Mariann Aalda

Mariann Aalda is a veteran film and television actress whose career spans drama, comedy, and character-driven storytelling across network television, streaming, and independent film. A former series regular on both daytime and prime-time television, Aalda is widely recognized for her groundbreaking portrayal of attorney DiDi Bannister on ABC’s Edge of Night, a role that helped pave the way for professional African-American female characters on network television. Her work has earned industry recognition and Image Awards from the African-American community. Based in New York and Los Angeles during the height of her television career, Aalda appeared in numerous recurring and guest-starring roles on hit series including Designing Women, Family Matters, First & 10, and The Royal Family, where she starred opposite Redd Foxx and Della Reese. She later returned to daytime television in the recurring role of Lena Hart on NBC’s Sunset Beach. In recent years, Aalda has experienced a strong creative resurgence, starring as media mogul Opal Banks opposite Eric Roberts in the feature film Spawns, which premiered at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival. Since 2022, she has also appeared in the Emmy-winning streaming series The Bay as Violet Givens, a role that continues to showcase her warmth, authority, and emotional precision. In addition to her on-camera work, Aalda has an extensive background in theatre, comedy, and live performance, including Off-Broadway productions and original solo work that has played to sold-out audiences nationally and internationally. Aalda continues to work actively in film, television, and live performance, bringing depth, intelligence, and lived authority to roles that ground the story and elevate the ensemble.