Tracee Ellis Ross has had no problem establishing herself as an icon and legend. The daughter of Motown Queen Diana Ross is an actress, singer, comedian, and activist. She is most known for playing Dr. Rainbow Johnson, an anesthesiologist and biracial mother, in the long-running ABC sitcom “Black-ish.”
On September 9, 2022, the D23 Expo 2022 (Disney’s fan event) kicked off and honored Ross as a Disney Legend for her work as Bow on “Black-ish.” The series finale of the comedy had aired in April and the show had run for eight seasons.
“For me, a legend is someone whose work makes more space for others. To be more free, more safe, and hopefully, for the world to be more just […] I really hope that the space that Rainbow Johnson created is an invitation for creation of more Black women-centered stories that reflect the truth and diversity of who we are in the world,” she said in her award acceptance speech.
Ross’s work on “Black-ish” has also earned her three NAACP Image Awards, a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Television Series Musical or Comedy, five Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series, and two nominations for Critics' Choice Television Awards.
Ross, who was born Tracee Joy Silberstein, adopted the name Tracee Ellis Ross to retain both of her parents’ last names after her Jewish father dropped his surname. She attended elite preparatory and boarding schools and was a model in her teens. She then attended Brown University, where acting in plays sparked her interest in the industry, and graduated with a theatre degree. Before her breakthrough, she continued her work as a fashion model and was contributing fashion editor to Mirabella and New York magazines.
Ross’s career took off when she landed the lead role in the hit UPN/The CW series “Girlfriends.” She has also appeared in “Broad City” and “Portlandia” and reprised her role as Dr. Rainbow Johnson on “Grown-ish,” and “Mixed-ish,” of which she is also the co-creator and executive producer.
Ross, an outspoken feminist and proponent of rights for Black women, is also a co-founder of the Times Up movement that fights discrimination, sexual harassment, and the assault of women in Hollywood.