Lisa Raye was born ‘Lisa Raye McCoy’ on September 23, 1967 in Chicago, Illinois. The only daughter of a businessman and a professional model who both managed hotels, a young Lisa Raye practiced doing fashion shows at church and school events. Unsure of what she wanted to do in life, Lisa Raye attended the Eastern Illinois University to study hotel management. She soon decided that modeling was where her real interest lies, so she soon started modeling.

As a model, Lisa Raye appeared on the covers of “After 5,” “Being There,” “Ebony” and “Brides” magazines. She also became an endorser for Johnson’s ‘Supreme Beauty Products.” When her father died, Lisa Raye decided to quit school altogether and continued modeling seriously. She then landed an endorsement deal with Courvoisier Cognac and was featured on Tupac Shakur’s last music video “Toss It Up.”

Her successful modeling career landed Lisa Raye an acting career, particularly after rapper Ice Cub saw the “Toss It Up” video and decided to give Lisa Raye the leading role on his directorial debut “Reasons.” After ‘Reasons’ director Monty Ross advised her to move to Los Angeles, the rest was history. Lisa Raye appeared on numerous TV shows, including “Martin,” “The American Way,” “In the House” and the TV film “The Father Clements Story.” However, it was her role in the sitcom “All of Us” that made Lisa Raye a household name.

On the big screen, Lisa Raye appeared on movies such as “The Player’s Club,” “The Wood,” “Love the Way,” “Civil Brand,” “Rhapsody,” “The Cheapest Movie Ever Made,” “Super Spy,” “Beauty Shop,” and “Envy.”

Lisa Raye has a daughter named Kai from her first marriage with Tony Martin. She then married Michael E. Misick, the Prime Minister of the Turks and Caicos Islands, on April 8, 2006, but ended in divorce filed on August 2008.