Tanya Wright
Actress
Biography
Lists
Also Viewed
The basics
Quick Facts
| Intro | Actress | |
| Places | United States of America | |
| is | Actor Writer Film director Novelist Television actor Stage actor Screenwriter | |
| Work field | Film, TV, Stage & Radio Literature | |
| Gender |
| |
| Profiles |  | |
| Birth | The Bronx, New York City, New York, U.S.A. |
The details
Biography
Tanya Wright is an actress known for her starring on Buddies as Phyllis Brooks, as well as her recurring roles on 24 as Patty Brooks, NYPD Blue as Officer Maya Anderson, on True Blood as Deputy Kenya Jones, and as Crystal on the Netflix original series Orange Is the New Black. Wright's first audition landed her first job as Theo's girlfriend on The Cosby Show when she was a child.
Career
Over the course of her career, Tanya made the decision to start wearing her hair naturally. Tanya wrote a book entitled Butterfly Rising, which was released on August 5, 2012. Tanya is also a screenwriter, having written the screenplay for her book, for which she will also be directing and producing.
Personal life
Tanya Wright was born in The Bronx. Tanya is an alumna of the Oliver Scholars Program and graduated high school from George School, a private Quaker school. She majored in English at Vassar College.
Filmography
| Film | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Film | Role | Notes |
| 1998 | Mama Flora's Family | Ernestine | |
| 1999 | Mutiny | Role Unknown | |
| 2001 | The Brothers | LaMuzindah | |
| 2005 | Ralph & Stanley | Dr. Reynolds | Short |
| 2010 | Butterfly Rising | Rose | |
| 2011 | Aide-de-Camp | Anna | Short |
| 2012 | Why Stop Now | Lisa | |
| Beyond Control | Tina | Currently in post-production | |
| Television | |||
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1986 | The Cosby Show | Tanya Simpson | Two Episodes: The Card Game and Man Talk |
| 1991 | Parker Lewis Can't Lose | Girlfriend | One Episode: Boy Meets Girl |
| 1994 | Beverly Hills, 90210 | Assistant | One Episode: Intervention |
| 1995 | Living Single | Tanya | One Episode: If the Crew Fits |
| Family Matters | India | One Episode: We're Going to Disney World: Part 2 | |
| 1996 | The Wayans Bros. | Toya | One Episode: The Odd Couples |
| Buddies | Phyllis Brooks | Thirteen Episodes: | |
| The Jamie Foxx Show | Casey Coles | Five Episodes: | |
| 1999 | Moesha | Andrea | Good Vibrations? and Fired Up |
| 2000–2001 | The District | Laura Clayson and Annette Haywood | One Episode: Imperfect Victims and Running Towards Fire |
| 2001–2002 | 24 | Patty Brooks | Eight Episodes: |
| 2002 | NYPD Blue | Officer Maya Anderson | Six Episodes: Better Laid than Never: Part I, Better Laid than Never: Part II, Ho Down, You've Got Mail, One in the Nuts and Maya Con Dios |
| 2003–2004 | The Handler | Marcy | Sixteen Episodes: |
| 2004 | Strong Medicine | Lily's Mother | One Episode: Touched by an Idol |
| 2006 | Windfall | Dr. Bailey | One Episode: Urgent Care |
| 2007 | ER | Megan Strand | One Episode: Sea Change |
| Standoff | Diana Marsh | One Episode: Lie to Me | |
| 2008–2012,2014 | True Blood | Deputy Kenya Jones recurring | |
| 2013–present | Orange Is the New Black | Crystal | recurring |