Fun Facts
1. Name means generous one
2. Loved to sing as a kid and Little Shop of Horror was her favorite musical.
3. Growing up she was very sporty. She was a gymnast, played volleyball, softball and was the point guard on her high school basketball team.
4. She attended military school.
5. Paints using acrylate and water colors, at her first art show she sold 12 paintings.
6. Loves to dance.
7. Likes to impersonate people.
8. Loves animals, the oceans and spending time in nature.
9. Favorite color(s): yellow and blue
Biography
Accomplished actress, writer and producer Karimah Westbrook stars as devoted single parent Grace James in the hit series “All American,” returning to The CW for its much-anticipated second season on October 7, 2019. Starring alongside Taye Diggs, she plays the mother of South-Central LA football phenom Spencer James, who must navigate two very different worlds when he’s recruited to play football for Beverly Hills High School. Her inspiring and relatable performance earned Westbrook a Black Reel nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series.
“All American” masterfully weaves compelling stories of family, race and coming of age while also shining a spotlight on powerful social issues. The captivating family drama has won a new legion of fans on Netflix, now airing season one, and has earned widespread critical acclaim. It was described as “engrossing, timely and relevant’ by TVGuide.com, “addictive entertainment” by Indie Wire and “the kind of show that’s easy to cheer for” by USA Today. The series is inspired by the life events of NFL player Spencer Paysinger.
Westbrook, a Chicago native, loved performing from an early age. She acted in school plays and later in community theater productions. Her big break came when she fearlessly crashed a Chicago audition for the feature film ‘Save the Last Dance,’ despite having no appointment or representation. She landed a role in the Paramount box-office hit and never looked back, enrolling in the Academy of Dramatic Arts West and relocating to Los Angeles to pursue her acting career.
Since then, Westbrook has captured the attention of audiences with diverse roles in television, film and theater. She has guest starred in many hit shows, including Showtime’s award-winning dramedy “Shameless” and “Masters of Sex,” Freeform’s family series “The Fosters” and AMC’s period drama “Mad Men.” She also appeared in NBC’s award-winning crime drama “Aquarius.”
On the big screen, Westbrook can be seen in the upcoming film “After We Collided,” the sequel to the box-office hit “After,” based on Anna Todd’s best-selling book series. She starred opposite Matt Damon and Julianne Moore in “Suburbicon” as the wife and mother of the first black family to move into an all-white town. The project, directed by George Clooney, was inspired by the true story of Daisy Myers, known as the ‘Rosa Parks of the North.’ Westbrook also starred in “American Violet” opposite Alfre Woodard, “The Rum Diary” with Johnny Depp and the indie feature “Bolden,” the reimagined life story of jazz icon Buddy Bolden. Her role in the romantic comedy “American Fusion” required the versatile actress to learn Mandarin Chinese.
On stage, Westbrook was recognized with an NAACP Theater Award nomination for her starring role in “It’s Just Sex!” She also starred in “Pieces” at the Pasadena Playhouse, “The Girls of Summer” at Avery Schreiber Playhouse, “Boys Life” at The Cast Theater and “Glengarry Glen Ross” at The Working Stage Theater. In addition, her credits include the Stella Adler Theater production of “A Black Trilogy” and Ivar Theater’s “Dawgs.”
With her talent extending behind the camera, Westbrook wrote, produced and starred in the BET short film “Best Kept Secret,” earning a Best Actress nomination from the African American Arts Alliance of Chicago. She also produced the award-winning short films “A Fire in a Dovecot,” “Watts & Volts” and “Pastor Stuart.”
Offscreen, Westbrook enjoys giving back. She has mentored at A Place Called Home, which helps at-risk youth in South Central Los Angeles develop healthy and fulfilling lives through programs in arts, education and wellness. She also volunteers at the Los Angeles Union Rescue Mission on Skid Row and with My Friend’s House Foundation, which provides food, clothing and services to the homeless.