The Actors Society proudly celebrates Black History Month by honoring the profound contributions of Black artists to the entertainment industry. Below, you'll find a selection of recent additions to this legacy. While this list is not all-encompassing, we welcome your suggestions for others who should be featured!
Leesie Pinto ('20)
Leesie Pinto (‘20) recently appeared in Terry McMillan Presents: Forever, starring Meagan Good and Taye Diggs. In it, she played Meagan’s oldest daughter. The role marked a significant milestone in Leesie’s acting career, as it was her first feature film.
Beyond acting, Leesie has been exploring content creation and storytelling. She recently released her annual Super Bowl prediction video, part of a series that has amassed nearly 12 million views over the past three years.
Another standout moment in her career was coming close to securing a supporting role in a popular Netflix series. As part of the audition process, Leesie participated in a Zoom session with Tim Burton, who personally directed her through a scene. Reminiscing on the audition, Leesie says, “It was surreal to collaborate with someone whose work I’ve admired for so long—he’s incredibly talented, and I’ll never forget that day.”
Keith Randolph Smith ('86)
Never far from a stage, Keith Randolph Smith is in rehearsals for the world premiere of Zora Howard’s play Bust. Directed by Lileana Blain-Cruz, the play opened at Atlanta’s Alliance Theatre on February 13th, running through March 16th. Bust will embark on a Chicago run beginning April 19th at the Goodman Theatre.
Jennifer Fouché ('07)
In May, Jennifer Fouché made her animated series guest star debut in Fairly OddParents: A New Wish, playing Diana in the episode "Trial And Hair-or!"
In the fall, she booked a guest star role on Law & Order as Judge Ellen Rafferty. Having long dreamed of working on this iconic New York series, she was thrilled to finally cross it off her bucket list.
Currently, Fouché is starring as Leona in Mystic Pizza: The Musical at Paper Mill Playhouse. In addition to her stage work, Fouché is in post-production on a children’s television project, where she serves as both a creator and principal character.
She recently returned to The Academy to teach her audition workshop, Reclaiming Your Time: Owning Your Space In The Audition Room.
James Barnes ('13)
James Barnes’ latest feature film was selected for the 69th Cork International Film Festival and will soon be screened in Dublin, Ireland. Barnes recently joined the faculty at East 15 Acting School. He derives inspiration from the core methodologies learned at The Academy and credits the guidance of faculty member Harvey Solin with providing the foundation for his teachings.
Angel Parker ('99)
Catch her across television! Angel Parker has recent credits in The Recruit, The Rookie, and All American.
The Recruit: In January 2025, she reprised her role in the second season of Netflix’s The Recruit, which premiered on January 30, 2025.
The Rookie: Angel portrays Luna Grey, the wife of Sergeant Wade Grey. She has been a recurring character since 2019, with her latest appearance in the episode titled "The Vow," which aired in 2024.
All American: Angel joined the cast in season seven as Ava Jeremy, the wife of Cassius Jeremy and mother of Kingston "KJ" Jeremy. She announced her involvement in the series on social media, encouraging viewers to meet the Jeremy family.
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