Black Actresses You Didn’t Know are Libra

Libra season runs from September 23 to October 22, and plenty of standout Black actresses were born in that window. Below is a straight-shooting roundup with quick, useful highlights—signature roles, awards, and notable projects—so you can place each name fast. No filler or detours, just where you’ve seen them and what they’re known for. Dive in and spot which of your favorites share the Libra birthday window.

Tessa Thompson

Born October 3, she appeared on ‘Veronica Mars’ and led ‘Dear White People’. She plays Valkyrie in the MCU with turns in ‘Thor: Ragnarok’ and subsequent films. Thompson co-stars as Bianca in the ‘Creed’ series. Additional credits include ‘Westworld’, ‘Sorry to Bother You’, and ‘Sylvie’s Love’.

Jurnee Smollett

Born October 1, she broke through in ‘Eve’s Bayou’ and fronted the series ‘Underground’. She starred as Letitia Lewis in ‘Lovecraft Country’. Smollett portrayed Dinah Lance in ‘Birds of Prey’. Earlier TV highlights include ‘Friday Night Lights’ and ‘True Blood’.

Michaela Coel

Born October 1, she created and starred in ‘Chewing Gum’. Coel wrote and led ‘I May Destroy You’, earning major writing awards. She appeared as Aneka in ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’. Additional screen work includes ‘Black Mirror’ and UK stage projects.

Carmen Ejogo

Born October 22, she portrayed Coretta Scott King in ‘Boycott’ and ‘Selma’. She played Seraphina Picquery in the ‘Fantastic Beasts’ films. TV roles include ‘True Detective’ (Season 3) and ‘The Girlfriend Experience’. Film credits also include ‘It Comes at Night’ and ‘Roman J. Israel, Esq.’.

Tisha Campbell

Born October 13, she co-starred as Gina on ‘Martin’. She headlined ‘My Wife and Kids’ across five seasons. Early film work includes ‘School Daze’ and ‘House Party’. Additional credits include ‘Dr. Ken’ and voice roles on ‘Harley Quinn’.

Taylour Paige

Born October 5, she starred in the feature ‘Zola’. Her filmography includes ‘Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom’ and ‘Boogie’. On TV, she led the dance-drama ‘Hit the Floor’. Recent projects include ‘Mack & Rita’ and ‘Sharp Stick’.

Heather Headley

Born October 5, the Tony and Grammy winner originated the title role in Broadway’s ‘Aida’. Screen credits include ‘Chicago Med’ and ‘Sweet Magnolias’. She appeared in the series ‘She’s Gotta Have It’. Film work includes the biopic ‘Respect’.

Nicole Ari Parker

Born October 7, she starred as Teri on the series ‘Soul Food’. Parker joined ‘And Just Like That…’ as Lisa Todd Wexley. Film credits include ‘Remember the Titans’ and ‘Blue Streak’. She has held recurring roles on ‘Empire’ and ‘Rosewood’.

Amber Stevens West

Born October 7, she played Ashleigh on ‘Greek’. She co-led ‘The Carmichael Show’ and later headlined ‘Happy Together’. Film credits include ‘22 Jump Street’. Additional TV work includes guest appearances across network comedies and procedurals.

Gabrielle Dennis

Born October 8, she portrayed Whitney Houston in ‘The Bobby Brown Story’. She is a series regular on ‘A Black Lady Sketch Show’. Dennis appeared as Tilda Johnson in ‘Luke Cage’. Other credits include ‘Insecure’ and ‘Rosewood’.

Joy Bryant

Born October 18, she co-starred as Jasmine on ‘Parenthood’. Film work includes ‘Antwone Fisher’ and ‘Get Rich or Die Tryin’’. She appeared in the legal drama ‘For Life’. Additional credits include ‘Ballers’.

Sherri Saum

Born October 1, she plays Lena Adams Foster on ‘The Fosters’ and ‘Good Trouble’. Earlier roles include ‘Rescue Me’ and ‘Sunset Beach’. She appeared in ‘Locke & Key’. Saum continues to book guest arcs across network dramas.

Ayo Edebiri

Born October 3, she stars as Sydney Adamu on ‘The Bear’. Voice credits include ‘Big Mouth’ and ‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse’. Her film work includes ‘Bottoms’ and ‘Theater Camp’. She has writing credits on ‘What We Do in the Shadows’.

Jessica Lucas

Born September 24, she played Tabitha Galavan on ‘Gotham’. Lucas later joined ‘The Resident’ as Dr. Billie Sutton. Film credits include ‘Evil Dead’ (2013) and ‘Cloverfield’. She has led and co-led multiple TV dramas.

Sharon Leal

Born October 17, she appeared in ‘Dreamgirls’ and ‘Why Did I Get Married?’. TV roles include ‘Boston Public’ and ‘Graves’. Additional films include ‘Addicted’ and ‘This Christmas’. She maintains an active stage career alongside screen work.

Tamara Taylor

Born September 27, she portrayed Dr. Camille Saroyan on ‘Bones’. She co-starred in ‘Altered Carbon’ and ‘October Faction’. Earlier TV work includes ‘Party of Five’ and ‘Hidden Hills’. Additional credits include appearances in ‘Law & Order: Organized Crime’.

Yetide Badaki

Born September 24, she is known for Bilquis on ‘American Gods’. She has guest-starred on ‘This Is Us’ and ‘The Magicians’. Badaki’s stage background spans classical and contemporary productions. Recent projects include producing and writing short-form work.

Karyn Parsons

Born October 8, she is widely known as Hilary Banks on ‘The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air’. Film credits include ‘Major Payne’ and ‘The Ladies Man’. She founded Sweet Blackberry to produce animated shorts on unsung Black historical figures. Parsons also authors children’s books.

Nse Ikpe-Etim

Born October 21, she headlined Nollywood titles such as ‘Phone Swap’. She appears in the limited series ‘King of Boys: The Return of the King’. Ikpe-Etim has multiple African film award nominations. Her roles span dramas, romances, and political thrillers.

Dakore Egbuson-Akande

Born October 14, she led features including ‘Isoken’ and ‘Fifty’. She co-stars in the legal series ‘Castle & Castle’. Dakore works across film and stage in Nigeria. Brand and advocacy work complement her on-screen career.

T’Keyah Crystal Keymáh

Born October 13, she was an original cast member of ‘In Living Color’. She played Tanya Baxter on ‘That’s So Raven’. Additional credits include guest roles across network sitcoms and dramas. Keymáh also writes and performs for the stage.

Zainab Balogun

Born October 10, she is known for ‘The Wedding Party’ and ‘Sylvia’. She has appeared in international productions, including ‘The Dark Knight Rises’. Balogun co-hosted ‘The Spot’ on EbonyLife TV. Her filmography spans romantic comedies and dramas.

Fola Evans-Akingbola

Born September 26, she played Maddie Bishop on ‘Siren’. She appeared in ‘Game of Thrones’ and ‘Ten Percent’. Additional credits include ‘The Night Agent’ and ‘Death in Paradise’. Evans-Akingbola works across UK and US genre and drama series.

Priah Ferguson

Born October 1, she portrays Erica Sinclair on ‘Stranger Things’. Her feature work includes family and holiday films on streaming platforms. She books guest roles across network comedies and youth programming. Voice acting credits round out her recent slate.

Isis King

Born October 1, she appeared in ‘When They See Us’ and scripted series across streaming platforms. King has recurring roles in drama and anthology projects. Her work includes features and short-form productions. She is also active in fashion and advocacy programming.

Angel Parker

Born October 17, she played Tasha Davenport on ‘Lab Rats’. She portrayed Shawn Chapman in ‘American Crime Story: The People v. O. J. Simpson’. Parker’s TV credits include arcs on ‘The Rookie’ and ‘9-1-1: Lone Star’. Voice roles include projects for animation and games.

Malinda Williams

Born September 24, she starred as Tracy “Bird” Van Adams on the ‘Soul Food’ series. Film work includes ‘The Wood’ and ‘A Thin Line Between Love and Hate’. Additional TV credits include ‘Girlfriends’ and ‘Law & Order: SVU’. She continues to appear in features and TV movies.

Ella Balinska

Born October 4, she co-led ‘Charlie’s Angels’ (2019). She starred in the action-horror series ‘Resident Evil’. Film credits include ‘Run Sweetheart Run’. Balinska also works in voice roles for games and animation.

Ashanti

Born October 13, she has acted in projects such as ‘Coach Carter’, ‘John Tucker Must Die’, and ‘Resident Evil: Extinction’. Television credits include arcs on ‘Army Wives’ and holiday features. She appears in music-driven films and TV movies. Her screen work spans supporting and lead roles across genres.

Christina Milian

Born September 26, she starred in the romantic comedy ‘Falling Inn Love’. She co-led the TV series ‘Grandfathered’. Earlier film credits include ‘Love Don’t Cost a Thing’ and ‘Be Cool’. Milian’s additional work includes recurring TV roles and voice performances.

Tell us which Libra actresses we missed and share your favorite roles from the list in the comments!