Tawny Cypress

The frequently glamorous African-American actress Tawny Cypress built her career from the very late '90s onward. Her first major role was the minor character Melissa in the Richard Gere/Winona Ryder sudser Autumn in New York (2000). She went on to appear in a variety television programs in both guest parts (NYPD Blue, Law & Order: Criminal Intent) and recurring roles (Third Watch, All My Children), but it wasn't until 2006 that she truly gained mainstream attention. That fall, she took on the role of Simone Deveaux on the prime-time fantasy drama Heroes, a series that soon became a massive hit. She remained with the show for one season, and then could be seen on the New Orleans-set police drama K-Ville in the fall of 2007, playing Ginger "Love Tap" LeBeau, the only main character who was a female officer. - Nathan Southern, All Movie Guide