Kianya Haynes[2][1] (born December 17, 1976)[3][4] is an American actress who is best known for role as Keisha on the OWN/TBS comedy-drama television series Tyler Perry's For Better or Worse. She has also had roles in the films Bamboozled (2000), Nora's Hair Salon (2004) and Restraining Order (2006).

Kiki Haynes
Born
Kianya Haynes[1]

(1976-12-17) December 17, 1976 (age 48)
Other namesKiki Haynes
OccupationActress
Years active1997–present
Parent(s)Reginald Haynes
Oona'o Haynes

Career

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Her first acting role was a small part in Spike Lee's Bamboozled (2000), which starred Damon Wayans and Jada Pinkett-Smith. She followed that with a small part in the 2004 comedy Nora's Hair Salon appearing alongside Jenifer Lewis and Tatyana Ali. Haynes' first break came in 2007 when she landed the lead role of Nicole Lawson in the stage play The Bachelorette Party by Donald Welch and in association with Will Smith. She gained other roles for different projects including Restraining Order (2006) and Double Duty (2009).

However, Kiki's big break came in 2011 after landing her starring role in Tyler Perry's For Better or Worse. Haynes plays Keisha Jones, single mother and ex-girlfriend to Marcus Williams (played by Michael Jai White). She is also newly wed to Richard Ellington, played by Kent Faulcon which causes quite a tension as Richard and Marcus are former college buddies and business partners. On November 9, 2011, she was nominated for Supporting Actress in a comedy at the 43rd NAACP Image Awards.[5]

Personal life

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Kiki was born in Livingston, New Jersey, the daughter of Reginald Haynes, leader of the R&B singing group The Legendary Escorts, and Oona'o Haynes, a spoken word artist and founding member of the National Association of Black Journalists.

Kiki grew up in East Orange, New Jersey with her only sibling, Alethia Pierson. Her curiosity to seek a career as an actress began as a very young girl as she watched both her parents perform on stage. Once she joined the drama club at her middle school, Hart Middle, at the age of 10, she entered the drama competition and won the best actress award amongst 6th graders. That win awarded Kiki with a trip to visit the set of The Cosby Show, where she met Bill Cosby, Phylicia Rashad, Malcolm Jamal Warner and the rest of the cast. It was that monumental moment she realized she too one day would be on a set of her own, starring in a TV Show.

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role Notes
1997 Rules of Engagement Receptionist TV movie
2000 Bamboozled Da Bomb Girl
2003 Cutthroat Alley Gil's Girl
2004 Nora's Hair Salon Kiki
2006 Restraining Order Tammy Smith
Rings Janelle Short
A Different Light Misty Law Short
2007 Tournament of Dreams Shirley
2008 Shattered! Bartender
2009 No Complaints Jenn
Double Duty Lilly
2010 My Girlfriend's Back Zoe
Cream Soda Lilly Video
2012 Redemption of a Dog Angela
2014 Love the One You're With Miki TV movie
2015 My First Love Kareena Video
2017 The Lost Souls Cafe Pam TV movie
Message from a Mistress Renee Clinton
2018 Before You Say I Do Live! Tori
2019 Intern-in-Chief Camille
2020 Matched Porscha Turner TV movie
2021 Lost and found Eve Short

Television

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Year Title Role Notes
2005 Barbershop Woman in audience Episode: "Debates and Dead People"
2011–12 For Better or Worse Ro'Keisha Jones Recurring cast: season 1, main cast: season 2
2012 Rules of Engagement Receptionist Episode: "Goodbye Dolly"
2014 One Love Waitress Episode: "Tea-Ball"
2018 Ladies of the Law Miranda Main cast
2020 Two Degrees Kiki Episode: "Dessert & Down From There"
2021–present All the Queen's Men Detective Davis Recurring cast
2021 Twenties Cocoa Episode: "One Night Only?"

References

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  1. ^ a b "Actress Kiki Haynes Talks with Kontrol Magazine". kontrolmag.com. 12 May 2015. Retrieved May 12, 2015.
  2. ^ "IMDB Profile". imdb.com.
  3. ^ "Week of December 16 - Calvary Lutheran Church". clconcord.org.
  4. ^ "Kiki Haynes".
  5. ^ "Kiki Haynes From TBS Comedy Sitcom "For Better Or Worse" Nominated for Supporting Actress in a Comedy for the 43rd NAACP Awards". 1888pressrelease.com.
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