Actress, comedian and model, Tasha Smith, was born in Camden on February 28, 1971. She and her twin sister, Sidra, were raised by a single mother who gave birth to the pair at the age of 15. Smith grew up amid gangsters, poverty and drugs, but she never let go of her dream to be a part of Hollywood.
Her mother was addicted to drugs for most of Tasha’s childhood, leading her to follow down a similar path; Smith eventually dropped out of high school and moved west with some help from her friends. At first, she would stay with friends, her uncle or anyone who would take her in.
Early Career
During her first year living in Los Angeles, Smith saw Martin Lawrence at the Comedy Act Theater, igniting her career in the performing arts. She created her own X-rated comedy routine and eventually began landing gigs, even performing with the popular Dave Chappelle.
Though she was experiencing budding success on stage, Smith was not happy emotionally. She turned drinking and drugs into a daily routine. But before it was too late, Smith says she found solace in religion and became a Christian, which helped clear her head and enabled her to pursue a successful acting career.
In 1994, Tasha Smith landed her first acting role with a small part in the film Twin Sitters. From 1996 to 1997, she starred in the sitcom Boston Common, which aired on NBC for two seasons. She continued to land starring and supporting roles on television and in film throughout the 1990s and early 2000s.
Smith then starred as Angela Williams in the 2007 Tyler Perry comedy Why Did I Get Married? and its 2010 sequel Why Did I Get Married Too? The following year, she reprised her role in the television series Tyler Perry’s For Better or Worse, which aired on TBS and then OWN until 2016.
Behind the Camera
In 2014, Smith proved she could wear many hats as writer, director and producer of the short film Boxed in; which tells the story of a New York City man who struggles with bipolar disorder. Meanwhile, his girlfriend and mother learn to deal with the pain of his manic episodes and struggle for mental survival.
Approaching her 46th birthday, Tasha Smith continues to act on television shows and in movies. Later in 2017, she is co-starring in the drama film Polaris as well as the television comedy series Daytime Divas.
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