Kimberly Elise Trammel (born April 17, 1967) is an American actress. Elise studied film and acting at the University of Minnesota and earned a BA in Mass Communications. She made her feature film debut in Set It Off, and later received critical acclaim for her performance in Beloved. During her career, Elise has appeared in films such as John Q (2002), The Manchurian Candidate (2004), Diary of a Mad Black Woman (2005), The Great Debaters (2007), For Colored Girls (2010), Dope (2015), Almost Christmas (2016), Death Wish (2018), and Ad Astra (2019). She received a nomination for Independent Spirit Award for Best Female Lead for her performance in the 2004 drama film, Woman Thou Art Loosed, and played the leading roles in a number of made for television movies. Elise also starred in the CBS crime drama series Close to Home (2005–07), and in 2013 starred in the VH1 comedy-drama series, Hit the Floor.

Filmography

• 2025Little Angels — President Markee
• 2023A Snowy Day in Oakland — Theona
• The Mosquito Coast — Special Agent Estelle Jones
• Love Life — Suzanné Hayward
• 2019Ad Astra — Lorraine Deavers
• 2019Carole's Christmas — Carole Jordan
• 2018Death Wish — Detective Jackson
• 2016Almost Christmas — Cheryl
• 2016Confirmation — Sonia Jarvis
• Star — Dianne
• 2015Back to School Mom — Mary Thomas
• 2015Dope — Lisa Hayes
• 2014A Day Late and a Dollar Short — Djanel
• 2014Apple Mortgage Cake — Angela Logan
• 2013And Then There Was You — Thanks
• 2013Event 15 — Blau
• 2013Highland Park — Toni
• Hit the Floor — Sloane Hayes
• 2012Hannah's Law — Stagecoach Mary
• 2011Ties That Bind — Theresa Harper
• 2010For Colored Girls — Crystal / Brown
• 2009Gifted Hands: The Ben Carson Story — Sonya Carson
• 2009Setting it Straight: Making ‘Set it Off’
• 2007Pride — Sue Davis
• Private Practice — Angie Paget
• 2007The Great Debaters — Pearl Farmer
• Close to Home — Maureen Scofield
• 2005Diary of a Mad Black Woman — Helen McCarter
• Grey's Anatomy — Rebecca Swender
• 2004The Manchurian Candidate — Rosie
• 2004Woman Thou Art Loosed — Michelle Jordan
• 2002John Q — Denise Archibald
• The Twilight Zone — Jasmine Gardens / Police Detective
• 2001Bojangles — Fannie
• 2000Bait — Lisa Hill
• Girlfriends — Reesie Jackson
• Soul Food — Estella
• 2000The Loretta Claiborne Story — Loretta Claiborne
• 1998Beloved — Denver
• 1997The Ditchdigger's Daughters — Jeanette
• 1996Set It Off — Tisean
• The Sentinel — Candace Blake
• Hellbent — Karina McCallum

Appearances as themselves (5)

• 2019Reach for the Stars — Self
• Steve — Self
• The Reichen Show — Self
• 2002Behind the Scenes of 'John Q' — Self
• The View — Self