Da'Vine Joy Randolph's 10 Best Movies And TV Shows

The best Da’Vine Joy Randolph movies and TV shows display her versatile talents, highlighting that she’s just as suited to quirky comedies as she is to grounded biographic dramas. Born in 1986 in Pennsylvania’s Philadelphia, Da’Vine Joy Randolph has been an active performer since 2011. She gained a passion for acting attending events like the Interlochen Arts Camp, moving on to study theater and vocal performance at Temple University.

The earliest notable Da’Vine Joy Randolph performances were on the stage rather than on screen, such as in the London run of Ghost the Musical from late 2011 to early 2012. Her earliest film roles came in 2012 and 2014, such as playing a Nurse in The Angriest Man in Brooklyn (the final film starring Robin Williams released before his death). However, it was 2019’s Dolemite Is My Name that proved to be the real door-opener for the actor, as many of the best Da’Vine Joy Randolph movies and TV shows prove.

10 The United States vs. Billie Holiday (2021)

Da’Vine Joy Randolph Plays Roslyn

Da’Vine Joy Randolph has starred in several biopics and movies adapted from true stories throughout her career, and one of the best is 2021’s The United States vs. Billie Holiday. Directed by Lee Daniels, The United States vs. Billie Holiday is based on the Johann Hari book Chasing The Scream: The First and Last Days of the War on Drugs. Andra Day takes the titular role as singer Billie Holiday, and while her role of Roslyn isn’t a major one, the movie still stands out as including one of the best Da’Vine Joy Randolph performances.

Da’Vine Joy Randolph plays Roslyn in The United States vs. Billie Holiday, a close friend of Holliday’s who’s often present for moral support. Randolph managed to make every minute of her somewhat limited screentime count, and this - combined with the many accolades the film received overall - cements it as one of the movie highlights of her filmography.

9 The Lost City (2022)

Da’Vine Joy Randolph Plays Beth Hatten

Adventure comedy The Lost City was one of the box-office success stories of 2022, with directors Aaron and Adam Nee bringing out the best from the all-star ensemble cast. Lost City’s lineup of performers included the likes of Sandra Bullock, Channing Tatum, Daniel Radcliffe, and Brad Pitt, but also starred Da’Vine Joy Randolph as Beth Hatten.

Not only is The Lost City among the most star-studded cast lists to include Da’Vine Joy Randolph, but Beth Hatten is also one of the most enjoyable and well-suited characters she’s portrayed so far. Randolph manages to make herself a hilarious highlight of the comedic action film and has an especially strong chemistry with Sandra Bullock (who plays Loretta, the author Randolph’s Beth is the agent of). The movie overall was well-received by critics and viewers too, and currently sits on a healthy 79% Tomatometer rating (critical score) and 83 Popcornmeter rating (audience score) on Rotten Tomatoes.

8 The Last O.G. (2018-2021)

Da’Vine Joy Randolph Plays Veesy

The TBS comedy The Last O.G. stars Tracy Morgan and ran from 2018-2021. Created by renowned director Jordan Peele alongside John Carcieri, The Last O.G. follows Tray Barker (Morgan), an ex-convict who returns to his Brooklyn neighborhood after a 15-year stretch behind bars. Tray decides to work with the changes, using them to better himself and gain some distance from his former life, no matter how much pain this sometimes causes him.

Da’Vine Joy Randolph joined the cast of The Last O.G. in the show’s fourth and final season, though she made her appearance incredibly memorable. Randolph plays Veesy in The Last O.G., and her performance is hilarious. A woman always a few short words away from unleashing her pent-up rage, Veesy is more than a match for Morgan’s Tray Barker, though the two are on the same side of the wider argument more often than not (which makes for a very interesting and authentic character dynamic).

7 On The Come Up (2022)

Da’Vine Joy Randolph Plays Pooh

Based on the 2019 novel of the same name by Angie Thomas, On The Come Up stars Da’Vine Joy Randolph alongside a cast of well-known hip-hop stars and musicians including Mike Epps, Lil Yachty, and Method Man. The 2022 musical drama is directed by Sanaa Lathan and focuses on Bri, a young musician who decides to become a rapper to honor the memory of her late father. It’s an incredibly grounded and emotional story, and one that stands out among the best Da’Vine Joy Randolph both due to the strength of her performance and how central she is to the plot.

In On The Come Up, Da’Vine Joy Randolph plays Pooh, the aunt of Bri Jackson (Jamila C. Gray), the young girl who wants to pursue her father’s dreams of rap stardom. Pooh takes Bri under her wing and is perhaps the most stable adult figure in the young girl’s life. There are plenty of emotional scenes throughout On The Come Up, and few movies in her filmography demonstrate Da’Vine Joy Randolph’s abilities to create heartwarming (or tearjerking) moments so effectively.

6 Puss In Boots: The Last Wish (2022)

Da’Vine Joy Randolph Plays Mama Luna

2022’s Puss In Boots: The Last Wish is regarded by many as being one of the best movies in Dreamworks’ Shrek franchise so far, and it also stands out as a highlight of Da’Vine Joy Randolph’s career too. Randolph is no stranger to voice acting, having already appeared in 2020’s Trolls World Tour and the 2016-2017 The Mr. Peabody & Sherman Show before taking on the role of Mama Luna in the Puss In Boots sequel.

Randolph joins an established cast of franchise veterans and A-list names in Puss In Boots: The Last Wish, including Antonia Banderas, Salma Hayek, Olivia Colman, Florence Pugh, and Ray Winstone. However, this didn’t mean that Da’Vine Joy Randolph faded into the background. She gave a hilarious voice to Mama Luna, the cat lady who takes Puss in at the start of the story, and proved without doubt that she’s just as suited to blockbuster animated movies as she is gripping and emotional dramas.

5 Rustin (2023)

Da’Vine Joy Randolph Plays Mahalia Jackson

Rustin, the 2023 film from George C. Wolfe, is one of several biographical dramas among the best Da’Vine Joy Randolph movies. Based on a screenplay by Julian Breece and Dustin Lance Black, Rustin focuses on the life of civil rights activist Bayard Rustin and was produced by Barak and Michelle Obama’s Higher Ground. While Colman Domingo leads the cast as Bayard Rustin himself, Da’Vine Joy Randolph gives an exceptional performance when she appears as legendary gospel singer Mahalia Jackson.

Da’Vine Joy Randolph plays one of a multitude of real-life figures in Rustin, each of whom brings something unique to the movie. While most of the critical praise for the cast fell to Colman Domingo in the central role, Rustin still stands out as one of the strongest performances by Da’Vine Joy Randolph too.

4 High Fidelity (2020)

Da’Vine Joy Randolph Plays Cherise

The 2020 Hulu series High Fidelity is a reimagining of the Nick Hornby novel and 2000 John Cusack movie of the same name, focusing on record store owner Robyn “Rob” Brooks (Zoe Kravitz). The set-up of the High Fidelity series is similar to the original film, with Kratitz’s Rob taking on a similar role to Cusack’s character, talking viewers through their various failed relationship attempts from the past.

Da’Vine Joy Randolph co-stars in the High Fidelity Hulu series as Cherise, Rob’s best friend, and the equivalent of both Jack Black’s Barry Judd and Todd Louiso’s Dick from the 2000 movie. Of all the best Da’Vine Joy Randolph TV shows, High Fidelity is perhaps the example that shows her at her comedic best, and Cherise is definitely among the most relatable characters she’s played so far.

3 Only Murders In The Building (2021-Present)

Da’Vine Joy Randolph Plays Detective Williams

Few original Hulu shows have been as successful with viewers or acclaimed by critics as Only Murders In The Building. The comedy-mystery is a hilarious satire of society’s true-crime obsession, and stars Steve Martin, Martin Short, and Selena Gomez as three podcast hosts who find themselves repeatedly caught up in homicide cases. Their liaison with the NYPD is none other than Da’Vine Joy Randolph as Detective Donna Williams.

While she doesn’t appear in every episode, Da’Vine Joy Randolph is one of the most consistent recurring Only Murders In The Building cast members, having returned for all four seasons (so far).She brings not only her own unique comedic and dramatic talents to the role, but also an important sense of continuity which helps Only Murders In The Building stay grounded amidst the ever-changing cast - and she was also nominated for a Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series for her performance.

2 Dolemite Is My Name (2019)

Da’Vine Joy Randolph Plays Lady Reed

There are two key entries among the best Da’Vine Joy Randolph movies that brought the star immense critical acclaim. The first of these is Dolemite Is My Name, the biographic comedy from director Craig Brewer. The film focuses on the life of filmmaker Rudy Ray Moore (played by Eddie Murphy), who was best known for playing the character of Dolemite in multiple blaxploitation films. Da’Vine Joy Randolph co-stars alongside Murphy as Lady Reed, one of Moore’s earliest co-stars when his career began in the 1970s.

Dolemite Is My Name perfectly captures Da’Vine Joy Randolph’s talents when it comes to biographic movies and playing real-life figures. Randolph received several award wins and nominations for playing Lady Reed, including an AAFCA Award for Best Supporting Actress, and Black Reel Awards for Outstanding Supporting Actress and Outstanding Breakthrough Performance. While it arrived 6 years after her feature-film debut, it’s arguable that Dolemite Is My Name was Da’Vine Joy Randolph’s breakout role.

1 The Holdovers (2023)

Da’Vine Joy Randolph Plays Mary Lamb

Da’Vine Joy Randolph is an Academy Award-Winning performer, and it’s entirely thanks to 2023’s The Holdovers and her incredible portrayal of Mary Lamb. Not only is The Holdovers notable among the best Da’Vine Joy Randolph movies due to her award wins and nominations, but it also stands out because it’s her strongest performance despite not being a biographical drama. Rather, the 2023 Christmas movie from director Alexander Payne is a comedy, and Randolph proved to be both hilarious and heartwarming in it.

Not only did The Holdovers land Da’Vine Joy Randolph the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress, but she also received a Golden Globe, Satellite Award, and Screen Actors Guild award in the same category or comparable ones. She has great chemistry with her The Holdovers co-stars, and also (thanks to Mary’s storyline involving bereavement) manages to explore some incredibly deep emotional ground. It’s hard to dispute that The Holdovers is the best Da’Vine Joy Randolph movie so far, though with her active schedule of upcoming projects, there’s always a chance this could change in the future.

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