Adina Elizabeth Porter is an American actress. She is best known for her roles as Lettie Mae Thornton on the HBO fantasy horror series True Blood (2008–2014), Kendra James on the HBO drama series The Newsroom (2012–2014), Indra on the CW science fiction drama series The 100 (2014–2020) and Sheriff Susan Peterkin on the Netflix teen drama series Outer Banks. She received further recognition for her roles as Sally Freeman, Lee Harris, Beverly Hope, Dinah Stevens, and Chief Burleson on the first, sixth, seventh, eighth, and tenth seasons of the FX anthology series American Horror Story (2011–present).

Porter began her acting career appearing on Off-Broadway stage, winning the Obie Award in 1996 for Venus. She made her Broadway debut in the 2001 revival of The Women. For her work in American Horror Story, she has been nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award and two Saturn Awards.

Life and career Porter was born and raised in New York City, New York. She graduated from the State University of New York at Purchase. Her first acting teacher was Butterfly McQueen. She has been married twice and has two children with her second husband, Larry Earl Madison Jr.

Theater Porter began her acting career in the theatre, appearing in off Broadway plays and in regional theatre. Her off-Broadway credits include The Debutante Ball, Jersey City, Aven' U Boys, Girl Gone, Silence, Cunning, Exile, Dancing on Moonlight and Hurricane. In 1996, she received Obie Award for Distinguished Performance by an Actress for her performance in Venus. Her Broadway debut came in 2001 with the Roundabout Theater's revival of The Women, directed by Scott Elliott, broadcast as part of PBS's Stage on Screen series, in addition, she performed in multiple productions at the New York Shakespeare Festival.

Television and film Porter began her screen career playing guest starring roles on television dramas include Law & Order, New York Undercover, Brooklyn South, and NYPD Blue. She had a recurring role as housekeeper Gwen Walker in the NBC period drama American Dreams from 2002 to 2003. In film, she made her debut in 1992 Leopold/Loeb New Queer Cinema feature, Swoon. She went to appear in small roles in films The Peacemaker (1997), Gia (1998), Body Shots (1999), The Fluffer (2001), and The Salon (2005). In 2005, Porter played Ricky in the film adaptation of Ruben Santiago-Hudson's play Lackawanna Blues for HBO. She received Black Reel Award for Best Supporting Actress: Television Movie/Cable for her role. She went to appear ER, Prison Break, Without a Trace, House, and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.

In 2008, Porter was cast as Lettie Mae Thornton, mother to Rutina Wesley's Tara Thorton, in the HBO drama series, True Blood. She was promoted to series regular in seventh and final season of show. In 2012, she guest starred in an episode of Grey's Anatomy. From 2012 to 2014, she also had a recurring role on the HBO series The Newsroom playing Kendra James. In 2014, she began appearing in a recurring role as Indra in the CW post-apocalyptic drama, The 100. Porter also starred in two unsold drama pilots for ABC, Doubt in 2013, and The Jury in 2016. In 2016, she played Pearly Mae during first season of WGN America period drama Underground. Later that year, Porter was cast as Lee Harris in the FX anthology series American Horror Story: Roanoke, after previously appearing as a minor character in American Horror Story: Murder House in 2011. For her performance in Roanoke, she received critical acclaim and was nominated for a Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actress on Television. She later portrayed Beverly Hope in American Horror Story: Cult where she received similar praise from critics and received a second Saturn Award nomination, as well as a Primetime Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or Movie. She was later promoted to series regular for American Horror Story’s eight season entitled Apocalypse, playing Dinah Stevens. In 2021 she appeared again as a main character in the tenth season of the series, Double Feature, where she played Chief Burleson. In 2020 she played as Sheriff Susan Peterkin in Outer Banks.

Filmography

Film Year Title Role Notes 1992 Swoon Stenographer 1997 The Peacemaker Police NYPD 1998 Gia Girl at Group Therapy 1999 Body Shots Detective Thompson 2001 The Fluffer Silver 2002 Pipe Dream Lauren Gunther 2005 The Salon Percy's wife 2010 The Social Network Gretchen's Associate Uncredited 2011 About Sunny Cheryl 2017 The Last Word Bree Wilson 2019 Miss Virginia Annette Johnson 2023Sitting in Bars with CakeTasha

Television Year Title Role Notes 1990 Law & Order Woman Neighbor Episode: "Out of the Half-Light" 1994 Law & Order Sheryl Decker Episode: "Nurture" 1994 New York Undercover Jasmine Hopkins Episode: Pilot 1995 Law & Order Mary Byman Episode: "Savages" 1997 Brooklyn South Angela Withers Episode: "Life Under Castro" 1998 Brimstone Rachel Episode: "Repentance" 1999 Snoops Angela Jackson Episode: "The Grinch" 2000 The District Ella's Assistant Episode: Pilot 2000 Judging Amy Episode: "Unnecessary Roughness" 2000 Any Day Now Diane Episode: "Where's the Justice in That?" 2000 City of Angels Hazina Episode: "Smoochas Gracias" 2001 NYPD Blue Tisha Episode: "Dying to Testify" 2002 Strong Medicine Malia Episode: "Compassionate Release" 2002 The Guardian Assistant D. A. Episode: "Monster" 2002 Crossing Jordan Vicki Moran Episode: "Prisoner Exchange" 2002–2003 American Dreams Gwen Walker Recurring role (seasons 1–2), 15 episodes 2003 NYPD Blue Ifeoma Okafor Episode: "Meet the Grandparents" 2005 ER Mrs. Hopkins Episode: "Back in the World" 2005 Jack & Bobby Episode: "A Child of God" 2005 CSI: NY Shannon Goodall Episode: "On the Job" 2005 Prison Break Leticia Barris Episodes: "Allen", "Cell Test" 2005 Lackawanna Blues Ricky Television film 2006 Without a Trace Harriet Lewis Episode: "Watch Over Me" 2007 House M.D. Claudia Episode: "Family" 2007 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Janelle Odami Episode: "Fight" 2007, 2010 Saving Grace Tamara Cooley Episodes: "Everything's Got a Shelf Life", "So Help You God" 2008–2014 True Blood Lettie Mae Thornton Main role (seasons 1, 7); recurring role (seasons 2–3); special guest role (seasons 4–6); 32 episodes 2009 Cold Case Laticia Myers Episode: "Jurisprudence" 2009 CSI: Crime Scene Investigation Denise Devine Episode: "Coup de Grace" 2009 Operating Instructions Celia Television film 2010 Hawthorne Nancy Breton Episode: "The Match" 2010 The Whole Truth Detective Sweeney Episode: "Cold Case" 2011 Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior Jeanette Rawlins Episode: "Two of a Kind" 2011 Private Practice Stacy Episode: "A Step Too Far" 2011 American Horror Story: Murder House Sally Freeman Episode: "Murder House" 2011 Prime Suspect Detective Kendra Cannon Episode: "The Great Wall of Silence" 2011–2012 Ringer Principal Caruso Episodes: "The Poor Kids Do It Everyday", "What Are You Doing Here, Ho-Bag?" 2012 The Finder Ms. Estelle Episode: "Life After Death" 2012 Grey's Anatomy Dr. Ramsey Episode: "Remember the Time" 9x2 2012 Glee History Teacher Episode: "The Role You Were Born to Play" 2012 The Vampire Diaries Nandi LaMarche Episode: "We'll Always Have Bourbon Street" 2012–2014 The Newsroom Kendra James Recurring role, 23 episodes 2014–2020 The 100 Indra Recurring role (seasons 2–7), 54 episodes 2015 Code Black Susie Episode: Pilot 2015 The Leftovers G.R. Leader Episode: "Ten Thirteen" 2016–2017 Underground Pearly Mae Recurring role, 7 episodes 2016 The Catch FBI Agent Emily Clark Episode: "The Wedding" 2016 American Horror Story: Roanoke Lee Harris Recurring role, 9 episodes 2017 Ray Donovan Vicky 4 episodes 2017 American Horror Story: Cult Beverly Hope Recurring role, 10 episodes 2018 American Horror Story: Apocalypse Dinah Stevens Main role, 7 episodes 2019 The Morning Show Sarah Graveler 3 episodes 2020 Outer Banks Sheriff Peterkin Recurring role, 8 episodes 2021 American Horror Story: Double Feature Chief Burleson Main role; 4 episodes2022 Paper GirlsThe PrioressMain role; 6 episodes 2023 The Changeling Lillian Main role, 7 episodes2023 The Power The Voice Main role (voiceover) 9 episodes2024The Perfect CoupleEnid CollinsRecurring role, 3 episodes2025 Smoke Brenda Cephus Upcoming miniseries2025 The Copenhagen TestMarloweRecurring role

Awards and nominations Year Association Category Nominated work Result 2006 Black Reel Awards Best Supporting Actress: Television Movie/Cable Lackawanna Blues 2017 Saturn Awards Best Supporting Actress on Television American Horror Story: Roanoke 2018 Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or Movie American Horror Story: Cult 2018 Saturn Awards Best Supporting Actress on Television American Horror Story: Cult

References

External links