Stacey Dash

Template:Short description Template:Use American English Template:Use mdy dates Template:Infobox person Stacey Lauretta Dash<ref name="tvg">Template:Cite magazine</ref> (born January 20, 1967)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="hollywood.com">Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>Template:Efn is an American actress. Dash played Dionne Marie Davenport in the 1995 feature film Clueless and its television series of the same name.<ref name="enc" /> She has also appeared in the films Moving, Mo' Money, Renaissance Man, and View from the Top. Other television work by Dash includes appearances in the series CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, Single Ladies and the reality TV show Celebrity Circus. She has also appeared in music videos for Carl Thomas' "Emotional" and Kanye West's "All Falls Down".

Early life

Born in the Bronx borough of New York City,<ref name="tvg" /> Dash is of African American and Mexican descent. She is the daughter of Dennis Dash<ref name="DAS">Template:Cite web</ref> and Linda Dash (née Lopez;<ref name="tvg" /><ref name="DAS" /> d. 2017).<ref>Template:Cite tweet</ref> Dash has a stepfather, Cecil Holmes, and a younger brother, Darien Dash,<ref name="tvg" /> who is the founder of DME Interactive, the first publicly traded African American-led website company.<ref name="tvg" /><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Her first cousin is Damon Dash, the former CEO and co-founder of Roc-A-Fella Records.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> She attended Paramus High School, graduating in 1985.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Career

Dash made her first television appearance in the NBC crime drama pilot Farrell: For the People starring Valerie Harper and Ed O'Neill in 1982, which did not make it past its pilot episode.<ref>

• Template:Cite web
• Template:Cite book</ref> Her first notable appearance was as Michelle in the 1985 The Cosby Show episode "Denise's Friend".<ref name="hollywood.com" /> Dash's first substantial television role was in the 1988 series TV 101. The series was canceled after 13 episodes. Dash's first major film role was in the Richard Pryor comedy Moving in 1988. She also had sizable roles in Mo' Money and Renaissance Man during this time. In 1995, Dash starred as a femme fatale in the low-budget film Illegal in Blue. Dash received her big break with the 1995 teen comedy film Clueless. Dash played Cher's high school best friend Dionne Davenport, although Dash was twenty-eight at the time. In 1996, the film spawned a television spin-off of the same name, in which Dash reprised her role as Dionne. The series ran from 1996 to 1999.

After the television series ended, she appeared in View from the Top (2003) and smaller budget films, including Gang of Roses (2003), and Getting Played (2005). She also has appeared in small guest roles on television shows such as Eve and CSI: Crime Scene Investigation. Dash played Vanessa Weir in the television series The Strip, which was canceled after several episodes. In 2001, Dash was featured in a music video by Carl Thomas for the single "Emotional". In 2004, Dash was featured in a music video by Kanye West, label signee of her cousin Damon Dash, for the single "All Falls Down". Dash posed nude in the August 2006 issue of Playboy. Also in 2006, she was featured in singer Marques Houston's video for "Favorite Girl," and launched her own lingerie line called Letters of Marque.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Between 2005 and 2007, she completed filming roles in I Could Never Be Your Woman, Nora's Hair Salon II, Fashion Victim, Ghost Image and American Primitive. For 2008 release, she filmed Phantom Punch, Secrets of a Hollywood Nurse, and Close Quarters. Dash also performed in the 2008 reality television series Celebrity Circus. Prior to the series premiere, Dash suffered a broken rib while training. Despite the injury, Dash performed on the trapeze bungee during the premiere and continued on to be a finalist. Dash finished second behind Antonio Sabàto, Jr.

Dash appeared as a recurring character on the television series The Game in early 2009. In 2011, Dash starred in the first season of VH1's first scripted series, Single Ladies, playing Valerie "Val" Stokes, described as a "'good girl' looking for a good man".<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> On August 31, it was reported that she would leave the series in order to focus on her family.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In 2012, Dash starred as Lisa, the female lead in the film Dysfunctional Friends.<ref>Morales, Wilson (February 3, 2012). "Dysfunctional Friends" BlackFilm.com</ref> Also in 2012, Dash was featured in Funny or Die and YouTube broadcast trailers and shorts for her web series Stacey Dash Is Normal.<ref>The Huffington Post. July 2, 2012.</ref> The scripted series launched in 2013.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>

On May 28, 2014, Fox News announced that Dash had been hired as a contributor for "cultural analysis and commentary."<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> On the December 7, 2015, edition of Outnumbered, Dash made a remark about President Barack Obama's address regarding Islamic terrorism that took place the day before, suggesting the president didn't "give a shit" about terrorism. Due to this remark, the network suspended her without pay for two weeks.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In 2016, Dash received criticism when she argued that the BET Awards lied to black people about news regarding the boycotting of the Oscars due to lack of ethnic diversity, and called for an end to Black History Month.<ref>*Template:Cite magazine

• Template:Cite news
• Template:Cite magazine
• Template:Cite news</ref> She made a cameo at the 88th Academy Awards repeating this sentiment.<ref>*Template:Cite news
• Template:Cite magazine</ref> In addition, she criticized Jesse Williams's speech at the BET Awards.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> On January 21, 2017, Fox News announced that Dash's contract would not be renewed.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Politics

File:Stacey Dash.jpg

Dash in 2013

Dash voted for Barack Obama in the 2008 U.S. presidential election.<ref name="shocked" /> In 2012, she switched her party affiliation from Democratic to Republican<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and endorsed Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney. In response to critical online comments she received for supporting Romney, Dash stated it was her opinion<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and that she did not understand the vitriol.<ref name="shocked">Template:Cite news</ref> Vice presidential candidate Paul Ryan thanked Dash for supporting his ticket.<ref name="shocked" />

Since the 2012 election, Dash has publicly expressed her political views. In April 2013, she criticized music artists Jay-Z and Beyoncé's trip to Cuba.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In 2016, with regard to the debate over use of gender-specific bathrooms, she said that transgender rights "infringe upon [her own]".<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Dash writes a blog for Patheos.com.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Dash supported Republican candidate Donald Trump in the 2016 presidential election.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

On February 26, 2018, Dash filed to run in California's 44th congressional district in the 2018 Congressional Election as a Republican.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> On joining the race, Dash said she wanted to "free people from the shackles of a plantation mentality."<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Dash withdrew from the congressional race on March 30, 2018.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

On March 11, 2021, Dash stated in an interview with Daily Mail, "Being a supporter of Trump has put me in some kind of box that I don't belong in. But he's not the president. I'm going to give the president that we have right now a chance."<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Personal life

Relationships and children

Dash has two children, a son named Austin, born from her relationship with singer Christopher Williams, and a daughter named Lola.<ref name="enc" /><ref name="abc7" /> In 1999, she married producer Brian Lovell and they divorced in the mid-2000s.<ref name="enc" /><ref name="abc7" /> From 2005 to 2006, Dash was married to British executive James Maby, CEO of Sports Logistics.<ref name="BravoMaby">Template:Cite web</ref> Different sources say the father of Dash's daughter is either Lovell<ref name="abc7" /> or Maby.<ref name="BravoMaby" /><ref name="hollywood.com" /> Dash married actor Emmanuel Xuereb in either 2007<ref name="hollywood.com" /> or 2009.<ref name="abc7" /> She filed for divorce in January 2010. It was finalized in September 2011.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="abc7">Template:Cite news</ref> Dash married lawyer Jeffrey Marty in Florida on April 6, 2018. She has said that she met Marty ten days before the wedding. In addition to her two children, Dash became a step-mother to three of Marty's children.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> In April 2020, Dash announced that she and Marty had separated.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> In June 2020, Dash filed for divorce.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Trauma, drugs, weapons, and legal issues

Dash has spoken openly about past traumas in her personal life. She has at various times revealed that she was molested as a child by a family friend, was addicted to cocaine in her teens and 20s, and has a history of being with physically and emotionally abusive partners.<ref name="Abuse">Template:Cite news</ref> Dash has attributed her openness with such topics to her desire to be honest with her children, feeling that being honest is the best way to protect them, and to let them and others know that she is not a victim but a survivor.<ref name="Abuse" /> She is supportive of the right to keep and bear arms, crediting the use of a gun with saving her life after being sexually assaulted at gunpoint by an ex-boyfriend, because she was able to retrieve her own weapon, a .22 revolver, and shot at him, scaring him away.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Dash was arrested on September 29, 2019, at her apartment in Pasco County, Florida, on a domestic battery charge after an argument with her husband, Jeffrey Marty.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> She pleaded not guilty,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and the case was dropped on October 3 at the request of Marty, who said Dash had been arrested over his objection.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The couple's divorce was announced the following year.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>

In October 2021, Dash opened up about her Vicodin addiction on The Dr. Oz Show, stating that she was five years sober.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Religion

Dash was raised Catholic, and claimed the religion in 2012 and 2013.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite tweet</ref><ref>Template:Cite tweet</ref>

Filmography

Film

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1982	Farrell for the People	Denise Grey	TV movie
1987	Enemy Territory	Antoinette "Toni" Briggs
1988	Moving	Casey Pear
1989	Tennessee Waltz	Minnie
1992	Mo' Money	Amber Evans
1994	Renaissance Man	Pvt. Miranda Myers
1995	Clueless	Dionne Davenport
	Illegal in Blue	Kari Truitt	Video
1997	Cold Around the Heart	Bec Rosenberg
1999	Personals	Leah
2001	Template:Sortname	Hallie Gilmore at 18
2002	Paper Soldiers	Tamika
2003	View from the Top	Angela Samona
	Gang of Roses	Kim
	Ride or Die	Real Venus	Video
2005	Lethal Eviction	Amanda Winters
2006	Getting Played	Emily	TV movie
2007	I Could Never Be Your Woman	Brianna Minx
	Ghost Image	Alicia Saunders
2008	Christmas Break	Smokin' Woman	Short
	Nora's Hair Salon 2: A Cut Above	Simone
	Fashion Victim	Cara Wheeler
	Phantom Punch	Geraldine Liston
	Secrets of a Hollywood Nurse	Reporter	TV movie
2009	Wild About Harry	Joy Crowley
	Chrome Angels	Lady
2012	Dysfunctional Friends	Lisa
	House Arrest	Chanel
2013	Blue Butterflies	Faith	Short
2014	Lap Dance	Dr. Annie Jones
	Patient Killer	Nancy Peck
2015	Cloudy with a Chance of Love	Kelly	TV movie
2016	Sharknado: The 4th Awakens	Chicago Mayor Mansfield	TV movie
	The Thinning	Kendra Birch
2018	Honor Up	Tara
2019	The Dawn	Sister Ella
2020	First Lady	Channing
	Roe v. Wade	Mildred Jefferson
2021	Carolina's Calling	Mary Lou
2022	7th Secret	Miss Vivian
	Corsicana	Jennie
2024	Four.	Beth
2025	The Doctor with Two Faces	Carol

Television

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1985	The Cosby Show	Michelle	Episode: "Denise's Friend"
1988	St. Elsewhere	Penny Franks	Recurring Cast: Season 6
1988–89	TV 101	Monique	Main Cast
1994	Template:Sortname	Michelle Michaels	Episode: "When You Hit Upon a Star"
	Harts of the West	-	Episode: "Drive, He Said"
1995	Soul Train	Herself/Guest Host	Episode: "Shai/Maysa Leak/Mystikal"
1996–99	Clueless	Dionne "Dee" Davenport	Main Cast
1998	Penn & Teller's Sin City Spectacular	Herself	Episode: "Episode #1.9"
1999–00	Template:Sortname	Vanessa Weir	Main Cast
2001	Going to California	Janie	Episode: "A Pirate Looks at 15 to 20"
	Men, Women & Dogs	Meg	Episode: "Pilot"
	CSI: Crime Scene Investigation	Amy Young	Episode: "Slaves of Las Vegas"
2003	Eve	Corryn	Episode: "The Ex Factor"
2005	Duck Dodgers	Paprika Solo (voice)	Episode: "Diamond Boogie/Corporate Pigfall"
2008	Celebrity Circus	Herself	Main Cast
	American Dad!	Janet Lewis (voice)	Episode: "Escape from Pearl Bailey"
2009–11	Template:Sortname	Camille Rose	Recurring Cast: Season 3, Guest: Season 4
2011	Single Ladies	Valerie "Val" Stokes	Main Cast: Season 1
2013	Template:Sortname	Dana	Episode: "Trading Places"
2014–15	Celebrity Name Game	Herself/Celebrity Player	Episode: "Stacey Dash & Mario Lopez #1-#3"
2014–17	Outnumbered	Herself/Guest Co-Host	Recurring Co-Host
2016	Hell's Kitchen	Herself	Episode: "10 Chefs Compete Again"
	The Eric Andre Show	Herself	Episode: "Stacey Dash; Jack McBrayer"
2020	Finding Love in Quarantine	Theresa	Main Cast
2022	College Hill: Celebrity Edition	Herself	Main Cast: Season 1

Music videos

Year	Song title	Artist
1989	"Talk to Myself"	Christopher Williams
1992	"The Best Things in Life Are Free"	Luther Vandross and Janet Jackson
1997	"That Girl"	MJG
2000	"Emotional"	Carl Thomas
2004	"All Falls Down"	Kanye West featuring Syleena Johnson
2006	"Favorite Girl"	Marques Houston
2010	"Super High"	Rick Ross featuring Ne-Yo
2012	"Life of The Party"	Emcee N.I.C.E. featuring Stacey Dash and Blake Smith

External links

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