Brooklyn Sudano
Brooklyn Sudano (born January 5, 1981)[1] is an American actress, singer, and dancer. She is best known for playing the role of Vanessa Scott on the ABC sitcom My Wife and Kids.[1] She also acted in NBC's action series Taken (playing Asha Flynn).[2] Sudano is the daughter of superstar "Disco Queen" Grammy Award-winning singer Donna Summer and songwriter Bruce Sudano,[3] and the older sister of Amanda Sudano of the music duo Johnnyswim.
Brooklyn Sudano | |
---|---|
Born | Los Angeles, California | January 5, 1981
Nationality | American |
Education | Christ Presbyterian Academy |
Alma mater | Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute |
Occupation | Actress, singer, dancer |
Years active | 2003–present |
Spouse(s) | Mike McGlafin (m. 2006) |
Children | 1 |
Parent(s) | Donna Summer Bruce Sudano |
Relatives | Amanda Sudano (sister) |
Early life
Sudano was born in Los Angeles, California, to African American singer Donna Summer and Italian American songwriter Bruce Sudano.[4] She was named after her father's hometown of Brooklyn, New York City.[5] Her younger (by 19 months) sister is singer-songwriter Amanda Sudano of Johnnyswim. She also has an older half-sister, Mimi Sommer, from her mother's first marriage to Helmut Sommer.[6]
Sudano spent the early part of her childhood on a 56-acre ranch in Thousand Oaks, California until her family moved to Connecticut when she was 10 years old.[3] When she was 14, her family relocated to Nashville, Tennessee.[3] Here, Sudano gravitated toward the arts and flourished.[3] She sang in the gospel choir at church.[3] Sudano and her sisters spent summers touring and singing backing vocals for their famous mother.[3] In her leisure, she studied dance and wrote songs.[3]
She attended high school at Christ Presbyterian Academy where she appeared in all the theater productions.[3] Sometimes Sudano accompanied her parents while they toured around the world, continuing her studies with tutors.[3] A distinguished student, she was valedictorian at her graduation.[3]
Upon graduation Sudano was accepted at Brown, Duke and Georgetown University.[3] However she chose to remain close to home and attended Vanderbilt University. Sudano eventually left Vanderbilt to study at the Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute in New York.[3]
She was featured in her mother's song "Brooklyn" on the record I'm a Rainbow.[7]
Career
Modeling
While Sudano was studying acting in New York, Sudano was spotted by a modelling agent and signed to the Ford Modeling Agency.[3] Sudano appeared in numerous advertising campaigns in print and television, including Clairol, Clean & Clear and K-Mart.[3]
Acting
Brooklyn replaced Meagan Good as Vanessa Scott on My Wife and Kids. She is Junior's girlfriend and later wife, who first appears in the season finale of season 3 (played by Meagan Good). She continues as a regular cast member throughout the rest of the series' five-year run.
She also starred in the film adaptation of V. C. Andrews' novel Rain.
She played Mikaela in the MTV TV movie Turn the Beat Around.
She appeared in $h#*! My Dad Says in 2011. More recently, she played the role of Christy Epping in the Hulu series 11.22.63 and appeared on HBO's Ballers.
She starred in 10 episodes of Taken Season 1.
Personal life
Sudano married her longtime boyfriend, Mike McGlaflin, on October 8, 2006. They have a daughter. Sudano resides in the Los Angeles area.[8]
References
- "Brooklyn Sudano". Celebrity Profiles. SuperiorPics.com. Retrieved May 28, 2012.
- "'Taken' star reflects on growing up the child of Donna Summer". New York Post. March 10, 2017. Retrieved September 13, 2018.
- Williams, Kam. "Rain: An Interview with Brooklyn Sudano". Blackfilm.com. Retrieved May 27, 2012.
- "Brooklyn Sudano Bio". Brooklyn Sudano. brooklynsudano.com. Retrieved May 26, 2012.
- Badger, Sylvia. "Donna Summer's daughter weds amid flowers, lace". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved May 26, 2012.
- "Donna Summer, Queen of Disco Who Transcended the Era, Dies at 63". The New York Times. Retrieved May 28, 2012.
- Summer, Donna. "Brooklyn". I'm A Rainbow. Retrieved May 26, 2012.
- Danity. "Meet Brooklyn Sudano, Donna Summer's Daughter". Swanky Celebs. Archived from the original on May 20, 2012. Retrieved May 26, 2012.