Malinda Williams
Williams andD-Nice in June 2006
Born	(1970-09-24)September 24, 1970 (age 55)
Other names	Malinda Williams-Phifer
Occupations	Actress, producer
Years active	1987–present
Spouses	Mekhi Phifer ​ ​ (m. 1999; div. 2003)​ D-Nice ​ ​ (m. 2008; div. 2010)​ Tariq Walker ​ ​ (m. 2020)​
Children	1

Malinda Williams (born September 24, 1970^[1][2]) is an American actress and producer. She began her career on television, before appearing in filmsA Thin Line Between Love and Hate (1996),High School High (1996), andThe Wood (1999).

From 2000 to 2004, Williams starred asTracy "Bird" Van Adams in theShowtime drama seriesSoul Food, for which she received threeNAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series nominations. After starring role in the short-livedNBC drama seriesWindfall, Williams returned to film playing supporting roles inIdlewild (2006),Daddy's Little Girls (2007),First Sunday (2008), and2 Days in New York (2012).

Raised inPlainfield, New Jersey, Williams moved to nearbyWestfield at the age of 12 and graduated fromWestfield High School.^[3]

Williams made her television debut in an episode ofThe Cosby Show in 1987.^{[4][non-tertiary source needed]} She guest starred onMiami Vice,Roc,My So-Called Life,Sister, Sister,Moesha, andNYPD Blue. In film, she made her debut in the 1996 black comedy-romance filmA Thin Line Between Love and Hate. Later that year, she co-starred inSunset Park andHigh School High. From 1997 to 1998, she had a starring role inThe WB sitcomNick Freno: Licensed Teacher. In 1999, she appeared in the romantic comedy filmThe Wood and the following year in the thrillerUninvited Guest.

Williams is best known for her role as Bird in theShowtime drama seriesSoul Food, a continuation of the successful1997 film of the same name.^{[4][non-tertiary source needed]} It also starredNicole Ari Parker andVanessa Estelle Williams. For her performance, Williams received three NAACP Image Awards for Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series nominations.^{[citation needed]} The series aired from 2000 to 2004.Soul Food went on to be the longest running drama with a predominantly black cast in the history of American prime-time television.^[5] While onSoul Food, Williams appearedRuff Endz's music video "Someone to Love You" in 2002.

AfterSoul Food ended, the same year, Williams appeared rapperYoung Buck's music video "Shorty Wanna Ride" playing the rapper's love interest

She later guest-starred onLaw & Order: Special Victims Unit, and was a regular cast member on the short-lived NBC drama seriesWindfall in 2006.^[6]

In 2006, Williams appeared in the musical filmIdlewild. The following year, she co-starred in theTyler Perry's romantic comedy-dramaDaddy's Little Girls. In 2008, she appeared inFirst Sunday oppositeIce Cube. She then starred in several independent films. In 2012, Williams co-starred asChris Rock's sister in the romantic comedy film2 Days in New York.^[7] Between 2013 and 2015, she played the leading role in theUp network's television filmMarry Me for Christmas, and its two sequelsMarry Us for Christmas andA Baby for Christmas.^[8] In 2013, she began hosting theAspire network's television talk showExhale.^[9] She also starred in two films forTV One:Girlfriends' Getaway and its sequelGirlfriends' Getaway 2 in 2014 and 2015, alongsideGarcelle Beauvais,Terri J. Vaughn andEssence Atkins.^[10][11] In 2015, Williams also had a supporting role inDavid O. Russell's comedy filmAccidental Love.^[12]

Williams was married to actorMekhi Phifer from 1999 to 2003; they have a son named Omikaye.^[13]

In August 2008, she married rapperD-Nice; they separated in August 2009 and filed for divorce in February 2010;^[14] and it was finalized on June 14, 2010.

Williams married journalist Tariq Walker in 2020.^[15]

• "Many Styles" byAudio Two
• "Someone to Love You" byRuff Endz
• "Back at you" byMobb Deep
• "Shorty Wanna Ride" byYoung Buck
• "What Could've Been" byGinuwine
• "Until It's Gone" byMonica
• "Self Destruction" byBoogie Down Productions

• Malinda Williams atIMDb

• 20th-century African-American actresses
• 20th-century American actresses
• 21st-century African-American actresses
• 21st-century American actresses
• Actors from Union County, New Jersey
• American child actresses
• American film actresses
• American television actresses
• Living people
• People from Plainfield, New Jersey
• People from Westfield, New Jersey
• Westfield High School (New Jersey) alumni
• 1970 births

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