Biography

Victoria Rowell is an award-winning actress, international lecturer, holds two 'honorary' doctorates - a teacher, advocate, mother, and former foster youth. She has been recognized by 193 members of Congress for advocacy work on behalf of education, arts, foster and adoptive youth and parents as well as diversity issues.

Her New York Times bestseller, The Women Who Raised Me, published by HarperCollins Publishers, received literary acclaim. Rowell also enjoys a literary book deal with Simon & Schuster for her popular soap opera novel series.

Rowell is an Emmy-nominated, NAACP-winning actress, who co-starred with Dick Van Dyke in the prime time television series Diagnosis Murder (1993) for VIACOM for eight seasons, as well as starring in Daytime television. Rowell was submitted for a Golden Globe Award, starring opposite Samuel L. Jackson in Home of the Brave (2006).

Other credits include Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (1999) and other series. She stars in the movie, Marry Me For Christmas and an upcoming feature, What Love Will Make You Do. She has been in multiple films, starring opposite Jim Carrey, Eddie Murphy, Will Smith, Jeff Bridges, Samuel L. Jackson, Beau Bridges, Forest Whitaker and more. Victoria is currently filming opposite The Blacklist/Man of Steel star, Harry Lennix.

Born in Maine, Rowell was raised on a 60 acre working farm and learned classical ballet from a book. She eventually turned professional and performed with American Ballet Theater (ABT) II and other professional ballet companies.

Rowell has two adult children, Maya and Jasper.
- IMDb mini biography by: Days Ferry Productions, LLC

As you know, I've had more than 14 years of daytime drama experience beyond The Young and the Restless, but that is the most iconic role that I played in daytime, as Drucilla Winters. I very quickly saw the disparity for African-Americans not only in front but behind the camera and was very active in diversity in the genre of daytime drama television.

I was introduced to her [Myrna Colley-Lee's] literacy organization many years ago and was invited to Mississippi. I had the great honor of collaborating. I was invited to the local high school, and I spoke and I was taken to the SonEdna art center. I'm also involved in literacy. The high incidence of illiteracy in the South and teen pregnancy, I absolutely wanted to make Mississippi a part of the story. Besides that, the historical civil rights aspects of Mississippi. To me, it all matters. It all collides. It all has to matter. In my opinion, to live a full, bountiful, abundant and give-back life, you have to know the history. You've got to look back to move forward.

Being Emmy-nominated is hugely a part of my story and my imprint as an actress. I've worked in Hollywood over 25 years with the likes of Sam Jackson to Eddie Murphy to Will Smith. I've worked with Mario Van Peebles. I've worked with Forest Whitaker, Dick Van Dyke, Jim Carrey, lots of incredible actors, black and white. Roc Dutton, Robert Townsend and, of course, Shemar Moore. Today, my highest achievement is being owner, creator, executive producer, director and co-writer and actor of ... and in The Rich and the Ruthless.