Terri J. Vaughn

In 2025, Vaught created, produced and starred in the Netflix political comedy series, Miss Governor.

• Name — Terri J. Vaughn-Riley • Birth Name — Terri Juanita Vaughn • Born — 16 October 1969 • Birthplace — San Francisco, California, U.S. • Occupation — Actress, director, producer • Years Active — 1993–present • Children — 3 • Website — terrijvaughn.com/

In her early career, Vaughn appeared in the films Friday and Don't Be a Menace to South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the Hood. She co-starred opposite Joan Severance in the comedy-action film Black Scorpion (1995) and its sequel, Black Scorpion II: Aftershock (1997). Later in 1997, Vaughn was cast as high school secretary Lovita Alizay Jenkins-Robinson for the second season of The WB sitcom The Steve Harvey Show. She received three NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for her performance on show. The series ended in 2002, and Vaughn later that year joined the cast of Showtime drama series Soul Food as Eva Holly. She received another NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series nomination. From 2003 to 2005, Vaughn was regular cast member on the UPN/The CW sitcom All of Us. In 2007, she had supporting role in the Tyler Perry's comedy-drama film Daddy's Little Girls opposite Gabrielle Union, and later had a regular role on another of Perry's productions, Meet the Browns (2009-2011). In 2016, Vaughn was cast in the recurring role as housekeeper in Oprah Winfrey Network drama series, Greenleaf opposite Keith David and Lynn Whitfield. In 2020 Vaughn had a recurring role as Robin in Shona Ferguson's South African series, Kings Of Jo'Burg shown on Netflix, and the HBO comedy series, Insecure. She starred in the second season of Oprah Winfrey Network romantic drama Cherish the Day and had a recurring roles on Johnson and First Wives Club both in 2022. In 2025, Vaught created, produced and starred in the Netflix political comedy series, Miss Governor.

She owns a production company alongside her business partner, Cas Sigers, called Nina Holiday Entertainment, that produced films such as Sugar Mommas, A Cross to Bear and Girlfriends' Getaway. In 2016, Vaughn made her directing debut with the comedy film #DigitalLivesMatter. She later directed made-for-television and for streaming movies Merry Wish-Mas (2018), Christmas Belles (2019), Twas the Chaos before Christmas (2019), Dear Santa, I Need a Date (2019), Angrily Ever After (2019), Hip Hop Holiday (2019), A Christmas Surprise (2020), Soul Santa (2021), A Merry Switchmas (2021), Unthinkably Good Things (2022), and So Fly Christmas (2023). She directed episodes of television series Mann and Wife, Kingdom Business, Tales, Bunk'd, Miss Governor and Reasonable Doubt.

Vaughn grew up in San Francisco, California. She was married to Derrick Carolina and had a son, Daylen Ali (2001). She is currently married to former football player Karon Riley, and the couple have a son and a daughter.

• Year — Title — Role — Notes • 1993 — Living Single — Woman #1 — Episode: "Great Expectations" • The Sinbad Show — Woman #1 — Episode: "Strictly Business" • 1994 — Married... with Children — Connie — Episode: "Business Sucks: Part 1" • Family Matters — Girl #1 at Party — Episode: "Beta Chi Guy" • 1995 — Sherman Oaks — Denise Cook — Episode: "Attack of the Killer Tomatoes" • Family Matters — Eddie's Date — Episode: "They Shoot Urkels, Don't They?" • 1997–2002 — The Steve Harvey Show — Lovita Alizay Jenkins Robinson — Main Cast: Seasons 2–6 • 1999 — ER — Mrs. Gleason — Episode: "Point of Origin" • 2001 — The Test — Herself/Panelist — Episode: "The PDA Test" & "The Optimist Test" • 2002–03 — Soul Food — Eva Holly — Guest: Season 3, Recurring Cast: Season 4 • 2003 — Girlfriends — Tasha — Episode: "Single Mama, Drama" • 2003-05 — All of Us — Jonelle Abrahams — Main Cast: Seasons 1–2, Guest: Season 3 • 2004 — The Drop — Herself — Episode: "Episode #1.35" • 2008 — Baisden After Dark — Herself — Episode: "Are Women Too Picky?" • 2009–11 — Meet the Browns — Renee — Recurring Cast: Season 3, Main Cast: Seasons 4–5 • 2011 — The Real Housewives of Atlanta — Herself — Episode: "The Bride and the Doom" • 2013 — JD Lawrence's Community Service — Lydia — Main Cast • 2016 — Being — Herself — Episode: "Terri J. Vaughn" • Unsung Hollywood — Herself — Episode: "Jasmine Guy" • Greenleaf — Melisse — Recurring Cast: Season 1 • 2017 — Mann & Wife — Lieutenant Tate — Recurring Cast: Season 3 • 2018 — Rel — Tia — Episode: "Windy City Politics" • 2020 — Insecure — Rose Cranberry — Recurring Cast: Season 4 • Terror Lake Drive — Dr. Chisholm — Episode: "Something About AJ" • Kings of Jo'burg — Robin — Recurring Cast • 2020–21 — We Stay Looking — Rose Cranberry — Main Cast • 2021–22 — First Wives Club — Cousin Pam — Guest: Season 2, Recurring Cast: Season 3 • 2022 — The Neighborhood — Claire — Episode: "Welcome to the Man Code" • Johnson — Wanda Brooks — Recurring Cast: Season 2 • Cherish the Day — Anastasia — Main Cast: Season 2 • 2025 — Miss Governor — Antoinette Dunkerson — Main Cast