Biography

Tanya Thompson is a first-generation Caribbean American award-winning actress and producer from the Bronx, New York. Her television credits include NBC’s New Amsterdam, the Golden Globe-nominated series The Sinner on USA Network, and HBO Max’s That Damn Michael Che. She has appeared in numerous independent features, including Paper Spiders (starring Lili Taylor, Stefania Owen, and Peyton List) and Love After Holidays (starring Malik Yoba and Taral Hicks), streaming on BET+.

Tanya starred as the lead in the national commercial for Mounjaro, which premiered during the 2022 Super Bowl, and served as the face of the brand's nationwide print campaign. Her theater credits include sold-out runs of Angry Insecure Man at the Wilshire Ebell Theatre and Loving Him at the Hudson Theatre in Los Angeles.

Tanya’s accolades include "Best Actress in a Supporting Role" at the 2016 Nollywood African & Film Critics Awards (NAFCA) for her performance in MUDA: When Time Is All That Matters. That same year, she was named "Movie Actress of the Year" at the Newsome Awards and received a "Recognition Award" at the Piton International Film Festival for her work as lead actress and producer of the thriller The1Closest2U.

Her passion for the arts began at age five with classical piano, ballet, and tap. After discovering her love for acting in high school-where she received the "Drama Award" at graduation-Tanya landed her first role as an extra on the FOX series NY Undercover.

Though she initially pursued a traditional career path, earning a Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting from Berkeley College, Tanya maintained her connection to the industry. She rose to become the Director of Finance and Director of Special Events at the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (The Daytime Emmy Awards), making history as the first African American woman to hold a Director title at the organization. After years of producing the Emmy Awards and witnessing the industry from the executive side, Tanya decided to leave her corporate role, trained at the prestigious William Esper Studio in NYC and has been pursuing her acting career full-time.
- IMDb mini biography by: Tanya Thompson