Kenya Moore
Encyclopedia
Kenya Summer Moore is an American film and television actress, producer, beauty queen, model
and author
.
She is recognizable for her roles in movies such as Waiting to Exhale
, Deliver Us from Eva
and the 2007 Lindsay Lohan
thriller I Know Who Killed Me
. One of her best acting roles came in the independent film Trois
which also starred Gretchen Palmer
and CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
star Gary Dourdan
. Trois
went on to become one of the highest grossing African-American films of 2000. She has appeared on the cover of several major magazines, including Glamour
, Seventeen
, Ebony
and Essence
.
Kenya has also been featured in several music videos, including R&B group Shai
's "I Don't Wanna Be Alone", rapper Nas
' "Street Dreams" and the Jay-Z
& Jermaine Dupri
Grammy-nominated hit "Money Ain't a Thang
".
She founded the Kenya Moore Foundation which awards scholarships to under-privileged girls from her high school alma-mater. In 2007, she released her first book Game, Get Some!, that coaches men on how to get the woman of their dreams as she reveals the secrets of what women really desire from men.
In 2010 Moore starred in the film Trapped: Haitian Nights
.
by her grandmother (and primary inspiration). She is of African
ancestry and is a graduate of Cass Technical High School
; whose other notable alumni include Diana Ross
, David Alan Grier
, Lily Tomlin
, Big Sean
, Jack White
, and Miss USA 1990
Carole Gist
(the first African American to win). After high school, she went to Wayne State University
where she majored in Psychology
.
, then Miss USA 1993
, and then competing in Miss Universe 1993
, where she finished fifth.
At Miss Universe 1993
, Kenya was heavily booed after becoming one of the 10 semifinalists. This may have been attributed to Kenya's entry into the top 10, while Miss Mexico 1993 failed to make the cut. The pageant gained notoriety again in 2007 when Miss USA Rachel Smith
was booed at the Miss Universe pageant in Mexico for the same reason, except Smith slipped and landed on her bottom and barely made top 5.
and Marc Cayce. After the project lost its director for unspecified reasons, Moore took over the post. , this movie has yet to be released.
Since Haitian Nights failure to find distribution, Moore has founded Moore Vision Media in 2008, an independent movie production and home video distribution company According to her Facebook
, the company was officially launched at a gala in Miami Beach, FL.
The first production under her company's banner is an erotic thriller entitled The Confidant which stars Moore, Camila Alves, Boris Kodjo, David Banner and Bai Ling amongst a few. The Confidant is currently in post production.
's Video Soul
, Moore made guest appearance roles in notable sitcoms such as The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
, Living Single
, The Jamie Foxx Show
, Martin
, In the House, The Steve Harvey Show
and on the UPN
sitcoms Girlfriends
and The Parkers
.
Model (person)
A model , sometimes called a mannequin, is a person who is employed to display, advertise and promote commercial products or to serve as a subject of works of art....
and author
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
.
She is recognizable for her roles in movies such as Waiting to Exhale
Waiting to Exhale
Waiting to Exhale is a 1995 romance film starring Whitney Houston and Angela Bassett, directed by Forest Whitaker. The movie was adapted from the 1992 novel of the same name by Terry McMillan. Loretta Devine, Lela Rochon, Dennis Haysbert, Michael Beach, Gregory Hines, Donald Faison and Mykelti...
, Deliver Us from Eva
Deliver Us from Eva
Deliver Us from Eva is a 2003 American feature film starring LL Cool J and Gabrielle Union, revolving around LL's character Ray being paid to date a troublesome young lady named Eva . To some extent, it is a modern, urban update of William Shakespeare's play, The Taming of the Shrew...
and the 2007 Lindsay Lohan
Lindsay Lohan
Lindsay Lohan is an American actress, pop singer and model. She began her career as a child fashion model before making her motion picture debut in Disney's 1998 remake of The Parent Trap at the age of 11...
thriller I Know Who Killed Me
I Know Who Killed Me
I Know Who Killed Me is a 2007 American horror-thriller film directed by Chris Sivertson and starring Lindsay Lohan.-Plot:The quiet suburb of New Salem is being terrorized by a serial killer who abducts and tortures young women, holding them captive for weeks before murdering them...
. One of her best acting roles came in the independent film Trois
Trois
Trois is a 2000 thriller directed by Rob Hardy. This movie stars Gary Dourdan, Kenya Moore and Gretchen Palmer. The film was one of the highest grossing African-American films of 2000...
which also starred Gretchen Palmer
Gretchen Palmer
Gretchen Palmer is an American television and film actress. She has had recurring roles in television series such as The Joe Schmo Show and The Parkers, and has appeared in films including Trois and I Got the Hook Up . She also appeared on The Young and the Restless as Serena.-References:...
and CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation is an American crime drama television series, which premiered on CBS on October 6, 2000. The show was created by Anthony E. Zuiker and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer...
star Gary Dourdan
Gary Dourdan
Gary Robert Dourdan is an American actor. He is best known for portraying Warrick Brown on the television series CSI: Crime Scene Investigation.-Early years:...
. Trois
Trois
Trois is a 2000 thriller directed by Rob Hardy. This movie stars Gary Dourdan, Kenya Moore and Gretchen Palmer. The film was one of the highest grossing African-American films of 2000...
went on to become one of the highest grossing African-American films of 2000. She has appeared on the cover of several major magazines, including Glamour
Glamour (magazine)
Glamour is a women's magazine published by Condé Nast Publications. Founded in 1939 in the United States, it was originally called Glamour of Hollywood....
, Seventeen
Seventeen (magazine)
Seventeen is an American magazine for teenagers. It was first published in September 1944 by Walter Annenberg's Triangle Publications. News Corporation bought Triangle in 1988, and sold Seventeen to K-III Communications in 1991. Primedia sold the magazine to Hearst in 2003. It is still in the...
, Ebony
Ebony (magazine)
Ebony, a monthly magazine for the African-American market, was founded by John H. Johnson and has published continuously since the autumn of 1945...
and Essence
Essence (magazine)
Essence is a monthly magazine for African-American women between the ages of 18 and 49. The magazine covers fashion, lifestyle and beauty with an intimate girlfriend-to-girlfriend tone.-History:...
.
Kenya has also been featured in several music videos, including R&B group Shai
Shai (band)
Shai is an early 1990s vocal R&B/soul quartet. Their biggest hit was "If I Ever Fall in Love," which reached #2 in the U.S. Top 40.-History:...
's "I Don't Wanna Be Alone", rapper Nas
Nas
Nasir bin Olu Dara Jones, who performs under the name Nas , formerly Nasty Nas, is an American rapper and actor. He is regarded as one of the most important figures in hip hop and one of the most skilled and influential rappers of all-time...
' "Street Dreams" and the Jay-Z
Jay-Z
Shawn Corey Carter , better known by his stage name Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and occasional actor. He is one of the most financially successful hip hop artists and entrepreneurs in America, having a net worth of over $450 million as of 2010...
& Jermaine Dupri
Jermaine Dupri
Jermaine Dupri Mauldin , known as Jermaine Dupri or JD, is an American record producer, songwriter and rapper.- Early life and career :...
Grammy-nominated hit "Money Ain't a Thang
Money Ain't a Thang
"Money Ain't a Thang" is the second single from rapper Jermaine Dupri's 1998 album Life in 1472. It features rapper Jay-Z and appears as a bonus track on his album Vol. 2... Hard Knock Life. It is produced by Dupri, who samples "Weak at the Knees" by Steve Arrington for the track's beat...
".
She founded the Kenya Moore Foundation which awards scholarships to under-privileged girls from her high school alma-mater. In 2007, she released her first book Game, Get Some!, that coaches men on how to get the woman of their dreams as she reveals the secrets of what women really desire from men.
In 2010 Moore starred in the film Trapped: Haitian Nights
Trapped: Haitian Nights
Trapped: Haitian Nights is thriller recorded in 2010. It stars Vivica A. Fox and was directed by Jean-Claude La Marre. It was released on DVD on February 8, 2011. In France, the film aired on télé-réalité under the title Piège: La nuit des Haïtiens....
.
Early life
Moore was born and raised in Detroit, MichiganDetroit, Michigan
Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
by her grandmother (and primary inspiration). She is of African
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
ancestry and is a graduate of Cass Technical High School
Cass Technical High School
The Cass Tech Technicians football team is a high school football program in Division 1 Public School League, representing the prestigious Cass Technical High School in Detroit, MI. Cass Tech High School has long been recognized nationwide for its extraordinary football program dating back to its...
; whose other notable alumni include Diana Ross
Diana Ross
Diana Ernestine Earle Ross is an American singer, record producer, and actress. Ross was lead singer of the Motown group The Supremes during the 1960s. After leaving the group in 1970, Ross began a solo career that included successful ventures into film and Broadway...
, David Alan Grier
David Alan Grier
David Alan Grier , also known as "D.A.G." , is an American actor and comedian known for his work on the sketch comedy television show In Living Color.-Early life:...
, Lily Tomlin
Lily Tomlin
Mary Jean "Lily" Tomlin is an American actress, comedienne, writer, and producer. Tomlin has been a major force in American comedy since the late 1960's when she began a career as a stand up comedian and became a featured performer on television's Laugh-in...
, Big Sean
Big Sean
Sean Michael Anderson , better known by his stage name Big Sean, is an American rapper. Big Sean signed with Kanye West's G.O.O.D...
, Jack White
Jack White (musician)
Jack White , often credited as Jack White III, is an American musician, songwriter, record producer and occasional actor...
, and Miss USA 1990
Miss USA 1990
Miss USA 1990, the 39th Miss USA pageant, was televised live from the Century II Convention Center in Wichita, Kansas on March 2, 1990.At the conclusion of the final competition, Carole Gist of Michigan was crowned by outgoing titleholder Gretchen Polhemus of Texas...
Carole Gist
Carole Gist
Carole Anne-Marie Gist was the first African American woman to win the Miss USA title. Gist first won the title of Miss Michigan USA and went on to win the Miss USA crown on March 2, 1990 in Wichita, Kansas...
(the first African American to win). After high school, she went to Wayne State University
Wayne State University
Wayne State University is a public research university located in Detroit, Michigan, United States, in the city's Midtown Cultural Center Historic District. Founded in 1868, WSU consists of 13 schools and colleges offering more than 400 major subject areas to over 32,000 graduate and...
where she majored in Psychology
Psychology
Psychology is the study of the mind and behavior. Its immediate goal is to understand individuals and groups by both establishing general principles and researching specific cases. For many, the ultimate goal of psychology is to benefit society...
.
Pageants
Moore competed in numerous beauty pageants in 1993; first becoming Miss Michigan USAMiss Michigan USA
The Miss Michigan USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Michigan in the Miss USA pageant.Michigan is recognized by as being within the top 15 states in terms of Miss USA success. Their first Miss USA victory was in 1990, and notable because Carole Gist...
, then Miss USA 1993
Miss USA 1993
Miss USA 1993, the 42nd Miss USA pageant, was televised live from the Century II Convention Center in Wichita, Kansas on 19 February 1993.At the conclusion of the final competition, Kenya Moore of Michigan was crowned by outgoing titleholder Shannon Marketic of California...
, and then competing in Miss Universe 1993
Miss Universe 1993
Miss Universe 1993, the 42nd Miss Universe pageant, was held at Auditorio Nacional, Mexico City, Mexico on May 21, 1993. Dayanara Torres of Puerto Rico was crowned as Miss Universe 1993...
, where she finished fifth.
At Miss Universe 1993
Miss Universe 1993
Miss Universe 1993, the 42nd Miss Universe pageant, was held at Auditorio Nacional, Mexico City, Mexico on May 21, 1993. Dayanara Torres of Puerto Rico was crowned as Miss Universe 1993...
, Kenya was heavily booed after becoming one of the 10 semifinalists. This may have been attributed to Kenya's entry into the top 10, while Miss Mexico 1993 failed to make the cut. The pageant gained notoriety again in 2007 when Miss USA Rachel Smith
Rachel Smith
Rachel Renee Smith is an American beauty queen and television personality from Clarksville, Tennessee, who won the Miss USA pageant in 2007 and who previously had competed in the Miss Teen USA pageant.-Early life:...
was booed at the Miss Universe pageant in Mexico for the same reason, except Smith slipped and landed on her bottom and barely made top 5.
Producer
Moore's first produced-by/director credit was a feature entitled Haitian Nights, written by Obba BabatundéObba Babatunde
Obba Babatundé is an American actor of stage and screen, known for his Emmy-nominated performance in the television movie Miss Evers' Boys, a NAACP Image Award-nominated performance in the TV movie Introducing Dorothy Dandridge, and a Tony Award-nominated role for his performance as C.C...
and Marc Cayce. After the project lost its director for unspecified reasons, Moore took over the post. , this movie has yet to be released.
Since Haitian Nights failure to find distribution, Moore has founded Moore Vision Media in 2008, an independent movie production and home video distribution company According to her Facebook
Facebook
Facebook is a social networking service and website launched in February 2004, operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc. , Facebook has more than 800 million active users. Users must register before using the site, after which they may create a personal profile, add other users as...
, the company was officially launched at a gala in Miami Beach, FL.
The first production under her company's banner is an erotic thriller entitled The Confidant which stars Moore, Camila Alves, Boris Kodjo, David Banner and Bai Ling amongst a few. The Confidant is currently in post production.
TV appearances
In addition to her guest hostess spot on BETBet
Bet or BET may refer to:* A wager in gambling* Basic Economics Test * Bet , the second letter in many Semitic alphabets, including Aramaic, Hebrew, Phoenician and Syriac* Brunauer-Emmett-Teller isotherm. See BET_theory...
's Video Soul
Video Soul
Video Soul was a 2-hour long American music video program that aired on BET from 1981 to 1996.-History:Video Soul premiered in June 1981 and was originally a half hour show. It was devoted to helping showcase new R&B/soul recording artists and performers...
, Moore made guest appearance roles in notable sitcoms such as The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air is an American television sitcom that originally aired on NBC from September 10, 1990 to May 20, 1996. The show stars Will Smith as a fictionalized version of himself, a street-smart teenager from West Philadelphia who is sent to move in with his aunt and uncle in their...
, Living Single
Living Single
Living Single is an American television sitcom which aired for five seasons on the Fox network from August 29, 1993 to January 1, 1998. The show centered on the lives of six friends who share personal and professional experiences while living in a Brooklyn brownstone.Throughout its run, Living...
, The Jamie Foxx Show
The Jamie Foxx Show
The Jamie Foxx Show is an American television sitcom that aired on the WB Network from August 28, 1996 to January 14, 2001. The series starred Jamie Foxx, Garcelle Beauvais, Christopher B. Duncan, Ellia English, and Garrett Morris.-Synopsis:...
, Martin
Martin (TV series)
Martin is an American sitcom produced by HBO Independent Productions that aired for five seasons, from August 27, 1992 to May 1, 1997 on Fox...
, In the House, The Steve Harvey Show
The Steve Harvey Show
The Steve Harvey Show is an American sitcom that aired for six seasons from August 25, 1996 to February 17, 2002 on The WB Television Network. It was created by Winifred Hervey and directed by Stan Lathan.-Synopsis:...
and on the UPN
UPN
United Paramount Network was a television network that was broadcast in over 200 markets in the United States from 1995 to 2006. UPN was originally owned by Viacom/Paramount and Chris-Craft Industries, the former of which, through the Paramount Television Group, produced most of the network's...
sitcoms Girlfriends
Girlfriends
Girlfriends is an American comedy-drama sitcom that premiered on September 11, 2000, on UPN and aired on UPN's successor network, The CW, before being cancelled in 2008...
and The Parkers
The Parkers
The Parkers is an American sitcom . A spin-off of UPN's Moesha, The Parkers featured the mother-daughter team of Nikki and Kim Parker . The Parkers' signature "Heeyyy" greeting made its way into popular vernacular in the early 2000s.-Premise:The series centered around a mother and daughter who...
.
- Video SoulVideo SoulVideo Soul was a 2-hour long American music video program that aired on BET from 1981 to 1996.-History:Video Soul premiered in June 1981 and was originally a half hour show. It was devoted to helping showcase new R&B/soul recording artists and performers...
- Guest Hostess - The Fresh Prince of Bel-AirThe Fresh Prince of Bel-AirThe Fresh Prince of Bel-Air is an American television sitcom that originally aired on NBC from September 10, 1990 to May 20, 1996. The show stars Will Smith as a fictionalized version of himself, a street-smart teenager from West Philadelphia who is sent to move in with his aunt and uncle in their...
(1994) — Dana - Martin (1996) — Lena Bozack
- Homeboys in Outer SpaceHomeboys in Outer SpaceHomeboys in Outer Space is an American science fiction/fantasy sitcom that aired on UPN from 1996 to 1997. The series stars comedian Flex and Darryl Bell.-Synopsis:...
(1996) — Nefertiti - Sparks (1997) — Ms. Collins
- Smart GuySmart GuySmart Guy is an American sitcom created by Danny Kallis. The series ran on The WB for three seasons from April 2, 1997 to May 16, 1999.-Premise:The show centers on the misadventures of boy genius T.J...
(1997) as Vivian Kennedy - Living SingleLiving SingleLiving Single is an American television sitcom which aired for five seasons on the Fox network from August 29, 1993 to January 1, 1998. The show centered on the lives of six friends who share personal and professional experiences while living in a Brooklyn brownstone.Throughout its run, Living...
(1997) — Lisa DeLongpre - DamonDamon (TV series)Damon was a US comedy television series starring Damon Wayans. The show lasted for eleven episodes between March and July 1998.It was created by Leo Benvenuti, Steve Rudnick, and Damon Wayans and directed by John P...
(1998) — Julia Burton - The Steve Harvey ShowThe Steve Harvey ShowThe Steve Harvey Show is an American sitcom that aired for six seasons from August 25, 1996 to February 17, 2002 on The WB Television Network. It was created by Winifred Hervey and directed by Stan Lathan.-Synopsis:...
(1998) — Miss Gerard - In the House (1999) — Valerie Bridgeforth
- The Jamie Foxx ShowThe Jamie Foxx ShowThe Jamie Foxx Show is an American television sitcom that aired on the WB Network from August 28, 1996 to January 14, 2001. The series starred Jamie Foxx, Garcelle Beauvais, Christopher B. Duncan, Ellia English, and Garrett Morris.-Synopsis:...
(1999) - Heidi Junk - The Parent 'HoodThe Parent 'HoodThe Parent 'Hood is an American sitcom that aired on The WB airing from January 18, 1995 to July 25, 1999. The series starred Robert Townsend and Suzzanne Douglas....
(1999) — Celeste - Nubian Goddess (1999) — Host
- Men, Women & Dogs (2001) — Carmen
- The ParkersThe ParkersThe Parkers is an American sitcom . A spin-off of UPN's Moesha, The Parkers featured the mother-daughter team of Nikki and Kim Parker . The Parkers' signature "Heeyyy" greeting made its way into popular vernacular in the early 2000s.-Premise:The series centered around a mother and daughter who...
(2002) — Herself - GirlfriendsGirlfriendsGirlfriends is an American comedy-drama sitcom that premiered on September 11, 2000, on UPN and aired on UPN's successor network, The CW, before being cancelled in 2008...
(2004) — Kara - Brothers in Arms (2005) — Mara
- Under One RoofUnder One Roof (2008 TV series)Under One Roof is a sitcom starring musician and Flavor of Love star William "Flavor Flav" Drayton and comic actor Kelly Perine best known for his work on One on One. The series is written by Danielle Quarles...
(2008) — Moose - Meet The BrownsMeet the Browns (TV series)Tyler Perry's Meet the Browns is an American sitcom created and produced by playwright, director, and producer Tyler Perry. The show revolves around a senior family living under one roof in Decatur, Georgia led by patriarch Mr. Brown and his daughter Cora Simmons. The show premiered on Wednesday,...
(2009) - Tamiko