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Jasmine Guy is an NAACP Image Award-winning American actress, director, singer, and dancer. She is possibly best known for her appearance in the spin-off from the sitcom “The Cosby Show” entitled “A Different World.”
Age, Early Life, and Educational Background
Jasmine Guy was born under the Pisces zodiac sign on 10 March 1962, in Boston, Massachusetts, so is 61 years old as of 2023. She is the daughter of the Atlanta-based Friendship Baptist Church pastor and philosophy college instructor, William Guy, and his wife, the retired high school teacher Jaye Rudolph. Guy is of Afro-American ethnicity from her father’s side and Portuguese-American through her mother. She spent her childhood in Historic Collier Heights in Atlanta, Georgia, and was brought up alongside her sister, Monica Guy, who is also an actress known for her appearances in “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” and “Unsung Hollywood.” Guy became interested in singing as a child, and often sang in her dad’s church choir.
Jasmine attended North Atlanta High School, formerly known as Northside Performing Arts High School. The actress relocated to New York City when she turned 17, where she studied dance at Alvin Ailey American Dance Center (later renamed Ailey School), under a scholarship program. Ailey School was founded by the late American dancer and choreographer, Alvin Ailey Jr., as a haven for naturing Afro-American artists.
Film Appearances
Guy made her movie debut with the role of Dina in the 1988 Spike Lee’s musical comedy “School Daze,” which starred Laurence Fishbourne and Giancarlo Esposito. In the year that followed, she was cast alongside the likes of Eddie Murphy in the crime comedy-drama “Harlem Nights”, and 1997 saw her voice Sawyer in the animated musical “Cats Don’t Dance.”
She’s appeared in several other films in the 21st century, the most notable being “Scary Movie 5” (2013), “Big Stone Gap” (2014), and the 2017 Student Academy Award-winning short “My Nephew Emmett.”
TV Appearances
In 1982, Guy made her TV debut with a non-speaking role in the TV series “Fame.” She made her career breakthrough when she was cast as Whitley Gilbert, Dwayne Wayne’s (portrayed by Kadeem Hardison) love interest, in Bill Cosby’s TV sitcom “A Different World.” The sitcom follows the experiences of Dr. Huxtable’s (Bill Cosby) daughter, Denise Huxtable (Lisa Bonet) as she attends Hillman College, her parents’ alma mater, where she faces numerous challenges but meets memorable allies along the way – Guy starred in the series for six years from 1987 to 1993. Before the century ended, she appeared in various other projects, including the CBS TV miniseries “Alex Haley’s Queen” in 1993, the Fox prime time soap opera “Melrose Place” in 1995, and the CBS fantasy drama “Touched by an Angel” from 1995 to 1997.
In 2003 and 2004, Guy starred alongside Mandy Patinkin and Ellen Muth in the comedy-drama “Dead Like Me,” which was created for Showtime by Bryan Fuller. She later assumed the recurring role of Sheila Bennett in The CW supernatural teen drama “The Vampire Diaries” (2009-2017), Mattaline in the prime time soap opera “If Loving You Is Wrong” (2014 and 2015), and Erica in the comedy series “K.C. Undercover” (2016 and 2017). Since 2021, Guy’s been playing Patricia in Tracy Oliver’s comedy series “Harlem,” which follows the experiences of four girlfriends – in their 30s – who are former New York University schoolmates, as they try to chase their dreams.
Stage Career
In 1987, Jasmine starred in the acclaimed off-Broadway musical “Beehive”, then went on to appear in various Broadway productions including “The Wiz,” “Leader of the Pack,” and “Grease” among others. In 2010, Jasmine directed Douglas Tappin’s fully through-composed opera “I Dream,” and in the year that followed, she directed George C. Wolfe’s play “The Colored Museum.”
Music Career
During her stint in “A Different World,” Jasmine released her eponymous debut album (1990) which comprised various hit singles including “Try Me,” “Just Want to Hold You,” and “Another Like My Lover.” It was a critical success and was ranked at position 143 on the United States Top 200 Album Chart. Jasmine appeared in the music video for Michael Jackson’s song “Liberian Girl” in 1989, and Melba Moore’s song, “Lift Every Voice and Sing” in 1990.
Awards and Nominations
Guy’s praised performance in “A Different World” saw her scoop six consecutive NAACP Image Awards for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series from 1990 to 1995. She is a four-time nominee for the same award for her performances in the drama series “Dead Like Me,” the drama film “America’s Dream,” and the soap opera “Melrose Place.”
Social Media Presence
Jasmine is active on Instagram (@iamjasmineguy) with over 380,000 followers. She joined Twitter (@TheJasmineGuy) in May 2010 and has garnered over 115,000 followers as of mid-2023.
Personal Life
Guy is a divorced woman. She walked the aisle with the Los Angeles-based medical consultant, Terrence Duckett, who has worked for Onpaceplus Health Portal, on 22 August 1998. In the year that followed, the couple welcomed a daughter named Imani Guy Duckett, who is currently a model and actress known for her appearances in the play “Serial Black Face” and the 2020 TV film “Open.” Guy’s daughter is an alumnus of the prestigious NYU Tisch School for the Arts. Guy and Duckett ended their ten years of togetherness with a divorce in August 2008, citing irreconcilable differences. Since then, Jasmone has remained officially single.
Jasmine was good friends with the late American rapper Tupac Shakur, aka 2Pac, who is considered one of the most successful and influential rappers of all time. She met him on the set of “A Different World,” in 1993. Jasmine appeared in the rapper’s music video for his 1995 song “Temptations,” which was from his third album, “Me Against the World.” She also wrote 2Pac’s mom’s biography, “Afeni Shakur: Evolution of a Revolutionary.” It’s reported that 2Pac recuperated at Jasmine’s home after he was ambushed and shot in Manhattan’s Time Square studio on 30 November 1994.
Guy is a key member of The Reel Divas Group which comprises 20 women, most of whom work in the American entertainment industry. The group was created to promote Black directors, producers and writers from Atlanta. Jasmine is also outspoken when it comes to politics, and endorsed the senior US senator Bernard Sanders in the 2016 United States presidential elections. The “A Different World” starlet follows the Christianity religion.
Height, Weight, and Physical Appearance
Jasmine has long black hair and a pair of dark brown eyes. She has an hourglass body, weighs around 130lbs (59kgs), is 5ft 2ins (1.57m) tall, with vital statistics of 34-25-34, and her shoe and dress sizes are 7(US) and (6US) respectively.
Net Worth
Guy’s acting and music careers have made her a household name in the US. She’s accumulated a decent sum from her career endeavors, and is worth approximately $4 million, as of 2023.