Who is Shari Headley? Everything You Need to Know

Quick Facts

Age: 59 Years, 59 Year Old Females

Family:

Spouse/Ex-: Christopher Martin (m. 1993 – div. 1995)

father: Godfrey Headley

mother: Sarah Headley

children: Skyler Martin

Actresses Black Actresses

Height: 5'8" (173 cm), 5'8" Females

Ancestry: Trinidadian and Tobagonian American

City: New York City

U.S. State: New Yorkers, African-American From New Yorkers

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Career

As a child, Shari Headley used to hold a hairbrush like a mike to give mock performances at home. She took part in school plays with much enthusiasm. She was born and bred in New York, but moved to Hollywood to pursue a career in acting. She began her career as a model, appearing in glamour magazines, but was soon catapulted to the small screen in 1985, when she appeared in an episode of the NBC sitcom ‘The Cosby Show’. She then guest starred in several popular television series, including ‘Miami Vice’ (1986) and ‘Gideon Oliver’ (1989). She went on to play guest roles on TV shows like ‘Matlock’ in 1990, ‘New York Undercover’ in 1995 and ‘Walker Texas Ranger in 1996. In the 2000s, she worked continuously, appearing in important roles in many popular shows, including ‘The Bold and the Beautiful’ (2004 - 2005), ‘House M.D.’ (2005), ‘Towelhead’ (2007), ‘Castle’ (2009) and ‘Love that Girl’ (2014).

Her notable film roles include playing Marcheline in ‘10 Things I Hate About You’ (2010), Tianna in ‘Act Like You Love Me’ (2013), Maple in ‘The Congregation’ (2014) and Mrs. Carter ‘Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween’ (2018). In 2015, she appeared in the TV shows ‘Switched at Birth’ and ‘I Really Hate My Ex’. Year 2019 has been a busy year for Headley as she has essayed the role of Imani in the TV movie ‘Three’s Complicated’ and Houston Connelly in the TV series ‘Star’. She plays an important character called Harmony in the TV series ‘On Becoming a God in Central Florida’.

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Rise to Stardom

Shari Headley’s career peaked when she was chosen as the female lead to star in a romantic comedy opposite the famous comedian and star Eddie Murphy. Their first movie together, ‘Coming to America’, was released in 1988 and created waves at the box office. She has worked with many renowned actors, including Denzel Washington in ‘The Preacher’s Wife’ (1996), which was another milestone in her career. Her role as District Attorney Jennifer Sallison in the TV series ‘The Haves and Have Nots’ has shades of grey and traits of villainy, bringing out the depth of Headley’s acting abilities.

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Music Videos

Shari Headley’s glamorous looks and bubbly personality helped her star in a few music videos. In 1988, she worked with Jonathan Butler for the music video, ‘Sarah, Sarah’. A few years later, she was once again seen in a music video titled ‘Before I let you go’ by Blackstreet (1994). She also worked with Will Smith in the music video ‘The Wild Wild West’ (1999).

Family & Personal Life

Shari Headley was born on July 15, 1964 to Godfrey and Sarah Headley, in Queens, New York. She has three siblings: an elder brother and two elder sisters. She was married to the actor and hip-hop artist Christopher Martin for two years from May 1993 to June 1995. They have a son named Skyler Martin, who Headley brought up as a single parent. She is also a philanthropist who supports the ‘Saving Our Daughters’ organization, which aims at preventing abuse among teenage girls. She received the 2013 President’s Volunteer Service Award from President Barack Obama.

Shari Headley Biography