Her kindergarten portrait is the only one of her early years that has survived; it is a somber picture of a girl who, even at that young age, knew what it meant to have less than others.
She is now not just a well-known actress but also a voice for people who have gone through similar struggles as her.
She experienced adversity and deprivation as a child. The family of eight depended on food stamps, which frequently ran out before the month was up, as her parents struggled to make ends meet with stable employment and factory work. Her only consistent source of food was school lunches, and hunger was a frequent companion.
The hard winters, frozen plumbing, and nighttime swarms of rats tormented their home. She refused to let her surroundings dictate her future in spite of these circumstances. Rather, she cultivated an aspiration to liberate herself, utilizing knowledge and imagination to propel her path to a more promising future.
A Childhood of Unimaginable Hardship
Her grandmother’s farm in South Carolina, which was formerly a plantation, is where she was born 59 years ago in a one-room shanty. In search of a better life, her family relocated to Central Falls, Rhode Island, but poverty followed.
From Stage to Stardom
She developed her skills and got ready for the cutthroat entertainment world during her stay at Juilliard. She started working in theater after graduating and soon established herself.
At 29, she earned her first Tony Award nomination for her performance in August Wilson’s play “Seven Guitars.” She described opening night as a defining moment, “My mom and dad were in the audience, and my dad cried. I thought, ‘I’ve arrived. This is it.’”