Chyna Layne is an American actress and producer. She made her screen debut playing the leading role in the 2007 independent drama film A Deeper Love and later co-starred in films Life Support (2007), Cadillac Records (2008) and Precious (2009). From 2017 to 2019, Layne starred as Shemekka Epps in the Netflix comedy-drama series, She's Gotta Have It.

Chyna Layne
Layne in 2009
Born
Occupation(s)Actress, producer
Years active2007–present

Life and career

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Layne was born in New York City. Her father is Jamaican and mother is Filipina.[1] She made her screen debut appearing in the HBO drama film Life Support (2007), and later that year played the leading role and serviced as a producer in the independent drama film A Deeper Love.[2] The following year, Layne appeared in a small role in the biographical drama film Cadillac Records. In 2009 she played the lead in the action comedy film All Screwed Up,[3] and co-starred in the drama film Precious.[4] Since then, Layne appeared in a number of independent and made-for-television films and guest-starred on television series Workaholics and Major Crimes. She also had supporting roles in films Life of Crime (2013) and The First Purge (2018).

From 2017 to 2019, Layne starred as Shemekka Epps in the Netflix comedy-drama series, She's Gotta Have It.[5][6] In 2023, Layne went to star and executive producer in the Allblk legal drama series, Judge Me Not loosely based on the life Oof Judge Lynn Toler.[7][8]

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role Notes
2007 Life Support Deyah Television film
A Deeper Love Gina Also producer
Back Stab Debbie
STD: Sexually Transmitted Demons Trina Short film
Hardrock Doreen
DOA (Daughters of America) -
2008 Psionics Honey
10,000 A.D.: The Legend of a Black Pearl Mesa Video
Cash Rules -
Cadillac Records Pot's Girlfriend Juanita
2009 Precious Rhonda
The Eddie Black Story Kelly
All Screwed Up Teenisha
2010 Left Unsaid Asia
2011 Comrades Kelly
Five Ronnie Television film
2012 Back Then Young Rochelle
David E. Talbert Presents: A Fool and His Money Tabitha
2013 Life of Crime Loretta
2014 Daddy's Home Janae Television film
2015 72 Hours Kandice
2016 Barbershop: A Fresh Cut Kayla
2017 We Are Family Shee-Lee
2018 The First Purge Elsa
2019 In Broad Daylight Jordan Boudreaux Television film

Television

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Year Title Role Notes
2009 FlashForward Nervous Woman Episode: "No More Good Days"
2015 Workaholics Sherry Episode: "Speedo Racer"
2016 Major Crimes Deletha Episode: "Hindsight, Part 1 & 4"
2017-19 She's Gotta Have It Shemekka Epps Recurring cast: season 1, main cast: season 2
2021 Dad Stop Embarrassing Me! Morgan Episode: "#ThrillaOnTheGrilla"
2022 Tales Aaliyah Martin Episode: "Hot in Here"
Power Book III: Raising Kanan Andrea Recurring cast: season 2
2023 Judge Me Not Judge Zelma Jay Johnson Lead role, also executive producer

References

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  1. ^ "Chyna Layne". TVGuide.com.
  2. ^ "A Deeper Love - Rotten Tomatoes". www.rottentomatoes.com. 2 May 2007.
  3. ^ "All Screwed Up - Rotten Tomatoes". www.rottentomatoes.com. 13 November 2012.
  4. ^ "Precious: Based on the Novel "Push" by Sapphire - Rotten Tomatoes". www.rottentomatoes.com. 6 November 2009.
  5. ^ Petski, Denise (4 November 2016). "'She's Gotta Have It': Chyna Layne & Ilfenesh Hadera Cast In Spike Lee Netflix Series".
  6. ^ Petski, Denise (25 January 2018). "'She's Gotta Have It': Chyna Layne Upped To Series Regular For Season 2 Of Netflix Series".
  7. ^ Anderson, Patience (2 May 2023). "'Judge Me Not': Legal Drama Loosely Based On The Life Of Judge Lynn Toler".
  8. ^ "Judge Lynn Toler and actress Chyna Layne Re: new show "Judge Me Not"". BlogTalkRadio. 28 May 2023.
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