Origin

Sharp Objects

How to Get Away with Murder

Rizzoli & Isles

The Unit

Nine Months

Frasier

Heat Wave

The Abyss

Miracle at Beekman's Place

MacGyver

The Sword and the Sorcerer

Knots Landing

That's My Mama

Poor Devil

Here We Go Again

Blacula

Second Chance

Sanford and Son

Cotton Comes to Harlem

Tell Me That You Love Me, Junie Moon

Love, American Style

Emily Yancy (April 28, 1939) is an American actress and singer. She began her acting career appearing on Broadway as Irene Molloy in the 1967 all-black version of Hello, Dolly! opposite Cab Calloway. She later performed on musicals Don't Bother Me, I Can't Cope, Your Own Thing, 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue and Man of La Mancha.
Of African American heritage, Yancy was born and raised in New York City and began working as a model before acting and singing. In 1965, she recorded her debut studio album titled Yancy. Yancy made her screen debut playing minor role in the 1968 comedy film What's So Bad About Feeling Good?. She later appeared in the comedy-drama Tell Me That You Love Me, Junie Moon (1970), and in the blaxploitation films Cotton Comes to Harlem (1970) and Blacula (1972). On television, Yancy guest-starred in a more than 30 shows, including Love, American Style, Sanford and Son, Starsky & Hutch, Diff'rent Strokes, Picket Fences, The Practice, Frasier, How to Get Away with Murder and Criminal Minds.
In 2018, Yancy played Gayla, the housekeeper of Patricia Clarkson's character, in the HBO miniseries, Sharp Objects. In 2023, she appeared in the biographical drama film, Origin playing the role of Isabel Wilkerson's mother.



Emily Yancy