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Melissa De Sousa

Melissa De Sousa

Actor · Born September 25, 1967 (59) · New York City, New York, USA

Melissa De Sousa is an actress best known for her role as Shelby in the 1999 romantic comedy-drama film The Best Man, its 2013 sequel The Best Man Holiday, Gabriella Jimenez in BET's Reed Between the Lines, and Ana Lopez in Black Lightning. 

Biography from TMDB.

Born
September 25, 1967 (59)
From
New York City, New York, USA
Works as
Actor
Titles
29 on MovieCove · 39 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 156 days to Oct 27Down 20% in 30 days

What are Melissa De Sousa's films like?

Across their 14 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Self.

Genres

Action3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 38th percentile
: browse their Action movies
Comedy3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 42nd percentile
: browse their Comedy movies
Drama3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 52nd percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Bonds
43%
Self
24%
Morality
15%
Survival
11%
Ideas
5%
Society
2%
Friendship6 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds3 titles, browse their movies with this themeSurvival3 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice3 titles, browse their movies with this themeMarriage2 titles, browse their movies with this themePurpose2 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity3 titles, browse their movies with this themeComing of age2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 11 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Grounded: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their grounded movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 10 · Stylized 1 · Heightened 0

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 2 · Charged 6 · Intense 3

Shifting: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their shifting movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 3 · Shifting 6 · Whiplash 2

Some laughs: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their some laughs movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

A split, not a type: Straight-faced 4 · Some laughs 3 · Funny 4

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 4 · Even-paced 7 · Relentless 0

Engaged: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their engaged movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 4 · Engaged 7 · Full focus 0

Affecting: How much it costs you emotionally; whether you need recovery time. Browse their affecting movies.
Demand · Emotional cost
easyheavy

A split, not a type: Easy watch 4 · Affecting 3 · Heavy 4

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 8 · Open-ended 3 · Ambiguous 0

Roles they play

6 analyzed roles

Usually the Hero: 2 of 6 analyzed roles.

Hero
2 of 6
Ally
2 of 6
Herald
1 of 6
Shapeshifter
1 of 6

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
7
Joyful
6
Warm
7
Melancholic
6
Thrilling
2
Other
10

How their films linger

Hopeful8 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 2 with a twist

  • Happy5
  • Bittersweet6
  • Ambiguous1
  • Cyclical2

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Melissa De Sousa's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 22 of their 29 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Prime Video (7).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Melissa De Sousa's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

39 credits, 29 with a MovieCove page; 1 appearance as themselves is hidden until asked for.

  • Operation: Aunties(2025)

    as Carol

    Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all films

  • The Best Man: The Final Chapters(2022)

    Show 8 episodes · as Shelby

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all shows

  • Bel-Air(2022)

    Show 1 episode · as Steph

    Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all shows

  • On Becoming a God in Central Florida(2019)

    Show 5 episodes · as Mirta Herrera

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all shows

  • Ladies of the Law(2018)

    Show 6 episodes · as Tina

    Midcredits score: 32nd percentile of all shows

  • Black Lightning(2018)

    Show 8 episodes · as Chief Ana Lopez

    Midcredits score: 21st percentile of all shows

  • Supermodel (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2015)

    as Det. Lacey

  • Divas! (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2015)

    as Angie

  • Cru (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2014)

    as Michelle Hughes

  • The Best Man Holiday(2013)

    as Shelby

    Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films

  • Elementary(2012)

    Show 1 episode · as Luz Horowitz

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all shows

  • Reed Between the Lines(2011)

    Show 25 episodes · as Gabriella Jimenez

    Midcredits score: 26th percentile of all shows

  • Single Ladies(2011)

    Show 6 episodes · as Austin Aguilera

    Midcredits score: 27th percentile of all shows

  • Ashes(2010)

    as Camille

    Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all films

  • Shameless(2011)

    Show 1 episode · as Tina

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all shows

  • Castle(2009)

    Show 1 episode · as Liz Penn

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all shows

  • A Good Man Is Hard to Find(2008)

    as Monica

    Midcredits score: 23rd percentile of all films

  • Bats: Human Harvest(2007)

    as O'Neal

    Midcredits score: 3rd percentile of all films

  • Constellation(2005)

    as Lucy Boxer

    Midcredits score: 16th percentile of all films

  • The Ron Clark Story(2006)

    as Marissa Vega

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all films

  • Saturday Night Life (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)

    as Darlene Maye

  • Ghost Whisperer(2005)

    Show 1 episode · as Christine Nelson

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all shows

  • Criminal Minds(2005)

    Show 1 episode · as Adele McCord

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all shows

  • Second Time Around (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)

    Show 13 episodes · as Coco Herrera

  • Laurel Canyon(2002)

    as Claudia

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films

  • 30 Years to Life(2001)

    Actor

    Midcredits score: 42nd percentile of all films

  • One on One (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)

    Show 12 episodes · as Natalie

  • Miss Congeniality(2000)

    as Karen Krantz

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films

  • The $treet (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)

    Show 12 episodes · as Donna Pasqua

  • Lockdown(2000)

    as Krista

    Midcredits score: 52nd percentile of all films

  • The Best Man(1999)

    as Shelby

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all films

  • Grown Ups (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)

    Show 2 episodes · as Donna Parris

  • Ride(1998)

    as Leta

    Midcredits score: 25th percentile of all films

  • Damon (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1998)

    Show 13 episodes · as Stacy Phillips

  • Moesha(1996)

    Show 1 episode · as Jennifer

    Midcredits score: 18th percentile of all shows

  • The Wayans Bros.(1995)

    Show 1 episode · as Charmaine

    Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all shows

  • ER(1994)

    Show 1 episode · as Estella

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all shows

  • Valley of the Dolls (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)

    Show 1 episode · as Neely O'Hara

  • Living Single(1993)

    Show 1 episode · as Carmen · as Lisa

    Midcredits score: 84th percentile of all shows

Career shape

Star power in the 91st percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 39 titles from 1993 to 2025; peak year 1999.

Biggest box office

Miss Congeniality (2000)

$213M worldwide

Highest rated

The Ron Clark Story (2006)

Midcredits 96th

Most popular right now

Miss Congeniality (2000)

Film career

19932025

Peak 1999 · fewer prominent film roles lately. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting39 of 39: 39 only acting, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score52nd

By decade

1990s9 · acting2000s15 · acting2010s12 · acting2020s3 · acting

Billing

usually 9th · top billed in 0% of 7 roles

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30.

How do Melissa De Sousa's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 42nd percentile, the median of all 13; across their 11 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 47th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

47thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 11

Approval · how many liked their films

48thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 11

Reach · how many have seen their films

64thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 11

Midcredits score across 29 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up8
  • 50th to 74th7
  • 25th to 49th9
  • Below 25th5

Shape of the crowd

11 of their 29 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved4
  • Loved with Detractors1
  • Divisive3
  • Cult Classic5
  • Crowd Pleaser11
  • Mixed5

Most divisive · actor

Operation: Aunties (2025)

97th percentile spread · 52% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

The Ron Clark Story (2006)

Midcredits 96th · 86% liked

Reviewers score the acting 63/100 in their films, across 9 reviewed titles; fans 75, detractors 36. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is Melissa De Sousa's work okay for kids?

Across a limited sample of up to 4 MovieCove titles with content scores.

Their medianMedian of all films
Sex & Nudity4 titlesmedian 45 · moderateMedian of all films: 32

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted.

Who does Melissa De Sousa work with?

People who share at least 2 of Melissa De Sousa's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Harold Perrineau shares the most, 2.

Actors