Phylicia Rashad

For her role in A Raisin in the Sun, Phylicia Rashad became the first black actress to ever receive a Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play. Into the Woods, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, and Gem of the Ocean are some of her other plays, in which she successfully impressed her audience with her talent. At the 2010 NAACP Image Awards, she was recognized as “The Mother” of the black community.

If that’s not impressive enough already, Phylicia also obtained her degree from Howard University, graduating as magna cum laude. This incredibly talented actress is not only a jack of all trades, but she’s also an example of beauty and brains.
In 2016, Rashad starred as Diana DuBois in the third season of the Lee Daniels Empire TV series, often appearing as a guest star. She married Ahmad Rashād, a former NFL wide receiver and sportscaster in 1985, and the couple divorced in early 2001.