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Karen Malina White

Karen Malina White

Actor · Born July 7, 1965 (61) · Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA

Karen Malina White was born on July 7, 1965 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. She is an actress and producer, known for Lean on Me (1989), Dahmer - Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story (2022) and Malcolm & Eddie (1996).

Biography from TMDB.

Born
July 7, 1965 (61)
From
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
Works as
Actor
Titles
33 on MovieCove · 49 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 64 days to Oct 27Down 36% in 30 days

What are Karen Malina White's films like?

Across their 8 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Self.

Themes

share of theme weight
Bonds
57%
Self
33%
Society
7%
Morality
3%
Family bonds5 titles, browse their movies with this themeComing of age3 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love3 titles, browse their movies with this themeFriendship3 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 5 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Light: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their light movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

Light 3 · Serious 1 · Dark 1

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

A split, not a type: Grounded 3 · Stylized 2 · Heightened 0

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

Gentle 1 · Charged 3 · Intense 1

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

Steady 2 · Shifting 3 · Whiplash 0

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

Straight-faced 1 · Some laughs 3 · Funny 1

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

Slow burn 2 · Even-paced 3 · Relentless 0

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

Casual 4 · Engaged 1 · Full focus 0

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

Resolved 5 · Open-ended 0 · Ambiguous 0

Roles they play

5 analyzed roles

Usually the Ally: 3 of 5 analyzed roles.

Ally
3 of 5
Mentor
2 of 5

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Joyful
5
Warm
4
Hopeful
3
Romantic
3
Tense
2
Other
6

How their films linger

Feel-good6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 1 with a twist

  • Happy8

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 Karen Malina White's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 30 of their 33 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Hulu (9).

Subscription and free streaming for Karen Malina White'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

49 credits, 33 with a MovieCove page.

  • A Proud Family Wizmas (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2026)

    as Dijonay (voice)

  • Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage(2024)

    Show 2 episodes · as Lindsey

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all shows

  • Big Boss (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2023)

    as Therapist

  • DAHMER - Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2022)

    Show 5 episodes · as Shirley Hughes

  • Chibiverse(2022)

    Show 1 episode · as Dijonay Jones (voice)

    Midcredits score: 12th percentile of all shows

  • The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder(2022)

    Show 39 episodes · as Dijonay (voice)

    Midcredits score: 1st percentile of all shows

  • 'Tis the Season to be Merry(2021)

    as Sonia Hendricks

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films

  • Love, for Real(2021)

    as Marie

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all films

  • Kidding(2018)

    Show 1 episode · as Latrice

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all shows

  • Lodge 49(2018)

    Show 4 episodes · Actor

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all shows

  • 9-1-1(2018)

    Show 1 episode · as Avery Webber

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all shows

  • Young Sheldon(2017)

    Show 1 episode · as Officer Larson

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all shows

  • Raven's Home(2017)

    Show 1 episode · as Loretta

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all shows

  • Snowfall(2017)

    Show 1 episode · as Doris Perkins

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all shows

  • Conflict of Interest (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2017)

    as Gabriele's Mother

  • Better Things(2016)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all shows

  • Silent Cry Aloud (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2016)

    as Dina

  • How to Get Away with Murder(2014)

    Show 1 episode · as Carla Brookings

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all shows

  • I Didn't Do It(2014)

    Show 18 episodes · as Betty LeBow

    Midcredits score: 24th percentile of all shows

  • Mom(2013)

    Show 2 episodes · as Natalie

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all shows

  • Jump In: The Movie(2013)

    as Camryn Davis

    Midcredits score: 35th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Where Do We Go from Here (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    as Florence Theresa Ford

  • Veep(2012)

    Show 1 episode · as Kimberly

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all shows

  • Suits(2011)

    Show 1 episode · as Doris Miller

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all shows

  • The Middle(2009)

    Show 1 episode · as Mrs. Roberts

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all shows

  • Random! Cartoons (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)

    Show 1 episode · as Mindy 500 (voice)

  • The Mentalist(2008)

    Show 1 episode · as Elsie Graham

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all shows

  • The Proud Family Movie(2005)

    as Dijonay Jones (voice)

    Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all films

  • The Shield(2002)

    Show 1 episode · as Dez' Girlfriend

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all shows

  • The Bernie Mac Show(2001)

    Show 1 episode · as Denise

    Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all shows

  • The Proud Family(2001)

    Show 52 episodes · as Dijonay Jones (voice)

    Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all shows

  • Boston Public (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)

    Show 1 episode · as Sonia Williamson

  • Strong Medicine (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)

    Show 1 episode · as Constance 'Connie' MacRane

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

    Show 89 episodes · as Nicolette Vandross

  • The Home Court (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)

    Show 1 episode · as Leslie

  • The Parent 'Hood(1995)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

    Midcredits score: 52nd percentile of all shows

  • Me and the Boys (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)

    Show 3 episodes · Actor

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

    Show 1 episode · as Jennifer Koosman

  • My So-Called Life(1994)

    Show 2 episodes · as Abyssinia Churchill

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all shows

  • Dave's World (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)

    Show 1 episode · as Natalie

  • Living Single(1993)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

    Midcredits score: 84th percentile of all shows

  • Getting By (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)

    Show 5 episodes · Actor

  • Hangin' with Mr. Cooper(1992)

    Show 2 episodes · as Florence · as Sandra

    Midcredits score: 23rd percentile of all shows

  • Herman's Head (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1991)

    Show 1 episode · as Rene

  • Roc(1991)

    Show 3 episodes · as Michelle

    Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all shows

  • The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air(1990)

    Show 2 episodes · as Jewel Robertson

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all shows

  • Lean on Me(1989)

    as Kaneesha Carter

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all films

  • A Different World(1987)

    Show 26 episodes · as Charmaine Brown

    Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all shows

  • The Cosby Show(1984)

    Show 13 episodes · as Charmaine Brown

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all shows

Career shape

Star power in the 90th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 48 titles, 47 of them dated from 1984 to 2024; peak year 1989.

Biggest box office

Lean on Me (1989)

$32M worldwide

Highest rated

Lean on Me (1989)

Midcredits 91st

Most popular right now

The Proud Family (2001)

Film career

19842024

Peak 1989 · back in prominent film roles after a quiet stretch. 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
Acting48 of 48: 48 only acting, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score73rd

By decade

1980s3 · acting1990s13 · acting2000s9 · acting2010s15 · acting2020s7 · acting

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.

How do Karen Malina White's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 59th percentile, the median of all 5; across their 5 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 61st percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

61stpercentile
Typical film, the median of 5

Approval · how many liked their films

56thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 5

Reach · how many have seen their films

76thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 5

Midcredits score across 33 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up15
  • 50th to 74th11
  • 25th to 49th3
  • Below 25th4

Shape of the crowd

16 of their 33 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved8
  • Divisive3
  • Cult Classic2
  • Crowd Pleaser16
  • Mixed4

Most divisive · actor

The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder (2022)

95th percentile spread · 71% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

Lean on Me (1989)

Midcredits 91st · 82% liked

Reviewers score the acting 69/100 in their films, across 4 reviewed titles; fans 79, detractors 34. 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 Karen Malina White'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 31 · mildMedian of all films: 32
Profanity4 titlesmedian 40 · moderateMedian of all films: 36

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

Who does Karen Malina White work with?

People who share at least 2 of Karen Malina White's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Alisa Reyes shares the most, 3.

Actors

Composers

Producers