telethon, and the off-Broadway musical Mama, I Want to Sing, Part 2. And last year, Vaughn was honored with a NAACP Image Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for her performance in Moesha. In 1992, Vaughn finally got around to releasing the album record executives had been urging her to record since she came to national attention via Star Search in 1988. That album, Countess, displays the full range of her vocal skills on cuts that run the musical gamut - from upbeat dance tunes to heartfelt ballads including Unconditionally, written by Michael Bolton and Randy Goodrum. At age 21, Vaughn knows there's nothing she'd rather be doing than performing and takes the glare of the showbiz spotlight in stride. Mo'Nique is Nikki Parker who, like Mo'Nique herself, has a big personality and an even bigger heart. "She's all of me," says Mo'Nique, "All my comedy is based on me - I am sexy, full-figured, very outspoken and a glamour doll. Nikki Parker is that same person. I met with the producers about doing a talk show but that night my agent called said I had a sitcom deal playing myself. I was thrilled." Voluptuous, outlandish comedienne Mo'Nique shot up the ladder of success in just a few short years and some say comedy has never been the same since she hit the stage. Having always dreamed of being rich and famous, Mo'Nique began doing comedy performances in her hometown of Baltimore. She took to the stage for the first time on a dare from her brother and the standing ovation she received that night gave her all the inspiration she needed to consider comedy as a profession. Her career began to skyrocket with performances on Showtime at the Apollo, HBO's Russell Simmons Def Comedy Jam, Apollo Comedy Hour, HBO's Snaps, Uptown Comedy Club, BET Comic View, the Montreal Comedy Festival, and It's a Funny Country, a syndicated show in South Africa. While shooting The Parkers will keep her busy, Mo'Nique plans to continue doing stand-up during her breaks. Her angelic, church-girl look is the perfect contrast to her self-described "sexy-sweet" style of comedy. No one ever expects such an adorable face to have such a challenging mouth. In the male-dominated profession of stand up comedy, she has established herself as one of the heavyweights. Her versatility has taken her from high school and college audiences to adult comedy clubs, live concerts and television appearances around the world, electrifying audiences with her humor, chic style of dress and dynamic personality. Mo'Nique recently began a new fashion line based on the custom-made designs of her stage clothes. With a soon-to-be-released book of her musing on life, she is well on her way to establishing herself as one of the top entertainers in the business. Mo'Nique is currently drawing rave reviews on the nationwide "Queens of Comedy" tour. She made her film debut in this year's "3 Strikes" written and directed by D.J. Pooh ("Fridays"). She makes her home in Los Angeles with her husband, Mark, and their two sons Mark Jr. and Shalon. Dorien Wilson stars as Professor Oglevee, the smart, handsome teacher at Santa Monica College and the object of Nikki Parker's very enthusiastic affection. Wilson is best known for his comic turn on HBO's Dream On, where he played the smooth-talking, womanizing talk show host, Eddie Charles, a role for which he received a CableAce Award nomination. He has also starred as Franklin Goode in UPN's Goode Behavior with Sherman Hemsley and had recurring roles in Living Single, The Steve Harvey Show and Sister, Sister, among many other television credits. A native of Lompoc, California, Wilson attended the advanced training program at the Pacific Conservatory of Performing Arts in Santa Maria. Jenna Von Oy stars as Stevie, Kim Parkers off-beat best friend and classmate at Santa Monica College. Von Oy got her start as a child actor when she was six-years-old appearing in a Jell-O pudding pops commercial with Bill Cosby. At the age of 10, she made her feature film debut in "Born on the Fourth of July." Best known as the fast talking, boy-crazy Six LeMuere, Blossoms best friend on "Blossom," Jenna has also starred in dramatic mini-series such as "At Mothers Request," "She Cried No" and "Dying to Belong." Her voice is known to legions of children through her role of Stacey in the animated film "A Goofy Movie" and the role of Pepper Anns precocious nemesis, Trinket Malloy, in the Saturday morning cartoon "Disneys Pepper Ann." On the dramatic side, she has appeared in "Chicago Hope" and as a pregnant, unwed teen in an episode of "7th Heaven." With a career in acting already forged, von Oy would be thrilled to exploit another talent singing. A lover of country music, von Oy regularly travels to Nashville and is currently working towards a recording contract. Von Oy credits her passion for acting and the support of her close knit family for her successful personal and professional transition from child star to adult. She divides her time between Los Angeles and Nashville. Yvette Wilson got her start in entertainment when, on a bet, she performed a stand-up routine at a friend's club. To her amazement, she landed her first paying gig from that performance and has been working the comedy club circuit ever since. In addition to being a busy stand-up comic, Wilson has a long list of acting roles to her credit including television's Thea, Def Comedy Jam Variety Show and In Living Color, and the feature films Poetic Justice, House Party III, Friday, and Don't Be a Menace to South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the 'Hood. Ken L. stars as Tyrell a.k.a. "T," Kim and Nikki's fun-loving fellow student, and skirt-chasing friend. Born and raised in West Covina, California, Ken was bitten by the acting bug at an early age. As a child, he loved to participate in community plays and jumped wholeheartedly into theatre during high school. But it was his love for dancing that brought him to the small screen. After hearing about a local radio stations need for dancers in its commercial, Ken auditioned and booked the dance spot. After that first commercial, he was on a roll and began getting guest star roles on television shows including "Chicago Hope" and "Smart Guy." But audiences really began to know and love Ken during his run on LL Cool Js series "In The House" where he portrayed Carl, the ever faithful friend of Tiffany Warren. There, he found a home in the sitcom genre and continues to charm audiences as "T" on UPNs "The Parkers." He continues to work hard on his craft, viewing his future as bright and filled with possibilities. When not on the set of "The Parkers," Ken does independent film, television and commercial roles. He also loves to write, read, and listen to music, spending time to further nourish his mind and spirit. |
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