Since making her screen debut in 2018, Moses Ingram has increasingly found success in film and television. Ingram, like many before her, developed a passion for acting at an early age. Raised in a blended family of six, Ingram was enrolled in an after-school theater program by her mother to help lay a good foundation for her dreams. By 2012, Ingram had graduated from the Baltimore School for the Arts.
Although she couldn’t pursue a drama program at Howard University because of financial constraints, providence and her talent eventually landed her a funded scholarship at the Yale School of Drama. She changed her name from Monique Denise Ingram to Moses Ingram and has stood out ever since. With a career spanning less than a decade, here’s every memorable role Moses Ingram has played in her young career.
The Queen’s Gambit (2020)
When Netflix’s coming-of-age period drama series The Queen’s Gambit premiered in October 2020, Moses Ingram made a major public debut as Jolene. Her portrayal covered Jolene’s growth from an orphan-home teenager to a composed adult confidante. She played the loyal childhood friend to Anya Taylor-Joy’s Beth Harmon character.
The role and performance earned Moses Ingram a nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie at the Primetime Emmy Awards. Her debut performance in the series helped define her as a promising talent. It set the foundation of every major role that followed.
The Tragedy of Macbeth (2021)
In Joel Coen’s 2021 tragedy film The Tragedy of Macbeth, Moses Ingram portrayed Lady Macduff. Although she appears in a brief but pivotal role, the performance defined Ingram’s career as it was also her film debut. Though her scenes are limited, Ingram’s performance adds human depth to the political brutality unfolding as Macbeth (portrayed by Denzel Washington) rises to power. Ingram’s Lady Macduff embodies quiet strength as she protects her child and confronts the dangers posed by the kingdom’s growing instability. Her limited scenes highlighted the personal cost of Macbeth’s violent ambitions, grounding the Shakespearean tragedy with a moment of raw, intimate fear.
Obi-Wan Kenobi (2022)
On television, Moses Ingram followed her performance in The Queen’s Gambit with a role in Disney+’s miniseries Obi-Wan Kenobi. In the miniseries, she portrayed Reva Sevander/Third Sister, a huntress for the Jedi. Stepping into the iconic Star Wars universe, Ingram faced both opportunity and scrutiny. The role challenged her to portray a morally complex antagonist. Beyond the Saturn Award and Critics’ Choice Super Award nominations, Ingram’s Reva character remains, arguably, one of Star Wars’ best secondary antagonists. In the role, Moses Ingram significantly expanded her range and proved she could handle genre-based projects as convincingly as she could drama.
All Dirt Roads Taste of Salt (2023)
https://youtu.be/qiQvFKfpCi4?si=bLPvAQnWOlS3na-i
With a rich, growing career, Moses Ingram landed her first lead role on the big screen in the 2023 indie drama All Dirt Roads Taste of Salt. The movie, directed by Raven Jackson and produced by A24, is a subtle, emotionally rich drama with minimal spoken dialogue. Moses Ingram’s involvement in such an arthouse-style project demonstrated her willingness to experiment and take risks beyond commercial, high-profile roles. The critically acclaimed performance helped Ingram cement her reputation as a serious performer drawn to challenging material.
Lady in the Lake (2024)
https://youtu.be/4V04ptsZ-Jg?si=3dWJzhSwEh3KNMNh
In the 2024 Apple TV+ miniseries Lady in the Lake, Moses Ingram portrayed Cleo Johnson. In the period drama, her character is a Black mother living in 1960s Baltimore. Co-starring alongside Natalie Portman, Lady in the Lake blends mystery, social issues, and thriller elements. Cleo struggles to support her family while navigating the political and social pressures within her community.
Her death and the mystery surrounding it become the central case investigated by Portman’s Maddie Schwartz character. Even after Cleo’s death, her voiceover narration haunts the series, giving her agency and narrative power beyond the typical “victim” role. Lady in the Lake is a must-watch for anyone new to Moses Ingram.
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