Cleo King (born August 21, 1962) is an American actress. She is best known for her roles on television, particularly Mike & Molly (2010–2016).
Early life King was born in St. Louis, Missouri, and was the youngest of seven children. She graduated from University of Missouri and later moved to New York to pursue an acting career, first appearing in theatre productions.
Career In the mid-1990s, King moved to Los Angeles, California, and began appearing on television shows such as The Wayans Bros., Living Single, Malcolm & Eddie, Murphy Brown, and Any Day Now. She also appeared on Friends as a nurse.
King has appeared in a number of films, playing small parts, include Magnolia (1999), Dude, Where's My Car? (2000), Bubble Boy (2001), The Life of David Gale (2003), Dreamgirls (2006), Pineapple Express (2008), The Hangover (2009), Valentine's Day (2010), and Transformers: Age of Extinction (2014). She guest-starred on more than 50 shows, including NYPD Blue, Ally McBeal, Six Feet Under, The West Wing, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, NCIS, and Ugly Betty.
From 2001 to 2002, King had a recurring role as Helene Parks in the Fox drama series Boston Public, created by David E. Kelley. In 2003, she co-starred in the short-lived CBS drama The Brotherhood of Poland, New Hampshire, also created by Kelley. In 2006, she played Aunt Lou in the HBO drama series Deadwood during its third and final season. In 2009, King had the recurring role as Neeta, the nanny of Jax Teller's son in the FX drama series, Sons of Anarchy.
In 2010, King was cast in the series regular role as grandmother Rosetta "Nana" McMillan in the CBS sitcom Mike & Molly, even though she is only seven years older than Reno Wilson (who played her grandson, Carl).
In 2017 she appeared regularly in Netflix's adaptation of A Series of Unfortunate Events, which premiered in 2017. That same year she appeared as Mrs. Watkins in the film The Bye Bye Man.
On February 22, 2021, King made a cameo appearance in season 2, episode 6 of Fox's 9-1-1: Lone Star. She portrayed Paul Strickland's mother, Cynthia Strickland.
Filmography
Film +YearTitleRoleNotes1993Six Degrees of SeparationLieutenant Price1997White LiesAlice1997Touch MeGloria Kinney1999MagnoliaMarcie2000Road TripTina 2000Dude, Where's My Car?Officer Clark2001Bubble BoyMinister Walsh2002Waking Up in RenoJune2003National SecurityJune2003The Life of David GaleBarbara Kreuster2003DogvilleOlivia2003Dogville ConfessionsHerselfDocumentary2006The BenchwarmersMartha2006Hood of HorrorSusan2006DreamgirlsJanice2007TowelheadMarlene2008Pineapple ExpressPolice Liaison Officer Harris2008Sex DriveSonya2009The HangoverOfficer Garden2010Valentine's DayTSA Supervisor Daisy Bell2011DemotedBetty2012The Obama EffectRebecca Thomas2014Just Before I GoBerta2014Transformers: Age of ExtinctionMary Jo McGatlin2017The Bye Bye ManMrs. Watkins2019JustineCynthia2021Ride the EagleMissy2026The DinkGail
Television YearTitleRoleNotes1988The Cosby ShowCleoEpisode: "If the Dress Fits, Wear It"1996The Wayans Bros.EthelEpisode: "Getting It"1996Living SingleGeraldineEpisode: "Wake Up to the Breakup"1997Hangin' with Mr. CooperViviaEpisode: "The Argument"1997HitzSabrinaEpisode: "It Ain't Over Till..."1997413 Hope St.Adele 2 episodes1997–1998Murphy BrownMarsha3 episodes1998Michael HayesAugusta MillerEpisode: "Mob Mentality"1998Malcolm & EddieAunt RubyEpisode: "Mixed Nuts"1998Promised LandTeresa LandoverEpisode: "Total Security"1998Night ManBuddy's MotherEpisode: "Amazing Grace"1999Border LinePatriciaTelevision film1999BeckerMrs. DavisEpisode: "Saving Harvey Cohen"2000The Jamie Foxx ShowValenciaEpisode: "Partner fo' Life"2000Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every ChildNana / Servant Woman #2 (voice)Episode: "The Princess and the Pauper"2000Zoe, Duncan, Jack and JaneHelenEpisode: "Kiss of Death"2000ERMrs. DaviesEpisode: "Viable Options"2001Diagnosis: MurderNurse SonyaEpisode: "Sins of the Father: Part 1"2001Gilmore GirlsEstherEpisode: "Concert Interruptus"2001Strong MedicineClaudia FalderEpisode: "Mortality"2001NYPD BlueHelenaEpisode: "Dying to Testify"2001Ally McBealMs. ParksEpisode: "Queen Bee"2001–2002Boston PublicHelene Parks9 episodes2002CharmedTanya - JurorEpisode: "Trial by Magic"2002The Bernie Mac ShowCherylEpisode: "Handle Your Business"2002Six Feet UnderLifeEpisode: "In the Game"2002FriendsNurse KittyEpisode: "The One Where No One Proposes"2002MDsLeticiaEpisode: "A La Casa"2003The Brotherhood of Poland, New HampshireFrancine Hill7 episodes2004, 2005The West WingMarla Worisky2 episodes2005Monk911 Operator DavisEpisode: "Mr. Monk and the Kid"2005CSI: Crime Scene InvestigationLucyEpisode: "Compulsion"2005NCISDella RobinsonEpisode: "An Eye for an Eye"2006So NotoriousNanny8 episodes2006DeadwoodAunt Lou Marchbanks9 episodes2006Ugly BettyAnne FraiserEpisode: "Fey's Sleigh Ride"2006NumbersJenineEpisode: "Longshot"2007According to JimSuzanneEpisode: "In Case of Jimergency"2007LostTamara FryEpisode: "The Man from Tallahassee"2007BonesMinister SheilaEpisode: "Stargazer in a Puddle"2008Eli StoneDeborah BreheEpisode: "Heal the Pain"2009Sons of AnarchyNeeta2 episodes2010American Dad!Brenda's Cousin (voice)Episode: "Bully for Steve"2010It's Always Sunny in PhiladelphiaNurse WendyEpisode: "Dee Gives Birth"2010Rex Is Not Your LawyerMable HowardEpisode: "Pilot"2010–2016Mike & MollyGrandma57 episodes2012I'm Not Dead YetBevTelevision film2012Family Guy(voice)Episode: "Jesus, Mary and Joseph!"2014Jennifer FallsRonnie2 episodes2014New GirlSergeant DoradoEpisode: "Background Check"2015The Big Leaf Parole Officer MarvaTelevision film2015Young & HungryMadame PauletteEpisode: "Young & Earthquake"2016Fresh Off the BoatJudge Patty O'BrienEpisode: "The Taming of the Dads"2016, 2018Dream Corp LLCGeneral Jim Joynose Jr.2 episodes2017American KokoFoxy3 episodes2017–2018A Series of Unfortunate EventsEleanora Poe6 episodes2018ShamelessRegistrarEpisode: "The Fugees"2018Young SheldonMrs. CostelloEpisode: "A Mother, a Child, and a Blue Man's Backside"2018MomSandyEpisode: "Puzzle Club and a Closet Party"2019Deadwood: The MovieAunt Lou MarchbanksTelevision film2019Grey's AnatomyRobin3 episodes2020HoopsOpal Lowry (voice)10 episodes20219-1-1: Lone StarCynthia StricklandEpisode: "Everyone and Their Brother"2023MinxEvelynEpisode: "This Is Our Zig"2025Electric BloomGeorgieEpisode: "How We Learned to Love Our Haters"
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