Tessa Thompson

Tessa Lynne Thompson is an American actress known for her performances in blockbuster films, independent dramas, and television series. Over her career, she has earned critical recognition and major award nominations, including two BAFTA Award nominations, a Golden Globe Award nomination, and a Primetime Emmy Award nomination. She is also a singer-songwriter who has contributed musically to major film projects.

Born on October 3, 1983, in Los Angeles, California, Thompson was raised between Los Angeles and Brooklyn, New York. Her father, Marc Anthony Thompson, is an Afro-Panamanian singer-songwriter and founder of the musical collective Chocolate Genius, Inc., while her younger paternal half-sister, Zsela, is also a singer and songwriter. Thompson attended Santa Monica High School before studying cultural anthropology at Santa Monica College, where she learned about the Los Angeles Women's Shakespeare Company through lectures by Lisa Wolpe.

Thompson made her professional stage debut in 2002 playing Ariel in the Los Angeles Women's Shakespeare Company production of The Tempest. In 2003, her portrayal of Juliet in Romeo and Juliet: Antebellum New Orleans, 1836 earned her an NAACP Theatre Award nomination. She transitioned to screen acting with a guest role on Cold Case in 2005 and gained wider recognition as a series regular playing Jackie Cook on Veronica Mars. She made her feature film debut in the 2006 horror film When a Stranger Calls, followed by roles in Hidden Palms, Make It Happen, and For Colored Girls.

Her breakout role came in 2014 when she starred as Samantha White in the comedy-drama Dear White People, winning the Gotham Independent Film Award for Breakthrough Performer. That same year, she portrayed civil rights activist Diane Nash in the historical drama Selma. In 2015, Thompson achieved widespread acclaim playing Bianca Taylor, a singer-songwriter suffering from hearing loss, in the sports drama Creed. In 2016, she joined the main cast of the science fiction series Westworld as board director Charlotte Hale.

Thompson gained global mainstream attention through her roles in high-profile franchises. She joined the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Valkyrie, starring in Thor: Ragnarok, Avengers: Endgame, Thor: Love and Thunder, and The Marvels. She also starred in Men in Black: International and reprised her role as Bianca Taylor in Creed II and Creed III. Alongside these large-scale productions, Thompson continued to star in acclaimed independent films, including Sorry to Bother You, Annihilation, and Little Woods, serving as an executive producer on the latter.

In addition to acting, Thompson has co-written and performed songs for film soundtracks, collaborating with the indie group Caught a Ghost and producer Moses Sumney. She expanded into producing with the audio drama podcast The Left Right Game, the film Sylvie's Love—which earned her a Primetime Emmy nomination for Outstanding Television Movie—and the drama The Listener. Her leading role in the Harlem Renaissance drama Passing earned her a BAFTA Award nomination.

In 2024, Thompson made her directorial debut with the music video for Arooj Aftab's single "Raat Ki Rani." She subsequently executive produced and starred in the title role of the drama film Hedda, earning a Golden Globe Award nomination. In 2026, Thompson made her Broadway debut portraying prison volunteer Jacki in Lindsey Ferrentino's play The Fear of 13 opposite Adrien Brody.