LisaGay Hamilton (born 1964) is an American actress celebrated for her numerous roles across films, television, and stage. She is renowned for her dynamic roles, such as secretary/lawyer Rebecca Washington on the ABC legal drama The Practice (1997–2003), Melissa Thoreau on the TNT comedy-drama Men of a Certain Age (2009–2011), Celia Jones on Netflix's House of Cards (2016), and Kayla Price on Hulu's The First (2018). Her filmography includes illustrious titles like 12 Monkeys (1995), Jackie Brown (1997), Beloved (1998), The Sum of All Fears (2002), and more. On stage, her roles span from Measure for Measure (Isabella), Henry IV Parts I & II (Lady Hotspur), to August Wilson's The Piano Lesson and Gem of the Ocean. She was also an original cast member in the Broadway productions of August Wilson's The Piano Lesson and Gem of the Ocean. Hamilton has a Peabody Award to her name for creating and directing a 2003 documentary film Beah: A Black Woman Speaks. LisaGay was born in Los Angeles but spent much of her childhood in Stony Brook, New York. She was introduced to the world of acting at an early age, following which she earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts from New York University and a M.A. in drama from The Juilliard School. Her career is marked by standout roles in classical theater and film, gaining prestigious awards and nominations.