Shari Lynn BelafonteGenia Fogelson: Harry Belafonte, 1991, p. 66 (born September 22, 1954)Harry Belafonte, Michael Schnayerson: My Song: A Memoir of Art, Race & Defiance, 2012, p. 151 is an American actress, model and singer. The daughter of singer and actor Harry Belafonte, she began her career as a fashion model before making her big screen debut appearing in the 1982 drama film If You Could See What I Hear. She is best known for her role as Julie Gillette in the ABC drama series Hotel from 1983 to 1988. She later went to star in the Canadian science fiction series Beyond Reality (1991–1993). Belafonte also released two studio albums in the 1980s, and acted on stage in later years.
Early life Shari Belafonte is the second daughter of Marguerite (née Byrd), a psychologist, and Harry Belafonte, the world-famous singer, actor, and civil rights activist. Her parents separated when her mother was pregnant with her. She attended Georgetown Day School in Washington, D.C.; Windsor Mountain School in Lenox, Massachusetts; and Buxton School in Williamstown, Massachusetts; and then Hampshire College in Amherst, Massachusetts before transferring to Carnegie-Mellon University in Pittsburgh where she earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in drama. Her paternal grandmother was born in Jamaica, the child of a Scottish Jamaican mother and an Afro-Jamaican father. Her paternal grandfather also was born in Jamaica, the child of a Black mother and Dutch-Jewish father of Sephardic Jewish descent. She has one older sister Adrienne and a half-brother and sister on her father's side.
Career 1980s Belafonte began her career as a model, becoming a successful cover girl model and appearing in commercials for Calvin Klein jeans. She made her feature film debut in 1982 in the movies Time Walker and If You Could See What I Hear. She then worked as a production assistant and assistant director in public television on the East Coast before moving to Los Angeles, where she became an assistant to the publicist at Hanna-Barbera productions. While getting her hands wet "behind the scenes", she also received a number of modeling and commercial assignments, and was known to have appeared on the covers of over 300 magazines as of 2015. Other feature films include Speed Zone, the made-for-television horror-comedy film The Midnight Hour, in which she also sang a song titled "Get Dead", and Fire, Ice and Dynamite.
The television producer Aaron Spelling chose Belafonte as a finalist for Julie Rogers on Charlie's Angels, a role written with her specifically in mind, but the part instead went to Tanya Roberts. In 1981 she was cast as a fashion model in a 2nd-season episode of Hart to Hart.
In 1984, Spelling did choose her for another pilot, this one for the action-adventure series Velvet alongside Leah Ayres, Mary Margaret Humes, and Sheree J. Wilson. In the same year, Spelling signed Belafonte as Julie Gilette in the ABC drama series Hotel, in which she starred during the show's five-year run, which extended from 1983 to 1988. It was during this time that, Belafonte began her music career by signing a contract to record on the Metronome Records label, releasing two studio albums; these were Eyes of Night in 1987 and Shari in 1989.
1990s–present In 1990, Belafonte made her theatrical debut in Tamara, playing the title role in the long-running Los Angeles production. Shortly thereafter, she starred as Dr. Laura Wingate in the USA Network's drama series Beyond Reality, which ran for two seasons from 1991 to 1993. She co-starred in a number of made-for-television movies in 1990s, including French Silk (1994) starring Susan Lucci, The Heidi Chronicles (1995) starring Jamie Lee Curtis, Babylon 5: Thirdspace (1998) and Loving Evangeline (1999). In addition, she co-hosted the syndicated series Lifestyles with Robin Leach and Shari Belafonte (1994–95), an updated version of Leach's signature program, Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous. In 2006, she hosted a travel program called "Travels in Mexico and the Caribbean with Shari Belafonte" on NYC Media.
Belafonte's multi-faceted career also includes moderating and voiceovers. Belafonte provided the voice of Gerald's mother, Mrs. Johanssen, in four episodes of Hey Arnold!, Diana Cruz in an episode of The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest, and the undead Southern belle zombie Blanche in Gravedale High. She has producing credits for theater, public and network television, and feature films. In addition to her affiliation with numerous children's, animal, and environment causes, she has also become the international spokesman for the Starlight Children's Foundation. Named by the Wall Street Journal as one of the top ten celebrity endorsers, Shari has been the spokesman for numerous corporations including Bally's International Health and Fitness, Slim-Fast, Diet System 6, and Estroven.
In 2000s, Belafonte made a number of limited screen appearances, guest starring in an episode of The District and Nip/Tuck. In December 2015, it was announced that Belafonte would take over the role of Mayor Janice Lomax from Saidah Arrika Ekulona on January 19, 2016, on the ABC daytime soap opera General Hospital. She made her last appearance on December 20, 2017. In 2019, she began appearing in a recurring role as Julia in the Apple TV+ drama series The Morning Show.Harry Belafonte He Married Politics and Pop Culture People Magazine February 21, 2022 Page 39 From intro by magazine staff, to article by Shari Belefonte Later that year, she took the recurring role as Ebony Obsidian's character's mother in the BET comedy-drama series, Sistas.
Personal life Belafonte has been married twice, first to Robert Harper (May 21, 1977 – 1988). She has been married to Sam Behrens since December 31, 1989. Belafonte posed nude for Playboy in the magazine's September 2000 edition, and is herself an avid photographer.
Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes Ref1982 If You Could See What I Hear Heather Johnson Time Walker Linda Flores 1984 Overnight Sensation Daphne Short film 1989 Speed Zone Margaret 1990 Murder by Numbers Lisa Directed and written by Paul Leder. Fire, Ice and Dynamite Serena 1992The PlayerThe PlayerCameo1997 Mars Doc Halliday Directed by Jon Hess. 2014Teacher of the YearRobin Rivers2015Primrose LaneDr. HuntWorld Music & Independent Film Festival Award for Best Actress in Supporting Role2017Confessions of a Teenage Jesus JerkFlo2018 Plastic Daydream Hazel Montgomery Directed by Kathy Kolla.Say YesDr. Bauman
Television Year Title Role Notes Ref 1979 The Big Hex of Little Lulu Janie A made-for-television film 1981 The Misadventures of Sheriff Lobo Bank Teller Episode: "What're Girls Like You Doing in a Bank Like This?" Hart to Hart Cleo Episode: "The Latest In High Fashion Murder" 1982 Trapper John, M.D. Maggie Episode: "Three on a Mismatch" Diff'rent Strokes Monique Episode: "The Older Woman" 1983–1988 Hotel Julie Gillette Series regular, 115 episodesBambi Award (1985) 1983 Battle of the Network Stars ABC Team Episode: "Special #15" Family Feud Herself Episode: "Battle of the Perfect 10s" 1984 The Love Boat Terry Cook Episode: "Love Is Blind/Baby Makers/Lady & The Maid/Luise Rainer" Velvet Julie Rhodes A made-for-television film directed by Richard Lang. Battle of the Network Stars Host Episode: "Special #16" 1985 Matt Houston Joanna Episode: "New Orleans Nightmare" The Midnight Hour Melissa Cavender 1986 Kate's Secret Gail A made-for-television film directed by Arthur Allan Seidelman 1987 Square One TV Herself Episode: "Episode 107" The Late Show Herself 1989 The Women of Brewster Place Cameo appearance Hanna-Barbera's 50th: A Yabba Dabba Doo Celebration Herself Perry Mason: The Case of the All-Star Assassin Kathy Grant 12th made-for-television film based on Perry Mason. 1990 Gravedale High Blanche 1991 The Jaleel White Special Herself 1991–1993 Beyond Reality Laura Wingate Main cast 1994 French Silk Martine Sonic the Hedgehog Lupe Wolf 1995 The Heidi Chronicles April Lambert A made-for-television film by Wendy Wasserstein adapted from her play of the same name. 1996–1997 Hey Arnold! Mrs. Johanssen (voice) Recurring seasons 1 and 2. 1997 The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest Diana Cruz (voice) Episode: "Other Space" 1998 Babylon 5: Thirdspace Elizabeth Trent Loving Evangeline Ellen Beecham A made-for-television film 2000 The Octopus Show Narrator 2001 The District Esther Henderson Episode: "The Project" 2003 It's Christopher Lowell Herself Episode: "Do-Gooders" 2004 The Oprah Winfrey Show Herself 2008 Nip/Tuck Catherine Wicke Episode: "Lulu Grandiron" 2010 Miami Medical Kimberly Davis Episode: "Golden Hour" 2016–2017 General Hospital Mayor Janice Lomax Unknown episodes 2019 gen:LOCK Roberta Chase Episode: "The Pilot" 2019–present The Morning Show Julia Recurring roleNominated – Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series Sistas Lisa Mott Recurring role 2020 9-1-1 Shirley Episode: "Seize the Day" 2023 Station 19 Gertrude Rose Episode: "We Build Then We Break"
Discography
Eyes Of Night (1987) Shari (1989)
References
External links