Cynthia Addai-Robinson (born January 12, 1985) is an American actress. She is known for her roles as Naevia in the Starz television series Spartacus, DC Comics character Amanda Waller in The CW TV series Arrow, and Nadine Memphis on the USA Network series Shooter. She currently plays the role of Tar-Míriel on the Amazon Prime The Lord of the Rings series The Rings of Power.
Early life and education Cynthia Addai-Robinson was born in London to a Ghanaian mother and American father. She moved to the U.S. when she was 4 and was raised by her mother in a suburb of Washington, D.C. She graduated from Montgomery Blair High School in Silver Spring, Maryland, and Tisch School of the Arts with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theater. In addition, she trained at Lee Strasberg Theater Institute.
Career After participating in several various Off-Broadway plays, Addai-Robinson got her first role on television in 2002 in an episode of The Education of Max Bickford. In following years, she made small appearances on television shows like Law & Order: Trial by Jury, Law & Order: Criminal Intent, CSI: Miami, Numb3rs and Justice. In 2006, she was originally cast to play Melanie Barnett in the American sitcom The Game, but was replaced by Tia Mowry for unspecified reasons prior to the show's production. In 2009, she got her first recurring role on the ABC drama FlashForward as the character Debbie, a nurse. The same year she appeared in Tina Mabry's independent film Mississippi Damned as Milena.
In 2011, Addai-Robinson made her big screen debut as the mother of Zoe Saldaña's character (played by Amandla Stenberg) in Colombiana.
Her biggest role came from 2012 to 2013 when she was cast as Naevia in the third season of Spartacus: Vengeance, and the fourth season Spartacus: War of the Damned after Lesley-Ann Brandt decided to leave the series.
In early 2013, Addai-Robinson played Aja, a powerful witch who came to help Bonnie on The Vampire Diaries for two episodes. She made a brief appearance as an onlooker in the crowd in the film Star Trek Into Darkness. She played Leslie in Jodi Arias: Dirty Little Secret, a television movie about the murder of Travis Alexander. In September 2013, she was cast as the recurring character Amanda Waller in the hit The CW show Arrow.
In March 2014, she was cast as Emily D. West in the History Channel 2015 miniseries Texas Rising. Her performance was nominated for a Women's Image Network Award for Best Actress in a Drama Series.
In January 2015, Addai-Robinson was cast in Gavin O'Connor's The Accountant, alongside Ben Affleck and J. K. Simmons, playing a U.S. Treasury Department analyst. The film was released in October 2016. She reprised the role in The Accountant 2, the sequel released in April 2025.
In March 2016, it was announced that she would be taking over Emily Rios's role from the television series Shooter as the female lead.
Filmography
Film YearTitleRoleNotes 2009 Mississippi Damned Milena 2011 Colombiana Alicia 2013 Star Trek Into Darkness San Francisco Woman 2016 The Accountant Agent Marybeth Medina 2018 Closure Yasmina Always & 4Ever Nicole 2022 The People We Hate at the Wedding Eloise 2025 The Accountant 2 Agent Marybeth Medina
Television Year Title Role Notes 2002 The Education of Max Bickford Susan Episode: "Murder of the First"2005 Law & Order: Trial by Jury Lillian Beaudriville Episode: "41 Shots" Law & Order: Criminal Intent Jeanette Episode: "Saving Face" 2006 Justice Debra Mortin Episode: "Prior Convictions"2007 CSI: Miami Courtney Rinella Episode: "Internal Affairs" Dirt Michelle / Woman 2 episodes Entourage Amanda's Assistant #2 Episode: "Less Than 30" Life Stephanie Episode: "Tear Asunder" Dash 4 Cash Meredith Television film A.M.P.E.D. Paige Moscavell Television film2009 Numb3rs Trisha Moreno Episode: "Guilt Trip" CSI: NY Dr. Karita Neville Episode: "Greater Good" 2009–2010 FlashForward Debbie / Nurse 6 episodes 2010 Edgar Floats Dana Television film 2012 NCIS: Los Angeles Female Flight Attendant Episode: "Touch of Death" 2012–2013 Spartacus Naevia 18 episodes2013 The Vampire Diaries Aja 2 episodes King & Maxwell Megan Ainsley Episode: "Pilot" Jodi Arias: Dirty Little Secret Sheri Television film CSI: Crime Scene Investigation Michelle Rowlands Episode: "Last Supper" 2013–2016 Arrow Amanda Waller 17 episodes2014 Dallas Private Investigator Episode: "Like Father, Like Son" Ambience Man Megan Episode: "Miss Period" 2015 Texas Rising Emily West 5 episodes 2016–2018 Shooter Nadine Memphis 31 episodes 2016–2019 Chicago Med Vicki Glass / Dr. Vicki Glass 10 episodes 2019-2020 Power Ramona Garrity 10 episodes 2020 Stumptown Violet Episode: "The Dex Factor" 2022–present The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Tar-Míriel 6 episodes
Video games Year Title Role Notes 2011 L.A. Noire Female Pedestrian 5 Voice role 2014 Lego Batman 3: Beyond Gotham Amanda Waller Voice role
Awards and nominations Year Association Category Work Result Ref.2015Women's Image Network AwardBest Actress in a Drama SeriesTexas Rising
References
External links
Cynthia Addai-Robinson at the Internet Off-Broadway Database