When Da’Vine Joy Randolph is acting, you pay attention. It’s not just her magical voice or the fact that she seems to effortlessly embody all of her characters with such ease. It’s almost as if her middle name is exactly what she is, just pure joy. Her parents did a lovely job with her name. The “High Fidelity,” actress may know a thing or two about being on Hulu, but she’s also been on Broadway, and she’s also been on stage in London’s West End. She’s talented, she’s educated, she’s a powerhouse, and she is someone that the world should know more about. If you did not follow her career before, now is a good time to begin following her career as a new fan – or even an old one.
1. She is an 80s Kid
She was born on May 21, 1986, which makes her almost 26 as of early 2022. She was among the last of the children who got to grow up in a time when there was still fun to be had, a sense of security for yourself and your family, and when there was no social media. It was a good time to grow up.
2. She is from Philly
We don’t know if it was in West Philadelphia where she was born and raised, and we certainly don’t know if it was on a playground where she spent most of her days, but she did grow up in Pennsylvania. She was born in Philly, but she was raised in Hershey.
3. She is a College Grad
Following her graduation from high school, she knew she wanted to go to college. She enrolled in courses at Temple University, which is a well-respected institution of higher learning. She changed her major three years in from vocal performance to musical theater. She graduated with a bachelor’s degree from Temple.
4. She Did the Ivy League Thing
By the time she was done with her first degree from Temple, she was ready for more. This is when she took the time to apply for admission into the prestigious Yale University’s School of Drama. She was accepted, and she graduated with her Master’s Degree from the Ivy League School in 2011.
5. She is a Former Arts Camp Kid
The arts is what she’s always been interested in. We know this because she grew up going to summer camps for the arts. She was a former Interlochen Arts Camp attendee. If you are not interested in the arts, you might not know much about it, but it’s a famous art camp in Michigan. It’s got a wonderful reputation.
6. She Was in Ghost
When Ghost came to Broadway, she was happy to audition for a role in the famous play. She was initially interested in becoming an understudy, but she was so good that the casting agents decided to give her the famous role of Oda Mae Brown – the iconic role played by Whoopi Goldberg in the movie alongside Demi Moore and the late Patrick Swayze.
7. She is an Opera Singer
She is a woman with a powerhouse voice, and that is because she’s an opera singer. She’s classically trained, and it shows. She can do things that no other person can do with their voice. She’s so good, in fact, that most people only wish they could do what she does with her own vocal range.
8. She Gives her Full Self
If you have ever had the pleasure of seeing her at work, you know this. She is a woman who doesn’t just give herself to a role in any partial capacity. In fact, she gives herself wholly to everything she does, and she’s clearly good at it. She is not a diva. She is not a boring person to work with, but she is a woman who gives her all.
9. She Finds Singing on Camera Difficult
She’s readily admitted that if she had to choose something she didn’t think would be so difficult, it would be singing on camera. It’s surprisingly difficult for her. She finds it difficult to mimic her own work, and that is a challenge for her.
10. She’s Private
Something else she is quite good at and proud of is her private life. She doesn’t share too much of herself anywhere she goes, and that is a lovely thing. She’s been on stage, she’s been on television, and she’s been everywhere in between, yet we know so little about her life outside of acting.
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