# Nadine Ellis
**Nadine Ellis** is an American actress and dancer from Queens, New York City, best known for starring as Stacy Lawrence in the BET romantic comedy series *Let's Stay Together* and as Leah Franklin-Dupont in the Fox drama *Our Kind of People*[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0255001/) • [2](https://www.tvsa.co.za/actors/viewactor.aspx?actorid=15139). She began her career as a dancer and was a founding member of the original Pussycat Dolls burlesque dance troupe before moving into acting[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0255001/).
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Background | American actress and dancer, born April 15 in Queens, New York City[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0255001/) |
| Dance career | Founding member of the original Pussycat Dolls dance troupe; performed with the group from 1993 to 2003[2](https://www.tvsa.co.za/actors/viewactor.aspx?actorid=15139) |
| Breakthrough role | Stacy Lawrence (later Stacy Lawrence-Whitmore) in BET's *Let's Stay Together*, 52 episodes, 2011–2014[3](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1676701/fullcredits/) |
| Series-regular roles | Judy Hayward in Netflix's *Greenhouse Academy* (22 episodes); Leah Franklin-Dupont in Fox's *Our Kind of People* (12 episodes)[4](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/28217/nadine-ellis) |
| Notable films | *Hairspray* (2007), *Live Free or Die Hard* (2007), *Tropic Thunder* (2008), *(500) Days of Summer* (2009), *Iron Man 2* (2010), *Idlewild* (2006)[5](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/nadine-ellis/) |
| Screen credits | 87 actress credits listed on IMDb[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0255001/) |
## Early life and dance career
Ellis graduated from [Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School](https://www.edgepedia.org/fiorello-h-laguardia-high-school) in New York and attended the [New York Institute of Technology](https://www.edgepedia.org/new-york-institute-of-technology) before relocating to Los Angeles to pursue acting[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0255001/). Her professional start was in dance: she was one of the founding members of [The Pussycat Dolls](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-pussycat-dolls), the all-girl modern burlesque dance troupe, and performed with them from 1993 to 2003[2](https://www.tvsa.co.za/actors/viewactor.aspx?actorid=15139). Her screen work in this period included dance appearances in the films *Nutty Professor II: The Klumps* (2000) and *Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle* (2003)[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0255001/).
## Television career
**Early guest and recurring roles.** Ellis's first television credits came in the late 1990s and early 2000s, with guest parts on series including *V.I.P.* (1998), *The Practice* (1997), *ER* (1994), *Nikki* (2000), *Cold Case* (2003), *Las Vegas* (2003), and *Two and a Half Men* (2003)[6](https://www.metacritic.com/person/nadine-ellis/). She had a recurring role as the Nurse on the mockumentary comedy *Reno 911!*, appearing in eight episodes across seasons 2, 4, and 5[4](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/28217/nadine-ellis), and a recurring role on *24* in its fourth season[2](https://www.tvsa.co.za/actors/viewactor.aspx?actorid=15139).
**Let's Stay Together.** Her breakthrough came with the lead role of Stacy Lawrence in the BET romantic comedy *Let's Stay Together*, which ran from 2011 to 2014; she appeared in all 52 episodes of the series[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0255001/) • [3](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1676701/fullcredits/).
**Later series-regular work.** Ellis starred as Judy Hayward in the Netflix series *Greenhouse Academy*, appearing in 22 episodes across its first two seasons (2017–2018)[4](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/28217/nadine-ellis). In 2021 she joined the Fox drama *Our Kind of People*, from writer Karin Gist and executive producer [Lee Daniels](https://www.edgepedia.org/lee-daniels), as Leah Franklin-Dupont, a leading member of the wealthy Black elite of Oak Bluffs on [Martha's Vineyard](https://www.edgepedia.org/marthas-vineyard)[7](https://whereisthebuzz.com/nadine-ellis-and-lance-gross-talk-our-kind-of-people-new-fox-series/). She was cast in the role after a recast: she replaced [LeToya Luckett](https://www.edgepedia.org/letoya-luckett), who had been originally cast, following the project's table read[8](https://tvseriesfinale.com/tv-show/our-kind-of-people-nadine-ellis-to-star-in-fox-drama-following-recasting/). The series ran for one season of 12 episodes and was canceled in May 2022[4](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/28217/nadine-ellis) • [9](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0255001/news/).
**Recent guest roles.** Her guest appearances include *Bones* (Dr. Alyson Noble, 2012), *Timeless* ([Katherine Johnson](https://www.edgepedia.org/katherine-johnson), 2016), *Lucifer* (Iris / Purple Wolf, 2018), *Shameless* (Dr. Brenda Williams, three episodes in season 10), *Jane the Virgin*, *The Affair*, *NCIS: Los Angeles* (Lieutenant Commander Quinn, two episodes), *Bel-Air* (Annie Alton, three episodes in season 3, 2024), *Quantum Leap* (Connie Davis, 2024), and *High Potential* (Astor's Attorney)[4](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/28217/nadine-ellis) • [10](https://www.tvmaze.com/characters/1290519/bel-air-annie-alton).
## Film career
Ellis's film work spans comedy, action, and musicals. She appeared in *The Hot Chick* (2002), *Starsky & Hutch* (2004), *13 Going on 30* (2004), *Guess Who* (2005), and the musical *Idlewild* (2006)[5](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/nadine-ellis/) • [2](https://www.tvsa.co.za/actors/viewactor.aspx?actorid=15139). In the late 2000s she appeared in *Hairspray* (2007) as one of the Dynamites, *Live Free or Die Hard* (2007) as Teller, *Tropic Thunder* (2008) as the Speedman Assistant, *(500) Days of Summer* (2009) as a dancer, and *Iron Man 2* (2010)[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0255001/) • [5](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/nadine-ellis/). Later television movies include *He's Mine Not Yours* (2011), *The Holiday Stocking* (2022) as Dani Holiday, and *The Christmas Clapback* (2022) as Kira[4](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/28217/nadine-ellis).
## Reception
Metacritic's aggregation of the television series she has appeared in gives her an average career score of 66 across 29 shows, with 19 of those shows rated positive, 9 mixed, and 1 negative; the highest-scoring is *Everybody Hates Chris* at 88 and the lowest *Training Day* (2017) at 38[6](https://www.metacritic.com/person/nadine-ellis/).
## References
1. [Nadine Ellis, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0255001/)
2. [Nadine Ellis, TVSA](https://www.tvsa.co.za/actors/viewactor.aspx?actorid=15139)
3. [Let's Stay Together (2011–2014) full cast & crew, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1676701/fullcredits/)
4. [Nadine Ellis, TVmaze](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/28217/nadine-ellis)
5. [Nadine Ellis, TV Insider](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/nadine-ellis/)
6. [Nadine Ellis, Metacritic](https://www.metacritic.com/person/nadine-ellis/)
7. [Nadine Ellis and Lance Gross Talk "Our Kind of People" New FOX Series, Where Is The Buzz](https://whereisthebuzz.com/nadine-ellis-and-lance-gross-talk-our-kind-of-people-new-fox-series/)
8. [Our Kind of People: Nadine Ellis to Star In FOX Drama Following Recasting, TV Series Finale](https://tvseriesfinale.com/tv-show/our-kind-of-people-nadine-ellis-to-star-in-fox-drama-following-recasting/)
9. [Nadine Ellis – News, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0255001/news/)
10. [Annie Alton – Bel-Air, TVmaze](https://www.tvmaze.com/characters/1290519/bel-air-annie-alton)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Screen people and creators › Screen actors of the Anglosphere and Europe › American actors: 2000s onward › Surnames Do to E*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 11, 2026; Oct 12, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license