Who is Jasmine Guy?
American actress, singer and dancer Jasmine Guy was born in Boston, Massachusetts USA, on 10 March 1962, making Pisces her zodiac sign. She’s had roles in more than 80 TV series and movies, but is probably still known best for starring as Whitley Gilbert in all the 144 episodes of the comedy “A Different World”, which Bill Cosby created, and which also starred Kadeem Hardison and Lisa Bonet. It follows the students attending an historically Black University, the series aired from 1987 through 1993, and won 17 of the 28 awards for which it was nominated.
Jasmine is still highly active in the movie industry, and is currently shooting for the upcoming films “A Wesley Christmas Wedding”, and “Not Another Church Movie”.
Education and early life
Jasmine was raised in Atlanta, Georgia by her Caucasian mother Jaye Rudolph who was a high school teacher, and black father Reverend William Guy who was a pastor at the Friendship Baptist Church; Jasmine’s sister Monica Guy’s also an actress, but is perhaps only known for playing Danielle in the 1992 episode “Community Action” of the comedy series “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air”.
Jasmine studied at Northside Performing Arts High School, and was into a number of activities during her time there, mostly acting and dancing. Upon matriculating in 1979, aged 17, Jasmine moved to New York City, and enrolled at the Alvin Ailey American Dance Center.
Roles in TV series
Jasmine’s debut TV series role was playing Dancer in two episodes of the 1982 musical drama “Fame”, and the remainder of the decade saw her appear in two other series: the crime action “The Equalizer”, and the drama “At Mother’s Request”.
From 1995 through 1997, Jasmine portrayed Kathleen in the popular family fantasy “Touched by an Angel”, which John Masius created, and which starred Jon Dye, Roma Downey and Della Reese. It tells the story of three angels who’ve been sent to Earth by God, the series aired from 1994 through 2003 and won 28 of its 88 award nominations. Jasmine could then have been seen appearing in an episode or two of the comedy “Malcolm & Eddie”, the drama “Any Day Now”, and the comedy “Ladies Man”.
In 2003 and 2004, she portrayed Roxy Harvey, one of the main characters in the fantasy comedy “Dead Like Me”, created by Bryan Fuller, and which also starred Ellen Muth and Callum Blue. It follows a temporary clerk who’s been killed by a toilet seat which fell from the space station Mir, and has now become a grim reaper; the series was nominated for 10 awards. Some of Jasmine’s roles in the remainder of the decade were in an episode or two of the animated adventure comedy “Cyberchase” (voice role), the family fantasy comedy “That’s So Raven”, and the comedy mini-series “Hillman College Reunion Week”.
Her following notable performance was playing Mattaline in three episodes in 2014-2015 of the romantic drama “If Loving You Is Wrong”, which Tyler Perry created, and which starred Edwina Findley, Heather Hemmens and April Parker Jones. It follows the lives of five married couples who live in the same street, and the series aired from 2014 through 2020.
Jasmine’s three most recent roles in TV series have been in the 2022 episode “Hot in Here” of the drama “Tales”, the 2023 episode “Wanna Get Away?” of the action “Chronicles of Jessica Wu”, and eight episodes of the 2023 comedy “Harlem”.
Roles in movies
Jasmine made her debut film appearance in the popular 1988 musical comedy “School Daze”, which Spike Lee wrote and directed, and which starred Laurence Fishburne, Giancarlo Esposito and Tisha Campbell. It follows a not-so-popular teenager who wants to join his university’s popular fraternity – the movie was nominated for an Image Award for Outstanding Motion Picture.
Some of Jasmine’s following roles were in the 1989 family drama “Runaway”, the 1992 drama “Stompin’ at the Savoy”, and the 1995 romantic crime musical “Klash”. In 1999, she portrayed a supporting character in the family comedy “Madeline”, directed by Daisy von Scherler Mayer, and which starred Frances McDormand, Nigel Hawthorne and Hatty Jones. It follows a young girl who’s trying to save her school from being sold – the film was nominated for five awards.
Jasmine appeared in only a couple of movies in the 2000s, with some of the most popular amongst these having been the 2000 drama “Diamond Men”, the 2006 comedy “The Heart Specialist”, and the 2008 romantic comedy “Tru Loved”.
Me and Whoopi in Big Stone Gap #whoopi #adriana Trigiani #tai Beauchamp pic.twitter.com/VJrhHKo4Sv
— Jasmine Guy (@TheJasmineGuy) October 28, 2013
The year 2014 saw her play Leah Grimes in the romantic comedy “Big Stone Gap”, written and directed by Adriana Trigiani, and which starred Ashley Judd, Patrick Wilson and Whoopi Goldberg. The film follows elderly woman Ave Marie Mulligan who’s learned a horrible secret about her family; it was nominated for a Casting Society of America Award for Outstanding Achievement in Casting – Low Budget Feature – Comedy.
Jasmine’s three most recent movie roles have been in the thriller “Vanished: Searching for My Sister”, the family drama “A Wesley Christmas”, and the drama “The Lady Makers”, all released in 2022.
Other credits
Jasmine received special thanks for the 2003 biographical documentary movie “Dorothy Dandridge: An American Beauty”, and the 2017 episode “Devil in a Red Suit” of the biographical crime documentary mini-series “Who Killed Tupac?”
She wrote three and directed one episode of the series “A Different World” from 1990 through 1992, and directed the 2020 short movie “American Leopard”.
Some of Jasmine’s recent talk-show appearances have been in “Tamron Hall”, “Start Your Day with Sharon + Mike” and “Red Table Talk”.
Awards and nominations
Jasmine’s won six of the 10 National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) Image Awards for which she’s been nominated – six for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series from 1990 through 1995, all for her performance in “A Different World”.
Love life and relationships
Jasmine was quite close friends with the late American rapper and actor Tupac Amaru Shakur, the two having met when he made a guest appearance in the series “A Different World”; after Tupac was shot in 1994, he recuperated at Jasmine’s home. She was featured in his 1995 music video “Temptations”, and later helped write Tupac’s mother’s biography “Afeni Shakur: Evolution of a Revolutionary”; some people believe that the two might had been romantically linked, but this hasn’t been confirmed.
Jasmine exchanged vows with non-celebrity American Terrence Duckett in 1998, and she gave birth to their daughter Imani in 1999; Jasmine and Terrence divorced in 2008, with Imani staying with Jasmine.
She hasn’t spoken of her other relationships; Jasmine seems to be single as of April 2023, was married to Terrence Duckett, and has a daughter with him.
Interesting facts and hobbies
Jasmine supported Bernie Sanders in the 2016 US presidential election.
She enjoys being active on Instagram and has posted close to 100 pictures and videos, while she’s today followed by nearly 400,000 people on the social media network; most of Jasmine’s content features her during her everyday life.
She loves to travel and has been all around the world; Jasmine dislikes travelling alone, so often does it with her friends.
She’s a huge fan of the late singer Michael Jackson, and her favorite two songs are “Billie Jean” and “They Don’t Care About Us”.
Some of Jasmine’s favorite actresses are Halle Berry, Angela Bassett and Regina King, and her favorite movies include “Things We Lost in the Fire”, “Losing Isaiah” and “Solomon & Sheba”.
Height, eyes and wealth
Jasmine’s age is 61. She has brown eyes and hair, is 5ft 2ins (1.57m) tall and weighs around 110lbs (50kgs).
Jasmine’s net worth’s been estimated at over $4 million, as of April 2023.