Nikki M. James
Nikki Michelle James is an American actress, director and singer. James has performed in the popular stage musicals The Book of Mormon, ''Les Misérables, and Suffs, earning a Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical for The Book of Mormon'' at the 65th Tony Awards.
Life and career
Nikki M. James was born to immigrant parents, a Vincentian father and a Haitian mother who settled in New Jersey in pursuit of the American dream. James grew up in Livingston, New Jersey where she would graduate from Livingston High School. As a child, she sang and acted in church and in school performances. She was nominated for a Rising Star Award at Paper Mill Playhouse for her performance as Dolly Levi in Hello, Dolly! in high school. She later attended the Tisch School of the Arts at New York University.James made her Broadway debut in The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, and starred as Ottilie in the New York City Center Encores! production of House of Flowers. She played Adela Alba in the Off-Broadway run of Michael John LaChiusa's musical adaptation of Bernarda Alba and appeared in the Broadway cast of All Shook Up.
James played Dorothy Gale in the revival of The Wiz at La Jolla Playhouse and also starred in Romeo and Juliet and Caesar and Cleopatra at the Stratford Festival with Christopher Plummer. For her performance as Nabulungi in The Book of Mormon, she won the 2011 Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical
In July 2017, James starred in the New York City Center Encores! staged concert of The Bubbly Black Girl Sheds Her Chameleon Skin. In 2024 she began starring as journalist and civil rights activist Ida B. Wells in the musical Suffs. James was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical for her performance at the 77th Tony Awards.
She also has had many notable film and television roles as an actor, starting on Law & Order, followed by 30 Rock, The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby, The Good Wife, Severance (TV series) and Daredevil: Born Again.
Acting and directing credits
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 2001 | Third Watch | Maizie | 2 episodes |
| 2003 | Law & Order: Criminal Intent | Tamara Bates | Episode: "Stray" |
| 2004 | The Jury | Myra Clarkson | Episode: "Bangers" |
| 2009 | Law & Order: Criminal Intent | Jackie | Episode: "Salome in Manhattan" |
| 2010 | 30 Rock | Erica | Episode: "Gentleman's Intermission" |
| 2012 | Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | 911 Operator | Episode: "Father Dearest" |
| 2015 | Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | Detective Gail Dunbar | 2 episodes |
| 2015 | For Real | Candace | TV movie |
| 2015–2016 | The Good Wife | Monica Timmons | 6 episodes |
| 2016 | BrainDead | Rochelle | 12 episodes |
| 2016 | The Blacklist | Rose | Episode: "The Caretaker " |
| 2017–2019 | Welcome to the Wayne | Julia Wiles | 10 episodes |
| 2018 | Bull | Chloe Tomlin | Episode: "Gag Order" |
| 2018–2020 | The Good Fight | Monica Timmons | 3 episodes |
| 2018 | Instinct | Ashley | Episode: "Blast from the Past" |
| 2018 | Escape at Dannemora | ER Doctor | Episode: "Part 5" |
| 2019 | NCIS: New Orleans | Lisa Butler | Episode: "A House Divided" |
| 2019 | Proven Innocent | Violet Bell | 13 episodes |
| 2021 | Modern Love | Pam | Episode: "How Do You Remember Me?" |
| 2022 | Severance | Alexa | 4 episodes |
| 2025–present | Daredevil: Born Again | Kirsten McDuffie | 8 episodes |