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Tasha Smith

Tasha Smith

Actor and director, also producer · Born February 28, 1971 (55) · Camden, New Jersey, USA

Tasha Smith (born February 28, 1971) is an American actress and director. She began her career in a starring role on the NBC comedy series Boston Common (1996–97). In film, Smith has appeared in The Whole Ten Yards (2004), Daddy's Little Girls (2007), The Longshots (2008), Couples Retreat (2009), Jumping the Broom (2011), Addicted (2014) and Dolemite Is My Name (2019). She starred as Angela Williams in the Tyler Perry films Why Did I Get Married? (2007), its sequel Why Did I Get Married Too? (2010), and on the television series based on the movies, For Better or Worse (2011–2017). From 2015 to 2020, she had a recurring role as Carol Holloway on the Fox musical drama series Empire.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
February 28, 1971 (55)
From
Camden, New Jersey, USA
Works as
Actor and director, also producer
Titles
45 on Motif · 61 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 157 days to Oct 28Down 44% in 30 days

What are Tasha Smith's films like?

Across their 21 Motif titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Self.

Genres

Comedy9 titlesTypical Motif score: 35th percentile
: browse their Comedy movies
Drama4 titlesTypical Motif score: 55th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies

Their Motif films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Motif 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
42%
Self
17%
Survival
16%
Morality
15%
Power
7%
Society
3%
Ideas
1%
Family bonds8 titles, browse their movies with this themeMarriage5 titles, browse their movies with this themeSurvival5 titles, browse their movies with this themeSelf-worth4 titles, browse their movies with this themeAmbition5 titles, browse their movies with this themeDeception5 titles, browse their movies with this themeFriendship3 titles, browse their movies with this themeClass3 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 19 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Serious: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their serious movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

A split, not a type: Light 8 · Serious 6 · Dark 5

Stylized: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their stylized movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

A split, not a type: Grounded 11 · Stylized 7 · Heightened 1

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

A split, not a type: Gentle 5 · Charged 6 · Intense 8

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

Steady 7 · Shifting 10 · Whiplash 2

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

Straight-faced 7 · Some laughs 8 · Funny 4

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

Slow burn 6 · Even-paced 12 · Relentless 1

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

Casual 12 · Engaged 7 · Full focus 0

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

Resolved 16 · Open-ended 3 · Ambiguous 0

Roles they play

4 analyzed roles

Usually the Shadow: 2 of 4 analyzed roles.

Shadow
2 of 4
Trickster
1 of 4
Ally
1 of 4

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
11
Warm
8
Hopeful
7
Joyful
6
Dread
4
Other
20

How their films linger

Feel-good11 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful8 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 3 with a twist

  • Happy10
  • Bittersweet8
  • Tragic1
  • Ambiguous2

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 Tasha Smith's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 36 of their 45 Motif titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (13).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Tasha Smith's titles on Motif; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Motif 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

61 credits, 45 with a Motif page; 7 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Why Did I Get Married Again?(2026)

    as Angela

    Motif score: 35th percentile of all films

  • Twinless(2025)

    as Charlotte

    Motif score: 91st percentile of all films

  • Escape Room (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2025)

    Actor

  • Desire: A Temptations Story(2025)

    as Kendra

    Motif score: 47th percentile of all films

  • The Deliverance(2024)

    as Pastor Powell

    Motif score: 13th percentile of all films

  • Bad Boys: Ride or Die(2024)

    as Theresa

    Motif score: 67th percentile of all films

  • Survival of the Thickest(2023)

    Show 13 episodes · Director · as Marley

    Motif score: 68th percentile of all shows

  • Mayor of Kingstown(2021)

    Show 2 episodes · Director

    Motif score: 90th percentile of all shows

  • BMF(2021)

    Show 2 episodes · Director · Executive Producer

    Motif score: 80th percentile of all shows

  • Our Kind of People(2021)

    Show 2 episodes · Director

    Motif score: 29th percentile of all shows

  • Big Sky(2020)

    Show 1 episode · Director

    Motif score: 44th percentile of all shows

  • P-Valley(2020)

    Show 1 episode · Director

    Motif score: 86th percentile of all shows

  • Dolemite Is My Name(2019)

    as Jimmy's Wife

    Motif score: 89th percentile of all films

  • First Wives Club(2019)

    Show 7 episodes · as Savannah

    Motif score: 78th percentile of all shows

  • The One You Never Forget (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2019)

    as Mom

  • Running Out of Time(2018)

    as Brenda

    Motif score: 14th percentile of all films

  • The Rookie(2018)

    Show 1 episode · Director

    Motif score: 91st percentile of all shows

  • Black Lightning(2018)

    Show 1 episode · Director

    Motif score: 23rd percentile of all shows

  • 9-1-1(2018)

    Show 3 episodes · Director · as Gabi Bond

    Motif score: 85th percentile of all shows

  • Snowed-Inn Christmas(2017)

    as Simone Jenkins

    Motif score: 84th percentile of all films

  • When Love Kills: The Falicia Blakely Story(2017)

    Director · Producer

    Motif score: 78th percentile of all films

  • Polaris(2016)

    as Sophie

    Motif score: 19th percentile of all films

  • Star(2016)

    Show 1 episode · Director · as Carol Hardaway

    Motif score: 65th percentile of all shows

  • Stock Option (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2015)

    as LaTonja

  • Boxed in (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2015)

    Director · Executive Producer · Writer

  • Empire(2015)

    Show 31 episodes · as Carol Hardaway

    Motif score: 65th percentile of all shows

  • Addicted(2014)

    as Marcella

    Motif score: 16th percentile of all films

  • Power(2014)

    Show 1 episode · as Jarita

    Motif score: 90th percentile of all shows

  • Tyler Perry's For Better or Worse (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2011)

    Show 135 episodes · as Angela Williams

  • Hell Week (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2011)

    as Marla

  • Jumping the Broom(2011)

    as Shonda

    Motif score: 37th percentile of all films

  • Something Like a Business(2010)

    as Angela

    Motif score: 11th percentile of all films

  • Why Did I Get Married Too?(2010)

    as Angela

    Motif score: 29th percentile of all films

  • Couples Retreat(2009)

    as Jennifer

    Motif score: 21st percentile of all films

  • Pastor Brown(2009)

    as Angelique Todd

    Motif score: 57th percentile of all films

  • The Longshots(2008)

    as Claire Plummer

    Motif score: 39th percentile of all films

  • Why Did I Get Married?(2007)

    as Angela

    Motif score: 55th percentile of all films

  • Daddy's Little Girls(2007)

    as Jennifer Jackson

    Motif score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • Playas Ball (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2007)

    as Vonda

  • Love... & Other 4 Letter Words(2007)

    as Lucille

    Motif score: 23rd percentile of all films

  • Glass House: The Good Mother(2006)

    as Caseworker

    Motif score: 31st percentile of all films

  • You, Me and Dupree(2006)

    as Co-Worker (uncredited)

    Motif score: 23rd percentile of all films

  • ATL(2006)

    as Gayle

    Motif score: 66th percentile of all films

  • Miles from Home (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2006)

    as Keisha Knight

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

    Show 1 episode · as Laura

  • The Whole Ten Yards(2004)

    as Julie

    Motif score: 21st percentile of all films

  • Nip/Tuck(2003)

    Show 1 episode · as Carol Nelson

    Motif score: 77th percentile of all shows

  • Without a Trace(2002)

    Show 1 episode · as Veronica

    Motif score: 56th percentile of all shows

  • Girlfriends(2000)

    Show 1 episode · as Shandara Durrani

    Motif score: 69th percentile of all shows

  • The Corner (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2000)

    Show 6 episodes · as Veronica "Ronnie" Boice

  • The Parkers(1999)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

    Motif score: 60th percentile of all shows

  • Chameleon II: Death Match(1999)

    as Webster, IBI Director

    Motif score: 13th percentile of all films

  • Max Q(1998)

    as Karen Daniels

    Motif score: 15th percentile of all films

  • The Tom Show (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1997)

    Show 38 episodes · as Tanya Cole

  • Malcolm & Eddie (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1996)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • The Steve Harvey Show(1996)

    Show 1 episode · as Kimberly Davis

    Motif score: 49th percentile of all shows

  • Boston Common (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1996)

    Show 32 episodes · as Tasha King

  • Let It Be Me(1995)

    as Student

    Motif score: 21st percentile of all films

  • Chicago Hope (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1994)

    Show 1 episode · as Denise Potter

  • 'Tis So Sweet (not in the Motif catalog yet)

    Director

  • Women Like Us (not in the Motif catalog yet)

    Director

Career shape

Star power in the 97th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 61 titles, 59 of them dated from 1994 to 2026; peak year 2007.

Biggest box office

Bad Boys: Ride or Die (2024)

$405M worldwide

Highest rated

Twinless (2025)

Motif 91st

Most popular right now

Bad Boys: Ride or Die (2024)

Film career

19942026

Peak 2007 · back in prominent film roles after a quiet stretch. Top draw in 1 Motif title. 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
Acting50 of 61: 47 only acting, 3 with another role · typical Motif score49thDirecting14 of 61: 9 only directing, 5 with another role · typical Motif score78thWriting1 of 61: 0 only writing, 1 with another roleProducing2 of 61: 0 only producing, 2 with another role

61 titles, 5 with more than one role — acting and directing overlap on 3 of them.

By decade

1990s9 · acting2000s17 · acting2010s21 · 17 acting · 6 crew2020s12 · 7 acting · 6 crew

Billing

usually 9th · top billed in 0% of 15 roles
0409

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 Motif score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on Motif, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30; the columns are the share of top-billed roles in each era, 5-year spans from the year on the label, merged until each holds at least 5 roles.

How do Tasha Smith's films land?

Their typical Motif film has a Motif score in the 31st percentile, the median of all 27; across their 19 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 36th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

36thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 19

Approval · how many liked their films

36thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 19

Reach · how many have seen their films

77thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 19

Motif score across 45 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up12
  • 50th to 74th11
  • 25th to 49th9
  • Below 25th13

Shape of the crowd

20 of their 45 titles are Mixed.

  • Universally Loved4
  • Divisive4
  • Cult Classic6
  • Crowd Pleaser8
  • Broadly Agreed3
  • Mixed20

Most divisive · actor

Love... & Other 4 Letter Words (2007)

95th percentile spread · 42% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

Twinless (2025)

Motif 91st · 79% liked

Reviewers score the acting 59/100 in their films, across 18 reviewed titles; fans 75, detractors 35. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on Motif; 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 Motif score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their Motif 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 Tasha Smith's work okay for kids?

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

Their medianMedian of all films
Sex & Nudity4 titlesmedian 37 · moderateMedian of all films: 31
Profanity3 titlesmedian 67 · intenseMedian of all films: 35

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

Who does Tasha Smith work with?

People who share at least 2 of Tasha Smith's Motif titles, grouped by what they did on them; Tyler Perry shares the most, 4.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors

Producers