Sonya Eddy


Sonya Eddy was an American actress. She was best known for playing Epiphany Johnson in the American ABC soap opera General Hospital for which she won a posthumous Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series in 2023.

Early life and education

Eddy was born in Concord, California, on June 17, 1967. She majored in theatre and dance at University of California, Davis and received her B.A. in 1992.

Career

Eddy made her acting debut in the West Coast premiere of Ruby Dee's play Zora Is My Name in 1990. Other stage credits included The Comedy of Errors, The Witch in Stephen Sondheim's Into the Woods and Bloody Mary in South Pacific. In 1995, Eddy moved to Los Angeles and appeared in such sitcoms as Married... with Children, The Drew Carey Show, Murphy Brown, Seinfeld and Home Improvement. She made her big screen debut playing nurse in the 1996 comedy film High School High. The following years, Eddy played "nurse" roles in a number of movies, include Sour Grapes, Patch Adams, Inspector Gadget, and Seven Pounds. Often playing comedic parts, Eddy appeared in films Nutty Professor II: The Klumps, Barbershop, Daddy Day Care, Surviving Christmas and Pee-wee's Big Holiday. From 2004 to 2005, she had a recurring role on Joan of Arcadia. She also played dramatic role in the 2006 biographical film Coach Carter.
In 2006, Eddy was cast as no-nonsense head nurse Epiphany Johnson on the ABC daytime soap opera, General Hospital on a recurring basis. Eddy was upgraded to contract status in August 2007. From 2007 to 2008, she was a regular cast member on the prime time spin-off series, General Hospital: Night Shift for Soapnet. She was downgraded to recurring status in 2011. She appeared on soap until October 20, 2022. She received a posthumous Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series in 2023.
Eddy also made guest-starring appearances on Reba, Monk, House, ER, Desperate Housewives, Mike & Molly, 2 Broke Girls, The Middle, Mom and Castle. She played Ramona, another no-nonsense personal nurse, in the FX sitcom Legit from 2013 to 2014. From 2016 to 2019, she played Tammy in the truTV comedy series, Those Who Can't. She also had recurring roles on Fresh Off the Boat, Black Jesus and the miniseries The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey. Her final screen appearance was in the 2023 musical comedy film Dicks: The Musical.

Death

Eddy died on December 19, 2022, at the age of 55. Her cause of death was an infection after non-emergency surgery.

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
1996High School HighNurse
1997BlastBena
1997Motel BlueMotel Blue Maid April Swanson
1998Sour GrapesNurse Loder
1998The GodsonBank Clerk
1998Patch AdamsAnnie
1998SorcerersRuth
1999Blast from the PastPatrice
1999Inspector GadgetHospital Secretary Mary Blakeson
2000Nutty Professor II: The KlumpsMarie the Heavyset Woman
2000Dish DogsMayVideo
2000Ten GrandAunt RuthieVideo
2001The Jennie ProjectDonnaTV movie
2002Strange HeartsLynette
2002Buying the CowRhonda
2002BarbershopJanelle
2002The Third SocietyArlene McGregor
2002The Fine Line Between Cute and CreepyThelmaShort
2003A Single RoseCarleneShort
2003Mi Casa, Su CasaBelinda
2003Daddy Day CareSandy
2003Matchstick MenMaureen Fisher
2003Leprechaun: Back 2 tha HoodYolandaVideo
2004Y.M.I.DVD's Mom
2004One Last RideSally
2004Promised LandClaire
2004Surviving ChristmasElaine
2004Office Max: Motivational PosterMarlaShort
2005Coach CarterWorm's Mother
2005Come Away HomeSonya Warfield
2005Bad News BearsRuby
2005The Reading RoomMrs. CarrTV movie
2005Lost in PlainviewJoy
2006Gridiron GangTheresa Wendal
2007Year of the DogNurse Willheima
2008Player 5150Jean
2008DisfiguredPam Jones
2008Seven PoundsNurse Edna
2009The Perfect GameRose Bell
2010TrimLiz
2011Answers to NothingNurse Edwards
2011DorfmanLil G
2012K-11Teresa Luna
2013Miss DialRefried Bean Caller
2013The Incredible Burt WonderstoneHanna
2013RockBarnes: The Emperor in YouShante
2014The HiveNurse Tessa Jean
2016Pee-wee's Big HolidayWanda
2017OH BABYNurse McQueenShort
2017FixedWang
2017ThumperNurse Daniels
2021The Good BalloonDeniseShort
2021Good on PaperJudge Harriet Gold
2021I Live AloneOliviaShort
2022Frank and PenelopeNurse
2022V/H/S/99DebraSegment: "Ozzy's Dungeon"
2023Dicks: The MusicalSonya the Old LadyPosthumous release

Television

Video games