Diarra Kilpatrick | |
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Born | 1983 or 1984 (age 39–40) Detroit, Michigan, USA |
Nationality | American |
Occupations |
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Years active | 2007- |
Diarra Kilpatrick (born c. 1983/1984) is an American actress, writer and producer. She produced, wrote and starred in the ABC web-series, American Koko (2017), for which she received a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Actress in a Short Form Comedy or Drama Series nomination. From 2020 to 2023, Kilpatrick starred in the HBO period drama series, Perry Mason.[1][2] Kilpatrick created, produced and plays the leading role in the BET+ mystery comedy-drama series, Diarra from Detroit.[3]
Kilpatrick was born around 1983/84,[4] and raised in Detroit.[5] She is the half-sister of Kwame Kilpatrick.[5]
She grew up performing in productions at Meadow Brook Theater. When she turned 12, she joined Mosaic Youth Theatre and starred in her first production.[5][4] Kilpatrick graduated from Detroit Country Day[1] and attended NYU Tisch for her bachelor's degree.[4]
Kilpatrick moved to Los Angeles in 2007 and acted in local theater productions including Three Sisters After Chekhov, The Interlopers, and Tarell Alvin McCraney's In the Red and Brown Water.[1]
In 2015, she wrote, produced, and starred in a satirical web series, American Koko, and launched it on YouTube.[4] The series won the American Black Film Festival’s Best Web Series Award in 2015, after which it caught the attention of Julius Tennon, the husband of Viola Davis.[4] The series was developed through their production company, JuVee Productions,[4] and was purchased by ABC. The original first season was re-shot and a second season was also produced.[2] Both seasons premiered online on ABC Digital on June 19, 2017.[6] It follows Koko (played by Kilpatrick), who "is a Los Angeles race detective at the Everyone’s a Little Racist Agency, which has the daunting mandate of ending racism in America."[7]
Kilpatrick wrote and starred in a pilot for Amazon Studios in fall 2017, The Climb. It is a "Detroit-set comedy about an assistant who ditches her job to find internet fame."[8] The series was not picked up by Amazon.[9]
She appeared in The Twilight Zone reboot, and had supporting roles on Private Practice, The Last O.G., and HBO's Perry Mason.[10][11] In April 2023, she had signed an overall deal with BET Studios.[12]
Kilpatrick is married.[11]
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2006 | Forbidden Fruits | Lisa | |
2007 | Unfinished | Waitress | Short |
2008 | Keepin' the Faith: Higher Ground | Asia | |
2009 | All Americana | Steph | Short |
Gang Girl | Bess Roundtree | ||
Hollywood, je t'aime | Kaleesha | ||
Surrender | Bess Roundtree | Short | |
2011 | Under-Tow | Shar | Short |
Talking with the Taxman About Poetry | Afton | ||
2012 | H4 | Clarice | |
2014 | Stand Down Soldier | Billi | |
Four Women | Sarah | Short | |
2015 | Lila & Eve | Maya | |
The Brink | Jane | Short | |
2016 | The Salton Sea | The Hitchhiker | Nordic International Film Festival Award for Best Actress |
2020 | Baldwin Beauty | - | Short |
2021 | The Goldfish | Maya | Short |
14 Days | Faitma | Short |
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2008 | House | Sally | Episode: "The Itch" |
2008–12 | Private Practice | Nurse Danielle | 5 episodes |
2009 | The Game | Groupie | Episode: "Take a Bow" |
The Young and the Restless | Young Maid | Episode: "Episode #1.9195" | |
2010–11 | Disaster Date | Herself | Recurring role (season 3); main role (season 4) |
2011 | Hart of Dixie | Mother | Episode: "Gumbo & Glory" |
2012 | Mike & Molly | Amira | Episode: "Surprise" |
2013 | Southland | Yvette | Episode: "Babel" |
2014; 2017 | American Koko | Akosua Miller | Main role, producer, writer |
2015 | Major Crimes | Peaches Williams | Episode: "The Jumping Off Point" |
2017 | The Climb | Nia | TV pilot |
2019 | The Twilight Zone | Didi Scott | Episode: "The Comedian" |
The Last O.G. | Lisa | Recurring role | |
2020–2023 | Perry Mason | Clara Drake | Recurring role (season 1); main role (season 2) |
Nash Bridges | Lena Harris | TV pilot | |
2024 | Diarra from Detroit | Diarra Brickland | Lead role, also creator and producer |