Diarra Kilpatrick | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1983 or 1984 (age 41–42) |
| Occupations |
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| Years active | 2007–present |
Diarra Kilpatrick (bornc. 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 aPrimetime 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.[1][2] Kilpatrick created, produced and plays the leading role in the BET+ mystery comedy-drama series,Diarra from Detroit.[3]
Kilpatrick was born in 1983,[4] and reared inDetroit.[5] She is the half-sister ofKwame Kilpatrick.[5]
She grew up performing in productions at Meadow Brook Theater. When she turned 12, she joinedMosaic Youth Theatre and starred in her first production.[5][4] During her early school years, Kilpatrick attended Alonzo W. Bates Academy for the gifted and talented. Thereafter, Kilpatrick attended and graduated from theDetroit Country Day[1] and attendedNYU Tisch for her bachelor's degree.[4]
Kilpatrick made her film debut appearing in the 2006 drama filmForbidden Fruits. She later moved to Los Angeles in 2007 and acted in local theater productions includingThree Sisters After Chekhov,The Interlopers, andTarell Alvin McCraney'sIn the Red and Brown Water.[1] She co-starred in the comedy-drama filmHollywood, je t'aime (2009)[6] and made guest-starring appearances on television series such asHouse,The Game,Hart of Dixie,Mike & Molly,Southland and five appearances onPrivate Practice. She appeared in the independent filmsH4 (2012) andStand Down Soldier (2014) starring, written and directed byJeryl Prescott. In 2015 she appeared oppositeViola Davis in the crime drama filmLila & Eve, and starred in the drama filmThe Salton Sea (2016).
In 2015, she wrote, produced, and starred in a satirical web series,American Koko, and launched it on YouTube.[4] The series won theAmerican Black Film Festival’s Best Web Series Award in 2015, after which it caught the attention of Julius Tennon, the husband ofViola Davis.[4] The series was developed through their production company, JuVee Productions,[4] and was purchased byABC. The original first season was re-shot and a second season was also produced.[2] Both seasons premiered online onABC Digital on June 19, 2017.[7] 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."[8] The role gained her aPrimetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Actress in a Short Form Comedy or Drama Series nomination.[9]
Kilpatrick wrote and starred in a pilot forAmazon Studios in fall 2017,The Climb. It is a "Detroit-set comedy about an assistant who ditches her job to find internet fame."[9] The series was not picked up by Amazon.[10] She later starred in an episode ofThe 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.[11][12] In 2021 she starred in the television film revival ofNash Bridges.[13]
In April 2023, she had signed an overall deal withBET Studios.[14] She created, produced and went to star in theDiarra from Detroit, a mystery comedy-drama series set in Detroit. The series received positive reviews from critics.[15][16][17]
Kilpatrick is married.[12]
| Year | Title | Role | 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 | ||
| 2012 | H4 | Clarice | |
| 2014 | Stand Down Soldier | Billi | |
| Four Women | Sarah | Short | |
| 2015 | Lila & Eve | Maya | |
| The Brink | Jane | Short | |
| 2016 | The Salton Sea | The Hitchhiker | Nordic International Film Festival Award for Best Actress |
| 2020 | Baldwin Beauty | - | Short |
| 2021 | The Goldfish | Maya | Short |
| 14 Days | Faitma | Short |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | House | Sally | Episode: "The Itch" |
| 2008–12 | Private Practice | Nurse Danielle | 5 episodes |
| 2009 | 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" |
| 2013 | Southland | Yvette | Episode: "Babel" |
| 2014; 2017 | American Koko | Akosua Miller | Main role, producer, writer |
| 2015 | Major Crimes | Peaches Williams | Episode: "The Jumping Off Point" |
| 2017 | The Climb | Nia | TV pilot |
| 2019 | The Twilight Zone | Didi Scott | Episode: "The Comedian" |
| The Last O.G. | Lisa | Recurring role | |
| 2020–2023 | 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 Nominated —Black Reel Award for Outstanding Lead Performance, Comedy Series (2024) Nominated —Black Reel Award for Outstanding Comedy Series (2024) |
