Eva Marcille

Eva Marcille Pigford (formerly Sterling; born October 30, 1984) is an American actress, fashion model and television personality. She rose to prominence after she won the third cycle of America's Next Top Model. Afterwards, she starred as Tracie Evans in Tyler Perry's House of Payne (2007–2012), and Tyra Hamilton on the CBS daytime soap opera The Young and the Restless (2008–2009).

Marcille later returned to reality television as a cast member on the Bravo television series The Real Housewives of Atlanta (2018–2021). She currently plays the lead role of Marilyn "Madam" DeVille in the BET+ television series All the Queen's Men (2021–present).

Marcille was born in Los Angeles, California as Eva Marcille Pigford. Her middle name, Marcille, is an amalgam of her grandmothers' names "Marjorie" and "Lucille". Her parents are both African American. She attended Raymond Avenue Elementary School, Marina Del Rey Middle School, and Washington Preparatory High School (2002). She attended Clark Atlanta University in Atlanta, Georgia; however, she left the school shortly after winning the third season of America's Next Top Model at the age of 19.

In 2004, Pigford became the final contestant selected for the top fourteen to compete on the UPN reality television show America's Next Top Model Cycle 3. Over her stay, Pigford received two first call-outs and won two challenges. In the end, Pigford was crowned the winner of the cycle three, beating out runner-up Yaya DaCosta, and becoming the first Black model to win the series. She was granted a CoverGirl cosmetics contract, a spread in Elle Magazine, and a modeling contract with Ford Models.

In February 2005, Marcille walked in New York Fashion Week for South African designer Marc Bouwer's Fall 2005 collection. In October, she walked in Los Angeles Fashion Week in the Spring 2006 collections for NAQADA and Deborah Lindquist. In March 2007, she once again walked in the Fall 2007 Los Angeles Fashion Week show, wearing Monarchy Collection.^{[citation needed]}

Marcille has appeared on the covers of Women's Health and Fitness (May 2005), King (June 2005), Essence (July 2005, "The Evolution of Eva"), IONA (November 2005), Brides Noir (September 2006, "The Garden of Eva"), Black Girls Rule! (Spring 2007), Gabriel's The Magazine (May/June 2007), The Green Golf Beyond the Link (2008), Obvious (2010), Urban Lux (March/April 2011), Kontrol (Fall/Winter 2011), Sheen (January 2016, "Living Life Fearlessly), Rolling Out (January 2017), Upscale (April 2018), and The B Collective Magazine (2018).

In addition to having fashion and editorial spreads in In Touch Weekly (January 2005, "What's in, what's out"; April 2007, "In their closets"), We The Urban (May 2005) Hype Hair (June 2005; December 2016; August 2017, "Eva Marcille"), Elle (July 2005), Elle Girl (2005 editorial collaboration with DKNY Jeans), Jewel (October 2006), Essence (2007, "Eye Openers"; August 2009, "We Dare You To"), Vibe Vixen (June 2011), and Today's Black Woman (May 2014, "All About Eva"), she's modeled in advertisements and campaigns for CoverGirl, DKNY Jeans, Samsung, red by Marc Ecko, UNleashed, Apple Bottoms, Lerner, and Avon.

On November 15, 2006, Marcille left her managers Benny Medina and Tyra Banks, and officially dropped changed her name from 'Eva Pigford' to Eva Marcille (swapping her surname for her middle name). She has stated she did this in order to not use her modeling fame to get into acting but earn her acting roles.