{{short description|American actress (born 1981)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=July 2022}} {{Infobox person | name = Brooklyn Sudano | image = <!-- just the name, without the File: or Image: prefix or enclosing brackets --> | alt = | caption = | birth_name = | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1981|01|5}} | birth_place = Los Angeles, California, U.S. | death_date = <!-- {{Death date and age|YYYY|MM|DD|YYYY|MM|DD}} (death date then birth date) --> | death_place = | death_cause = | alma_mater = Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute | occupation = Actress, Director | years_active = 2003–present | known_for = | notable_works = | television = | spouse = Mike McGlafin (m. 2006) | partner = | children = 1 | parents = Donna Summer (mother)<br />Bruce Sudano (father) | relatives = Amanda Sudano (sister) | signature = }} '''Brooklyn Sudano''' is an American actress and director. She starred as Vanessa Scott in the ABC comedy series ''My Wife and Kids'' and later played the leading role in the 2006 drama film ''Rain''. Sudano has appeared in films such as ''Alone in the Dark II'' (2008), ''Turn the Beat Around'' (2010) and ''With This Ring'' (2015), and starred in the NBC action series, ''Taken'' (2017).<ref>{{cite web |title='Taken' star reflects on growing up the child of Donna Summer |url=https://nypost.com/2017/03/09/taken-star-reflects-on-growing-up-the-child-of-donna-summer/ |website=New York Post |accessdate=September 13, 2018 |date=March 10, 2017}}</ref>
Sudano is the daughter of Grammy Award-winning singer Donna Summer and songwriter Bruce Sudano,<ref name="Williams">{{cite web|last=Williams|first=Kam|title=Rain: An Interview with Brooklyn Sudano|url=http://www.blackfilm.com/20070525/features/brooklyn.shtml|publisher=Blackfilm.com|accessdate=May 27, 2012}}</ref> and the older sister of Amanda Sudano of the music duo Johnnyswim. Sudano directed the documentary film, ''Love to Love You, Donna Summer'', which premiered in 2023.
== Early life == Sudano was born in Los Angeles, California, to African American singer Donna Summer and Italian American songwriter Bruce Sudano.<ref name="Williams" /> She was named after her father's hometown of Brooklyn, New York City.<ref>{{cite web|last=Badger|first=Sylvia|title=Donna Summer's daughter weds amid flowers, lace|url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/1995/06/30/donna-summers-daughter-weds-amid-flowers-lace/|work=The Baltimore Sun|access-date=May 26, 2012|archive-date=July 23, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120723105643/http://articles.baltimoresun.com/1995-06-30/features/1995181168_1_donna-summer-wedding-reception-wedding-party|url-status=live}}</ref> Her younger sister (by 19 months) is singer and songwriter Amanda Sudano of Johnnyswim. She has an older half-sister, Mimi Sommer, from her mother's first marriage to Helmut Sommer.<ref>{{cite news|title=Donna Summer, Queen of Disco Who Transcended the Era, Dies at 63|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/18/arts/music/donna-summer-queen-of-disco-dies-at-63.html?pagewanted=2&_r=1|work=The New York Times| date=May 17, 2012 |accessdate=May 28, 2012| last1=Pareles | first1=Jon }}</ref> As a baby, she was featured in her mother's song "Brooklyn" on the record ''I'm a Rainbow''.<ref>{{cite web|last=Summer|first=Donna|title=Brooklyn|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-G01vWjbonY |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211219/-G01vWjbonY |archive-date=December 19, 2021 |url-status=live|website=Youtube|date=November 8, 2014 |accessdate=May 26, 2016}}{{cbignore}}</ref>
Sudano spent the early part of her childhood on a 56-acre ranch in Thousand Oaks, California until her family moved to Connecticut when she was 10 years old.<ref name="Williams" /> When she was 14, her family relocated to Nashville, Tennessee.<ref name="Williams" /> Here, Sudano gravitated toward the arts.<ref name="Williams" /> She also sang in the gospel choir at church.<ref name="Williams" /> Sudano and her sisters spent summers touring and singing backing vocals for their famous mother.<ref name="Williams" /> In her leisure, she studied dance and wrote songs.<ref name="Williams" />
She attended high school at Christ Presbyterian Academy where she appeared in all the theater productions.<ref name="Williams" /> Sometimes Sudano accompanied her parents while they toured around the world, continuing her studies with tutors.<ref name="Williams" /> A distinguished student, she was valedictorian at her graduation.<ref name="Williams" />
Upon graduation, Sudano chose to attend Vanderbilt University, having also been accepted at Brown, Duke, and Georgetown University.<ref name="Williams" /> However, she eventually left Vanderbilt early to study at the Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute in New York.<ref name="Williams" />
== Career == While studying acting in New York, Sudano was spotted by a modelling agent and signed to the Ford Modeling Agency.<ref name="Williams" /> She appeared in numerous advertising campaigns in print and television, including Clairol, Clean & Clear and K-Mart.<ref name="Williams" /> In 2003, Sudano replaced Meagan Good as Vanessa Scott on ''My Wife and Kids''. Vanessa is Jr.'s girlfriend and later wife, who first appears in the season 4 premiere episode. Sudano continued as a regular cast member throughout the rest of the series' five-year run.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/where-are-the-cast-of-my-wife-kids-today.html/|title=Where Are The Cast Of 'My Wife & Kids' Today?|website=Showbiz Cheat Sheet|date=January 6, 2020 }}</ref>
In 2006, Sudano made her big screen debut with the leading role in the film adaptation of V. C. Andrews' novel ''Rain''. She appeared in the horror films ''Somebody Help Me'' (2007) and ''Alone in the Dark II'' (2008) and well as the MTV romantic drama film, ''Turn the Beat Around'' in 2010.<ref name="Williams" /><ref>{{cite web|url=https://starcasm.net/interview-with-brooklyn-sudano-from-the-mtv-original-movie-turn-the-beat-around/|title=Interview with Brooklyn Sudano from the MTV original movie 'Turn the Beat Around'|website=Starcasm|date=February 26, 2010}}</ref> In 2015, she co-starred opposite Regina Hall, Jill Scott and Eve in the romantic comedy-drama, ''With This Ring''. On television, Sudano guest starred on ''Cuts'', ''CSI: NY'', ''$#*! My Dad Says'', ''Body of Proof'' and ''Ballers''. In 2016, she played the role of Christy Epping in the Hulu miniseries ''11.22.63''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2015/04/brooklyn-sudano-joins-hulus-112263-1201415689/|title=Brooklyn Sudano Joins Hulu's '11/22/63′|website=Deadline|date=April 24, 2015|access-date=May 23, 2021|archive-date=February 17, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160217030741/http://deadline.com/2015/04/brooklyn-sudano-joins-hulus-112263-1201415689/|url-status=dead}}</ref> In 2017, Sudano starred in the first season of NBC's action series, ''Taken''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.blackfilm.com/read/2017/03/brooklyn-sudano-talks-nbcs-taken/|title=Brooklyn Sudano Talks NBC's 'Taken'|website=Blackfilm.com|date=March 7, 2017 }}</ref> In 2021, she began starring as Angela Prescott in the Freeform thriller series, ''Cruel Summer''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AVVC5bZHfGY/ |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211219/AVVC5bZHfGY |archive-date=December 19, 2021 |url-status=live|title=Brooklyn Sudano Interview for Freeform's Cruel Summer|website=Youtube|date=May 11, 2021 }}{{cbignore}}</ref>
Alongside Roger Ross Williams, Sudano directed the 2023 documentary film, ''Love to Love You, Donna Summer'' about her mother, Donna Summer. It had its world premiere at the 73rd Berlin International Film Festival.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2023/02/berlin-love-to-love-you-donna-summer-documentary-directors-roger-ross-williams-brooklyn-sudano-interview-news-1235266140/|title='Love To Love You, Donna Summer,' From Roger Ross Williams & Summer's Daughter Brooklyn Sudano, Provides Complex Portrait Of Pop Superstar|first=Matthew|last=Carey|date=February 21, 2023}}</ref>
== Personal life == Sudano married her longtime boyfriend, Mike McGlaflin, on October 8, 2006. The couple's wedding inspired Bruce Sudano's song "It's Her Wedding Day".<ref>{{cite web|first=Tennessean Music Team|title=Bruce Sudano's 'Wedding Day' rings bells with listeners|url=http://blogs.tennessean.com/tunein/2009/07/24/bruce-sudanos-wedding-day-rings-bells-with-listeners/|work=The Tennessean|access-date=June 5, 2012|last=(reporter)|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120707081634/http://blogs.tennessean.com/tunein/2009/07/24/bruce-sudanos-wedding-day-rings-bells-with-listeners/|archive-date=July 7, 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=James|first=Gary|title=Gary James' Interview With Bruce Sudano Of Alive N Kickin'|url=http://www.classicbands.com/BruceSudanoInterview.html|work=Classic Bands|publisher=classicbands.com|access-date=May 31, 2012}}</ref>
Sudano and McGlaflin have a daughter, and reside in the Los Angeles area.<ref>{{cite web|last=Danity|title=Meet Brooklyn Sudano, Donna Summer's Daughter|url=http://www.swankycelebs.com/2012/05/brooklyn-sudano-donna-summers-daughter/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120520040712/http://www.swankycelebs.com/2012/05/brooklyn-sudano-donna-summers-daughter/|url-status=dead|archive-date=May 20, 2012|publisher=Swanky Celebs|accessdate=May 26, 2012}}</ref>
==Filmography== ===Film=== {| class="wikitable sortable" |- ! Year ! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable"| Notes |- | 2006 | ''Rain'' | Rain Arnold | |- | 2007 | ''Somebody Help Me'' | Serena | |- | 2008 | ''Alone in the Dark II'' | Sinclair | |- | 2009 | ''Revolution'' | Roxanne | Television film |- | rowspan="3" | 2010 | ''Turn the Beat Around'' | Malika | |- | ''Five Star Day'' | Yvette Montgomery | |- | ''Sinners and Saints'' | Beth Ganz | |- | 2012 | ''Five Hours South'' | Julia | |- | 2015 | ''With This Ring'' | Elise | Television film |- | 2023 | ''Love to Love You, Donna Summer'' | | Director and producer<br>Nominated — Berlin International Film Festival Documentary Award<br>Nominated — SXSW Film Festival Audience Award |- | 2023 | ''Every Breath She Takes'' | Dana Marks | Television film |}
===Television=== {| class="wikitable sortable" |- ! Year ! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable"| Notes |- | 2003–2005 | ''My Wife and Kids'' | Vanessa Scott | Series regular, 28 episodes |- | 2006 | ''Cuts'' | Felicia | 3 episodes |- | 2007 | ''CSI: NY'' | Colleen Ballard | Episode: "Heart of Glass" |- | rowspan="3" | 2008 |''Fear Itself'' | Arlene | Episode: "Community" |- | ''90210'' | Miss Austin | Episode: "We're Not in Kansas Anymore" |- | ''Without a Trace'' | Jackie Bell | Episode: "22 x 42" |- | rowspan="2" | 2009 | ''The Unit'' | Lindsay | Episode: "Whiplash" |- | ''Limelight'' | Jazmine Barkley | TV pilot |- | 2010 | ''$#*! My Dad Says'' | Zoey | Episode: "Not Without My Jacket" |- | 2011 | ''Friends with Benefits'' | Kat | Episode: "The Benefit of Being Shallow" |- | 2012 | ''Joey Dakota'' | Holly | TV pilot |- | rowspan="2" | 2013 | ''Body of Proof'' | FBI Analyst | Episode: "Disappearing Act" |- | ''Westside'' | Jess Roman | TV pilot |- | 2015 | ''Reed Between the Lines'' | Rita Durren | 2 episodes |- | rowspan="2" | 2016 | ''11.22.63'' | Christy Epping | 4 episodes |- | ''Ballers'' | Victoria | 2 episodes |- | 2017 | ''Taken'' | Asha Flynn | Series regular, 10 episodes |- | 2019 | ''All American'' | Nadja Moon | TV pilot |- | 2021 | ''Cruel Summer'' | Angela Prescott | Series regular, 5 episodes |- | 2022 | ''Grand Crew'' | Deena | Episode: "Wine & Therapy" |}
== References == {{reflist}}
== External links == *{{IMDb name|1479002}} *[http://www.blackfilm.com/20070525/features/brooklyn.shtml Rain: An Interview with Brooklyn Sudano] *[http://www.artistdirect.com/artist/brooklyn-sudano/884075 Artist Direct]
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Sudano, Brooklyn}} Category:Living people Category:1981 births Category:Actresses from Tennessee Category:American film actresses Category:American people of Italian descent Category:American television actresses Category:Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute alumni Category:Donna Summer Category:African-American actresses Category:Actresses from Los Angeles Category:Singers from Los Angeles Category:Singers from Nashville, Tennessee Category:21st-century American singers Category:21st-century American women singers Category:African-American women singers