| Birth date | July 31, 1964 (age 62) |
|---|---|
| Birth place | Holly Springs, Mississippi, U.S. |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1988–present |
| Spouse | Kerry Patton (m. 2017) |
Cassi Davis-Patton (born July 31, 1964)[1] is an American actress best known for her role as Ella Payne on Tyler Perry's House of Payne and its spin-off series The Paynes. She is also known as Aunt Bam in the Madea franchise since 2010. She has starred in several other productions under the direction of Tyler Perry.
Life and career
Born in Holly Springs, Mississippi,[2][3] Davis attended Spelman College in Atlanta and majored in music. She left the college one credit short of graduation, because she was not allowed to perform religious music during her senior recital. Davis returned to Spelman in 2008 to complete her degree, graduating in November of that year.[4] She has credited her devout, born-again Christian faith as the main reason behind her professional success.[5]
Davis' acting career began in 1988 with a supporting role in the Spike Lee comedy film School Daze. Her early television credits include appearances on Living Single, Married... with Children, Kenan & Kel, and The PJ's. She established her acting career by appearing in Tyler Perry productions such as Madea's Family Reunion, Madea Goes to Jail, Daddy's Little Girls, Madea's Big Happy Family, Boo! A Madea Halloween and A Madea Family Funeral.
Davis is best known for her role as Ella Payne in the TBS sitcom Tyler Perry's House of Payne from 2007 to 2012. She received two NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series for her performance.[6] In 2018, she starred in House of Payne spinoff The Paynes that aired on Oprah Winfrey Network. In 2020, a revival series of House of Payne was ordered on BET.[7]
Personal life
Davis married her longtime boyfriend Kerry Patton on January 11, 2017; prior to their marriage, the two had been dating since 2007.[8] In an interview, Cassi denied having a stroke, but revealed instead that she was diagnosed with Bell's palsy in March 2020.[9]
Filmography
Films and plays
| Year | Film | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1988 | School Daze! | Paula | |
| 1994 | Silent Bomb | Kate | |
| 2004 | He Say... She Say... But What Does GOD Say? | Sister Tiny | |
| 2005 | Love on Layaway | Willanetta | |
| 2006 | Madea's Family Reunion | Aunt Sarah | |
| 2006 | Madea Goes To Jail | Ella Kincaid | |
| 2007 | Daddy's Little Girls | Aunt Rita | |
| 2010 | Madea's Big Happy Family | Aunt Bam | |
| 2011 | Madea's Big Happy Family | ||
| 2011 | A Madea Christmas | ||
| 2011 | Aunt Bam's Place | ||
| 2014 | Madea's Neighbors from Hell | ||
| 2014 | Act of Faith | Brady's wife | |
| 2015 | Madea on the Run | Aunt Bam | |
| 2015 | Madea's Tough Love | voice | |
| 2016 | Boo! A Madea Halloween | ||
| 2017 | Boo 2! A Madea Halloween | ||
| 2017 | Hamlet & Hutch | Jenice | |
| 2019 | Madea's Farewell Play Tour | Aunt Bam | |
| 2019 | A Madea Family Funeral | ||
| 2022 | A Madea Homecoming | ||
| 2025 | Madea's Destination Wedding |
Television
| Year | Film | Role | Episodes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | Living Single | Francine | Episode: "In The Black It's Beautiful" |
| 1994 | Chicago Hope | Nurse #1 | Episode: "Food Chains" |
| 1996 | Moesha | ||
| 1996 | Married... with Children | Patty | Episode: "Crimes Against Obesity" |
| 1999 | Kenan & Kel | Kitty | Episode: "He Got Job" |
| 1999–2001 | The PJs | HUD woman (Voice) | Recurring Role; 27 episodes |
| 2000 | The Parkers | Big Woman | |
| 2001 | Boycott | Cook | Television movie |
| 2007–2012, 2020–present | Tyler Perry's House of Payne | Ella Payne | Lead role; 254 episodes NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series (2010, 2013) Nominated — NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series (2009, 2011) |
| 2009 | Meet the Browns | Episode: "Meet the Christmas Spirit" | |
| 2015 | Love Thy Neighbor | Episode: "Ella and Curtis" | |
| 2018 | The Paynes | Lead role, 38 episodes |
Awards and nominations
| Year | Award | Category | Work | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Golden Raspberry Awards[10] | Worst Supporting Actress | A Madea Family Funeral |
References
- ^ "Most famous actresses from Mississippi". WREG. January 26, 2022. Archived from the original on February 22, 2022. Retrieved 2022-02-22.
- ^ "Cassi Davis Biography". tbs.com. Archived from the original on 2007-06-06. Retrieved 2008-12-23.
- ^ "Holly Springs Star!! Cassandra "Cassi" Davis". Visit Holly Springs. August 21, 2015. Archived from the original on December 23, 2015. Retrieved September 12, 2015.
- ^ "'House of Payne' Star Cassi Davis Graduating From College—25 Years Later". October 29, 2020.
- ^ "Cassi Davis: House of Grace". www.cbn.com
- ^ "NAACP Image Awards: Winners Announced". The Hollywood Reporter. February 2013.
- ^ Petski, Denise (February 4, 2020). "Tyler Perry Confirms 'House Of Payne' Revival On BET, New 'Assisted Living' Comedy Series"
- ^ "'House of Payne' Star Cassi Davis on Marrying High School Boyfriend: 'Our Fights Are Beautiful'". February 1, 2020.
- ^ "'House of Payne' Fans Worry That Cassi Davis Might Have Had a Stroke — What's the Truth?". May 26, 2021.
- ^ "RAZZ NEWZ - The Razzies!". razzies.com
External links
- Cassi Davis at IMDb