Deanna Reed-Foster

Actress Deanna Reed-Foster was born Deanna Kathleen Reed to Moses and Constance Reed on May 28, 1970 in Chicago, Illinois. Growing up on the south-side of Chicago with her older brother Curtis and her mother, she is a product of the Chicago Public School system. She attended Lindblom Technical H.S. where she first discovered her love of music. She sang with the chorus and competed in city and state choral and solo competitions. After high school, she continued singing and recorded with Mark Hubbard and The United Voices for Christ. She never thought of herself as an actor in her early years, but in 1995 she performed in her first professional stage play. Although she continued to sing she was bitten by the acting bug and realized she was more fulfilled by acting. She continued to perform in various plays in the Chicago area; later she would travel across the country and abroad. In 2004, she did her first production at the venerable Black Ensemble Theatre. Where she has continued to perform in various productions over the years. In 2005, she did her first feature film, "Roll Bounce" directed by Malcom Lee (Girls Trip) and in 2008 she received an Emmy award for her narration of "Fresh From Julianne's Garden: A Legacy In Bronze." In the years that followed she focused mainly on the stage while holding down a full-time job as a property manager. Then in 2013 she decided to follow her passion. She left the security of Corporate America and took a leap of faith to become a full-time actress. In that same year, she married Earl Foster. He has been her biggest supporter in her major career move. To further refine her talent, she received formal Meisner training at Gately Poole Acting Conservatory. In the years that followed, her career has gained momentum. She has appeared in several stage, TV and film projects. Most notably, she has a recurring role on "NBC's Chicago Fire." She appeared in the film "Southside With You" (Sundance 2016). In 2017, she was nominated for best supporting actress by the Joseph Jefferson awards for her role in the stage production of "Even Longer and Farther Away." Also in 2017, she worked with Oscar nominated director Steve McQueen and she is set to appear in Oscar nominated director Richard Linklater's "Last Flag Flying" alongside Laurence Fishburne as his wife. Deanna's faith in Christ is first and foremost in her life. She lives by the credo of "#LiveOnPurpose" and seeks to fulfill God's will and purpose for her life.