Desiree Ross

Desiree Ross was born in Columbia, South Carolina. Her acting career began at the age of 13, appearing in short films such as “Park Bench” (2012), “Crossing the River” (2012), and “Old Souls” (2013). Her initial exposure to a wider audience came with a starring role in the Lifetime television film “A Country Christmas Story” (2013), where she performed alongside Dolly Parton. Following this, she secured a recurring role as Mira in the TNT post-apocalyptic drama series “Falling Skies” (2014), appearing in six episodes.

Ross’s career advanced significantly when she was cast as Sophia Greenleaf, a series regular, in the Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN) drama series “Greenleaf.” This role, which she held from 2016 to 2020, involved working with Oprah Winfrey and Emmy winners Lynn Whitfield and Keith David. During her time on “Greenleaf,” Ross also took on supporting roles in other projects, including the film “If You’re Gone” (2019) and a guest appearance on the Fox show “The Resident” (2020). Her upcoming projects include “All Hail the Squash” and “The Diner,” as well as “Gingersnap Christmas” (2024), “Cupid Christmas”, “All is Merry & Bright” (2025), “The Choices We Make”, “Savage Lands”, “Radio Sky”, and “Keyz”.

Beyond acting, Ross is involved in philanthropic activities. For five years, she has worked with organizations such as Saving Our Cinderellas in Atlanta and Cleveland, Ohio. She mentors at a Chicago Art School, delivers an annual motivational speech to children in Georgia’s foster system, and has worked with children in Nicaragua. Ross also frequently visits schools and serves as a youth counselor at a Christian youth camp. Her additional community involvement includes fostering dogs for SQ Rescue, participating in charity walks, and volunteering at food pantries. She has expressed a mission to encourage persistence in others and to fund a trip to Togo to build water wells. Her personal interests include singing and clothes design.