Biography
A statuesque figure who radiated confidence and determination, she surpassed the exploitative bonds of the genre to establish herself as the first black female action hero and box office draw. Grier struggled to surpass the limitations of her early screen roles, but a revival of interest thanks to the home video boom brought her back to films in the '80s and '90s. Unabashed fan Quentin Tarantino paid homage to her screen persona with "Jackie …
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Career Milestones
| Acted onstage in productions in Colorado | ||
| Auditioned for a part in Quentin Tarantino's "Pulp Fiction"; did not get the role but Tarantino promised to write a role for her | ||
| Born in Winston-Salem, North Carolina | ||
| Hired to answer phones at American International Pictures (AIP) | ||
| Moved back to Colorado | ||
| Participated in beauty contests in order to earn money for college | ||
| Traveled around USA with family before settling in Denver, Colorado | ||
1967 | Moved to Los Angeles (date approximate) | |
1971 | Feature film debut, "The Big Doll House" | |
1972 | First blaxploitation feature, "Hit Man" | |
1973 | Had leading role in "Coffey" | |
1977 | Co-starred with Richard Pryor in "Greased Lightning" | |
1979 | TV debut in a miniseries, "Roots: The Next Generation" (ABC) | |
1985 | Debut in a TV-movie, "Badge of the Assassin" (CBS) | |
1985 | Episodic TV debut as guest, "Miami Vice" | |
1988 | Diagnosed with cancer; underwent treatment for two years | |
1996 | Reunited with other blaxploitation stars for "Original Gangstas" | |
1997 | Starred in Tarantino's "Jackie Brown"; Tarantino tailored the part for Grier, her first leading role in over 20 years | |
1998 | Co-starred in the Showtime comedy-drama "Linc's" | |
1999 | Appeared in pivotal role in Jame Campion's "Holy Smoke" | |
1999 | Played small role of a police detective investigating a possible homicide in "Jawbreaker" | |
2001 | Appeared with Snoop Dogg in "Bones" | |
2001 | Had co-starring role in "Ghosts of Mars" | |
2002 | Co-starred in "The Adventures of Pluto Nash" | |
2003 | Along with Adrien Brody and Jon Seda, co-starred in the crime drama "Love The Hard Way" | |
2004 | Played the sister of Jennifer Beals' character in the showtime series "The L Word," a story about the lives and loves of a group of lesbian friends | |
2010 | Appeared in the adventure/drama series "Smallville" | |
2010 | Co-starred opposite Queen Latifah in "Just Wright" | |
Awards
1997 | Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Comedy Or Musical in Jackie Brown |
1998 | Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role in Jackie Brown |