Y’all remember Karen Malina White, don’t you? She was that around the way girl in movies and sitcoms back in the day. Well in case you don’t remember her, let us refresh your memory: She played “Kaneesha Carter,” the high school student in the ’89 film, Lean on Me, who confided in the principal, “Mr. Clark” (Morgan Freeman) after she became pregnant. That movie was the bomb, wasn’t it?

You may have also heard her as the voice of “Dijonay Jones” on the Disney Channel animated comedy, The Proud Family; we all remember her as “Charmaine Brown” on The Cosby Show and the final season of A Different World; and as “Nicolette Vandross” on Malcolm & Eddie, the role she said she didn’t even have to audition for. Hmmm…wonder why? Hint, hint: because of Malcolm Jamal-Warner maybe? (Not that her acting ability didn’t speak for itself though).

Karen and her Mom

Karen attended Howard University and first thought she would major in accounting, before a teacher told her she had the mindset to be an actress. She now says she wouldn’t have chosen it any other way and we're glad she didn't because acting is clearly her calling.