Rachael Crawford (born 1969) is an actress best known for her roles in Brewster Place, Here and Now, and Show Me Yours, as well as guest appearances on various television series such as Cold Squad, Crossing Jordan, and later The Firm and Suits. Throughout her career, Crawford has received three Canadian Screen Award nominations.
Career Crawford began her acting career in the mid-1980s. She portrayed Renee, a teenage cousin of Mr. T's character, in crime drama T. and T. Crawford won the role of Kiswana Browne in the Oprah Winfrey produced series Brewster Place (1990), replacing Robin Givens who portrayed the character in The Women of Brewster Place. Crawford appeared regularly as college student Danielle in the sitcom Here and Now.
She appeared in various television movies during the 1990s. Crawford played the lead role of Tai Babilonia in biopic On Thin Ice: The Tai Babilonia Story. In 1996's Captive Heart: The James Mink Story, Crawford appeared as Myra Mink, a young black woman in the 1850s who becomes enslaved by her husband, a white man. James Mink was played by Louis Gossett Jr. She worked with Gossett again the following year, with In His Father's Shoes.
Crawford made her feature film debut in 1995's Rude as Maxine, a woman who chooses to have an abortion after ending a relationship with her boyfriend. She received a Canadian Screen Award nomination for her performance in this film. Crawford portrayed Petra, a circus performer who dates the female protagonist, in the 1995 film When Night is Falling. Stephen Holden of The New York Times praised Crawford's performance, believing she and co-star Pascale Bussières were an "appealing" couple. Another reviewer found the movie too "lowkey," but felt Crawford's character added "fascination" to the film.
Her other film work includes Curtis's Charm (1996) and Pale Saints (1997), being nominated for her second Canadian Screen Award for the latter. She was a main cast member on drama Traders as Niko Bach from 1998 to 2000. Crawford earned her third Canadian Screen Award nomination in 2000 for her work on the series.
During the 2000s, Crawford guest starred on science fiction series Mutant X and appeared as Dara Vann in The Man (2005). She portrayed Diane Haughton, the mother of Aaliyah, in Aaliyah: The Princess of R&B (2014). She had a regular role on drama series This Life as Danielle, the lead character's best friend, from 2015 to 2016. Crawford then played Crack in Brown Girl Begins (2017), a role one film critic found "chilling."
Filmography
Film Year Title Role Notes1995RudeMaxine1995When Night Is FallingPetra Soft1995Curtis's CharmCookie1997Pale SaintsValdine1998Kai Rabe gegen die VatikankillerMaskenbildnerin2003FortunetellerShort film2005Dara Vann2009ChainsChainShort film2017Brown Girl BeginsCrack2020PossessorDr. Melis2024Time CutKendra
Television Year Title Role Notes19869BJenny WeversTV film1986-1987Dear Aunt AgnesMarshaRecurring role1987AdderlyLucindaEpisode: "Who Do, Voodoo"19889BJenny WeversRecurring role (5 episodes)1988T. and T.ReneeRegular role (24 episodes)1988Friday the 13th: The SeriesStacyEpisode: "The Voodoo Mambo"1989E.N.G.Janice RobertsEpisode: "E.N.G. Pilot: Part 1"1989Inside StoriesGracieEpisode: "Gracie"1990E.N.G.Janice RobertsEpisode: "All Things Betray Thee"1990Brewster PlaceMelanie "Kiswana" BrowneMain role (11 episodes)1990On Thin Ice: The Tai Babilonia StoryTai BabiloniaTV film1992-1993Here and NowDanielleMain role (13 episodes)1994Treacherous BeautiesLois ParsonsTV film1994Free WillyMarlene (voice)TV series1996Side EffectsVikiEpisode: "Easy Breathing"1996Captive Heart: The James Mink StoryMary MinkTV film1996We the JuryWarnickeTV film1997Sherry McAllisterEpisode: "Dark Rain"1997In His Father's ShoesCelesteTV film1997-1999Between BrothersTeriMain role (17 episodes)1998Twitch CityExpertEpisode: "People Who Fight Too Much"1998-2000TradersNiko BachMain role (35 episodes)1999Love SongsSheronTV film1999Nightworld: SurvivorKat HoldenTV film1999Hoop LifePaula LyonsEpisodes: "Rookie", "Of Human Bondage", "The Trade-Off"2000Earth: Final ConflictSamira FaridEpisode: "Scorched Earth"2000FalconeMrs. PattersonEpisodes: "Lealta", "That's Amore", "You Can't Always Get What You Want"2000Dirty PicturesAnn BosworthTV film2001Soul FoodRhondaEpisode: "This Crazy Life"2001Cold SquadDr. Barbara WhittakerEpisode: "Vancouver Confidential"2002Suzanne ErikksonEpisode: "Take This Job..."2002Crossing JordanSamantha ReidEpisode: "With Honor"2002Red SkiesNicoleTV film2002Hell on Heels: The Battle of Mary KayAnnika KernTV film2004Mutant XSamantha BennettEpisode: "Possibilities"2004-2005Show Me YoursDr. Kate LangfordMain role (16 episodes)2005CSI: MiamiBeth JacobsonEpisode: "Three-Way"2006Last ExitCatherine VargasTV film2008Colleen HowellTV miniseries2008Robin LevyTV miniseries2008SophieKimEpisodes: "Who's Your Daddy?", "Bursting Balloons"2009SophieKimEpisodes: "Trust or Bust", "Wedding Bell Blues"2009 'Da Kink in My HairCherylEpisode: "Licks!"2009GunsEva InnisTV miniseries2009Being EricaAlexisEpisodes: "Under My Thumb", "A River Runs Through It... It Being Egypt"2009Cra$h & BurnCatherine HearnEpisodes: "Trust", "The Boss Is Coming"2011Republic of DoyleDr. Jennifer SullivanEpisode: "Crashing on the Couch"2011Emily MillerEpisode: "Inner Circle"2011Call Me FitzLaverneEpisodes: "A** Hickey", "Dysfunctional Family Circus", "How Do You Say 'Blow Job' in Pennsylvania Dutch?"2011-2012AlphasJeannie HarkenRecurring role (6 episodes)2012KingDr. RauschEpisode: "Freddy Boise"2012Dianne RuckeyserRecurring role (6 episodes)2012SuitsElla FollmanEpisode: "All In"2014AscensionOpheliaTV miniseries (3 episodes)2014ContinuumCatherine7 episodes2014Aaliyah: The Princess of R&BDiane HaughtonTV film2015Hello, it's meErickaTV movie2015-2016This LifeDanielle Berg12 episodes2016HeartlandNatalie2 episodes2017IncorporatedMrs. Morse2 episodes2017 The ExpanseAdmiral Pena2 episodes2017Private EyesEmila Mantella1 episode2017Tin StarDr. Susan Bouchard1 episode2022Revenge of the Black Best FriendAibleen
References
External links