Erica Ash
| Erica Ash | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born |
September 19, 1977 Florida, U.S. |
| Alma mater | Emory University |
| Occupation | Actress, comedian, model, singer |
| Website |
www |
Erica Ash (born September 19, 1977)[1] is an American actress, comedian, singer and model. She was a cast member on the sketch comedy programs MadTV and The Big Gay Sketch Show. Ash also has a recurring role as Bridgette Hart on the fictional reality series, Real Husbands of Hollywood. And stars as Mary Charles "MChuck" Calloway on the STARZ hit series "Survivor's Remorse".
In 2013, she had a supporting role in the comedy horror spoof Scary Movie 5, and also appeared in the 2014 horror film Kristy.
Early life
Ash was born in Florida to Donald and Diann Ash. Her parents were both in the military, leading the family to relocate often, moving to Germany and other parts of the world.[2] She attended a performing arts school in Decatur, Georgia during her youth.[2] Ash planned on becoming a doctor, graduating from Emory University with a degree in pre-med and prepared to attend medical school.[3] However, after a trip to Japan, where she became a backup singer and a runway model, Ash decided to pursue a career in entertainment.[3]
Career
The Big Gay Sketch Show
In February 2006, Ash landed multiple job opportunities in Broadway shows like The Lion King and a two-week job in Germany. After returning from the job in Germany, Ash successfully auditioned for the cable television comedy show The Big Gay Sketch Show.[4] Ash was a cast member for only two seasons.[5] While she was a cast member, Ash had to split her time between the first season of the sketch show and the Lion King. Some of her characters included LaTanya, an uncouth, loudmouth fitness instructor who teaches classes with a "Chicago-style" twist (i.e. Chicago style yoga, Chicago style pilates).[5]
MadTV
Ash joined the cast of MadTV in 2008 as a feature performer, for the fourteenth season, along with Matt Braunger, Eric Price, and Lauren Pritchard.[6] She became the fifth African American female cast member in the show's history (Debra Wilson, Daniele Gaither, Nicole Randall Johnson and Daheli Hall were the first four respectively). Out of the five female African American cast members, Ash and Hall are the only two who were never promoted to a repertory player. Hall was let go after her first season (season 13) and Ash was a featured member of the cast during what would be MADtv's final season (14th season).[7]
On her short time on the show, Ash was known for her character, Cerise Muhammad, the airheaded daughter of a deceased civil rights leader, and her celebrity impressions of Lisa Leslie, Mo'Nique, Raven-Symone, Michelle Obama, Naomi Campbell, and Whoopi Goldberg.
Characters
| Character | Sketch | Season of first appearance | Catch phrase |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cerise Muhammad | Daughter of Legions | 14 | "...and everything, so." |
Impressions
| Celebrity | Sketch | Season of first appearance |
|---|---|---|
| Naomi Campbell | Various | 14 |
| Whoopi Goldberg | Various | 14 |
| Mo'Nique | Various | 14 |
| Lisa Leslie | Various | 14 |
| Raven-Symoné | Family Feud | 14 |
| Michelle Obama | Various | 14 |
Filmography
The following is a brief list of Erica Ash's television and voice acting career projects as compiled by the Internet Movie Database.[8]
Film appearances
| Year | Title | Role | Other notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | Minna no Ie | Naomi | |
| 2011 | I Can Smoke? | Carmen | Short film |
| 2012 | American Judy | Maya | Television film |
| 2013 | Scary Movie 5 | Kendra Brooks | |
| 2014 | Kristy | Nicole | |
| 2015 | Sister Code | Jamaya |
Television appearances
| Year | Title | Role | Total Episodes | Other notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–2008 | The Big Gay Sketch Show | Various Characters | Sketch Comedy | |
| 2008–2009 | MadTV | Various Characters | 12 | Sketch Comedy |
| 2009 | Cold Case | Regina Reynolds | 1 | Drama |
| 2012 | Like Stinks? | Hot Woman | Mini-series | |
| 2013–present | Real Husbands of Hollywood | Bridget | Recurring Role | |
| 2014–present | Survivor's Remorse | Mary Charles M-Chuck Calloway | Main Role | |
| 2016 | Hell's Kitchen | Herself | Dining Room Guest | |
Voice acting and video game appearances
| Year | Title | Role | Other notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | Shenmue II | Additional Voices | Video game |
| 2001 | DDRMAX Dance Dance Revolution 6thMix | Singer (Kind Lady) | Video game |
| 2003 | Bloody Roar 4 | Nagi Kirishima | Video game |
References
- ↑ "United States Public Records, 1970-2009," database, FamilySearch, Erica C Ash, Residence, New York, New York, United States; a third party aggregator of publicly available information.
- 1 2 Ash, Donnie. "Post-Japan Success Stories: Erica Ash". The Japan Guy. Retrieved August 7, 2016.
- 1 2 Erica Ash official website
- ↑ See http://www.madtv.com/cast/index.html
- 1 2 See http://www.logotv.com/shows/big_gay_sketch_show/season_1/series.jhtml#!
- ↑ See http://www.madtv.com/about/index.html
- ↑ See http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117995723.html?categoryid=14&cs=1
- ↑ See http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1404359/