Nicole Ari Parker Kodjoe, born on October 7, 1970, in Baltimore, Maryland, USA, is an American actress and model renowned for her compelling roles in film and television. The only child of dentist Donald Parker and healthcare professional Susan Parker, she grew up in an environment that valued education and the arts, though her parents initially hesitated about her acting career. At 17, she won Best Actress in Maryland’s high school theater competition and joined the Washington Ballet Company. She graduated from New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts in 1993, launching her career in stage productions like House Arrest and The Madwoman of Chaillot.

Her screen debut came in 1995 with a starring role in the indie film The Incredibly True Adventure of Two Girls in Love, followed by a part in Paul Thomas Anderson’s Boogie Nights (1997), earning a Screen Actors Guild Award nomination for Best Ensemble Cast. Her film career soared with Blue Streak (1999), Remember the Titans (2000) alongside Denzel Washington—garnering an NAACP Image Award nomination—and Brown Sugar (2002). She also starred in comedies like Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins (2008) and Almost Christmas (2016), as well as the lead in A Snowy Day in Oakland (2023).

On television, her iconic role as attorney Teri Joseph in Showtime’s Soul Food (2000–2004) earned five NAACP Image Award nominations for Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series. She co-starred with her husband Boris Kodjoe in Second Time Around (2004–2005) and played the recurring role of Giselle Barker in Empire (2015–2020). Recently, she appeared in The Chi and other projects, showcasing her versatility across drama and comedy.

Off-screen, Nicole married actor Boris Kodjoe in 2005, and they have two children: Sophie (born with spina bifida) and Nicolas. In 2008, she founded Sophie’s Voice Foundation to support those with spina bifida, reflecting her commitment to philanthropy. With an estimated net worth of $5 million (2024), Nicole Ari Parker remains an inspiration as a talented actress balancing career, family, and social impact.