Anna Deavere Smith
American actress, playwright and professor · United States · On the map · Actors · Born 1950 · age 76
Anna Deavere Smith is an American actress, playwright, and professor. She is known for her roles as National Security Advisor Dr. Nancy McNally in The West Wing (2000-06), hospital administrator Gloria Akalitus in the Showtime series Nurse Jackie (2009-15), and U.S. District Court Clerk Tina Krissman on the ABC show...
Anna Deavere Smith is read about 332 times a day, in 19 languages.
A typical day, 30 days to 6 November 2026
The middle day of the days counted, so one week of news cannot move it. The line under it is the last 104 days, one point a day.
Something wrong?A life in dates
2023
ExtrapolationsSeries, Arden Miller
GhostedFilm, 2023Claudia Yates2021
Flora & UlyssesFilm, Dr. Meescham2019Global Citizen AwardsAward2018“My life's work has been to go around America with a tape recorder trying to become America word for word. And I've met a lot of people who I disagree with.”In their wordsOn connecting with people with opposing viewpoints in “Anna Deavere Smith Brings One-Woman Play 'Notes From The Field' To HBO” in NPR (2018
For the PeopleSeries, 2018Tina Krissman
Can You Ever Forgive Me?Film, 2018Elaine2016George Polk AwardAwardGuggenheim FellowshipAwardPhyllis Franklin AwardAward
DC's Legends of TomorrowSeries, 2016Older Kendra2015Jefferson LectureAward2014Honorary Doctor of Yale UniversityAward
black-ishSeries, 2014Alicia2012Honorary Degree from Spelman CollegeAwardNational Humanities MedalAward
Finding Your RootsSeries, 20122009
Nurse JackieSeries, Gloria Akalitus2008
Rachel Getting MarriedFilm, Carol2007
Life SupportFilm, Lucille2005
Cry_WolfFilm, Headmaster Tinsley2003Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting ActressAward
Real Time with Bill MaherSeries, 2003
The Human StainFilm, 2003Mrs. Silk2000
Twilight: Los AngelesFilm, Writer, Producer1999
Law & Order: Special Victims UnitSeries, Lucille Fenton1997
The PracticeSeries, Kate Brunner
Hawaii's Last QueenFilm, 19971996MacArthur Fellows ProgramAward1995
The American PresidentFilm, Robin McCall1994“I do believe that character is a process, that truth is a process, and I am not interested in winning and losing…”In their wordsOn character building in “Wearing the Words: An Interview with Anna Deavere Smith” in the Buddhist Review (Fall 1994)“…White racism is about people who don’t feel so bad about fixed things. But white racism is a fixed thing, and it is perpetuated because of fixedness.”In their wordsOn racism and the concept of fixedness in “Wearing the Words: An Interview with Anna Deavere Smith” in the Buddhist Review (Fall 1994)Drama Desk Award for Outstanding One-Person ShowAwardTheatre World AwardAward1993Drama Desk Award for Outstanding One-Person ShowAwardLucille Lortel Award for Outstanding Lead ActressAward1987
Unfinished BusinessFilm, Anna1983
TouchedFilm, Switchboard Operator1982
American PlayhouseSeries, Writer
Soup for OneFilm, 1982Deborah1950Born18 September 1950
ExtrapolationsSeries, Arden MillerGhostedFilm, 2023Claudia Yates2021Flora & UlyssesFilm, Dr. Meescham2019Global Citizen AwardsAward2018“My life's work has been to go around America with a tape recorder trying to become America word for word. And I've met a lot of people who I disagree with.”In their wordsOn connecting with people with opposing viewpoints in “Anna Deavere Smith Brings One-Woman Play 'Notes From The Field' To HBO” in NPR (2018For the PeopleSeries, 2018Tina KrissmanCan You Ever Forgive Me?Film, 2018Elaine2016George Polk AwardAwardGuggenheim FellowshipAwardPhyllis Franklin AwardAwardDC's Legends of TomorrowSeries, 2016Older Kendra2015Jefferson LectureAward2014Honorary Doctor of Yale UniversityAwardblack-ishSeries, 2014Alicia2012Honorary Degree from Spelman CollegeAwardNational Humanities MedalAwardFinding Your RootsSeries, 20122009Nurse JackieSeries, Gloria Akalitus2008Rachel Getting MarriedFilm, Carol2007Life SupportFilm, Lucille2005Cry_WolfFilm, Headmaster Tinsley2003Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting ActressAwardReal Time with Bill MaherSeries, 2003The Human StainFilm, 2003Mrs. Silk2000Twilight: Los AngelesFilm, Writer, Producer1999Law & Order: Special Victims UnitSeries, Lucille Fenton1997The PracticeSeries, Kate BrunnerHawaii's Last QueenFilm, 19971996MacArthur Fellows ProgramAward1995The American PresidentFilm, Robin McCall1994“I do believe that character is a process, that truth is a process, and I am not interested in winning and losing…”In their wordsOn character building in “Wearing the Words: An Interview with Anna Deavere Smith” in the Buddhist Review (Fall 1994)“…White racism is about people who don’t feel so bad about fixed things. But white racism is a fixed thing, and it is perpetuated because of fixedness.”In their wordsOn racism and the concept of fixedness in “Wearing the Words: An Interview with Anna Deavere Smith” in the Buddhist Review (Fall 1994)Drama Desk Award for Outstanding One-Person ShowAwardTheatre World AwardAward1993Drama Desk Award for Outstanding One-Person ShowAwardLucille Lortel Award for Outstanding Lead ActressAward1987Unfinished BusinessFilm, Anna1983TouchedFilm, Switchboard Operator1982American PlayhouseSeries, WriterSoup for OneFilm, 1982Deborah1950Born18 September 1950People around Anna
Close ties
Martin Sheen Also in The American President (1995)
Allison Janney Also in In the Shadow of Two Gunmen (Part I) (2000)
Richard Schiff Also in In the Shadow of Two Gunmen (Part I) (2000)
Aaron Sorkin Wrote The American President (1995)
Rob Lowe Also in In the Shadow of Two Gunmen (Part I) (2000)
Stockard Channing Also in In the Shadow of Two Gunmen (Part I) (2000)
Bradley Whitford Also in Philadelphia (1994)
John Spencer Also in In the Shadow of Two Gunmen (Part I) (2000)
Dulé Hill Also in In the Shadow of Two Gunmen (Part I) (2000)
Janel Moloney Also in In the Shadow of Two Gunmen (Part I) (2000)
Alex Graves Directed The Women of Qumar and 7A WF 83429
Thomas Schlamme Directed In the Shadow of Two Gunmen (Part I) (2000)
W. G. Snuffy Walden Wrote In the Shadow of Two Gunmen (Part I) (2000)
Christopher Misiano Directed On the Day Before and The Dogs of War
Melissa Fitzgerald Also in In the Shadow of Two Gunmen (Part I) (2000)
Jonathan Demme Produced Philadelphia (1993)
Joshua Malina Also in The American President and 7A WF 83429
Randy Brooks Also in In the Shadow of Two Gunmen (Part I) (2000)
Thomas Kopache Also in On the Day Before (2001)
Clark Gregg Also in The Human Stain (2003)
John Amos Also in 7A WF 83429 and The Dogs of War
Gregory Alan Williams Also in Gone Quiet and Manchester (Part I)- Nelson McCormick Directed Presidio Med and Transition
Jeff Wadlow Directed Cry Wolf (2005)
Known for
View all 23 titles
Philadelphia 1993
Ghosted 2023
Here Today 2021
Can You Ever Forgive Me? 2018
The Kingdom 2007
Also in Deutsch
Filmography 23
47 credits on file
Television 18
Media & music
In their own words 1
, Anna Deavere Smith
, One statement
The words are verbatim. The words are exactly what the people said.
Awards
About this person
She is known for her roles as National Security Advisor Dr. Nancy McNally in The West Wing (2000-06), hospital administrator Gloria Akalitus in the Showtime series Nurse Jackie (2009-15), and U.S. District Court Clerk Tina Krissman on the ABC show For the People (2018-19).
Country
United States
Category
Actors
Type
Actor
Status
Living
Dates
Born 1950 · age 76
