Novella Christine Nelson (December 17, 1939 – August 31, 2017) was an American actress and singer. She established her career as a singer, both on the off-Broadway and Broadway stage and in cabaret-style locales.

Filmography

• 2017You Were Never Really Here — Diner Woman
• 2014A Walk Among the Tombstones — Librarian
• 2012Nancy, Please — Dr. Bannister
• 2010It's Kind of a Funny Story — Professor
• 2009The Toe Tactic — Victoria Hadaway
• Army Wives — Vivian Burton
• Damages — Older Female Victim
• 2007Stephanie Daley — Dr. Peterson
• The Starter Wife — Nana
• 2007The Ten — Sophia Jackson
• 30 Rock — Novella Nelson
• 2006Griffin & Phoenix — Maya Restaurant Owner
• 2006Premium — Jayme
• 2005Dear Wendy — Clarabelle
• 2005Preaching to the Choir — Aunt June
• 2004Birth — Lee
• 2003Head of State — Moderator
• Whoopi — Nurse
• 2002Antwone Fisher — Mrs. Tate
• 2001The Gilded Six Bits — Mama Banks
• 1999Judy Berlin — Carol
• Law & Order: Special Victims Unit — Mrs. Mosley, Judge Anne Sciola
• The West Wing — Gail Fitzwallace
• Third Watch — Sondra Richards
• 1998A Perfect Murder — Ambassador Alice Wills
• Mama Flora's Family — Pearl (1955-1970)
• Sex and the City — Madame Lordes
• 1997The Devil's Advocate — Botanica Woman
• 1997White Lies — Leon's Mother
• 1996Girl 6 — Angela's Aunt
• 1996Harambee! — Queenesther
• 1996Manny & Lo — Georgine
• 1996The Summer of Ben Tyler — Rosetta Tyler
• 1995Mercy — Angela
• 1995Notes for My Daughter — Shirley
• 1995The Keeper — Mrs. Lemont, Mother
• 1994Dead Funny — Frances
• New York Undercover — Prof. Cortez
• 1993Daybreak — Mrs. Chaney
• 1993Weekend at Bernie's II — Mobu
• 1992Citizen Cohn — Second Annie Lee Moss
• 1991Strictly Business — Olivia
• 1990Green Card — Marriage Celebrant
• Law & Order — Mrs. Washington, Judge Gloria Crutcher
• 1990Privilege — Yvonne Washington
• 1989The Littlest Victims — Mrs. Munson
• Hothouse — Olivia
• 1987Kojak: The Price of Justice — Pearl
• 1987Orphans — Mattie
• The Days and Nights of Molly Dodd — Jazz Singer
• The Equalizer — Miriam Blain
• 1984A Doctor's Story — Mrs. Thornton
• 1984He's Fired, She's Hired — Serena Cole
• 1984The Cotton Club — Madame St. Clair
• 1984The Flamingo Kid — Lizzy the Housekeeper
• 1983Abuse — Street Interviewee
• Chiefs — Nellie Cole
• 1980The Torture of Mothers: The Case of the Harlem Six
• 1979The Seduction of Joe Tynan — Carla Willis
• 1978An Unmarried Woman — Jean

Appearances as themselves (2)

• 2023Going to Mars: The Nikki Giovanni Project — Self
• 2018Mr. SOUL! — Self