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Simbi Khali
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Simbi Khali (born April 28, 1971), sometimes credited as Simbi Kali Williams, is an American actress and singer best known for her role as Nina Campbell on the NBC sitcom 3rd Rock from the Sun.[3] Her credits include the television show Martin and the feature films Vampire in Brooklyn, A Thin Line Between Love and Hate, and Plump Fiction. On stage, Khali has appeared in Colored Museum, For Colored Girls..., A Midsummer Night's Dream, and Troilus and Cressida. She also had a career in voice acting, most notably Varesh Ossa in the video game Guild Wars Nightfall, and Amanda in the video game Detroit: Become Human.
Key Information
Early life
[edit]Khali was born in Jackson, Mississippi,[3] the youngest of five girls and two boys. When she was two, Khali's family moved to Chicago's South Side.[4][5] Khali started singing at a young age.
She became interested in theatre at Chicago's ETA Creative Arts Foundation.[4] At age 15, she went to live in Alabama with her sister, Hamidah Elmore, and experienced her first "onstage rush" in a high school talent show.[5]
For her junior and senior years of high school, she moved to Washington, DC, to live with her mother Amerah Shabazz. She transferred to the Duke Ellington School of the Arts, where she committed to acting. Khali won admission to the California Institute of the Arts and graduated in 1993 with a degree in acting.[4]
Career
[edit]At a performance during her senior year at Cal Arts, she was spotted and signed by a talent agent. That summer, she performed as part of a Ben & Jerry's troupe that visited hospitals and other charities, passing out samples of ice cream. It paid well and gave her time to audition, leading to her first job in the FOX sitcom Martin.[5]
From 1993 to 1997, she played Sheneneh's vocal best friend in Martin. From 1996 to 2001, she played Nina Campbell in the NBC sitcom 3rd Rock from the Sun. She was initially cast a recurring character, but was bumped to a main character in season 3.
In 2016, Khali's career, performances, character portrayals and other accolades were officially recognized and commended by the Mississippi legislature.[3]
Personal life
[edit]Khali initially met actor Cress Williams at a Los Angeles club in 1994, then again in the fall of 1999 while filming the BET movie Masquerade. Within a month they were engaged, and they married in Malibu in the fall of 2000.[6]
Filmography
[edit] | This article needs to be updated. The reason given is: Filmography out of date, doesn't list newer roles since 2017.. (August 2022) |
Television
[edit]| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1993–1995 | Martin | Laquita | 4 episodes |
| 1994 | The Sinbad Show | Carmen | Episode: "Girls Unda Hoodz" |
| 1994 | She TV | Various | 1 episode |
| 1996–2001 | 3rd Rock from the Sun | Nina Campbell | Recurring (season 1–2), main cast (season 3–6) |
| 2000 | Men in Black: The Series | Voice | Episode: "The J is For James Syndrome" |
| 2000 | Masquerade | Joi Scott | TV movie |
| 2002 | That '80s Show | Venus | Episode: "After the Kiss" |
| 2002 | Clifford the Big Red Dog | Voices of Monique and Mrs. Young | 3 episodes |
| 2003 | Stuart Little | Voice | Episode: "No Job Is Too Little" |
| 2004 | The Bernie Mac Show | Therapist | Episode: "Five Stages of Bryana" |
| 2009 | Special Agent Oso | Voice | Episode: "Live and Jump Rope / A View to a Kitten" |
| 2012 | Weeds | Mary | Episode: "Unfreeze" |
| 2017 | Better Things | Museum Director | Episode: "Phil" |
Film
[edit]| Year | Film | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | Vampire in Brooklyn | Nikki | |
| 1996 | A Thin Line Between Love and Hate | Adrienne | |
| 1997 | Plump Fiction | Sister Sledge | |
| 2002 | We Were Soldiers | Alma Givens | |
| 2009 | Mississippi Damned | Anna | |
| 2017 | Girl Minus | Auntie | Short film |
| 2019 | Gothic Harvest | Voice | |
| 2020 | Buck | Mom | Short film |
| 2020 | -Ship: A Visual Poem | Aunt Julia | Short film |
| 2021 | A Savannah Haunting | Josephine | |
| 2023 | Ricky | Winsome | Short film |
Video games
[edit]| Year | Title | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 2006 | Guild Wars Nightfall | Varesh Ossa / Additional Voices |
| 2008 | The Incredible Hulk | Ceres Leader |
| 2018 | Detroit: Become Human | Amanda |
References
[edit]- ^ "Simbi Kali". Instagram. Retrieved October 22, 2020.
- ^ ""Sheneneh's Friend" Married A 90s Actor, But Many Are Stunned By His New Wife". iloveoldschoolmusic.com. ILoveOldSchoolMusic.com. March 14, 2017. Retrieved March 5, 2020.
- ^ a b c Blackmon. "House Resolution 11" (PDF). MS LEG. Mississippi Legislature (2016 Regular Session). Archived (PDF) from the original on June 30, 2024. Retrieved November 22, 2020.
- ^ a b c Johnson, Allan (March 25, 1997). "Alienated". Chicago Tribune. Chicago Tribune Media Group (CTMG). Retrieved November 22, 2020.
- ^ a b c Winslow, Harriet (August 10, 1997). "Her Small Piece of the Rock". Washington Post. Retrieved November 22, 2020.
- ^ "Celebrities". Jet. 98 (24). USA: Johnson Publishing Company, Inc.: 46 November 20, 2000. ISSN 0021-5996. Retrieved November 22, 2020.
External links
[edit]- Simbi Khali at IMDb
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Simbi Khali
View on Grokipediafrom Grokipedia
Early life
Childhood and family background
Simbi Khali was born on April 28, 1971, in Jackson, Mississippi, as the youngest of seven children—five girls and two boys—in a close-knit family environment.[8][9] At the age of two, her family relocated to Chicago's South Side, where she spent much of her early childhood immersed in the city's vibrant urban culture.[9] The family later moved back to the Deep South before Khali completed her high school years in Washington, D.C., a series of transitions that exposed her to diverse Southern and Midwestern influences during her formative years.[9] It was during her time in Washington, D.C., that Khali first encountered theater, sparking her initial interest in performance through local community activities and stage productions.[9] This early exposure laid the groundwork for her pursuit of formal arts education in the nation's capital.Education and early influences
Simbi Khali attended the Duke Ellington School of the Arts in Washington, D.C., for her high school education, where she immersed herself in a rigorous performing arts curriculum emphasizing theater and vocal performance.[10] The school's intensive pre-professional training allowed her to hone foundational skills in acting and singing, contributing to her early development as a multifaceted artist.[10] Following high school, Khali enrolled at the California Institute of the Arts (CalArts) in Valencia, California, graduating with a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in acting in 1993.[11][12] At CalArts, she was influenced by notable mentors, including Michael Fields from the Dell'Arte International School of Physical Theatre, who emphasized physical movement as central to performance with the mantra "Movement is the basis for life."[13] This training exposed her to innovative theater productions and deepened her expertise in acting techniques, while also fostering her vocal performance abilities through integrated arts coursework.[13] During her time at both institutions, Khali began exploring singing and songwriting as extensions of her performing arts education, participating in student-led theater and vocal ensembles that encouraged creative expression.[10] These early experiences, supported by her family's encouragement of artistic pursuits, laid the groundwork for her dual interests in acting and music.[13]Career
Early roles and breakthrough
Simbi Khali began her professional acting career in the early 1990s with guest appearances on popular sitcoms. Her first credited television role was as Laquita, Sheneneh's friend, in four episodes of the Fox series Martin from 1993 to 1995.[14] She followed this with a guest spot as Carmen in the episode "Girls Unda Hoodz" of The Sinbad Show in 1994.[15] That same year, Khali appeared in the short-lived sketch comedy series She TV, performing various characters in its ensemble cast.[16] Khali made her film debut in 1995, playing the role of Nikki in Vampire in Brooklyn, a horror-comedy directed by Wes Craven and starring Eddie Murphy. This marked her entry into feature films amid the era's growing opportunities for Black actors in mainstream comedies. Her breakthrough came with the NBC sitcom 3rd Rock from the Sun (1996–2001), where she portrayed Nina Campbell, the sharp-witted administrative assistant to professors Mary Albright and Dick Solomon. Initially cast in a recurring capacity for seasons 1 and 2, Khali's role was elevated to series regular starting in season 3, allowing for deeper character development and more prominent storylines.[17] The show's success as a top-rated comedy significantly boosted her visibility, establishing her as a key supporting player in one of the decade's most acclaimed ensemble casts.[18]Television work
Following the conclusion of her role on 3rd Rock from the Sun in 2001, Simbi Khali transitioned into a series of guest appearances and recurring parts in various television series, showcasing her versatility beyond sitcom formats.[19] In 2002, she appeared in an episode of the short-lived Fox sitcom That '80s Show, playing the character Venus, a role that maintained her comedic timing in a nostalgic ensemble comedy.[17] Khali continued with guest roles in established shows throughout the mid-2000s, blending humor and drama. In 2004, she played a therapist in an episode of The Bernie Mac Show on Fox, delivering a grounded, empathetic performance that highlighted her ability to support comedic narratives with subtle emotional depth.[19] In 2012, she appeared in Showtime's Weeds as Mary, a character in the series' later seasons, contributing to its mix of dark comedy and family drama.[19] In the 2010s, Khali's television work leaned further into dramatic guest spots, reflecting an evolution from her earlier sassy, quick-witted comedic personas to more nuanced, authoritative figures. Her 2017 appearance as the Museum Director in FX's Better Things earned praise for its poised portrayal of a professional woman navigating interpersonal tensions, adding to the show's critically acclaimed exploration of single motherhood and aging.[19] These roles demonstrated her range, with critics noting her effective pivot to dramatic supporting parts that provided emotional anchors in ensemble casts.[17] Up to 2025, Khali has maintained a selective presence in television, focusing on impactful guest appearances rather than lead roles, though no major new projects were announced in the early 2020s.Film and voice acting
Khali made her feature film debut in supporting roles during the mid-1990s, showcasing her dramatic range in urban comedies and thrillers. In Martin Lawrence's A Thin Line Between Love and Hate (1996), she portrayed Adrienne, a key figure in the film's tangled web of romantic entanglements, contributing to the movie's blend of humor and tension. Her performance highlighted her ability to navigate complex interpersonal dynamics in ensemble casts.[20] Transitioning to more intense dramatic fare in the early 2000s, Khali appeared as Alma Givens in We Were Soldiers (2002), a war epic directed by Randall Wallace. In this role, she depicted the emotional toll on military spouses during the Vietnam War, delivering a poignant portrayal amid the film's harrowing battle sequences and family vignettes. The film, based on real events, earned praise for its authentic representation of sacrifice, with Khali's contribution underscoring the homefront's parallel struggles. Khali's film career continued with selective appearances in independent and genre projects throughout the 2010s and 2020s, emphasizing her versatility across horror and drama. She played Josephine, a voodoo priestess warning of supernatural dangers, in the indie horror A Savannah Haunting (2022), filmed in a reportedly haunted Georgia house and drawing from real-life inspirations. Her commanding presence added depth to the film's chilling narrative of grief and otherworldly forces. More recently, Khali starred in Ricky (2025), a drama exploring post-incarceration challenges, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival to acclaim for its raw depiction of systemic barriers and personal resilience. In this ensemble piece directed by Rashad Frett, her role supported the central story of independence and redemption, aligning with her history of socially resonant performances.[21] Parallel to her live-action work, Khali expanded into voice acting, leveraging her vocal talents—honed as a singer—in interactive media. Her notable debut came as Amanda in the video game Detroit: Become Human (2018), where she provided the character's voice, likeness, and motion capture performance.[5] In this Quantic Dream title, Amanda serves as a pivotal AI figure in a narrative-driven sci-fi thriller about android sentience, with Khali's nuanced delivery enhancing the game's emotional branching paths and critical reception for its storytelling. This role marked a post-2010s pivot, integrating her singing background into voice modulation for immersive character depth, though specific soundtrack contributions remain tied to her broader musical pursuits outside film.[22]Personal life
Marriage and family
Simbi Khali married fellow actor Cress Williams on October 14, 2000, in Malibu, California. The couple's union lasted 11 years, ending in divorce in 2011.[23][24] Khali and Williams share two children: a son born in 2004 and a daughter born in 2007.[23][25] As of 2025, Khali has not publicly confirmed any new romantic relationships, emphasizing her commitment to privacy in personal matters.[26]Other interests and activism
Khali has pursued singing and songwriting as creative outlets beyond her acting roles, with her talents in these areas highlighted in profiles from her high school alumni records. She contributed background vocals to the track "And If I Ever" on Vanessa Williams' 1997 album Next, showcasing her musical abilities in a professional collaboration.[10] In addition to her artistic endeavors, Khali has been involved in community education, teaching theater and dance to inner-city youth to foster access to the performing arts for underrepresented groups. She identifies as a writer and photographer, using these pursuits to explore personal expression and storytelling. Her interests also include wellness practices, as she has discussed yoga's benefits for balancing conventional medicine with alternative healing approaches.[13][27]Filmography
Television
Khali's television career spans guest appearances, recurring roles, and main cast positions across sitcoms and other series. Her credits include both live-action and voice work, often under the name Simbi Kali or Simbi Khali, with occasional use of Simbi Kali Williams in earlier listings.| Year(s) | Title | Role | Episodes | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1993–1994 | The Sinbad Show | Carmen | 1 | Guest appearance in episode "Girls Unda Hoodz"[15] |
| 1993–1995 | Martin | Laquita | 4 | Recurring role as Shaneneh's best friend[1] |
| 1994 | She TV | Various | 1 | Cast member in sketch comedy series[1] |
| 1996–2001 | 3rd Rock from the Sun | Nina Campbell | 135 | Recurring (seasons 1–2); main cast (seasons 3–6) as Dr. Mary Albright's assistant (credited as Simbi Kali)[8] |
| 2000 | Men in Black: The Series | Voice | 1 | Guest voice in episode "The J is For James Syndrome"[28] |
| 2000 | Masquerade | Joi Scott | TV movie | Lead role[29] |
| 2000 | Nikki | Loretta | 4 | Recurring role[30] |
| 2001 | Cow and Chicken | Additional Voices | Unknown | Voice role[31] |
| 2003 | The Proud Family | Additional Voices | 1 | Guest voice[32] |
| 2004 | Thugaboo: A Miracle on D-Roc's Street | Voice | TV movie | Voice role[33] |
| 2004 | The Bernie Mac Show | Therapist | 1 | Guest appearance[34] |
| 2006 | Thugaboo: Sneaker Madness | Voice | TV movie | Voice role[35] |
| 2002 | That '80s Show | Venus | 1 | Guest appearance (credited as Simbi Kali Williams)[36] |
| 2009 | Special Agent Oso | Paw Pilot | Multiple | Recurring voice role[37] |
| 2012 | Psych | Fraulein Gamer | 1 | Guest appearance in season 7, episode "Gus' Dad May Have Killed an Old Guy"[38] |
| 2012 | Weeds | Mary | 1 | Guest appearance in season 8, episode "Saplings" (credited as Simbi Kali Williams)[1] |
| 2017 | Better Things | Museum Director | 1 | Guest appearance[39] |
| 2018 | 9-1-1 | Jolene | 1 | Guest appearance[40] |
Film
Simbi Khali has appeared in a variety of feature films, primarily in supporting roles spanning genres like comedy, drama, horror, and war.[8]| Year | Title | Role | Genre | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | Vampire in Brooklyn | Nikki | Comedy, Horror | Supporting role |
| 1996 | A Thin Line Between Love and Hate | Adrienne | Comedy, Drama, Romance | Supporting role[41] |
| 1997 | Plump Fiction | Sister Sledge | Comedy | Supporting role |
| 2002 | We Were Soldiers | Alma Givens | Action, Drama, History, War | Supporting role[42] |
| 2009 | Mississippi Damned | Anna | Drama | Supporting role |
| 2018 | Gothic Harvest | Voiceover | Horror | Supporting role |
| 2022 | A Savannah Haunting | Josephine | Horror | Supporting role |
| 2025 | Ricky | Winsome | Drama | Supporting role |