Adina Porter

Adina Elizabeth Porter[3] (born March 13, 1971) is an American actress. She is best known for her roles as Lettie Mae Thornton on the HBO fantasy horror series True Blood (2008–2014), Kendra James on the HBO drama series The Newsroom (2012–2014), and Indra on the CW science fiction drama series The 100 (2014–2020). She received further recognition for her roles as Sally Freeman, Lee Harris, Beverly Hope, and Dinah Stevens on the first, sixth, seventh, and eighth seasons of the FX anthology series American Horror Story (2011–2018).

Adina Porter
Born
Adina Elizabeth Porter

(1971-03-13) March 13, 1971
New York, New York, U.S
EducationState University of New York, Purchase (BFA)
OccupationActress
Years active1988–present
Spouse(s)David Raymond Hecht (divorced)[1]
Larry Earl Madison (widowed)[2]
Children2[2]

Porter began her acting career appearing on Off-Broadway stage, winning the Obie Award in 1996 for Venus. She made her Broadway debut in the 2001 revival of The Women. For her work in American Horror Story, she has been nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award and two Saturn Awards.

Life and career

Porter was born and raised in New York City, New York.[3] She graduated from the State University of New York at Purchase.[4] Her first acting teacher was Butterfly McQueen.[4] She has been married twice and has two children with her second husband, Larry Earl Madison Jr.[4]

Theater

Porter began her acting career in the theatre, appearing in off Broadway plays and in regional theatre. Her off-Broadway credits include The Debutante Ball, Jersey City, Aven' U Boys, Girl Gone, Silence, Cunning, Exile, Dancing on Moonlight and Hurricane. In 1996, she received Obie Award for Distinguished Performance by an Actress for her performance in Venus.[5] Her Broadway debut came in 2001 with the Roundabout Theater's revival of The Women, directed by Scott Elliott, broadcast as part of PBS's Stage on Screen series, in addition, she performed in multiple productions at the New York Shakespeare Festival.

Television and film

Porter began her screen career playing guest starring roles on television dramas include Law & Order, New York Undercover, Brooklyn South, and NYPD Blue. She had a recurring role as housekeeper Gwen Walker in the NBC period drama American Dreams from 2002 to 2003.[6] In film, she made her debut in 1992 Leopold/Loeb New Queer Cinema feature, Swoon. She went to appear in small roles in films The Peacemaker (1997), Gia (1998), Body Shots (1999), The Fluffer (2001), and The Salon (2005). In 2005, Porter played Ricky in the film adaptation of Ruben Santiago-Hudson's play Lackawanna Blues for HBO. She received Black Reel Award for Best Supporting Actress: Television Movie/Cable for her role. She went to appear ER, Prison Break, Without a Trace, House, and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.

In 2008, Porter was cast as Lettie Mae Thornton, mother to Rutina Wesley's Tara Thorton, in the HBO drama series, True Blood. She was promoted to series regular in seventh and final season of show.[7] In 2012, she guest starred in an episode of Grey's Anatomy.[8] From 2012 to 2014, she also had a recurring role on the HBO series The Newsroom playing Kendra James. In 2014, she began appearing in a recurring role as Indra in the CW post-apocalyptic drama, The 100. Porter also starred in two unsold drama pilots for ABC, Doubt in 2013, and The Jury in 2016.[9] In 2016, she played Pearly Mae during first season of WGN America period drama Underground.[10] Later that year, Porter was cast as Lee Harris in the FX anthology series American Horror Story: Roanoke, after previously appearing as a minor character in American Horror Story: Murder House in 2011.[11] For her performance in Roanoke, she received critical acclaim and was nominated for a Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actress on Television. She later portrayed Beverly Hope in American Horror Story: Cult where she received similar praise from critics and received a second Saturn Award nomination, as well as a Primetime Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or Movie. She was later promoted to series regular for American Horror Story’s eight season entitled Apocalypse. In Feb 2020, Ryan Murphy announced that she will return for American Horror Story in its tenth season in another main role.

Filmography

Film
Year Title Role Notes
1992 Swoon Stenographer
1997 The Peacemaker Police NYPD
1998 Gia Girl at Group Therapy
1999 Body Shots Detective Thompson
2001 The Fluffer Silver
2002 Pipe Dream Lauren Gunther
2005 The Salon Percy's wife
2010 The Social Network Gretchen's Associate Uncredited
2011 About Sunny Cheryl
2017 The Last Word Bree Wilson
2019 Miss Virginia Annette Johnson

Television
Year Title Role Notes
1990 Law & Order Woman Neighbor Episode: "Out of the Half-Light"
1994 Law & Order Sheryl Decker Episode: "Nurture"
1994 New York Undercover Jasmine Hopkins Episode: Pilot
1995 Law & Order Mary Byman Episode: "Savages"
1997 Brooklyn South Angela Withers Episode: "Life Under Castro"
1998 Brimstone Rachel Episode: "Repentance"
1999 Snoops Angela Jackson Episode: "The Grinch"
2000 The District Ella's Assistant Episode: Pilot
2000 Judging Amy N/A Episode: "Unnecessary Roughness"
2000 Any Day Now Diane Episode: "Where's the Justice in That?"
2000 City of Angels Hazina Episode: "Smoochas Gracias"
2001 NYPD Blue Tisha Episode: "Dying to Testify"
2002 Strong Medicine Malia Episode: "Compassionate Release"
2002 The Guardian Assistant D. A. Episode: "Monster"
2002 Crossing Jordan Vicki Moran Episode: "Prisoner Exchange"
2002–2003 American Dreams Gwen Walker Recurring role (seasons 1–2), 15 episodes
2003 NYPD Blue Ifeoma Okafor Episode: "Meet the Grandparents"
2005 ER Mrs. Hopkins Episode: "Back in the World"
2005 Jack & Bobby N/A Episode: "A Child of God"
2005 CSI: NY Shannon Goodall Episode: "On the Job"
2005 Prison Break Leticia Barris Episodes: "Allen", "Cell Test"
2005 Lackawanna Blues Ricky Television film
2006 Without a Trace Harriet Lewis Episode: "Watch Over Me"
2007 House M.D. Claudia Episode: "Family"
2007 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Janelle Odami Episode: "Fight"
2007, 2010 Saving Grace Tamara Cooley Episodes: "Everything's Got a Shelf Life", "So Help You God"
2008–2014 True Blood Lettie Mae Thornton Main role (seasons 1, 7); recurring role (seasons 2–3); special guest role (seasons 4–6); 32 episodes
2009 Cold Case Laticia Myers Episode: "Jurisprudence"
2009 CSI: Crime Scene Investigation Denise Devine Episode: "Coup de Grace"
2009 Operating Instructions Celia Television film
2010 Hawthorne Nancy Breton Episode: "The Match"
2010 The Whole Truth Detective Sweeney Episode: "Cold Case"
2011 Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior Jeanette Rawlins Episode: "Two of a Kind"
2011 Private Practice Stacy Episode: "A Step Too Far"
2011 American Horror Story: Murder House Sally Freeman Episode: "Murder House"
2011 Prime Suspect Detective Kendra Cannon Episode: "The Great Wall of Silence"
2011–2012 Ringer Principal Caruso Episodes: "The Poor Kids Do It Everyday", "What Are You Doing Here, Ho-Bag?"
2012 The Finder Ms. Estelle Episode: "Life After Death"
2012 Grey's Anatomy Dr. Ramsey Episode: "Remember the Time"
2012 Glee History Teacher Episode: "The Role You Were Born to Play"
2012 The Vampire Diaries Nandi LaMarche Episode: "We'll Always Have Bourbon Street"
2012–2014 The Newsroom Kendra James Recurring role, 23 episodes
2014–2020 The 100 Indra Recurring role (seasons 2–7), 54 episodes
2015 Code Black Susie Episode: Pilot
2015 The Leftovers G.R. Leader Episode: "Ten Thirteen"
2016–2017 Underground Pearly Mae Recurring role, 7 episodes
2016 The Catch FBI Agent Emily Clark Episode: "The Wedding"
2016 American Horror Story: Roanoke Lee Harris Recurring role, 9 episodes
2017 Ray Donovan Vicky 4 episodes
2017 American Horror Story: Cult Beverly Hope Recurring role, 10 episodes
2018 American Horror Story: Apocalypse Dinah Stevens Main role, 7 episodes
2019 The Morning Show Sarah Graveler 3 episodes
2020 Outer Banks Sheriff Peterkin Recurring role, 8 episodes
2020 American Horror Story: Season 10 TBA Upcoming TV series

Awards and nominations
YearAssociationCategoryNominated workResult
2006 Black Reel Awards Best Supporting Actress: Television Movie/Cable Lackawanna Blues Nominated
2017 Saturn Awards Best Supporting Actress on Television American Horror Story: Roanoke Nominated
2018 Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or Movie American Horror Story: Cult Nominated
2018 Saturn Awards Best Supporting Actress on Television American Horror Story: Cult Nominated

References
  1. "Adina E. Porter and David R. Hecht". The New York Times. August 3, 1992.
  2. "Adina Porter Talks About Husband; Got Her Children From Married Life Or A Previous Boyfriend?". LIVERAMPUP.
  3. "Adina Porter". Retrieved October 20, 2016.
  4. "Adina Porter". Retrieved October 20, 2016.
  5. "Adina Porter - Lortel Archives". Retrieved October 20, 2016.
  6. "True Blood: Actor Bio: Adina Porter". HBO.com. Retrieved June 23, 2012.
  7. "'True Blood' Promotes Adina Porter to Series Regular". Retrieved October 20, 2016.
  8. "'Grey's Anatomy': 'True Blood,' 'Newsroom' Actress Checks In". Retrieved October 20, 2016.
  9. Petski, Denise (February 18, 2016). "DeWanda Wise Aims At 'Shots Fired'; Adina Porter Joins 'The Jury'". Retrieved October 20, 2016.
  10. Pedersen, Erik (April 15, 2015). "Adina Porter Cast In WGN America's 'Underground'". Retrieved October 20, 2016.
  11. Pehanick, Maggie. "American Horror Story: If You Watched Season 1, You've Already Seen This Actress". Retrieved October 20, 2016.
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