Caryn Ward Ross

'''Caryn Ward Ross''' (née '''Ward''') is an American actress, dancer, choreographer and producer.

==Life and career== Ward attended Howard University where she graduated with a degree in psychology.<ref name="Female Success Factor: Panelists">{{Cite web|url=http://www.femalesuccessfactor.com/panelists/fsf_panelists_cwardbio.php|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20091007103651/http://www.femalesuccessfactor.com/panelists/fsf_panelists_cwardbio.php|url-status=dead|title=Female Success Factor|archivedate=October 7, 2009}}</ref> Ward also studied dance at Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater in New York City. She performed with various artists including Janet Jackson, Arsenio Hall, and Rosie Perez.<ref name="Female Success Factor: Panelists" />

Ward began her career as a child actor in the 1980s, appearing in a recurring role in the musical-dance drama series ''Fame'' from 1985 to 1986. She later appeared in ''Webster'', ''Paradise'' and ''Family Matters''. From 1990 to 1991, she co-starred in the short-lived CBS sitcom ''You Take the Kids'', starring Nell Carter.<ref name=directory>{{cite book|last=Brooks|first=Tim |author2=Marsh, Earle F. |title=The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows, 1946-Present |publisher=Ballantine Books|date=October 17, 2007|edition=9|pages=1554|isbn=978-0-345-49773-4}}</ref> Ward later took ten year-break from acting and in 2000s, began appearing in episodes of ''Friends'', ''Strong Medicine'', ''The Shield'', and ''Lincoln Heights''. In 2004, she made her movie debut appearing in a supporting role in the thriller ''Motives'', opposite Vivica A. Fox and Shemar Moore. She later appeared in several featuring films, including ''Boss'n Up'' (2005), ''Traci Townsend'' (2006), and ''N-Secure'' (2009). From 2006 to 2015, she had a recurring role in the CW/BET comedy series, ''The Game''.

Ward starred and produced films ''The Affair'' (2014) and ''Zodiac Sign'' (2015). She starred in the short-lived Bounce TV sitcom ''Grown Folks'' in 2017, which was canceled after 13 episodes.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://thefutoncritic.com/showatch/grown-folks/|title=Shows A-Z - grown folks on bounce tv | TheFutonCritic.com|website=thefutoncritic.com}}</ref> In 2018, she received Indie Series Awards nomination for her performance in the Victoria Rowell comedy series ''The Rich and the Ruthless''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/entertainment/20180404/seven-indie-series-award-nominations-rich-and-ruthless|title=Seven Indie Series Award nominations for 'The Rich and The Ruthless'|date=April 4, 2018|website=jamaica-gleaner.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://shadowandact.com/victoria-rowell-rich-and-the-ruthless|title=Urban Movie Channel to debut original, soapy dramedy 'The Rich and The Ruthless' from Victoria Rowell|website=shadowandact.com}}</ref> Later in 2018, she so-created alongside her husband Craig Ross Jr., starred and produced Urban Movie Channel drama series ''Monogamy''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.divvymag.com/new-blog/caryn-ward-ross-talks-executive-producing|title=Caryn Ward Ross on Stepping into the Role of Executive Producer|website=Divvy Magazine|date=3 May 2018 }}</ref>

==Personal life== On June 26, 2011, Caryn Ward married television and film director Craig Ross, Jr.<ref>[http://blackthespian.com/actress-caryn-ward-marries-filmmaker-craig-ross-jr/ Actress Caryn Ward Marries Filmmaker Craig Ross Jr.]</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.blackfilm.com/read/2011/06/craig-ross-jr-caryn-ward-wedding-pics/|title=Craig Ross Jr./Caryn Ward Wedding Pics|work=Blackfilm - Black Movies, Television, and Theatre News |date=June 16, 2011}}</ref>

==Filmography==

===Film=== {| class="wikitable sortable" |- ! Year ! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable" | Notes |- | 1988 | ''David'' | Jennifer | TV movie |- | 1992 | ''The Boys'' | Tap Dancer | TV movie |- | 2001 | ''The Heart Department'' | Shondra Adaire | TV movie |- | 2004 | ''Motives'' | Gwendolyn | Video |- | 2005 | ''Boss'n Up'' | Dominique | |- |rowspan="2"| 2006 | ''Sarang Song'' | Nessa | Short |- | ''Traci Townsend'' | Lynn | |- |rowspan="3"| 2007 | ''Tournament of Dreams'' | Nessa | |- | ''Stompin''' | Camille Turner | |- | ''Blood River'' | Sheila | |- |rowspan="4"| 2009 | ''Think Twice'' | Jennifer | Short |- | ''Breaking News'' | Kendra Davis | Short |- | ''Sideline Confessions'' | Jade | Short |- | ''Steppin: The Movie'' | Actor | |- |rowspan="2"| 2010 | ''Backyard Wedding'' | Jane | TV movie |- | ''N-Secure'' | Kim | |- |rowspan="3"| 2011 | ''The Blackest Swan'' | Lily | Video |- | ''The Bachelor Party'' | La-La | Video |- | ''He's Mine Not Yours'' | Mandy | |- |rowspan=3| 2012 | ''The Marriage Chronicles'' | Sabel Jones | |- | ''If You Really Love Me'' | - | TV movie |- | ''Air Collision'' | Presidential Purser Joan Watts | Video |- |rowspan=4| 2014 | ''Patterns of Attraction'' | Dr. Flowers | |- | ''Daddy's Home'' | Stacy | TV movie |- | ''Crossed the Line'' | Kyra | |- | ''The Affair'' | Simone Waite | |- | 2015 | ''Zodiac Sign'' | Diana | |- |rowspan=3| 2016 | ''36 Hour Layover'' | Tammy | |- | ''For the Love of Christmas'' | Diana | |- | ''LAPD African Cops'' | - | |- | 2017 | ''Message from a Mistress'' | Jamie Hall | |- |2023 | ''Back on the Strip'' | Eve |- |}

===Television=== {| class="wikitable sortable" |- ! Year ! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable" | Notes |- | 1985 | ''Days of Our Lives'' | Tracy | Regular Cast |- | 1985-86 | ''Fame'' | Tina | Recurring cast: season 5, guest: season 6 |- | 1986 | ''Webster'' | Tony | Episode: "The Big Sleepover" |- | 1987 | ''Disneyland'' | Emily | Episode: "The Liberators" |- | 1988 | ''What's Happening Now!!'' | Joyce | Episode: "The Fabulous Fortunes" |- | 1989 | ''Paradise'' | Role unknown | Episode: "All the Pretty Little Horses" |- | 1990 | ''Family Matters'' | Susie | Episode: "Dedicated to the One I Love" |- | 1990-91 | ''You Take the Kids'' | Lorette Kirkland | Main cast |- | 2002 | ''Friends'' | Waitress | Episode: "The One Where Joey Dates Rachel" |- |rowspan="2"| 2004 | ''The Bold and the Beautiful'' | Insomnia Waitress | Episode: "Episode #1.4389" |- | ''Strong Medicine'' | - | Episode: "Selective Breeding" |- |rowspan="2"| 2005 | ''The Shield'' | Queenie | Episode: "String Theory" |- | ''Full Plate'' | Host | Episode: "The Nanny" |- | 2006-15 | ''The Game'' | Erica Harrison | Recurring cast: season 1-4 & 8 |- |rowspan="2"| 2007 | ''Lincoln Heights'' | Layla | Episode: "House Arrest" & "The 'F' Word" |- | ''Entourage'' | Hostess | Episode: "Sorry, Harvey" |- | 2010 | ''Love That Girl!'' | Sexy Lexi | Episode: "Keep It in the Closet" |- | 2012-14 | ''Roomieloverfriends'' | Calista | Recurring cast: season 1-3 |- | 2014 | ''One Love'' | Jenika | Recurring cast |- |rowspan="2"| 2015 | ''Liv and Maddie'' | Cindy Dippledorf | Episode: "Neighbors-A-Rooney" |- | ''Sexless'' | Calista | Episode: "Surfboard" |- |rowspan="2"| 2016 | ''Jane the Virgin'' | Customer #2 | Episode: "Chapter Forty-One" |- | ''Pitch'' | Reporter #2 | Episode: "San Francisco" |- | 2017 | ''Grown Folks'' | Brenda Finley | Main cast |- | 2017-21 | ''The Rich and the Ruthless'' | Roxanne | Recurring cast: season 1, main cast: season 4 |- | 2018 | ''Lucifer'' | Emily Armantrout | Episode: "High School Poppycock" |- | 2018–21 | ''Monogamy'' | Sincere | Main cast |}

==References== {{Reflist|2}}

==External links==  * {{official website|http://www.carynward.com/}} * {{IMDb name|0911434}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ward Ross, Caryn}} Category:Year of birth missing (living people) Category:Living people Category:20th-century African-American actresses Category:20th-century American actresses Category:21st-century African-American actresses Category:21st-century American actresses Category:Actresses from Los Angeles Category:African-American child actresses Category:African-American dancers Category:African-American female dancers Category:American child actresses Category:American female dancers Category:American film actresses Category:American television actresses Category:Dancers from California Category:Howard University alumni