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Tonye T. Patano
Patano in 2011
Born (1961-10-16) October 16, 1961 (age 62)
NationalityAmerican
OccupationActress
Years active1984–present

Tonye T. Patano (born October 16, 1961)[citation needed] is an American actress. She may be best known as Heylia James on the television series Weeds.

She has appeared in television shows such as Law & Order, Sex and the City, Monk and Third Watch. Patano was in the original cast of the Broadway play, 45 Seconds from Broadway by Neil Simon.

Career

Film and television

Patano's first screen role was in the 1984 television film The Jesse Owens Story. She has appeared on several television series in guest roles, including Sex and the City,[1] Monk, Third Watch, Curb Your Enthusiasm and Elementary. Patano has played various characters throughout the Law & Order franchise.

She appeared as Carolyn in Highway Heartbreaker (1992),[2] and had a small role in A Price Above Rubies (1998).[3] Other film work includes Little Manhattan[4] and The Great New Wonderful, both released in 2005.[5]

In 2005, Patano landed the role of Heylia James,[6] a marijuana dealer, on Weeds.[7] She received a Screen Actors Guild Award nomination for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series alongside her Weeds co-stars in 2006.[8] Two years later, Patano earned an NAACP Image Award nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series as Heylia.[9] Patano left the series at the conclusion of its third season, later returning in season 7 on a recurring basis.

Following Weeds, she portrayed Emily in Hallmark movie Loving Leah (2009).[10] Patano was Beverly, a counselor, in A Vigilante (2018).[11] She played a probation officer in drama Jack of the Red Hearts (2015).[12]

Stage

Patano portrayed Nurse O'Neil in a 1997 production of The Sunshine Boys at the George Street Playhouse. One reviewer claimed she was "excellent" in the role.[13] In 2000, she received a Connecticut Critics Circle Award for best ensemble after acting in From the Mississippi Delta.[14] Patano appeared on Broadway as Ms. Gravátt in 45 Seconds from Broadway (2001).[15]

She played the role of brothel owner Mama Nadi in Ruined for the Huntington Theater.[16] Her performance in this production received positive reception, with one critic calling her "delightful" and "magnetic."[17] Another found her superb in the role of Mama Nadi.[18]

Personal life

At age 35, she was diagnosed with diabetes, and she suffered a stroke in 2005.[19]

Filmography

Films

Year Film Role Awards
1984 The Jesse Owens Story Laverne Owens
1992 Highway Heartbreaker Carolyn
1994 Fresh Girl #2
1998 A Price Above Rubies Earring woman
1999 The Hurricane Woman at prison
2004 Messengers Linda Mabry
2004 Imaginary Heroes Big Mean Teacher Voice role
2005 Room Homeless woman
2005 The Great New Wonderful Shirley
2005 The Thing About My Folks Nurse
2005 Little Manhattan Birdie
2007 The Savages
2007 Trainwreck: My Life as an Idiot Mrs. Shelby
2009 The Taking of Pelham 123 Regina
2009 Loving Leah Emily TV movie
2009 Bunker Hill Nurse Evans TV movie
2009 Come What May Thema
2010 The Company Men Joyce Robertson
2010 Ponies Cashier
2014 The David Dance Mrs. P.
2014 Every Secret Thing Clarice
2014 Time Out of Mind Ms. Jackson
2015 Jack of the Red Hearts Miz
2017 Roxanne Roxanne Ms. Denise
2018 A Vigilante Beverly
2020 Topside Violet
2023 Eileen Mrs. Stevens

Television

Year Series Role Episodes
1996 New York Undercover Mrs. Samuels Episode 3.01: "A Time of Faith (Part 1)"
2000 Now and Again Jimmy's Mom Episode 1.17: "Boy Wonder"
2000, 2003, 2009–12; 2022 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Ann, Sally, Judge Maskin 9 episodes
2001 Deadline Nurse Alice Episode 1.08: "The Undesirables"
2003 Sex and the City Ruby Episode 6.11: "The Domino Effect"
2003 Hope & Faith Receptionist Episode 1.07: "Car Commercial"
2004 Law & Order Feldman Episode 14.11: "Darwinian"
2004 Monk Woman on the Train Episode 3.01: "Mr. Monk Takes Manhattan"
2005 Third Watch Danielle Episode 6.18: "Too Little Too Late"
2005–2008, 2011 Weeds Heylia James 38 episodes
2006–2009 Handy Manny Mrs. Thompson Voice role
2008 Eli Stone Judge Flora Simms 2 episodes
2009–12 One Life to Live Phylicia Evans Recurring; Beginning from September 10, 2009
2011 Curb Your Enthusiasm Board Member #2 Episode 8.10: "Larry vs. Michael J. Fox"
2013 The Americans Viola Episodes 1.02: "The Clock" and 1.12: "The Oath"
2016 The Blacklist Judy Sickler Episode 3.14: "Lady Ambrosia"
2016 Elementary Dolores Murphy Episode 5.03: "Render, and Then Seize Her"
2017 Sneaky Pete Libby Metzger Episodes 1.02: "Safe" and 1.03: "Ms. Success"
2018 Younger Akilah Episode 5.07: "A Christmas Miracle"
2019 SMILF Aunt Valerie Episode 2.07: "Smile More if Lying Fails"
2019 Madam Secretary Verline Grant Episode 5.17: "The Common Defense"
2021-2023 FBI: Most Wanted Susan Barnes 4 episodes

References

  1. ^ Smith, Jim (2004). Manhattan Dating Game: An Unofficial and Unauthorised Guide to Every Episode of Sex and the City. Virgin Books. p. 327. ISBN 9780753509258.
  2. ^ Marill, Alvin H. (2005). Movies Made for Television, 1964-2004: 1990-1999. Scarecrow Press. p. 229.
  3. ^ Monush, Barry; Willis, John (April 2000). Screen World 1999. Hal Leonard Corporation. p. 35. ISBN 9781557834119.
  4. ^ Maltin, Leonard (September 2, 2014). Leonard Maltin's 2015 Movie Guide. Penguin Publishing Group. ISBN 9780698183612.
  5. ^ Seibert, Perry. "Tonye Patano". All Movie. Retrieved November 7, 2022.
  6. ^ Shapiro, Mitchell A.; Jicha, Tom (October 16, 2015). The Top 100 American Situation Comedies. McFarland & Company. p. 196. ISBN 9781476664040.
  7. ^ "'Weeds,' 10 p.m. Showtime". Bangor Daily News. p. D8.
  8. ^ "13th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards® Nominations". Screen Actors Guild Awards. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved November 7, 2022.
  9. ^ "39th NAACP Image Awards". The Crisis. National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. 2008.
  10. ^ Marill, Alvin H. (October 11, 2010). Movies Made for Television: 2005-2009. Scarecrow Press. p. 61. ISBN 9780810876590.
  11. ^ Grant, Kevin (January 3, 2020). Vigilantes: Private Justice in Popular Cinema. McFarland & Company. p. 194. ISBN 9781476638683.
  12. ^ Goldstein, Gary (February 25, 2016). "Review: 'Jack of the Red Hearts' implausibly stacks the deck". The Los Angeles Times. Retrieved November 7, 2022.
  13. ^ Klein, Alvin (October 12, 1997). "THEATER REVIEW; The Kind of Sniping That Gives Sustenance". The New York Times. Retrieved November 7, 2022.
  14. ^ Rosenberg, David A. (July 25, 2000). "The winners are...". The Hour. p. D5.
  15. ^ Willis, John; Hodges, Ben; Lynch, Tom (July 2004). Theater World 2001-2002. Hal Leonard Corporation. p. 34. ISBN 9781557836267.
  16. ^ Khodorovsky, Irina (January 7, 2011). "PHOTO CALL: Tonye Patano Stars in Ruined at the Huntington Theatre Company". Playbill. Retrieved November 7, 2022.
  17. ^ Hurwitt, Robert (March 4, 2011). "'Ruined' review: Ray of hope amid rape in Congo". San Francisco Gate. Retrieved November 7, 2022.
  18. ^ Aucoin, Don (January 14, 2011). "Making the political personal". The Boston Globe. Retrieved November 7, 2022.
  19. ^ "Tonye Patano Weighs Her Options" Women Health web site

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