Maia Campbell Explained

Maia Campbell
Birth Place:Takoma Park, Maryland, U.S.
Alma Mater:Spelman College
Occupation:Actress
Years Active:1993–2017
Known For:Tiffany Warren – In the House
Parents:Bebe Moore Campbell
Tiko Campbell

Maia Campbell is an American actress known for her role as Nicole on the 1994 Fox comedy-drama series South Central and her portrayal of Tiffany Warren in the NBC/UPN sitcom In the House for five seasons (1995–1999).

Early life and career

Born in Takoma Park, Maryland, Campbell is the daughter of author Bebe Moore Campbell and Tiko Campbell, an architect and author from Washington, D.C.[1] [2] She was raised in the Ladera Heights section of Los Angeles. Campbell has become best known for her role as the witty adolescent daughter on the series In the House, though she has been frequently seen on television.[3] She was featured in a regular role as Nicole in the short-lived Fox series South Central, portraying Larenz Tate's girlfriend, and also had a guest role in Thea. She also had a minor role in John Singleton's Poetic Justice, with Janet Jackson, playing the role of Lucky's (played by Tupac Shakur) cousin. Campbell also hosted the young adult magazine show Twenty-four/Seven in 1995. She briefly attended Spelman College in Atlanta, Georgia.

Personal life

After acting out while on the set of In the House in 1998, Campbell was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. Two years later in 2000, Campbell gave birth to her daughter Elisha, but since she refused to take her psychiatric medication, she lost custody.[4] [5]

In 2009, a YouTube video was uploaded to the internet of Campbell exhibiting erratic behavior, causing fans to become concerned, and in a statement to Essence, Campbell's stepfather Ellis Gordon Jr. stated “As a family, we have been struggling with Maia in her illness for quite some time,” he continued, “We continue to hold fast to our faith and hope that some day she will realize that healing will begin when she decides to reach out and accept the help and treatment that have been offered to her.”[6]  

In a 2012 sit-down with inspirational speaker Iyanla Vanzant, Campbell alleged that in 2010 she was arrested for petty theft and sent to jail but her stepfather Ellis requested that she be moved to a mandatory mental health facility where she spent a year and a half before voluntarily moving to a residential treatment center.[7]

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
1993Poetic JusticeShante
1998KinfolksLissa
1999Trippin'Cinny Hawkins
2000Seventeen AgainAshley TV movie
2002The TrialTracy
2003With or Without YouTeresa
2004Sweet Potato PieKadjaVideo
2005Friends and LoversLisaVideo
The LuauShyann
Envy-
2007Sorority Sister SlaughterRoseVideo
2008The RimshopMisty
2017Doctor ImpostorDoreen DuVernay

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
1993TheaAlisonEpisode: "Dirty Laundry"
1994South CentralNicoleRecurring cast
1995–99In the HouseTiffany WarrenMain cast
1996–97Beverly Hills, 90210Mariah MurphyEpisode: "Remember the Alamo" & "Heaven Scent"
1997MoeshaTammyEpisode: "Double Date"
1998Sister, SisterShaylaEpisode: "The Grass Is Always Finer"
2012Iyanla, Fix My LifeHerselfEpisode: "Fix My Celebrity Life"
2013Life AfterHerselfEpisode: "Maia Campbell: In the House"
2016From the Bottom UpHerselfBET Docu-series

Music videos

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Journalist Bebe Moore Campbell Dies. Concepcion. Mariel. November 28, 2006. vibe.com. August 6, 2008. https://web.archive.org/web/20110112125233/http://www.vibe.com/news/news_headlines/2006/11/journalist_bebe_moore_campbell_dies/. January 12, 2011. dead.
  2. News: Bebe Moore Campbell, Novelist of Black Lives, Dies at 56. Fox. Margalit. November 28, 2006. The New York Times. August 6, 2008.
  3. Web site: Iyanla Vanzant Explains Why Maia Campbell Became Addicted To Drugs [EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW]]. November 19, 2012. Praise Houston. en. December 3, 2019.
  4. Web site: Iyanla Fix My Life EP 112 ‘Fix My Celebrity Life’. youtube.com. YouTube. January 3, 2022.
  5. Web site: Maia Campbell and Her Daughter Look to Their Future . Oprah.com . November 17, 2012.
  6. Web site: Triumph And Tragedy: A Timeline Of Maia Campbell's Career . 2023-08-18 . Essence . 11 July 2017 . en-US.
  7. Web site: Iyanla Fix My Life EP 112 ‘Fix My Celebrity Life’. youtube.com. YouTube. January 3, 2022.