Valarie Pettiford has illuminated stage, screen and television as one of the finest actress/singer/dancers today. Valarie is thrilled to be starting her recurring role as Victorine Fornerat- Williams in the HBO series ‘Treme” and as ‘Carolyn Haynes’ in the CW’s ‘Hart Of Dixie’. Also look for her Guest Starring as Chantey Dubois in the new TV series ‘The Finder’ due out midseason on FOX. Out on DVD now, She was one of the leads in the box office comedy film hit “Jumping The Broom” as ‘Aunt Geneva’, (Sony Pictures). She co-starred in the show ‘BABLU’ A tribute to Dezi Aranz and his music at the 92nd street Y (New York) and The Adrienne Arsht Center (Miami) where she received Glowing reviews. Her starring role in the AFI short film ‘RESPONSE’(nominated for best actress at the Method festival) has received numerous awards and is still wowing audiences throughout. The Indie film ‘Why am I doing this’(recipient of several prestigious awards) as well as giving her a wonderful mention in the LA Times. The musical short ‘Not Your Time’ also starring Jason Alexander (winner of the Boston International Festival) . For the last three years she has been a Guest Artist with The Pasadena Symphony / Pops conducted by Rachel Worby. Now in syndication, her hit TV series ‘Half & Half ‘ earned her three NAACP Image Award nominations for her portrayal as ‘Big Dee Dee Thorne’. Her widely successful one-woman shows has performed to sold out audiences at Pepperdine University’s Smothers Theatre, The Gardenia Room, the El Portal Theater, Mark’s presented by Upright Cabaret in Los Angeles, The Rrazz room in San Fransico, The Metropolitan Room, where she received The 2007 Backstage Bistro Award and The famous supper club Birdland in New York City. Highlights in TV/Film; ‘Why Did I Get Married 2’, ‘Stomp The Yard’, ‘Criminal Minds’, ‘CSI’, ‘Bones’, ‘CSI Miami’, ‘House Of Payne’, ‘The District’, ‘Frasier’, ‘The West Wing’, ‘One Life to Live’, ‘The Wiz’, ‘The Cotton Club; and ‘Glitter’.
Broadway/Tour credits; “Fosse”, for which she was nominated for a Tony Award, Outer Critics Circle, Dora Mavor Moore award and recognizes by the Drama League, “Chicago” (opposite Chita Rivera) London West End debut and she subsequently performed “All That Jazz’ during Rivera’s tribute portion of the 2002 Kennedy Center honors. Sophisticated Ladies, original cast and understudy for Judith Jamison. “Grind”, ‘Dancin’, “Big Deal”, “Show Boat “(NAACP, LA’s Robby, and the Vancouver Sun Reader’s Choice Awards, and nominations for Ovation and Jessie Richardson Theater Awards. Des Mc Anuff’s production of The Wiz, and The “Wild Party”, NAACP Theatre and The Garland Awards for Best actress in a play, Ovation nomination. Valarie continues to lend her support and talents to many charities annually and is thrilled to have fulfilled a life long dream of recording an album titled Hear My Soul.
