Rachel India True[1][2] (born November 15, 1966)[1] is an American actress. She is best known for her roles in such films as The Craft (1996), Nowhere (1997), and Half Baked (1998). True is also known for her role as Mona Thorne on the UPN sitcom Half & Half, which ran from 2002 to 2006.
Rachel True | |
|---|---|
| Born | Rachel India True November 15, 1966 New York City, U.S. |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1990–present |
Early life
editTrue was born in New York City, the middle of three children. Her father is of Ashkenazi Jewish descent, whereas her mother is of African American heritage. Her younger sister, Noel, is also an actress. True attended New York University.[3]
Career
editTrue made her television debut in 1991 on the Cosby Show episode "Theo's Final". In 1993, she moved to Los Angeles and made her feature film debut playing Chris Rock's character's girlfriend in the comedy CB4.[4] On television, she appeared in episodes of Hangin' with Mr. Cooper, Beverly Hills, 90210, Getting By, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Family Matters, Dream On and well as made-for-television movies Moment of Truth: Stalking Back (1993) and A Walton Wedding (1995).[4] In 1995, she had supporting role in the erotic horror film Embrace of the Vampire starring Alyssa Milano.
In 1996, True landed her breakthrough role as Rochelle Zimmerman in the supernatural horror film, The Craft, where she played a member of a teenage coven.[5][6] True stated that she had to "fight" to audition for the part and was actively going up against her future co-stars Fairuza Balk, Neve Campbell and Robin Tunney. Her role was originally written for a white actress, but that didn't deter her from auditioning.[7][8] In 1997, she starred in the comedy-drama film, Nowhere alongside James Duval, the film received mixed reviews from critics.[9][10] The following year, True starred as Dave Chappelle's romantic interest in the comedy film, Half Baked. Also from 1997 to 1998, she also had the recurring role of Janet Clemens on The Drew Carey Show. From 1999 to 2000, she appeared in the ABC drama series, Once and Again.
True appeared in a number of independent movies, include With or Without You (1999), The Big Split (1999), and Groove (2000). She starred alongside Monica and Essence Atkins in the 2000 romantic drama film Love Song. From 2002 to 2006, True starred with Essence Atkins in the UPN comedy series, Half & Half, as paternal half-sisters who barely knew each other until becoming adults. She returned to film, playing the supporting role in the 2007 comedy The Perfect Holiday. The following years, she appeared in a number of smaller and made-for-television films, include The Asylum productions Social Nightmare (2013), Blood Lake: Attack of the Killer Lampreys (2014), Sharknado 2: The Second One (2014), and Sharknado: Heart of Sharkness (2015). In 2017, True worked as a tarot-card reader in Echo Park.[11][12]
True released her book, True Heart Intuitive Tarot, Guidebook And Deck in 2020.[13] She appeared in horror films Agnes and Horror Noire in 2021.[14][15] The following year, she joined the cast of the second season of Amazon Prime Video comedy series, Harlem.[16] Also that year, True was cast in Half Baked 2, the sequel to the 1998 cult comedy, reprising her role as Mary Jane Potman.[17]
Filmography
editFilm
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | A Girls' Guide to Sex | Bridget | TV movie |
| 1993 | CB4 | Daliha | |
| Moment of Truth: Stalking Back | Katie | TV movie | |
| 1995 | A Walton Wedding | Girl Student | TV movie |
| Embrace of the Vampire | Nicole | ||
| 1996 | The Craft | Rochelle Zimmerman | |
| 1997 | Nowhere | Mel | |
| 1998 | Half Baked | Mary Jane Potman | |
| With or Without You | Misha | ||
| 1999 | The Big Split | Jenny | |
| The Apartment Complex | Tasha | ||
| The Auteur Theory | Sasha Swann | ||
| 2000 | Groove | Beth | |
| Love Song | Renee | TV movie | |
| 2002 | New Best Friend | Julianne Livingston | |
| 2007 | The Perfect Holiday | Brenda | |
| 2009 | The Killing of Wendy | Ayanda | |
| Pink Eye | Wygenia | Short | |
| 2011 | Thugs, the Musical! | Lisa Rowlands | Short |
| 2012 | Noah | Temba (voice) | |
| Sugar Mommas | Thomasina | TV movie | |
| White Room: 02B3 | Three | Short | |
| 2013 | Social Nightmare | Mrs. Langran | TV movie |
| 2014 | Blood Lake: Attack of the Killer Lampreys | Marcy | TV movie |
| Sharknado 2: The Second One | 1st Officer Jonni Valentine | TV movie | |
| 2015 | A House Is Not a Home | Simi Valley 911 Operator (voice) | |
| Sharknado: Heart of Sharkness | Herself | ||
| 2017 | Stage Fright | Melissa Ameia | TV movie |
| Limelight | Mrs. Roberts | ||
| Good Grief | Pepper | ||
| 2018 | The Manor | Doctor Tryvniak | |
| 2021 | Assault on VA-33 | Sasha | |
| Agnes | Sister Ruth | ||
| Horror Noire | Charlotte | ||
| 2024 | Half Baked: Totally High | Mary Jane |
Television
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1991–92 | The Cosby Show | Nicki | Guest Cast: Season 7-8 |
| 1993 | Hangin' with Mr. Cooper | Yvette | Episode: "Boyz in the Hoodz" |
| Getting By | Andrea | Episode: "The Suit" | |
| Renegade | Dawn | Episode: "Vanished" | |
| Beverly Hills, 90210 | Jan Myler | Recurring Cast: Season 4 | |
| Tall Hopes | - | Episode: "Scalped" | |
| Thea | Candy | Episode: "Artie's Party" | |
| The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air | Rhetta | Episode: "Take My Cousin... Please" | |
| 1994–95 | Dream On | Linda Castorini | Guest: Season 4, Recurring Cast: Season 6 |
| 1995 | Family Matters | Sue | Episode: "What's Up Doc?" |
| 1997 | Boston Common | Cheryl | Episode: "To Bare Is Human" |
| 1997–98 | The Drew Carey Show | Janet Clemons | Recurring Cast: Season 3 |
| 1998 | Damon | Monique | Episode: "The Last Cub Scout" |
| 1999–00 | Once and Again | Mali | Recurring Cast: Season 1 |
| 2000 | Providence | Talia Weber | Episode: "Family Ties" |
| 2001 | Dawson's Creek | Kira | Episode: "Hopeless" |
| 2002–06 | Half & Half | Mona Rose Thorne | Main Cast |
| 2006 | Noah's Arc | Brooklyn | Episode: "Give It Up" |
| 2006–08 | Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-List | Herself | Recurring Cast: Season 2 & 5, Guest: Season 3-4 |
| 2007 | E! True Hollywood Story | Herself | Episode: "Kathy Griffin" |
| 2017 | Being Mary Jane | Tiffany | Episode: "Feeling Seen" |
| 2019 | Better Things | Pascal | Episode: "Show Me the Magic" |
| 2019–21 | The Boulet Brothers' Dragula | Herself/Guest Judge | Episode: "Halloween Haunt" & "Monsters of Rock" |
| 2020 | History of Horror | Herself | Episode: "Witches" |
| 2022 | Queer for Fear | Herself | Episode: "Episode #1.2 & #1.4" |
| Family Reunion | Cheryl | Episode: "Remember When the Raccoon Crashed the Wedding?" | |
| 2023 | Harlem | Aimee | Recurring Cast: Season 2 |
Awards and nominations
edit| Year | Awards | Category | Recipient | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | Fangoria Chainsaw Awards | Best Supporting Actress | "The Craft" | Nominated |
References
edit- ^ a b McCann, Bob (2022). Encyclopedia of African American Actresses in Film and Television. Jefferson, NC: McFarland & Company. p. 327. ISBN 978-0-7864-3790-0.
- ^ Gilbert, Ruth (March 18, 1991). "Theatre Listings: Off Off Broadway". New York Magazine. p. 94. Retrieved July 21, 2023.
- ^ "Rachel True". TVGuide.com. Retrieved April 25, 2015.
- ^ a b "Rachel True". Rotten Tomatoes.
- ^ Gleiberman, Owen (May 10, 1996). "The Craft". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved April 25, 2015.
- ^ Kuehl, KayLee Chie (October 17, 2022). "Why Rachel True's Character in 'The Craft' Is the Most Interesting in the Coven". Collider.
- ^ Clarke, Cassandra (November 3, 2020). "The Craft: Rachel True on the Racism She Encountered From Casting to Filming to Promotion". CBR.
- ^ "MVP of Horror: Rachel True reflects on her experience as the only Black star of 'The Craft'". Yahoo!. October 30, 2020.
- ^ "Nowhere" – via www.rottentomatoes.com.
- ^ "Stylish 'Nowhere' Finds Youthful Despair". Los Angeles Times. May 9, 1997.
- ^ Mention, Bry'onna (October 30, 2020). "Rachel True Wanted More for Rochelle in 'The Craft,' Too". Cosmopolitan.
- ^ Lepore, Kristen (May 24, 2017). "Rochelle From The Craft Is a Tarot Card Reader in Echo Park". L.A. Weekly. Retrieved May 30, 2017.
- ^ True, Rachel (2020). True Heart Intuitive Tarot, Guidebook and Deck. ISBN 978-1328566263.
- ^ N'Duka, Amanda (December 20, 2019). "Rachel True, Sean Gunn Join 'Agnes'; Sherilyn Fenn, Franco Nero Topline 'Immortalist'; Cameron Douglas, Elisabeth Röhm In 'The Runner'". Deadline Hollywood.
- ^ Mangum, Trey. "'Horror Noire' Anthology Series Casts Rachel True, Luke James, Tony Todd And 10 More". Shadow and Act.
- ^ Cordero, Rosy (October 20, 2022). "'Harlem': Rachel True, Sherri Shepherd & Lil Rel Howery Among 7 New Cast For Season 2".
- ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony (November 11, 2022). "'Half Baked 2': Rachel True Returns, Dexter Darden Joins Cast & More". Deadline Hollywood.
External links
edit- Rachel True at IMDb