Vanessa Nakate to Open Giving Black Conference 2026 With Climate Justice Keynote
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United States Yaya DaCosta has transitioned from a successful model to an established actress and producer, known for her compelling roles in television and film.
Yaya DaCosta has appeared in advertisements for Garnier Fructis.
Yaya DaCosta has appeared in ads for Sephora.
Yaya DaCosta has appeared in ads for Oil of Olay.
Yaya DaCosta has appeared in ads for Dr. Scholl's.
In 2014, she landed a spot in Tom Ford’s Fall/Winter advertising campaign.
A unique feature of the brand is "The Leading Edge" (patent pending), a head wrap fabric with 3 out of 4 stiff hems, making it more obedient and easy to wrap. The actress shares all the details about her new hair wrap line, honoring hip-hop culture, and how she defines self-love.
Yaya DaCosta was confirmed to host Summer Sizzle, BVI, an event that would showcase BVI brands including The Islander Swim Collection.
Yaya DaCosta starred in a TV commercial for Radio Shack Christmas Campaign.
Yaya DaCosta, born on November 15, 1982, in Harlem, New York City, began her performing career at a young age, encouraged by her junior high school drama teacher. Her early experiences in educational films and school productions laid the groundwork for her future in entertainment. DaCosta gained national recognition in 2005 as the runner-up in Cycle 3 of *America’s Next Top Model*, which opened doors to a successful modeling career featuring advertisements for prominent brands. She further pursued her education, attending Brown University and majoring in Africana studies and international relations.
Her acting career commenced in 2005 with a guest role on the UPN sitcom *Eve*. The following year, she made her feature film debut in *Take the Lead* (2006), starring alongside Antonio Banderas. DaCosta’s career progressed with various television and film appearances, including a notable Off-Broadway debut in “The First Breeze of Summer” in 2008, which earned her critical acclaim and an AUDELCO Recognition Award. She demonstrated her versatility by portraying different characters, from a teenage daughter in John Sayles’ *Honeydripper* (2007) to the romantic interest of Mark Ruffalo’s character in Lisa Cholodenko’s *The Kids Are All Right* (2010).
A significant turning point in DaCosta’s career was her lead role as Whitney Houston in the 2015 Lifetime television film *Whitney*. Her performance garnered positive reviews and a Black Reel Award nomination for Outstanding Actress. From 2015 to 2021, she held a main role as April Sexton in the NBC medical drama *Chicago Med*, a character she also portrayed in crossover episodes of *Chicago Fire* and *Chicago P.D.* (2015-2021). Most recently, she took on a main role in Fox’s *Our Kind of People* (2021-2022) and has appeared in *The Lincoln Lawyer* (2023-2024), demonstrating continued engagement in diverse and prominent projects.
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