Anna Maria Horsford

Horsford was born in Harlem, New York City to Victor Horsford, an investment real estate broker originally from Barbuda and Lillian Agatha (née Richardson) Horsford, who emigrated from Antigua and Barbuda in the 1940s. She grew up in a family of five children. Horsford attended Wadleigh Junior High School and the High School of Performing Arts. After high school, she got into acting through the Harlem Youth for Change program. According to a DNA analysis, she has maternal ancestry from the Limba people of Sierra Leone. ==Career==

Her first major role in television was as a producer for the PBS show Soul!, hosted by Ellis Haizlip, which aired between 1968 and 1973. One of her first TV appearances was in 1973 on the first run syndication game show of To Tell the Truth where she was an imposter for Laura Livingston, one of the first female military police. Horsford made guest appearances on such sitcoms as The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Sparks, Moesha, The Bernie Mac Show, The Shield, Girlfriends, and Everybody Hates Chris. She had main roles on the sitcoms The Wayans Bros. as "Dee Baxter" and "Thelma Frye" on Amen. She appeared on the drama Judging Amy. More recently, she was seen in the first season of ''Grey's Anatomy. She returned to the big screen in the 2013 film A Madea Christmas. She portrayed Helen on the BET sitcom Reed Between the Lines''. Horsford currently has a recurring role as Vivienne Avant on The Bold and the Beautiful. For the role, she was nominated for Outstanding Special Guest Performer in a Drama Series in the 43rd Daytime Emmy Awards. She began playing a recurring role on B Positive in the show's second-season premiere. She also has appeared in the TBS sitcom The Last O.G. featuring Tracy Morgan, as a recurring character (Tray's mother). ==Personal life==

On October 29, 2011, Horsford was awarded the title of Ambassador of Tourism of Antigua. ==Filmography==

Film Television ==Live performances==

Theater ==Awards and nominations==

Horsford has been featured on the cover of several magazines, including: • TV Guide, August 29 – September 4, 1987, issue #1796. Cover photograph featured Sherman Hemsley and Anna Maria Horsford of NBC's Amen. • Jet Magazine, November 23, 1987. Cast members, including Horsford, are featured on the cover. Article titled "Fun-filled Amen still one of hottest TV shows”. • TV Guide, February 3, 1990, Four television shows are featured including Amen with photo of Horsford and Clifton Davis. Article titled "Oh, what a week! February is off with a bang." • Jet Magazine, February 5, 1990. Cover photo and article: "Clifton Davis and Anna Maria Horsford Tie Knot on TV's Amen" • Jet Magazine, May 13, 1991, Photo and cover article feature Clifton Davis and Horsford. Article titled "New baby and guest star James Brown climax fifth season of TV’s Amen." • Solo Magazine, 2011 Holiday Issue. Cover photograph and article: Anna Maria Horsford: Brings the Laughs and Drama to new BET Show. ==References==