Tika Sumpter

Euphemia LatiQue Sumpter, better known as Tika Sumpter, is an American actress, singer, producer, television host, and model. Sumpter began her career as host of Best Friend's Date (2004–2005), a reality series on The N. In 2005, she landed the role of Layla Williamson in the ABC daytime soap opera, One Life to Live, where she starred regularly through 2010. In the same year, Sumpter made her movie debut in her leading female role in the musical drama Stomp the Yard: Homecoming.

Sumpter was later featured in supporting roles for What's Your Number? (2011) and Think Like a Man (2012), before starring in Sparkle (2012) and A Madea Christmas (2013). From May 2013 to July 2021, Sumpter performed the role of Candace Young, a leading character on the Oprah Winfrey Network primetime soap opera The Haves and the Have Nots. Sumpter later played Angela Payton in the action-comedy films Ride Along (2014) and its sequel Ride Along 2 (2016), as well as starring in the romantic comedy Nobody's Fool (2018). She starred in the biographical films Get On Up (2014) playing Yvonne Fair, and The Old Man & the Gun (2018). In 2016, Sumpter produced and starred as Michelle Robinson (later Obama) in the critically acclaimed biographical romantic drama Southside with You (2016). She also starred as Maddie Wachowski in the family comedy film Sonic the Hedgehog (2020) and its sequel, Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (2022).

Early life
Sumpter was born in Queens, New York City. She was a cheerleader at her high school. She graduated from Longwood Senior High School in Middle Island, New York and studied at Marymount Manhattan College where she majored in communications.

2004–2011
Sumpter began her modeling career and appeared in commercials for Hewlett-Packard and Liz Claiborne's Curve fragrances. She also worked as a waitress before acting. In 2004, she served as the co-host for the reality series Best Friend's Date, which was broadcast on Nickelodeon's defunct cable channel The N, now titled TeenNick. The following year she landed the role of Layla Williamson in the ABC daytime soap opera, One Life to Live. For her portrayal of Layla, Sumpter was nominated for an NAACP Image Award for Best Actress in a Daytime Drama Series in 2008. She first appeared on-screen on July 15, 2005, playing the role regularly through September 14, 2010. Sumpter reappeared in the role on November 9–10, 2010, and January 21 and 24, 2011.

In 2010, Sumpter made her film debut in Stomp the Yard: Homecoming on the female lead role, and in the same year appeared in Salt. From January to May 2011, Sumpter appeared in The CW teen drama series, Gossip Girl as Raina Thorpe, the daughter of Russell Thorpe and Chuck Bass/Nate' former love interest. She played singer Jason Derülo's girlfriend in the video for his song "It Girl". In 2011, she appeared as lead character friend in the romantic comedy film What's Your Number?. From 2011 to 2012 she also had a recurring role as Jenna Rice in the BET comedy series, The Game.

2012–2015
Sumpter played the middle of three singing sisters in the music-themed film Sparkle (2012), inspired by the story of The Supremes. The film is noted as the final role for Whitney Houston, who played the mother of the sisters and who died a few months after production ended. Sumpter is heard on the Sparkle: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack album, and appears in the video for "Celebrate", the last song Houston recorded for the film.

After Sparkle, Sumpter starred in the independent comedy film My Man Is a Loser written and directed by comedian Mike Young. Filmed in 2012, My Man Is a Loser received release on July 25, 2014, by Lionsgate. From May 2013 to July 2021, Sumpter starred as Candace Young, a lead villainess, in the Oprah Winfrey Network soapy drama series The Haves and the Have Nots, created by Tyler Perry. The series was one of the biggest hits in ratings for the Oprah Winfrey Network. It was also in 2013, the same year as Sumpter began starring in The Haves and the Have Nots that she appeared in the Christmas comedy-drama film A Madea Christmas by Tyler Perry.

Sumpter played the female lead in Ride Along, the 2014 action comedy film directed by Tim Story, opposite Kevin Hart and Ice Cube. She returned to the role in its sequel Ride Along 2, released on January 15, 2016. She played Yvonne Fair in Get On Up, the biographical drama film about James Brown. In the same year she co-starred opposite Queen Latifah, Mo'Nique, and Khandi Alexander in the HBO biographical film Bessie about the iconic blues singer Bessie Smith.

2016–present
Sumpter played young Michelle Obama in the romantic comedy-drama film Southside with You, a biopic about the early romance between Barack and Michelle Obama. The film premiered at the 2016 Sundance Film Festival and received positive reviews from critics. Sumpter also co-produced the film. She received positive reviews for her performance. Variety placed her in its list of one of the "Biggest Breakthrough Performances" at Sundance, writing in its review, "It’s a tall order to bring a living, breathing icon to life. But that’s just what Sumpter does, checking in with America’s First Lady before she ever landed at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. Playing Michelle Robinson when she was just an up-and-coming corporate lawyer, Sumpter slowly lets her guard down, allowing an idealistic Barack Obama to charm her into going to an art show, a community gathering and a Spike Lee film."

Sumpter is an honorary member of Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority. She was inducted into the organization on July 10, 2016, at the 67th annual Boule, in Atlanta, Georgia.

On October 7, 2016, it was announced that Sumpter would be playing a leading role and co-executive produce political drama The 313 for CBS. She would play Mayor of Detroit in the show. She also was set to star alongside Taraji P. Henson in Tyler Perry's drama film Acrimony, but left the project.

In 2018, Sumpter appeared alongside Casey Affleck, Danny Glover, Sissy Spacek and Robert Redford in the drama The Old Man & the Gun, directed by David Lowery. Also that year, she starred with Jamie Lee Curtis in An Acceptable Loss, a political thriller written and directed by Joe Chappelle, and opposite Tiffany Haddish in the comedy-drama film Nobody's Fool for Paramount Players. Sumpter also is developing drama series Trader for HBO as executive producer and intended to star.

In 2019, Sumpter was cast in the ABC comedy series Mixed-ish, a prequel spinoff of Black-ish, playing the leading role of Alicia, Rainbow's mother. In 2020, she starred alongside James Marsden and Jim Carrey in the action comedy film Sonic the Hedgehog based on the video game franchise, and starred in the sequel in 2022.

Personal life
On October 8, 2016, Sumpter gave birth to a girl she named Ella-Loren. In January 2017, Sumpter announced that she was engaged to The Haves and the Have Nots co-star, Nicholas James.

They married in Mexico in 2022.