Acting Richardson "began her acting career in the theater before transitioning to roles in television and film". In film, she played small roles in
Prelude to a Kiss, ''
Mo' Money, Posse, and later had major roles in Sioux City and A Low Down Dirty Shame. From 1994 to 1996 she voiced the character Elisa Maza on the animated series Gargoyles''. Richardson starred opposite
Dixie Carter and
Kathleen Quinlan in the
CBS legal drama series,
Family Law, from 1999 to 2002. She had recurring roles as Nancy Adams on
Rude Awakening, and as Laura on
CSI: Miami. She starred opposite
Denzel Washington in the 2002 drama film
Antwone Fisher. She also appeared in the 2004 horror film
Anacondas: The Hunt for the Blood Orchid, and starred opposite
Will Smith in 2007's post-apocalyptic film
I Am Legend. She also starred in
The Sin Seer with
Isaiah Washington, set for 2015 release. From 2006 to 2012, Richardson starred as
Department of Defense agent (and later head of
Global Dynamics)
Allison Blake in the
Syfy comedy-drama series
Eureka. Her second pregnancy was written into the storyline of the series. In 2014, Richardson was cast in a recurring role on Lifetime's
The Lottery as the first lady of the United States, but she lost it to Shelley Conn; She also has a role on
BET's
Being Mary Jane as an old friend of the lead character. In 2015, Richardson was cast in the
ABC Family series,
Stitchers. The series was canceled after three seasons in 2017.
Directing Richardson has also worked as a director of episodic television, her latest being episodes 5 and 6 of the first season of Wheel of Time for Amazon. Following her directorial debut on two episodes of her show
Eureka, in 2016 she directed two episodes of
Ava DuVernay's drama series for
Oprah Winfrey Network,
Queen Sugar (on which her husband
Dondre Whitfield appears as a series regular). In 2016, Richardson also directed an episode of the historical action-drama
Underground for
WGN America. In 2017, she directed two episodes of BET drama
Rebel, and
Shonda Rhimes'
Scandal. Her comedy directing credits include ''
Survivor's Remorse, I'm Dying Up Here, Black-ish and Dear White People. In 2018, she also directed the 16th episode of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.s fifth-season episode "Inside Voices". Her other notable directing credits include Chicago Med, Luke Cage, Black Lightning, The Punisher, American Gods, See and Altered Carbon''. In 2019, Richardson received an
NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Directing in a Drama Series nomination for her work directing
Luke Cage. Also in 2019, she won a
Black Reel Award for Outstanding Directing in a Comedy Series for directing
Black-ish. In September 2020, she signed a project development deal with
HBO. Richardson produces and had had directed episodes of HBO period drama
The Gilded Age and
Adam McKay's untitled Lakers project. ==Personal life==