Victoria Dillard (born September 20, 1967)McCann, Bob (2022). Encyclopedia of African American Actresses in Film and Television. Jefferson, NC: McFarland & Company. p. 101. . See also: Skin (2005). Mr. Skin's Skincyclopedia: The A-to-Z Guide to Finding Your Favorite Actresses Naked. New York: St. Martin's Griffin. p. 150. . is an American advocate for Parkinson's disease research. She is also a former television and film actress who is best known for her co-starring roles as Janelle Cooper in the ABC sitcom Spin City, as one of the royal bathers in the 1988 Eddie Murphy romantic comedy Coming to America, and as the wife of Denzel Washington's main character in the 1991 action thriller film Ricochet.
Life and career Dillard was born in New York City. She began performing at the age of five with the Dance Theatre of Harlem. She worked with the company until she was eighteen, appearing in such productions Porgy and Bess at the Metropolitan Opera. Then she went on tour in A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum with Mickey Rooney.Victoria Dillard: Janelle on Spin City - wchstv.com
Dillard's most notable television role was as Janelle Cooper in the ABC sitcom Spin City. She stayed on the show for four seasons before leaving in 2000. Her other television credits include Star Trek: The Next Generation, Seinfeld, Roc, L.A. Law, Chicago Hope, Martin, Moesha, Family Law, Law & Order, Law & Order: Criminal Intent and other series.
Some of her film credits are Coming to America (1988), Deep Cover (1992), The Glass Shield (1994), Internal Affairs (1990), Out-of-Sync (1995) with LL Cool J, and Ricochet (1991) with Denzel Washington. Dillard also appeared as Betty Shabazz in the 2001 film Ali, her last film to date.
Dillard was featured in the November 1988 Playboy issue in the article "Sex In Cinema 1988", referencing her brief topless appearance in the beginning of Coming to America.Playboy: November 1988, Vol. 35, Iss. 11, pg. 132-133, by: Bruce Williamson
Personal life Dillard currently lives in New York City. She dances in her free time and writes screenplays and plays for the stage. Dillard was dating actor Laurence Fishburne beginning in 1992 when the two met on the set of the film Deep Cover. Their relationship ended in 1995.mcall.com
In 2006, at the age of 39, Dillard was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. It is the same disease that afflicts her former Spin City co-star, actor Michael J. Fox. She has since become an advocate for Parkinson's disease research and treatments.
Filmography
Film Year Title Role Notes 1988 Coming to America Bather/Dancer 1990 Internal Affairs Kee 1991 Ricochet Alice Styles 1992 Deep Cover Betty McCutcheon 1994 Killing Obsession Jean Wilson The Glass Shield Barbara Simms 1995 Out-of-Sync Monica Collins Statistically Speaking Waitress Short 1997 The Ditchdigger's Daughters Tass TV movie 1999 The Best Man Anita 2001 Tara Ms. Cameo Video Commitments Fox Giovanni TV movie Ali Betty Shabazz
Television Year Title Role Notes 1987 Star Trek: The Next Generation Ballerina Episode: "Where No One Has Gone Before" 1990 Nasty Boys Nicole Stanhope Episode: "Last Tango in Vegas" 1993 Seinfeld Agency Rep. Episode: "The Old Man" Tribeca Olivia Episode: "The Box" 1994 L.A. Law Regina Cole Episode: "Silence Is Golden" Roc Suzanne Episode: "You Shouldn't Have To Lie" Chicago Hope Dr. Nadine Winslow Episode: "Over the Rainbow" & "With the Greatest of Ease" 1995 Martin Sharon Episode: "Three Homies and a Baby" 1996 Moesha Beverly Episode: "The List" 1996-00 Spin City Janelle Cooper Recurring cast: season 1, main cast: season 2-4 2001 Family Law Marcia Henderson Episode: "Angel's Flight" 2004 Law & Order Belinda Gardner Episode: "C.O.D." 2007 Law & Order: Criminal Intent Sharon Adams Episode: "Self-made" 2009 The Unusuals Dora Nix Episode: "Pilot"
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