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{{use dmy dates|date=December 2022}}{{Short description|American actress}}

factoids

| birth_place = Detroit, Michigan, USA| nationality = American| other_names =

• actress
• writer
• producer

{edih}| years_active = 2007-present| known_for = | notable_works = }}Diarra Kilpatrick (born {{circa|1983}}) is an American actress, writer and producer. She produced, wrote and starred in the ABC web-series, American Koko (2017), for which she received a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Actress in a Short Form Comedy or Drama Series nomination. From 2020 to 2023, Kilpatrick starred in the HBO period drama series, Perry Mason.WEB, Johnson, Reed, 2012-12-04, Diarra Kilpatrick is a natural as a force of nature,www.latimes.com/entertainment/arts/la-xpm-2012-dec-04-la-et-cm-diarra-kilpatrick-20121205-story.html, live,web.archive.org/web/20200728073134/https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/arts/la-xpm-2012-dec-04-la-et-cm-diarra-kilpatrick-20121205-story.html, 2020-07-28, 2020-07-28, Los Angeles Times, en-US, WEB, N’Duka, Amanda, 2017-06-19, ‘American Koko’: Viola Davis-Produced Digital Series Launches Season 2 In Honor Of Juneteenth,deadline.com/2017/06/american-koko-abc-season-two-viola-davis-produced-digital-series-1202115998/, live,deadline.com/2017/06/american-koko-abc-season-two-viola-davis-produced-digital-series-1202115998/," title="web.archive.org/web/20170620001250deadline.com/2017/06/american-koko-abc-season-two-viola-davis-produced-digital-series-1202115998/,">web.archive.org/web/20170620001250deadline.com/2017/06/american-koko-abc-season-two-viola-davis-produced-digital-series-1202115998/, 2017-06-20, 2020-07-28, Deadline, en, Kilpatrick created, produced and plays the leading role in the BET+ mystery comedy-drama series, Diarra from Detroit.WEB,blexmedia.com/bet-trailer-diarra-from-detroit/, BET+ Unveils Trailer for Upcoming Series ‘Diarra from Detroit’ Starring Diarra Kilpatrick, Morris Chestnut, Phylicia Rashad and More, 1 February 2024,

Early life and education

Kilpatrick was born in 1983, and reared in Detroit.WEB, Hinds, Julie, 2017-09-15, Web series created by Kilpatrick family member gets rave reviews,www.freep.com/story/entertainment/2017/09/15/american-koko-abc-youtube-diarra-kilpatrick-web-series/643895001/, live,www.freep.com/story/entertainment/2017/09/15/american-koko-abc-youtube-diarra-kilpatrick-web-series/643895001/," title="web.archive.org/web/20170916125834www.freep.com/story/entertainment/2017/09/15/american-koko-abc-youtube-diarra-kilpatrick-web-series/643895001/,">web.archive.org/web/20170916125834www.freep.com/story/entertainment/2017/09/15/american-koko-abc-youtube-diarra-kilpatrick-web-series/643895001/, 2017-09-16, 2020-07-28, Detroit Free Press, en, She is the half-sister of Kwame Kilpatrick.She grew up performing in productions at Meadow Brook Theater. When she turned 12, she joined Mosaic Youth Theatre and starred in her first production.WEB, Tate, Crystal, 2017-06-19, Actress Diarra Kilpatrick Is One To Watch,www.essence.com/entertainment/actress-diarra-kilpatrick-one-watch/, dead,www.essence.com:80/entertainment/actress-diarra-kilpatrick-one-watch," title="web.archive.org/web/20170624043518www.essence.com:80/entertainment/actress-diarra-kilpatrick-one-watch,">web.archive.org/web/20170624043518www.essence.com:80/entertainment/actress-diarra-kilpatrick-one-watch, 2017-06-24, 2020-07-28, Essence, en-US, During her early school years, Kilpatrick attended Alonzo W. Bates Academy for the gifted and talented. Thereafter, Kilpatrick attended and graduated from the Detroit Country Day and attended NYU Tisch for her bachelor’s degree.

Career

Kilpatrick made her film debut appearing in the 2006 drama film Forbidden Fruits. She later moved to Los Angeles in 2007 and acted in local theater productions including Three Sisters After Chekhov, The Interlopers, and Tarell Alvin McCraney’s In the Red and Brown Water. She co-starred in the comedy-drama film Hollywood, je t’aime (2009)WEB,www.rottentomatoes.com/m/hollywood_je_taime, Hollywood, je t Aime | Rotten Tomatoes, 9 June 2016, www.rottentomatoes.com, and made guest-starring appearances on television series such as House, The Game, Hart of Dixie, Mike & Molly, Southland and five appearances on Private Practice. She appeared in the independent films H4 (2012) and Stand Down Soldier (2014) starring, written and directed by Jeryl Prescott. In 2015 she appeared opposite Viola Davis in the crime drama film Lila & Eve, and starred in the drama film The Salton Sea (2016).In 2015, she wrote, produced, and starred in a satirical web series, American Koko, and launched it on YouTube. The series won the American Black Film Festival’s Best Web Series Award in 2015, after which it caught the attention of Julius Tennon, the husband of Viola Davis. The series was developed through their production company, JuVee Productions, and was purchased by ABC. The original first season was re-shot and a second season was also produced. Both seasons premiered online on ABC Digital on June 19, 2017.WEB, Rose, Jacqueline, 21 June 2017, Viola Davis produced series tackles racism through comedy,www.cnn.com/2017/06/21/entertainment/viola-davis-american-koko/index.html, live,www.cnn.com/2017/06/21/entertainment/viola-davis-american-koko/index.html," title="web.archive.org/web/20170621233224www.cnn.com/2017/06/21/entertainment/viola-davis-american-koko/index.html,">web.archive.org/web/20170621233224www.cnn.com/2017/06/21/entertainment/viola-davis-american-koko/index.html, 2017-06-21, 2020-07-28, CNN, It follows Koko (played by Kilpatrick), who “is a Los Angeles race detective at the Everyone’s a Little Racist Agency, which has the daunting mandate of ending racism in America.“NEWS, Weatherford, Ashley, 2017-07-12, The Radical ABC Show Tackling Racism Head-on, en-us, The Cut,www.thecut.com/2017/07/american-koko-diarra-kilpatrick-interview.html, 2020-07-28, The role gained her a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Actress in a Short Form Comedy or Drama Series nomination.Kilpatrick wrote and starred in a pilot for Amazon Studios in fall 2017, The Climb. It is a “Detroit-set comedy about an assistant who ditches her job to find internet fame.”WEB, ‘The Climb’ Creator Reflects on Her Public Pilot, From Pitch to Premiere,www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/climb-creator-reflects-her-public-pilot-pitch-premiere-1065859, 2020-07-28, The Hollywood Reporter, 8 December 2017, en, The series was not picked up by Amazon.WEB, Amazon passes on picking up Diarra Kilpatrick’s ‘The Climb’ as a series,shadowandact.com/amazon-passes-on-picking-up-diarra-kilpatricks-the-climb-as-a-series, 2020-07-28, shadowandact.com, en, She later starred in an episode of The Twilight Zone reboot, and had recurring role in the comedy series, The Last O.G.. In 2020 she was cast as Clara Drake in the HBO period drama series, Perry Mason.NEWS, Collins, Sean T., 2020-07-05, ‘Perry Mason’ Season 1, episode 3 Recap: If the Teeth Fit …, en-US, The New York Times,www.nytimes.com/2020/07/05/arts/television/perry-mason-recap-episode-3.html, 2020-07-28, 0362-4331, WEB, Terrell, Kellee, 2019-04-18, From ‘The Twilight Zone’ to ‘The Last O.G.,’ Diarra Kilpatrick Proves She Can Do it All,www.shondaland.com/live/a27186866/diarra-kilpatrick-twilight-zone/, 2020-07-28, Shondaland, en-US, In 2021 she starred in the television film revival of Nash Bridges.WEB,deadline.com/2021/05/nash-bridges-revival-diarra-kilpatrick-bonnie-somerville-cast-returning-don-johnson-cheech-marin-jeff-perry-revival-1234751341/, ‘Nash Bridges’ Revival: Diarra Kilpatrick, Bonnie Somerville Among Six To Join Returning Don Johnson, Cheech Marin & Jeff Perry, Denise, Petski, 7 May 2021, In April 2023, she had signed an overall deal with BET Studios.WEB, Jones, Monique, Diarra Kilpatrick Signs Overall Deal With BET Studios, Includes New Series ‘Diarra From Detroit’,shadowandact.com/diarra-kilpatrick-signs-overall-deal-with-bet-studios-includes-new-series-diarra-from-detroit, 2023-05-02, Shadow and Act, en, She created, produced and went to star in the Diarra from Detroit, a mystery comedy-drama series set in Detroit. The series received positive reviews from critics.WEB,variety.com/2024/tv/reviews/diarra-from-detroit-review-1235942107/, BET+’s Hilariously Chaotic ‘Diarra From Detroit’ Is a P.I. Drama With Flair: TV Review, Aramide, Tinubu, 21 March 2024, WEB,www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-reviews/diarra-from-detroit-review-bet-diarra-kilpatrick-1235855966/, ‘Diarra From Detroit’ Review: BET+’s Mystery-Comedy Serves as a Sparkling Showcase for Creator-Star Diarra Kilpatrick, Angie, Han, 20 March 2024, WEB,decider.com/2024/04/01/diarra-from-detroit-bet-plus-review/, ‘Diarra From Detroit’ BET Plus Review: Stream It Or Skip It?,

Personal life

Kilpatrick is married.

Awards and nominations

• 2011 – Nominated, Ovation Awards, Lead Actress in a Play (for The Interlopers)WEB, 2011-09-19, Ovation Awards nominations announced for 2010-11 season,latimesblogs.latimes.com/culturemonster/2011/09/ovation-awards-nominations.html, 2020-07-29, LA Times Blogs - Culture Monster, en-US,
• 2013 – Nominated, Ovation Awards, Lead Actress in a Play (for In the Red and Brown Water)WEB, Wetherbe, Jamie, 2013-09-17, Center Theatre Group leads 2012-2013 Ovation Awards nominations,www.latimes.com/entertainment/arts/culture/la-et-cm-ovation-awards-nominations-20130916-story.html, live,www.latimes.com/entertainment/arts/culture/la-et-cm-ovation-awards-nominations-20130916-story.html," title="web.archive.org/web/20160817081656www.latimes.com/entertainment/arts/culture/la-et-cm-ovation-awards-nominations-20130916-story.html,">web.archive.org/web/20160817081656www.latimes.com/entertainment/arts/culture/la-et-cm-ovation-awards-nominations-20130916-story.html, 2016-08-17, 2020-07-29, Los Angeles Times, en-US,
• 2018 – Nominated, Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Actress in a Short Form Comedy or Drama Series (for American Koko)

Filmography

Film{| class“wikitable sortable”

! Year! Title! Role! class=“unsortable” | Notes| 2006| Forbidden Fruits | Lisa|| 2007| Unfinished| Waitress| Short| 2008| Keepin’ the Faith: Higher Ground| Asia| 2009| All Americana| Steph| Short| Gang Girl| Bess Roundtree|| Hollywood, je t’aime| Kaleesha| | Surrender| Bess Roundtree| Short 2011| Under-Tow| Shar| Short | Talking with the Taxman About Poetry| Afton| | 2012H4 (film)>H4| Clarice| 2014| Stand Down Soldier| Billi| | Four Women| Sarah| Short 2015| Lila & Eve| Maya| | The Brink| Jane| Short | 2016The Salton Sea (2016 film)>The Salton Sea| The HitchhikerNordic International Film Festival>Nordic International Film Festival Award for Best Actress| 2020| Baldwin Beauty| -| Short 2021| The Goldfish| Maya| Short | 14 Days| Faitma| Short “>

Television{| class“wikitable sortable”

! Year! Title! Role! class=“unsortable” | Notes| 2008House (TV series)>House| Sally| Episode: “The Itch”| 2008–12Private Practice (TV series)>Private Practice| Nurse Danielle| 5 episodes 2009The Game (American TV series)>The Game| Groupie| Episode: “Take a Bow”| The Young and the Restless| Young Maid| Episode: “Episode #1.9195”| 2010–11| Disaster Date| Herself| Recurring role (season 3); main role (season 4)| 2011| Hart of Dixie| Mother| Episode: “Gumbo & Glory”| 2012| Mike & Molly| Amira| Episode: “Surprise”| 2013Southland (TV series)>Southland| Yvette| Episode: “Babel”| 2014; 2017| American Koko| Akosua Miller| Main role, producer, writer| 2015Major Crimes (TV series)>Major Crimes| Peaches Williams| Episode: “The Jumping Off Point”| 2017| The Climb| Nia| TV pilot 2019The Twilight Zone (2019 TV series)>The Twilight Zone| Didi ScottThe Comedian (The Twilight Zone)>The Comedian”| The Last O.G.| Lisa| Recurring role| 2020–2023Perry Mason (2020 TV series)>Perry Mason| Clara Drake| Recurring role (season 1); main role (season 2)| 2021| Nash Bridges| Lena Harris| Television film| 2024| Diarra from Detroit| Diarra Brickland| Lead role, also creator and producer

References

{{Reflist}}

External links

• {{Official website}}
• {{IMDb name}}

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