{{short description|American theatre and television actor (born 1977)}} {{Infobox person | name = Erica Tazel | image = Erica Tazel - April 2015 (cropped).jpg | caption = Tazel at the Paley Center in 2015 | birth_date = 1977 | birth_place = Dallas, Texas, U.S.<ref name=tv>[http://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/erica-tazel/bio/298233 Erica Tazel Biography] from TVGuide.com, retrieved 11 June 2014</ref> | known_for = ''Justified'' | education = Spelman College {{small|(BA)}}<br>New York University {{small|(MFA)}} | occupation = Actress | years_active = 2000–present }} '''Erica Tazel''' (born 1977) is an American theatre and television actress best known for the role of US Deputy Marshal Rachel Brooks in the FX television series ''Justified'' (2010–2015).
==Life and career== Tazel holds a B.A. from Spelman College and an M.F.A. from New York University's Graduate Acting Program.<ref name=fx>http://www.fxnetworks.com/shows/originals/justified/cast.php, entry "Erica Tazel", accessed 3 December 2012</ref>
She made her professional acting debut at the New York Shakespeare Festival’s ''The Winter’s Tale'' (2000);<ref name=tv/><ref name=fx/> further roles include at the Royal Shakespeare Company's ''Cymbeline'', and an off-Broadway appearance in Playwrights Horizons' ''Juvenilia''. Tazel was nominated for the L.A. Drama Critics Circle award for Lead Performance, for her work in ''I Have Before Me a Remarkable Document Given To Me by a Young Lady from Rwanda'' (role of Juliette, 2007) at The Colony Theatre in Burbank, CA, and received the NAACP Theatre Award for Best Lead Female (2007) for that same role.<ref name=fx/>
On screen, Tazel has made limited appearances, including a minor role in the David Duchovny drama ''House of D'' (2004, table below), starring Anton Yelchin, Robin Williams, Téa Leoni, and Erykah Badu.
Tazel's television debut was as a dance teacher in an episode of ''Sex and the City'' (2001);<ref name=tv/> prior to her supporting role in ''Justified'' she was a guest lead on ''Without A Trace'', had recurring roles on ''Jericho'' and ''Third Watch'', and guest roles on programs including ''The Office'', ''ER'', ''Law & Order'' and ''Law & Order: Special Victims Unit'', ''Life'', ''Heartland'', ''Bones'', and ''Firefly''.<ref name=fx/>
==Filmography==
===Film=== {| class="wikitable sortable" |- ! Year ! Film ! Role ! Notes |- | 2004 | ''House of D'' | Reader | |- | 2010 | ''As It Is'' | Lark | Short |- |rowspan=2| 2015 | ''Runaway Island'' | Vonda Hines | |- | ''Mr. Right'' | Lisa | |- | 2016 | ''Gubagude Ko'' | Dembe | Short |- |rowspan=2| 2017 | ''Lawman'' | Nellie Reeves | Short |- | ''Odious'' | Evelyn | |- |rowspan=2| 2019 | ''Cognitive'' | Nurse Alisse | Short |- | ''The Summer People'' | Kim Nixon | TV movie |- | 2020 | ''Always and Forever'' | Paige | |- | 2021 | ''The Deadliest Lie'' | Sam | |- | 2022 | ''The Devil You Know'' | Eva Dylan | |- | 2023 | ''Big George Foreman'' | Mary Foreman | |}
===Television=== {| class="wikitable sortable" |- ! Year ! Title ! Role ! Notes |- |rowspan=2| 2001 | ''Sex and the City'' | Dance Teacher Grace | Episode: "Baby, Talk Is Cheap" |- | ''Third Watch'' | Shaquana Golden | Episode: "He Said/She Said" & "Childhood Memories" |- | 2002 | ''Firefly'' | Doralee | Episode: "Safe" |- |rowspan=2| 2003 | ''Law & Order: Special Victims Unit'' | Lynn Hauser | Episode: "Risk" |- | ''Law & Order'' | Receptionist | Episode: "Suicide Box" |- | 2006 | ''Bones'' | Karen Merton | Episode: "The Soldier on the Grave" |- |rowspan=4| 2007 | ''Jericho'' | Jessica Williams | Recurring Cast: Season 1 |- | ''Without a Trace'' | Tess Pratt | Episode: "Skin Deep" |- | ''Heartland'' | Temple | Episode: "A Beautiful Day" |- | ''ER'' | Mrs. Birk | Episode: "Blackout" |- | 2008 | ''Life'' | Mum at Park | Episode: "Find Your Happy Place" |- | 2009 | ''The Office'' | Julia | Episode: "Lecture Circuit: Part 1" |- | 2010–15 | ''Justified'' | Rachel Brooks | Main Cast |- |rowspan=2| 2015 | ''Kroll Show'' | Detective Hall | Recurring Cast: Season 3 |- | ''NCIS'' | Coach Curry | Episode: "Troll" |- | 2016 | ''Roots'' | Matilda | Episode: "Part 3 & 4" |- |rowspan=2| 2017 | ''The Night Shift'' | Dr. Bella Cummings | Recurring Cast: Season 4 |- | ''The Orville'' | Baleth | Episode: "Mad Idolatry" |- | 2017–18 | ''The Good Fight'' | Barbara Kolstad | Main Cast: Season 1, Guest: Season 2 |- | 2018 | ''DC's Legends of Tomorrow'' | Esi Jiwe | Episode: "Guest Starring John Noble" |- |rowspan=2| 2019 | ''Queen Sugar'' | Deesha Brown-Sonnier | Recurring Cast: Season 4 |- | ''Raising Dion'' | Danielle | Episode: "Issue #107: Why So Vomity?" |- |rowspan=2| 2020 | ''God Friended Me'' | Bonnie | Episode: "The Fugitive" |- | ''Lovecraft Country'' | Dora Freeman | Recurring Cast |- | 2021-23 | ''Truth Be Told'' | Charise Spivey | Recurring Cast: Season 2-3 |- | 2022 | ''All American: Homecoming'' | Veronica Skinner | Episode: "Move On" & "Confessions" |}
===Video games=== {| class="wikitable sortable" |- ! Year ! Title ! Role ! Notes |- | 2016 | ''Mafia 3'' | Cassandra | Voice & likeness |}
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *{{IMDb name|1801624}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Tazel, Erica}} Category:African-American actresses Category:Actresses from Dallas Category:Spelman College alumni Category:New York University Tisch School of the Arts alumni Category:American stage actresses Category:American Shakespearean actresses Category:1977 births Category:Living people