Holly Robinson Peete
2023 Women’s History Month
Holly Elizabeth Robinson Peete is an actress and singer.
She is known for her roles as Judy Hoffs on the Fox police drama 21 Jump Street, Vanessa Russell on the ABC sitcom Hangin’ with Mr. Cooper, and Dr. Malena Ellis on the NBC/The WB sitcom For Your Love.
She also served as one of the original co-hosts of the CBS Daytime talk show, The Talk.
After graduating from high school, Peete entered Sarah Lawrence College in New York. She majored in Psychology and French.
After she graduated in 1986, she considered attending graduate school and perhaps working in languages for the U.S. State Department. However, she decided to give an acting career a chance. Within a short time, Peete found roles in a television series and two films.
Peete’s children’s book, My Brother Charlie, won her an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Literary Work in March 2011.
In 2012, the book was awarded the Dolly Gray Children’s Literature Award.