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Tichina Arnold
Tichina arnold 2008.jpg
Arnold in 2008
Born
Tichina Rolanda Arnold

(1969-06-28) June 28, 1969 (age 54)
New York City, U.S.
Occupation Actress
Years active 1983–present
Spouse(s)
(m. 1993; div. 1997)
DaRico Hines
(m. 2012; div. 2016)
Partner(s) Carvin Haggins (2002–2007)
Children 1

Tichina Rolanda Arnold (/tɪˈʃnə/; born June 28, 1969) is an American actress. She began her career as a child actor, appearing in supporting roles in Little Shop of Horrors (1986) and How I Got into College (1989) before being cast as Pamela "Pam" James on the FOX sitcom Martin, which she portrayed from 1992 until the show ended in 1997. Arnold also portrayed the family matriarch Rochelle on the UPN/CW sitcom Everybody Hates Chris from 2005 to 2009, and portrayed Judi Mann in the TV Land original sitcom Happily Divorced from 2011 to 2013. From 2014 to 2017, she acted the lead role of Cassie Calloway on Survivor's Remorse. As of 2018, Arnold portrays Tina Butler in the CBS sitcom series The Neighborhood. From 2018 to 2019, she acted the role of Paulette in the South African series Lockdown.

Early life

Arnold was born in Queens, New York City, to a working-class family. Her mother, Diane, was a sanitation worker and her father Gene Arnold was a police officer. She was raised in the Church of God in Christ. She attended the Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts.

Career

Film and television

In 1986, Arnold appeared as Crystal, one of the three chorus girls who perform R&B numbers in Frank Oz's film musical Little Shop of Horrors (1986) along with future Martin co-star Tisha Campbell. Arnold was only sixteen at the time of filming, and her career continued steadily after that, with a role or two almost every year, including the films How I Got into College and the Paul Mazursky/Woody Allen collaboration Scenes from a Mall (1991). In February 1987 Arnold scored her first big break on television, with a permanent role on the soap opera Ryan's Hope. Her critically lauded role, as young heroine Zena Brown, landed her a Daytime Emmy Award nomination in 1988. She continued in the role until the series ended in January 1989. Later that year, Arnold was cast as Sharla Valentine, a high-school friend of Emily Ann Sago (played by Liz Vassey) on the ABC-TV daytime drama All My Children. She continued in the role until 1991.

Tichina Arnold Al Asad
Arnold performs for service members during the United Service Organization's Holiday Tour, 2008.

Arnold's best-known television role was Pamela James on Martin Lawrence's sitcom Martin (1992–1997). She also played the recurring role of Nicole Barnes on the sitcom One on One. In 2000, she was reunited with Martin Lawrence in Big Momma's House. In 2007, she again reunited with Lawrence (this time as his character's wife) in the big screen road comedy/buddy film Wild Hogs. In 2003, she appeared in Civil Brand. Arnold played the role of the matriarch, Rochelle, on the sitcom Everybody Hates Chris which premiered in September 2005 and ended in May 2009. In a departure from her known comedic roles, she played the title role in The Lena Baker Story (2008), which was about the first and only woman to be executed by the electric chair in Georgia.

..... In 2009, Arnold appeared onstage in The Wiz revival at the New York City Center in the part of Evillene, The Wicked Witch of the West. In 2010 she guest starred in the one-hour episode premiere of the Disney XD Original Series Pair of Kings as Aunt Nancy, and also reprise her role for one more episode.

Arnold played the best friend of Fran Drescher in the TV Land sitcom Happily Divorced, which is based on Fran Drescher's real-life marriage and divorce to series co-creator Peter Marc Jacobson.

Personal life

In 1998, Arnold started her own company of designer headgear called "China Moon Rags". The headbands were Swarovski crystal-embroidered bandanas. Celebrities such as her good friends Michel'le, Tisha Campbell, Janet Jackson, Vivica A. Fox, Regina King, Christina Aguilera and LisaRaye McCoy have modeled and been seen wearing Arnold's designs. When her daughter was born, she stopped production.

Arnold has a daughter, Alijah Kai Haggins (born March 16, 2004), with music producer Carvin Haggins. In an interview with Joan Rivers, Arnold revealed that she had thought she was unable to conceive after bouts with endometriosis.

On August 18, 2012, Arnold married St. Johns Men's Basketball assistant coach and former Golden State Warriors assistant coach DaRico Hines in Honolulu, Hawaii. In January 2016, Arnold's representative confirmed she and Hines were divorcing. .....

Philanthropy

In 2013, Arnold and her sister created the We Win Foundation, a foundation for people with lupus; her sister, Zenay, has the disease.

Filmography

Film

Year Film Role Notes
1983 The Brass Ring Mary TV movie
1984 The House of Dies Drear Pesty TV movie
1986 Little Shop of Horrors Crystal
1988 Starlight: A Musical Movie Evelyn Ruth
1989 How I Got into College Vera Cook
1991 Scenes from a Mall Ticket Seller
1997 Fakin' Da Funk Tracy
1998 Perfect Prey Susie TV movie
1999 A Luv Tale Wendi
2000 Dancing in September Robber
Big Momma's House Ritha
2002 Civil Brand Aisha
Yo Alien Ray Goods
2005 Preaching to the Choir Desiree
Getting Played Woman in Restaurant TV movie
2007 Wild Hogs Karen Davis
2008 Drillbit Taylor Photography Teacher
Hope & Redemption: The Lena Baker Story Lena Baker
2009 Dance Flick Ray's Mamma
2012 Stolen Child Claudia TV movie
The Great Divide Tosha
2013 Summoned Mylene TV movie
2014 More to Love Margo
A Day Late and a Dollar Short Charlotte TV movie
Top Five Theatre Manager
2015 Royal Family Thanksgiving Chevonne TV movie
Royal Family Christmas Chevonne TV movie
2018 A Father's Love Miss Danine Short
2019 The Last Black Man in San Francisco Wanda
Countdown Nurse Amy
All the Way with You Lorreta
2020 Runt Principal Carey
Clover Pat
The Main Event Denise Thompson

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1986 Sesame Street Tichina Episode: "Another Cold Day on Sesame Street"
1987–89 Ryan's Hope Zena Brown Regular Cast
1989 The Cosby Show Delores Episode: "Theo's Women"
1990 Law & Order Leona Episode: "Out of the Half-Light"
1990–91 All My Children Sharla Valentine Regular Cast
1992–97 Martin Pamela "Pam" James Main Cast
1994 Soul Train Herself/Guest Host Episode: "Xscape/Gerald Albright"
1998 The Jamie Foxx Show Carla Episode: "Soul Mate to Cellmate"
1999 Pacific Blue Dana Brown Episode: "Ghost Town"
The Norm Show Mrs. Murphy Episode: "Norm vs. the Boxer"
2001 The Test Herself Episode: "The OCD Test"
2001–05 One on One Nicole Barnes Recurring Cast: Season 1–3, Guest: Season 4
2002 Intimate Portrait Herself Episode: "Tisha Campbell-Martin"
Biography Herself Episode: "Martin Lawrence: Comic Trip"
Soul Food Adina Episode: "Past Imperfect"
2004 Punk'd Herself Episode: "Episode #3.2"
Listen Up Kiara Episode: "Thanksgiving"
2005–09 Everybody Hates Chris Rochelle Main Cast
2006 Hi-Jinks Herself Episode: "Tichina Arnold"
2007 The Boondocks Nicole/Brenda Harvey (voice) Episode: "Attack of the Killer Kung-Fu Wolf ..."
2009 Played by Fame Herself Episode: "Anger Management"
Sherri Russell's Mamma Episode: "Pilot"
Brothers Cynthia Recurring Cast
2010–11 Pair of Kings Aunt Nancy Episode: "Return of the Kings" & "The Bite Stuff"
2011 Are We There Yet? Vicky Howard Episode: "The Fight Party Episode"
American Dad! Deborah (Voice) Episode: "A Ward Show"
Raising Hope Sylvia Recurring Cast: Season 1
2011–13 Happily Divorced Judi Mann Main Cast
Let's Stay Together Dr. Knotts Guest Cast: Season 1 & 3
2014 Celebrity Wife Swap Herself Episode: "Tichina Arnold/Kelly Packard"
Hit the Floor Mary Roman Episode: "Blow Out" & "Winner Takes All"
2014–17 Survivor's Remorse Cassie Calloway Main Cast
2015 Chopped Herself Episode: "Sitcom Moms"
Black Dynamite Honeybee's Singing Voice (voice) Episode: "The Wizard of Watts"
Born Again Virgin Quinn Episode: "Off to See the Wizard"
2015–16 Celebrity Name Game Herself/Celebrity Player Episode: "Gilles Marini & Tichina Arnold #1-#3"
2017 Daytime Divas Mo Evans Recurring Cast
2018 Lockdown Paulette Main Cast
2018–21 Soul Train Music Awards Herself/Co-Host Main Co-Host
2018– The Neighborhood Tina Butler Main Cast
2020 Celebrity Family Feud Herself Episode: "Cedric The Entertainer vs. Wayne Brady and The Hills"
The Price Is Right at Night Herself Episode: "The Neighborhood"
2021 Devil May Care Jezebeth (voice) Episode: "The Sisters"
2022 Phat Tuesdays: The Era Of Hip Hop Comedy Herself Recurring Guest
Celebrity Game Face Herself Episode: "Cedric The Entertainer Busts Kevin's Chops"
Bob Hearts Abishola Tina Butler Episode: "Compress to Impress"
2023 Yes We ... Gladys (voice) Recurring Cast

Awards and nominations

Year Award Category Nominated work Result
1988 Daytime Emmy Award Outstanding Ingenue in a Drama Series Ryan's Hope Nominated
1989 Soap Opera Digest Awards Outstanding Female Newcomer: Daytime Nominated
1996 Image Awards Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series Martin Won
2006 BET Awards Best Actress Herself Nominated
Teen Choice Awards TV - Choice Parental Unit Everybody Hates Chris Won
TV - Choice Actress: Comedy Nominated
Image Awards Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series Won
2007 Nominated
2008 Nominated
2009 Nominated
2010 Nominated

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Tichina Arnold para niños

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