Ashley Blaine Featherson-Jenkins | |
---|---|
Born | Ashley Blaine Featherson December 4, 1987 |
Nationality | American |
Alma mater | Howard University |
Occupation | Actress |
Years active | 2010–present |
Known for | Dear White People |
Spouse |
Darroll Jenkins (m. 2021) |
Ashley Blaine Featherson-Jenkins (née Featherson; born December 4, 1987)[2] is an American actress. She is best known as the co-creator and star of Black&SexyTV's Hello Cupid. She also appeared in the web series Roomieloverfriends, the film Bad Hair, and was a main cast member on the Netflix series Dear White People (2017–2021).[3]
Born Ashley Blaine Featherson, she was raised in Gaithersburg, Maryland.[4] She first acted at age four in a school production and enjoyed it from that age.[5] When she was 14 she began to perform at the Studio Theatre in Washington, DC and studied under costume designer Reggie Ray.[3]
Featherson attended Howard University and graduated from the Fine Arts department, where she majored in musical theater.[5] She is a member of the Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority.[3] Featherson has stated that she most admires the career and work of Vanessa Williams.[6]
Featherson co-created the web series Hello Cupid with Lena Waithe in 2012.[2] The show was distributed by Black & Sexy TV and eventually rebooted.[5] Featherson also starred in the series opposite Hayley Marie Norman.[3]
Her first feature film role was in Justin Simien's Dear White People in 2014.[3] She reprised the supporting role of Joelle in the 2017 Netflix television series adaptation of the same name.[7]
She co-starred in the 2018 web series Leimert Park, which premiered at Sundance.[8][9] Featherson also appeared in the re-creation of the photograph "A Great Day in Harlem", organized by Netflix's Strong Black Lead initiative.[10]
In 2020, she collaborated with Simien again on his comedy horror film Bad Hair. That year she also worked with The Lip Bar on a makeup campaign.[11] She also helped develop a three-piece collection for dark skinned women with Mented Cosmetics.[11][12]
Featherson announced her engagement to sports agent Darroll Jenkins in September 2020, and married him on September 5, 2021, at Hummingbird Nest Ranch in Santa Susana, California.[13][14][1] Longtime friends, they began dating in 2018.[15]
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2010 | Bonds | Simone Bancroft | Short |
2014 | Dear White People | Curls | |
David's Reverie | Dancer | Short | |
12 Days of Christmas | Zene | Short | |
2015 | Doors | Morgan | Short |
Stages | Skye | Short | |
2016 | Paint It Black | Shirley Mae | |
Drew | Stephanie Lloyd | TV movie | |
2020 | Bad Hair | Rosalyn |
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2011 | State of Georgia | Student #3 | Episode: "Pilot" |
2012 | My Gimpy Life | Lady in Orange | Episode: "Inspirational" |
2013 | The Number | Whitney | Episode: "The Slumberette Party" |
My Crazy Roommate | Leslie | Episode: "The Puppy" | |
2013–2014 | Hello Cupid | Whitney | Main cast |
2014 | Glee | Shaynice | Episode: "Bash" |
Roomieloverfriends | Whitney | Recurring cast: season 3 | |
2015 | Mann & Wife | Ms.Lincoln | Episode: "Undercover Mann" |
2016 | The Number: The Reboot | Whitney | Episode: "The Intro" |
2017–2021 | Dear White People | Joelle Brooks | Main cast |
2022 | Grand Crew | Talia | Recurring cast |