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Malinda Williams

Malinda Williams

Actor, also producer · Born December 3, 1975 (50) · Elizabeth, New Jersey, USA

​From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.   Malinda Williams (born December 3, 1975) is an American actress. She is perhaps best known for her portrayal of hair stylist Tracy "Bird" Van Adams on the Showtime television drama Soul Food. Description above from the Wikipedia article Malinda Williams, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
December 3, 1975 (50)
From
Elizabeth, New Jersey, USA
Works as
Actor, also producer
Titles
27 on MovieCove · 44 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 18% in 30 days

What are Malinda Williams' films like?

Across their 17 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Self.

Genres

Comedy9 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 27th percentile
: browse their Comedy movies
Drama4 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 44th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies
Family2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 31st percentile
: browse their Family 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
47%
Self
19%
Power
11%
Morality
11%
Society
10%
Survival
2%
Ideas
1%
Family bonds9 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love7 titles, browse their movies with this themeCommunity4 titles, browse their movies with this themePurpose3 titles, browse their movies with this themeDeception4 titles, browse their movies with this themeSelf-worth2 titles, browse their movies with this themeMarriage2 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 17 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Light: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their light movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

Light 11 · Serious 4 · Dark 2

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

Grounded 12 · Stylized 4 · 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 10 · Charged 4 · Intense 3

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

A split, not a type: Steady 9 · Shifting 7 · Whiplash 1

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

Straight-faced 4 · Some laughs 7 · Funny 6

Slow burn: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their slow burn movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

A split, not a type: Slow burn 8 · Even-paced 9 · 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 14 · Engaged 2 · Full focus 1

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

Resolved 16 · Open-ended 1 · Ambiguous 0

Roles they play

6 analyzed roles

Usually the Hero: 3 of 6 analyzed roles.

Hero
3 of 6
Ally
2 of 6
Trickster
1 of 6

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Warm
7
Tense
5
Hopeful
6
Romantic
6
Joyful
6
Other
17

How their films linger

Feel-good10 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 1 with a twist

  • Happy9
  • Bittersweet5
  • 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 Malinda Williams' films?

As of October 24, 2026, 22 of their 27 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (13).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Malinda Williams' 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

44 credits, 27 with a MovieCove page; 1 appearance as themselves is hidden until asked for.

  • Loved To Death (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2019)

    as Monica

  • A Second Chance (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2019)

    as Erica Styles

  • Chandler Christmas Getaway(2018)

    as Marci

    Midcredits score: 27th percentile of all films

  • Merry Christmas, Baby(2015)

    as Marci

    Midcredits score: 32nd percentile of all films

  • A Baby for Christmas(2015)

    as Marci

    Midcredits score: 29th percentile of all films

  • Girlfriends Getaway 2 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2015)

    as Camille

  • Accidental Love(2015)

    as Rakeesha

    Midcredits score: 2nd percentile of all films

  • Marry Us for Christmas(2014)

    as Marci

    Midcredits score: 35th percentile of all films

  • Girlfriends' Getaway (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2014)

    as Camille

  • Marry Me for Christmas(2013)

    Producer · as Marci Jewel

    Midcredits score: 32nd percentile of all films

  • Percentage (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    as Cassandra

  • 24 Hour Love(2013)

    as PJ

    Midcredits score: 1st percentile of all films

  • Back Then(2012)

    as Andrea 'Dre' Devine

    Midcredits score: 26th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Two Days in New York(2012)

    as Elizabeth

    Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all films

  • A Cross to Bear (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    as Fae

  • The Undershepherd(2012)

    as Casandra

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all films

  • A Day in the Life(2009)

    as Boopsy

    Midcredits score: 35th percentile of all films

  • First Sunday(2008)

    as Tianna

    Midcredits score: 17th percentile of all films

  • Daddy's Little Girls(2007)

    as Maya Elizabeth

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • Idlewild(2006)

    as Zora

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films

  • Windfall (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)

    Show 6 episodes · as Kimberly George

  • Half & Half(2002)

    Show 1 episode · as Myra

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all shows

  • Dancing in September (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)

    as Rhonda

  • The Division (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)

    Show 1 episode · as Tanya

  • The District (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)

    Show 2 episodes · as Rennee

  • Soul Food (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)

    Show 74 episodes · as Tracy 'Bird' Van Adams

  • Law & Order: Special Victims Unit(1999)

    Show 1 episode · as Lori-Ann Dufoy

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all shows

  • The Wood(1999)

    as Young Alicia

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all films

  • Movie Stars (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)

    Show 21 episodes · as Bianca

  • Uninvited Guest(1999)

    as Tammy

    Midcredits score: 34th percentile of all films

  • High School High(1996)

    as Natalie Thompson

    Midcredits score: 26th percentile of all films

  • Dangerous Minds (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Nick Freno: Licensed Teacher (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)

    Show 21 episodes · as Tasha Morrison

  • Sunset Park(1996)

    as Cheryl

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films

  • A Thin Line Between Love and Hate(1996)

    as Erica Wright

    Midcredits score: 42nd percentile of all films

  • Moesha(1996)

    Show 3 episodes · as Taylor

    Midcredits score: 18th percentile of all shows

  • My So-Called Life(1994)

    Show 1 episode · as Yvette

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all shows

  • South Central (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)

    Show 3 episodes · Actor

  • Sister, Sister(1994)

    Show 2 episodes · as Tyra

    Midcredits score: 27th percentile of all shows

  • The John Larroquette Show (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)

    Show 1 episode · as Shanelle

  • Laurel Avenue (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)

    Show 2 episodes · as Sheila Arnett

  • Roc(1991)

    Show 1 episode · as Celina

    Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all shows

  • Captain Planet and the Planeteers(1990)

    Show 1 episode · as Michelle (voice)

    Midcredits score: 34th percentile of all shows

  • The Cosby Show(1984)

    Show 1 episode · as Althea Logan · as Shana

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all shows

Career shape

Star power in the 86th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 44 titles from 1984 to 2019; peak year 2007.

Biggest box office

First Sunday (2008)

$39M worldwide

Highest rated

Idlewild (2006)

Midcredits 55th

Most popular right now

Accidental Love (2015)

Film career

19842019

Peak 2007 · 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
Acting44 of 44: 44 only acting, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score35th

By decade

1980s1 · acting1990s17 · acting2000s10 · acting2010s16 · acting

Billing

usually 7th · top billed in 0% of 8 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 Malinda Williams' films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 34th percentile, the median of all 19; across their 17 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 27th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

27thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 17

Approval · how many liked their films

38thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 17

Reach · how many have seen their films

45thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 17

Midcredits score across 27 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up3
  • 50th to 74th6
  • 25th to 49th14
  • Below 25th4

Shape of the crowd

8 of their 27 titles are Cult Classics.

  • Universally Loved2
  • Universally Panned1
  • Divisive2
  • Cult Classic8
  • Crowd Pleaser5
  • Broadly Agreed1
  • Mixed8

Most divisive · actor

Back Then (2012)

96th percentile spread · 46% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

The Wood (1999)

Midcredits 78th · 71% liked

Reviewers score the acting 51/100 in their films, across 14 reviewed titles; fans 66, 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 Malinda Williams' 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 43 · 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 Malinda Williams work with?

People who share at least 2 of Malinda Williams' MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; David Eubanks shares the most, 6.

Directors

Actors

Cinematographers and editors

Producers