Trends in LIMS

CCH Pounder
Pounder in 2002
Born
Carol Christine Hilaria Pounder

(1952-12-25) December 25, 1952 (age 71)
NationalityAmerican
EducationEast Sussex College
Ithaca College (BFA)
OccupationActress
Years active1979–present
Spouse
Boubacar Kone
(m. 1990; died 2016)
[1]
Children3
Websitecchpounder.net Edit this at Wikidata

Carol Christine Hilaria Pounder (born December 25, 1952)[2] is an American actress. She portrayed Mo'at in the Avatar franchise, Amanda Waller in various DC media, and Claudette Wyms in the FX police drama series The Shield (2002–2008). She has received four Primetime Emmy Award nominations for her roles in The X-Files, ER, The Shield, and The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency.

Pounder portrayed Dr. Angela Hicks in the medical drama series ER (1994–1997), Irene Frederic in Warehouse 13 (2009–2014), and District Attorney Tyne Patterson in Sons of Anarchy (2013–2014). From 2014 until the show's conclusion in 2021, she portrayed medical examiner Dr. Loretta Wade on the police drama series NCIS: New Orleans. Pounder was also the voice of Amanda Waller in the animated show Justice League Unlimited (2004–2006), a role that she has reprised in later DC Comics media. As well as the voice of the recurring role of Kadma on W.I.T.C.H..

In film, she appeared in All That Jazz (1979), Go Tell It on the Mountain (1984), Prizzi's Honor (1985), Bagdad Cafe (1987), Postcards from the Edge (1990), Psycho IV: The Beginning (1990), Benny & Joon (1993), Demon Knight (1995), Face/Off (1997), End of Days (1999), Orphan (2009), Avatar (2009), The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones (2013), and Godzilla: King of the Monsters (2019).

Early life

Pounder was born in British Guiana (now Guyana)[3] on December 25, 1952.[4] Her full name, Carol Christine Hilaria Pounder, is in honor of her grandmothers and godmothers.[3] She was raised on a sugar plantation that her father Ronald Arlington Pounder managed.[3] Her mother Betsy Enid Arnella (nee James) worked at the United States Embassy while the family lived in London, England.[5] Pounder attended a Catholic boarding school in Sussex, England.[5]

She matriculated at Hastings College of Arts and Technology where Pounder studied painting, but dropped out as a freshman after moving to the United States.[6] Her family had already settled in New York while she was attending school.[6] Pounder graduated from Ithaca College in 1975.[7] Pounder stated her parents did not support her choice to be an actress, with her mother instead wanting Pounder to be a newscaster.[3]

Career

Pounder made her acting debut in the film All That Jazz (1979).[8] She continued her career in New York City theater,[9] where she appeared in The Mighty Gents by playwright Richard Wesley, and Open Admissions on Broadway. She moved to Los Angeles in 1982.[10] She starred in the film Bagdad Café,[11] and has made smaller appearances in many other films.

She focused primarily on her television career. In the early 1980s, Pounder first appeared in guest roles on Hill Street Blues, and then on several shows (The Cosby Show, L.A. Law, The X-Files, Living Single, and Quantum Leap) before landing a long-running recurring role as Dr. Angela Hicks on ER from 1994 to 1997. She also co-starred in the Tales From the Crypt feature film Demon Knight (1995). She then returned to guest appearances on other shows, including The Practice, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Millennium, The West Wing (where she was considered for the role of C. J. Cregg), and the short-lived sitcom Women in Prison.

Pounder with Avatar co-star Laz Alonso in December 2009

From 2002 to 2008, she starred as Detective Claudette Wyms in the FX police drama The Shield.[12] For this role she was nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series in 2005 and an NAACP Image Award.[10] She had previously been nominated for an Emmy in 1995 for guest starring in The X-Files and in 1997 for her supporting role on ER. She has also lent her voice to several video games and animated projects, including Aladdin and the King of Thieves, True Crime: Streets of LA, Gargoyles as Desdemona and Coldfire, and Justice League Unlimited as government agent Amanda Waller, which role she reprised for the animated film adaptation of the comic book Superman/Batman: Public Enemies[13] as well as the video game Batman: Arkham Origins, its sequel Batman: Arkham Origins Blackgate, and another animated film that takes place in continuity with the games, Batman: Assault on Arkham.

Pounder was also one of the readers for the HBO film Unchained Memories: Readings from the Slave Narrative (2003). She appeared on the Syfy series Warehouse 13 from 2009 until its finale on May 19, 2014. Pounder also was one of the stars of Fox's cancelled 2009 sitcom Brothers. Pounder was nominated for the Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series for her appearance in the BBC/HBO series The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency. She had a recurring role as DA Thyne Patterson on the FX crime drama series Sons of Anarchy (2013–14).[14] She co-starred in The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones (2013). In Disney's The Lion Guard she voices Kongwe, the wise old turtle.

In 1996, Pounder served as a guest judge for the 1996 Miss USA Pageant, in South Padre Island, Texas.

Advocacy

As one of the founders of Artists for a New South Africa, Pounder has energized awareness of post-apartheid and HIV/AIDS issues.[15] In an interview, she said about the pandemic: "When it's this massive disease, and it's affecting things in 5,000 different ways, it requires great strength and power—and there is power in numbers. So we need to involve as many people as we can, like we do with ANSA. I call it my little engine that could. It is a remarkable, tiny organization with a huge outreach. We use actors and artists with the biggest voices so they can use every opportunity to talk about AIDS."[16]

CCH Pounder and Glenn Close at the Peabody Awards 2006

Acting credits

Key
Denotes works that have not yet been released

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1979 All That Jazz Nurse Blake
Coriolanus Valeria Video
1980 Union City Mrs. Lewis
1982 I'm Dancing as Fast as I Can Anne
1984 Go Tell It on the Mountain Deborah
1985 Prizzi's Honor 'Peaches' Altamont
1987 Bagdad Cafe Brenda
1990 Postcards from the Edge Julie Marsden
1992 The Importance of Being Earnest Miss Prism
1993 Benny & Joon Dr. Garvey
RoboCop 3 Bertha
Sliver Lieutenant Victoria Hendrix
1995 Demon Knight Irene
1996 Aladdin and the King of Thieves The Oracle Voice, direct-to-video
1997 Face/Off Hollis Miller
1998 Melting Pot Lucinda Davis
Blossoms and Veils - Short
1999 Funny Valentines Ethel B.
The Big Day Pearl
End of Days Detective Marge Francis
2001 Things Behind the Sun Judge
2002 Tét Grenné Sally
Baby of the Family Nurse Bloom
2003 Unchained Memories Reader
2008 Rain Ms. Adams
Breaking the Maya Code Narrator Documentary
2009 Orphan Sister Abigail
Superman/Batman: Public Enemies Amanda Waller Voice, direct-to-video[17]
Avatar Mo'at
2010 My Girlfriend's Back Constance
2012 Home Again Dulsay Mooreland
2013 The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones Madame Dorothea
2014 Batman: Assault on Arkham Amanda Waller Voice, direct-to-video[17]
2019 Godzilla: King of the Monsters Senator Williams
2022 Avatar: The Way of Water Mo'at
2023 Rustin Anna Arnold Hedgeman
2025 The Naked Gun Post-production
Avatar: Fire and Ash Mo'at Post-production
2029 Avatar 4 Filming

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1981 Hill Street Blues Jasmine Episode: "The Second Oldest Profession"
1982 Hill Street Blues Wilna Tucker Episode: "Little Boil Blue"
1984 Booker Jane Television film
1985 American Playhouse Deborah Episode: "Go Tell It on the Mountain"
The Atlanta Child Murders Venus Taylor 2 episodes
1986 If Tomorrow Comes Ernestine Littlechap Episode: "Episode #1.1"
Resting Place Ada Johnson Television film
As Summers Die Priscilla Television film
Valerie Mrs. Davis Episode: "Full Moon"
Cagney & Lacey Timmons Episode: "Disenfranchised"
Hill Street Blues Ms. Jones Episode: "Amazing Grace"
1986–92 L.A. Law Judge Roseann Robin Recurring cast (season 1), guest (season 5-6)
1987 The Line Anna Mae Demesy Television film
On the Edge - Television film
1987–88 Women in Prison Dawn Murphy Main cast
1988 Run Till You Fall Janice Television film
Leap of Faith Roberta Television film
1989 CBS Schoolbreak Special Renee Cook Episode: "My Past Is My Own"
227 Lucinda Markle Episode: "Babes in the Woods"
Third Degree Burn Julie Cartwright Television film
Miami Vice Yvonne Episode: "Too Much, Too Late"
No Place Like Home Prue Television film
1990 Murder in Mississippi Fannie Lee Chaney Television film
Common Ground Rachel Twymon Episode: "Part I & Part II"
Quantum Leap Mama Harper Episode: "Black on White on Fire"
Psycho IV: The Beginning Fran Ambrose Television film
Cop Rock Willa Phelan Recurring cast
1991 Lifestories Roxanne Tevis Episode: "Darryl Devis"
True Colors Judge Fallows Episode: "Presumed Guilty"
1992 Home Improvement Assistant Episode: "What About Bob?"
The Cosby Show Clair's friend Episode: "Clair's Reunion"
1993 The Ernest Green Story Daisy Bates Television film
For Their Own Good Naomi Brinker Television film
Lifepod Mayvene Television film
The Disappearance of Christina Detective Davis Television film
Return to Lonesome Dove Sara Pickett Main cast
New Year Eudora Kellogg Television film
1994 Birdland Nurse Lucy Main cast
South Central Dr. LeBrock Episode: "Co-op"
Biker Mice from Mars Stonecutter Episode: "Stone Broke"
The X-Files Agent Lucy Kazdin Episode: "Duane Barry"
Robin's Hoods Vivian Castro Episode: "Unto Thyself Be True"
1994–95 Sweet Justice Judge Addison 2 episodes
1994–97 ER Dr. Angela Hicks Supporting cast (season 1-4)
1995 Zooman Ash Television film
White Dwarf Nurse Shabana Television film
Living Single Nina Shaw Episode: "Mommy Not Dearest"
Jack Reed: One of Our Own Mrs. Harris Television film
1995–96 Gargoyles Desdemona Voice, 3 episodes[17]
1996 All She Ever Wanted Dr. Marilyn Tower Television film
If These Walls Could Talk Nurse Mrs. Ford Television film
1996–98 Millennium Dr. Cheryl Andrews Recurring cast
1997 Things That Go Bump Harriet Napolean Television film
House of Frankenstein Dr. Shauna Kendall 2 episodes
1998 Final Justice Danielle Kline Television film
Little Girl Fly Away Dr. Geddes Television film
Histeria! Harriet Tubman Voice, episode: "General Sherman's Campsite"[17]
Ghost Cop Detective Episode: "Pilot"
1999 Batman Beyond Anchorwoman Voice, episode: "Rebirth"[17]
NetForce FBI Director Sandra Knight Television film
Detention Miss Powers Voice, episode: "The Contest"
A Touch of Hope Lily Keyes Television film
1999–2000 Rocket Power Officer Shirley Voice
2000 The West Wing Deborah O'Leary Episode: "Celestial Navigation"
Rude Awakening Stacey Episode: "Plastered"
The Outer Limits Stranger Episode: "Decompression"
Cora Unashamed Ma Jenkins Television film
Disappearing Acts Mrs. Swift Television film
2000–01 Static Shock Mayor Voice, 2 episodes[17]
2001 The Practice Elaine Washington 2 episodes
Crossing Jordan Libby Bell Episode: "Mortality"
Boycott Jo Ann Robinson Television film
Strong Medicine Libby Bell Episode: "Mortality"
The District Eilen Carmicheal Episode: "To Serve and Protect"
2001–10 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Carolyn Maddox Recurring cast
2002 For the People Millie Towns Episode: "To DNA or Not to DNA"
2002–08 The Shield Claudette Wyms Main cast
2003 Jackie Chan Adventures Miss Kimber Voice, episode: "The Shadow Eaters"
2004 Girlfriends Dr. Myers Episode: "Prophet & Loss"
Redemption: The Stan Tookie Williams Story Winnie Mandela Television film
2004–06 Justice League Unlimited Amanda Waller Voice, recurring role[17]
2005 Numb3rs Lieutenant Lee Havercamp Episode: "Vector"
2006 W.I.T.C.H. Queen Kadma Voice, recurring cast (season 2)
2007 American Masters Narrator Voice, episode: "Novel Reflections: The American Dream"
2008 The Tower Evie Television film
2009 The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency Mrs. Curtin Episode: "The Boy with an African Heart"
Brothers Adele Trainor Main cast
2009–14 Warehouse 13 Mrs. Irene Frederic Recurring cast
2011 Revenge Warden Sharon Stiles 2 episodes
2013 Perception FBI Psychiatrist Episode: "Warrior"
2013–14 Sons of Anarchy District Attorney Tyne Patterson Recurring cast (season 6-7)
2014 NCIS Dr. Loretta Wade[18] Episode: "Crescent City"
Beware the Batman Marion Grange Voice, 2 episodes[17]
2014–21 NCIS: New Orleans Dr. Loretta Wade Main cast
2015 Archer Claudette Kane Voice, episode: "The Kanes"
2018 The Lion Guard Kongwe Voice, episode: "The Wisdom of Kongwe"[17]
2021 The Good Fight Vinetta Clark 2 episodes
2023 Full Circle Savitri Mahabir Miniseries
2024 3 Body Problem Secretary General Lilian Joseph 2 episodes[19]

Theatre

Year Title Role Playwright Venue Ref.
1984 Open Admissions Mrs. Brewster Shirley Lauro Music Box Theatre, Broadway [20]

Video games

Year Title Voice role Notes
1997 Fallout Head Scribe Vree [17]
2003 True Crime: Streets of LA Chief Wanda Parks [17]
2013 Batman: Arkham Origins Amanda Waller
Batman: Arkham Origins Blackgate
2014 Skylanders: Trap Team Golden Queen [21]
2016 Skylanders: Imaginators [22]

Awards and nominations

Year Award Category Work Result Ref.
1995 Primetime Emmy Award Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series The X-Files Nominated
1996 NAACP Image Award Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series ER Nominated
1997 Primetime Emmy Award Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series Nominated
Audie Award Inspirational/Spiritual Grow Old Along with Me, the Best Is Yet to Be Won
Multi-Voiced Performance Nominated
Grammy Award Best Spoken Word or Non-Musical Album
1998 NAACP Image Award Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series ER Nominated
Audie Award Multi-Voiced Performance Women in the Material World Won [23]
Nonfiction, Abridged
2002 Black Reel Award Best Supporting Actress in a Television Movie Boycott Nominated
NAACP Image Award Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Nominated
2003 Satellite Award Best Actress – Television Series Drama The Shield Won
NAACP Image Award Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series Nominated
2004 Satellite Award Best Actress – Television Series Drama Won
Black Reel Award Best Supporting Actress in a Television Movie Redemption: The Stan Tookie Williams Story Won
2004 NAACP Image Award Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series The Shield Nominated
2005 Primetime Emmy Award Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series Nominated
2006 NAACP Image Award Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series Nominated
2007 Nominated
2008 Nominated
2009 Nominated
Primetime Emmy Award Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency Nominated
2010 NAACP Image Award Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series Brothers Nominated
Audie Awards Audiobook of the Year Nelson Mandela's Favorite African Folktales Won [24][25]
Multi-Voiced Performance
2017 NAACP Image Award Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series NCIS: New Orleans Nominated
2019 Nominated

References

  1. ^ Langenhennig, Susan. "CCH Pounder of 'NCIS: New Orleans' turns a downtown condo into her personal art showcase". NOLA.com. Archived from the original on February 21, 2018. Retrieved February 20, 2018.
  2. ^ "CCH Pounder". Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved August 3, 2022.
  3. ^ a b c d Elber, Lynn (March 13, 1995). "CCH Pounder's name and face are eyecatchers". The Bryan Times.
  4. ^ "Today's Birthdays". The Lewiston Tribune. December 25, 2004. p. 12A.
  5. ^ a b Buck, Jerry (March 23, 1990). "Families' stories related in two-part CBS miniseries". The Bulletin.
  6. ^ a b "CCH Pounder in new... RoboCop 3". Baltimore Afro-American. October 30, 1993. p. B4.
  7. ^ "CCH Pounder '75". Ithaca College. Retrieved November 9, 2022.
  8. ^ Murray, Noel (May 18, 2010). "CCH Pounder". The A.V. Club. Retrieved November 9, 2022.
  9. ^ Scott, Vernon (June 7, 1993). "CCH Pounder -- never mind what the initials stand..." United Press International. Retrieved November 9, 2022.
  10. ^ a b "San Diego Westways by AAA, p. 61, May 2015
  11. ^ Pounder's role was later played by Whoopi Goldberg in a short-lived television sitcom
  12. ^ Barney, Chuck (September 1, 2008). "'The Shield' gears up for finale". Reading Eagle. p. D10.
  13. ^ "Superman: The Animated Series DVD news: Announcement for Superman/Batman: Public Enemies". TVShowsonDVD.com. Archived from the original on October 30, 2014. Retrieved October 30, 2014.
  14. ^ Rosenberg, Alyssa (September 23, 2014). "CCH Pounder takes her wonderful voice to 'NCIS: New Orleans'". The Washington Post. Retrieved November 9, 2022.
  15. ^ "ANSA". Ansaafrica.org. Archived from the original on December 16, 2014. Retrieved October 30, 2014.
  16. ^ "A&U:America's AIDS Magazine". Aumag.org. Archived from the original on July 25, 2013. Retrieved October 30, 2014.
  17. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "CCH Pounder (visual voices guide)". Behind The Voice Actors. Retrieved August 26, 2023. A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its credits or other reliable sources of information.
  18. ^ Mitovich, Matt (February 3, 2014). "Scoop: NCIS: New Orleans Pilot Adds Sons of Anarchy's CCH Pounder, JAG Alum". Tvline.com. Retrieved February 3, 2014.
  19. ^ 3 Body Problem (TV Series 2024– ) - IMDb, retrieved March 22, 2024
  20. ^ "Open Admissions (Broadway, 1984)". Playbill. Retrieved July 13, 2024.
  21. ^ Toys for Bob. Skylanders: Trap Team. Scene: Closing credits, 8:40 in.
  22. ^ Toys for Bob. Skylanders: Imaginators. Scene: Closing credits, 8:40 in.
  23. ^ "1998 audie-awards".
  24. ^ "2010 audie-awards".
  25. ^ "Mandelas Favorite Folktales – Performers". August 3, 2020.