Salli Richardson-Whitfield

Salli Richardson-Whitfield is an actress, director, and producer whose career in the entertainment industry spans more than three decades. Richardson-Whitfield began her professional acting career in theater at the Kuumba Workshop in Chicago before relocating to Los Angeles, where she secured guest roles on series such as "Silk Stalkings," "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine," and "New York Undercover." She gained recognition for her voice acting as Elisa Maza on the Disney animated series "Gargoyles."

Richardson-Whitfield has appeared in more than 20 major motion pictures, including roles alongside Samuel L. Jackson in "The Great White Hype," Denzel Washington in "Antwone Fisher," and Will Smith in "I Am Legend." On television, she is known for her roles in the Syfy series "Eureka," "Family Law," and the award-winning "The Newsroom." Her portrayal of Dr. Allison Blake on "Eureka" spanned 77 episodes.

Richardson-Whitfield transitioned to directing after working with Ava DuVernay on "I Will Follow." DuVernay offered her the opportunity to direct episodes of "Queen Sugar," which marked the beginning of her directing career. Her directing credits include "Chicago Med," "Luke Cage," "Black Lightning," "The Punisher," "American Gods," "See," and "Altered Carbon," as well as episodes of "Wheel of Time" for Amazon.

Richardson-Whitfield's work as a director has received critical recognition, including an NAACP Award nomination for Outstanding Directing in a Drama Series for "Luke Cage," a Hugo Award nomination for "Wheel of Time," and a Black Reel Award nomination for directing "Black-ish." She received the AAFCA Best TV Directing Award for her work on HBO's "The Gilded Age" and two Gracie Awards for Director - Drama for "Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty" and Producer - Entertainment for "The Gilded Age." An Emmy-nominated director and executive producer, Richardson-Whitfield became the first Black woman to be nominated for Outstanding Director for a Drama Series at the Emmy Awards for her work on HBO's "Winning Time."

Richardson-Whitfield has also earned two additional directing nominations for HBO's "The Gilded Age" and "Task," becoming the first Black woman in Television Academy history to receive two drama directing nominations in the same year. She has spoken about her sense of responsibility on set, emphasizing her commitment to excellence and paving the way for others in the television and film industry.