{{short description|American actress and writer}} {{Infobox person | name = | image = Azie Tesfai at SDCC 2019 roundtable.jpg | alt = | caption = Tesfai at the 2019 San Diego Comic Con ''Supergirl'' Roundtable | birth_name = Azalech Tesfai | birth_place = Los Angeles, California | other_names = | occupation = Actor, Writer, Producer | years_active = 2006–present | known_for = ''Supergirl''<br/>''Jane the Virgin'' | notable_works = }} '''Azie Tesfai''' is an American actress, writer, and producer. She is known for her television roles, including ''Jane the Virgin'' and ''Supergirl''.
== Early life and education == Azalech ''(Azie)'' Tesfai was raised in Los Angeles, California, the daughter of Eritrean immigrants who grew up in Ethiopia.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.sheknows.com/entertainment/articles/1071245/jane-the-virgins-azie-tesfai-interview/|title=Jane the Virgin's Azie Tesfai opens up about the reality of living in a third-world country|first=Julie|last=Sprankles|date=31 January 2015|publisher=|accessdate=10 April 2019}}</ref> She is an only child. Tesfai received a degree in business administration from UC Berkeley.{{citation needed|date=March 2024}}. While at Berkeley she began attending auditions and acting classes.<ref>{{cite journal|url=https://www.abqjournal.com/545827/azie-tesfai-finds-strength-soul-in-jane-the-virgin.html|title=Azie Tesfai finds strength, soul in 'Jane the Virgin'|author=Adrian Gomez | journal = Arts and Entertainment|accessdate=10 April 2019}}</ref>
== Career == Tesfai's first role was Cherry Milton in ''Wicked Wicked Games'' on MyNetworkTV, where she appeared in 30 episodes over two seasons. She has appeared in ''Melrose Place'', ''Law & Order: SVU'', ''Franklin & Bash'' and ''Royal Pains''. In 2014 she was cast as recurring detective Nadine Hanson in the CW's ''Jane the Virgin''. She appeared in season 3 of ''Silicon Valley'' in 2016.
She was cast as Kelly Olsen, the sister of DC Comics character James Olsen (Mehcad Brooks), on the fourth season of The CW series ''Supergirl''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2018/10/supergirl-azie-tesfai-james-olsen-sister-kelly-olsen-cw-series-melissa-benoist-dc-1202486200/|title='Supergirl': Azie Tesfai To Play James Olsen's Sister On the CW's DC Series|last1=Andreeva|first1=Nellie|last2=Petski|first2=Denise|website=Deadline Hollywood|date=October 19, 2018|accessdate=October 19, 2018}}</ref> Prior to her debut appearance in the fourth season, it was announced that Tesfai would be promoted to series regular for the fifth season.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2019/03/supergirl-azie-tesfai-series-regular-season-5-kelly-olsen-1202576815/|title='Supergirl': Azie Tesfai Upped To Series Regular For Season 5|last=Petski|first=Denise|publisher=Deadline|date=March 15, 2019|accessdate=March 16, 2019}}</ref> She co-wrote episode 12 of the sixth and final season ("Blind Spots"), making her the first Arrowverse actor to receive a writing credit on an Arrowverse series.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2021-02-02|title=Supergirl's Azie Tesfai Is the First Arrowverse Actor to Write a CW DCTV Show|url=https://www.cbr.com/supergirl-azie-tesfai-write-episode-final-season/|access-date=2021-09-22|website=CBR|language=en-US}}</ref> Through her focus on writing and producing, Tesfai currently has two series in development: ''The Chase'', which landed with Universal Television for NBC, and ''Sheba'' a drama series about the first queen on the continent of Africa, which landed at Onyx Collective for Hulu with Ryan Coogler's Proximity Media producing.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Goldberg |first1=Lesley |title=Queen of Sheba Drama in the Works at Hulu's Onyx Collective |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/queen-of-sheba-drama-hulu-onyx-collective-1235306179/ |website=The Hollywood Reporter |access-date=20 May 2024 |date=21 January 2023}}</ref>
== Fortuned Culture == Tesfai founded jewelry company Fortuned Culture in Los Angeles.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.takepart.com/video/2015/10/23/fortuned-culture-azie-tesfai|title=Own 'Jane the Virgin' Star's Handmade Jewelry, Help Kids in Five Countries|author=|date=|website=TakePart|accessdate=10 April 2019|archive-date=14 July 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200714200012/http://www.takepart.com/video/2015/10/23/fortuned-culture-azie-tesfai/|url-status=dead}}</ref> Proceeds from sales help children in developing countries like Mexico, Ethiopia and Cambodia.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://fortunedculture.com/|title=WELCOME TO FORTUNED CULTURE|author=|date=|website=fortunedculture.com|accessdate=10 April 2019}}</ref>
== Filmography == {| class="wikitable sortable" !Year !Title !Role !Notes |- |2006–2007 |''Wicked Wicked Games'' |Cherry Milton |Main (30 episodes) |- |2007 |''Sands of Oblivion'' |Jamie |(TV Movie) |- |2008 |''The Cleaner'' |Ananda |Guest (1 episode) |- |rowspan=2|2009 |''Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Undead'' |Zadeska | (Movie) |- |''Sutures'' |Kristen | (Movie) |- |2009–2010 |''Melrose Place'' |Nurse Mandy |Guest (3 episodes) |- |rowspan=3|2010 |''Acts of Violence'' |Betsy |(Movie) |- |''15 Minutes'' |Arora |(TV Movie) |- |''Nathan vs. Nurture'' |Julie |(TV Movie) |- |rowspan=2|2011 |''Two for Hollywood '' |Vicky |(Short) |- |''Law & Order: Special Victims Unit'' |Kendra |Guest (1 episode) |- |rowspan=3|2012 |''Harry's Law'' |Debbie |Guest (1 episode) |- |''This American Housewife'' |Nellie Swift |Guest (1 episode) |- |''Breakout Kings'' |Chelsea |Guest (2 episodes) |- |rowspan=2|2014 |''Franklin & Bash'' |Meg |Guest (4 episodes) |- |''Backlash'' |Michelle |(Short) |- |2014–2016 |''Jane the Virgin'' |Nadine Hanson |Recurring (21 episodes, Seasons 1–2) |- |rowspan=4|2015 |''Me Him Her'' |Kempy Blook | (Movie) |- |''A Kind of Magic'' |Lacy | (Movie) |- |''Home & Family'' |Unknown |Guest (1 episode) |- |''Royal Pains'' |Aubrey Wolfhouse |Guest (1 episode) |- |rowspan=4|2016 |''Silicon Valley'' |Dawn Simon |Guest (1 episode) |- |''Powers'' |Dr. Michelle Marrs |Recurring (2 episodes) |- |''Rosewood'' |Lil Kim |Guest (1 episode) |- |''Superstore'' |Naomi |Guest (1 episode) |- |rowspan=3|2017 |''Knock Knock Head Lock'' |Misty Copeland |(Short) |- |''The Real O'Neals'' |Heather |Guest (1 episode) |- |''Ghosted'' |Kirsten |Guest (1 episode) |- |2017–2018 |''NCIS: Los Angeles'' |Dana King |Guest (2 episodes) |- |2018 |''The Kominsky Method'' |Lynda |Guest (2 episodes) |- |2019–2021 |''Supergirl'' |Kelly Olsen |Recurring (Season 4) <br />Main (Season 5–6) |- |2020 |''The Wretched'' |Sara |Movie |- |2021 |''A Million Little Things'' |Cassandra Thomas |Recurring Role (3 episodes) |}
== References == {{Reflist}}
== External links == *{{IMDb name |2384954}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Tesfai, Azie}} Category:Haas School of Business alumni Category:African-American actresses Category:American people of Eritrean descent Category:Living people Category:American television actresses Category:Actresses from Los Angeles Category:Year of birth missing (living people) Category:21st-century American women