Garcelle Beauvais is 59 years old and was born on November 26, 1966, in Saint-Marc, Haiti. The Haitian actress and television personality is best known for her starring roles in the sitcom The Jamie Foxx Show (1996-2001) and the crime drama series NYPD Blue (2001-2004), and for her appearances in the films Coming to America (1988) and its sequel, Coming 2 America (2021). In 2020, Beauvais became the first Black cast member of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, where she remained for five seasons before announcing her departure after season 14 in March 2025.
Quick Facts
| Full Name | Garcelle Beauvais (formerly Beauvais-Nilon) |
| Age | 59 years old |
| Date of Birth | November 26, 1966 |
| Birthplace | Saint-Marc, Haiti |
| Occupation | Actress, television personality, interior designer, former model |
| Known For | The Jamie Foxx Show; NYPD Blue; The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills |
| Years Active | 1984-present |
| Children | 3 |
Who Is Garcelle Beauvais?
Garcelle Beauvais (born November 26, 1966) is a Haitian actress and television personality. She is best known for her starring roles in the sitcom The Jamie Foxx Show and the crime drama series NYPD Blue. She also appeared in the films Coming to America (1988) and its sequel, Coming 2 America (2021), White House Down (2013), and Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017).
In 2020, Beauvais became a part of the main cast on the reality television series The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, where she remained for five seasons before announcing her departure after season 14. She also co-hosted the syndicated daytime talk show The Real (2020-2022) alongside Adrienne Bailon, Loni Love, and Jeannie Mai for its final two seasons. Beyond acting, she is an interior designer with her own home collection, Garcelle at Home, and the author of a children’s book and a memoir.
Early Life & Background
Beauvais was born in Saint-Marc, Haiti, to Marie-Claire Beauvais, a nurse, and Axel Jean Pierre, a lawyer. Her parents divorced when she was three years old. At age seven, she moved with her mother and six older siblings to the United States and they settled in Peabody, Massachusetts, where she enrolled in elementary school. Upon her arrival to the United States, Beauvais originally only spoke French and Creole, but learned English from watching Sesame Street on television.
Career
Beauvais moved to Miami at 16 to pursue a career in modeling. After driving down from Massachusetts, Beauvais hoped to interview for a modelling agency without an appointment. She was approached at a red light while putting on lipstick by the very owner of the agency she sought to see. After modeling with this agency for about a year, Beauvais, at 17, went to New York City to pursue a career as a fashion model, after signing with the Ford Modeling Agency. She lived with Eileen Ford and later modeled with Irene Marie Models. She modeled print ads for Avon, Mary Kay, and Clairol and in catalogs for Lerner New York Clothing Line, Neiman Marcus, and Nordstrom and walked the runway for Calvin Klein and Isaac Mizrahi. Beauvais has appeared on the covers of numerous luxury lifestyle and fashion magazines such as CVLUX, Harper’s Bazaar, Sheen Magazine, People’s Health issue, VIVmag, Essence, Ebony, Jet, Playboy, Vibe and Hype Hair, and in June 2019 she appeared in an editorial for Vogue Italia.
In 1984, she made her first television appearance in the crime drama series Miami Vice. Beauvais portrayed a rose-bearer in the romantic comedy film Coming to America (1988) at age 21. In 1994, she rose to prominence as an actress for her portrayal of Cynthia Nichols in Aaron Spelling’s prime time soap opera Models Inc. From 1996 to 2001, she co-starred in The Jamie Foxx Show as hotel employee Francesca Fancy Monroe and the love interest of Jamie Foxx’s character, Jamie King. From 2001 to 2004, she played Assistant District Attorney Valerie Heywood and the love interest of Detective Baldwin Jones, played by Henry Simmons, on NYPD Blue. In 2011 and 2012, Beauvais played Hanna Linden on the TNT law drama Franklin & Bash. In 2013, Beauvais portrayed the First Lady opposite Foxx as the President in the action thriller film White House Down. In 2017, she played the role of Doris Toomes, wife of Michael Keaton’s character, Adrian Toomes, in Spider-Man: Homecoming.
She starred in R. Kelly’s music video for Down Low (Nobody Has to Know), as the wife of Ronald Isley and the lover of R. Kelly, and in 2001, after the Jamie Foxx Show ended its run, Beauvais appeared in Luther Vandross’s music video, Take You Out, playing Vandross’ girlfriend. She also appeared on some episodes of Grimm as Henrietta. In 2016, Beauvais was named as one of the co-hosts of the syndicated infotainment discussion series Hollywood Today Live, after a month-long period of guest hosting the show. Beauvais recurred as Veronica Garland, the Wicked Stepmother character from Cinderella, on the second season of the web television series Tell Me a Story, and she portrayed Dennis Quaid’s love interest in the web television series Merry Happy Whatever.
Beauvais joined the cast of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills as the series’ first black cast member during its tenth season, which premiered in April 2020. Throughout her five seasons on the show, Beauvais was outspoken about pay disparities within the cast on the franchise, and she was regularly referred to as a grounded voice during a period of significant cast turnover. During her last few seasons on the show, she formed a close friendship with cast member Sutton Stracke. She began co-hosting the daytime talk show The Real for its seventh season in September 2020. In March 2025, Beauvais announced her departure from The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, after five seasons.
Beauvais reprised her role as a rose bearer in the sequel to the romantic comedy film Coming to America, titled Coming 2 America. In 2022, Beauvais signed a first-look development deal with NBCUniversal Television and Streaming, via her production company Garcelle Beauvais Productions. That same year, she was cast in the Hulu mystery thriller series The Other Black Girl, a television adaptation of the 2021 novel by Zakiya Dalila Harris. In addition, she starred in TV movies Caught in His Web and Black Girl Missing on Lifetime. In April 2024, Deadline announced that Beauvais will be executive producing three original films for the Lifetime channel. On August 4, 2024, Beauvais and Keltie Knight hosted the Miss USA 2024 beauty pageant.
In 2008, Beauvais launched a children’s jewelry line called Petit Bijou. In 2013, she published a children’s book titled I Am Mixed, which tells the story of twins exploring the thoughts and emotions of being of mixed ethnicities. She hosts the weekly late-night talk show podcast Going to Bed with Garcelle, in which she discusses dating, sex, and relationships with guests. Her memoir, Love Me As I Am: My Journey from Haiti to Hollywood to Happiness, co-written with Nicole E. Smith, was published by Amistad on April 12, 2022. On July 13, 2022, Beauvais launched a home collection, Garcelle at Home on HSN. The collection, inspired by her Haitian heritage, includes comforter sets, lamps, pillows, doormats, and more.
She was married to producer Daniel Saunders; their marriage ended in divorce. They have a son, Oliver. Beauvais married Mike Nilon, a talent agent with Creative Artists Agency, in May 2001. Their twin sons, Jax Joseph and Jaid Thomas Nilon, were born on October 18, 2007. Beauvais filed for divorce on May 10, 2010, seeking joint custody of their sons.
Facts About Garcelle Beauvais
- Her first television appearance was in Miami Vice in 1984.
- She played a rose bearer in Coming to America at age 21, and reprised the role 33 years later in Coming 2 America.
- She was the first Black cast member of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills when she joined its tenth season in 2020.
- She co-hosted the daytime talk show The Real for its final two seasons, from 2020 to 2022.
- Her memoir, Love Me As I Am, was published by Amistad on April 12, 2022.
Frequently Asked Questions
How old is Garcelle Beauvais?
Garcelle Beauvais is 59 years old. She was born on November 26, 1966, in Saint-Marc, Haiti.
What is Garcelle Beauvais known for?
Garcelle Beauvais is known for her starring roles in The Jamie Foxx Show and NYPD Blue, and for joining The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills as its first Black cast member in 2020.
Is Garcelle Beauvais still on RHOBH?
No. Garcelle Beauvais starred on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills for five seasons, from season 10 to season 14, and announced her departure in March 2025.
What did Garcelle Beauvais do before acting?
Garcelle Beauvais began as a fashion model, signing with the Ford Modeling Agency at 17. She modeled print ads for Avon, Mary Kay and Clairol and walked the runway for Calvin Klein and Isaac Mizrahi.
What books has Garcelle Beauvais written?
Garcelle Beauvais published the children’s book I Am Mixed in 2013 and her memoir, Love Me As I Am, in April 2022.
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