Diahann Carroll

Diahann Carroll (born July 15, 1935) is an African-American actress. Born Carol Diahann Johnson in The Bronx, New York, she attended the New York City High School of the Performing Arts, along with schoolmate Billie Dee Williams.

Her first film role was in Carmen Jones in 1954, but her big break came when she became the first African American actress to star in her own television series in which she did not play a domestic worker, when Julia debuted in 1968. She was nominated for an Emmy Award for the role.

In 1974 she was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress for Claudine. She has also starred in the series Dynasty and The Colbys.