Da'Vine Joy Randolph

Early life

Randolph grew up in Philadelphia and Hershey, Pennsylvania. She went to Temple University to focus on vocal performance, but in her junior year she decided to switch concentrations to Musical Theatre. After graduating from Temple, she went to the Yale School of Drama. She graduated from Yale in 2011 with her masters.

Career

Randolph auditioned for an understudy role in the Broadway transfer of Ghost the Musical (which was currently playing in London's West End), but the producers decided to cast her in the principal role of Oda Mae Brown. Before the casting of the Broadway transfer was announced, Sharon D. Clarke, who played Oda Mae in London suffered a minor knee injury. Randolph was quickly flown out to cover the role in Clarke's absence. Her debut performance took place on Friday December 16, 2011 and she continued to share the role with understudy Lisa Davina Phillip until early January 2012, when Clarke returned.

After a preview period that began in March 2012, the original Broadway production opened Monday April 23, 2012 with Randolph playing opposite Richard Fleeshman and Caissie Levy in the leading roles. Considering being branded as the "newcomer", she was nominated for the 2012 Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical.

Randolph played Charmonique in ABC's situation comedy series Selfie, which premiered on September 30, 2014.

Randolph is the voice of Christine in the Netflix original series The Mr. Peabody & Sherman Show.