Lovie Simone

Lovie Simone Oppong, known professionally as Lovie Simone, is an acclaimed American actress recognized principally for her performance as Zora Greenleaf in the popular drama series Greenleaf. Born on November 29, 1998, in The Bronx, New York City, she was raised in Orange County, New York where she attended Monroe-Woodbury High School. Her racial heritage traces back to both African American and Ghanaian origins, with her mother being African American and her father being Ghanaian. She has a twin sister, Yuri who is a musician known as Reiyo The Giant, and a younger brother and sister. Simone's acting prowess was fostered at an acting school in New York, and her first appearance was in a nationwide commercial for JC Penney.

In 2016, she began her stint in the Oprah Winfrey Network drama series, Greenleaf initially cast as a recurring member, she was soon promoted to a series regular from the second season. Simone also ventured into films, debuting in a supporting role in the 2018 drama film Monster, alongside Jennifer Hudson. Her remarkable performances led her to feature in two drama films at the 2019 Sundance Film Festival, and in the subsequent year she played a lead role in The Craft: Legacy, a horror movie sequel. In 2021, her talent took her to star in the first season of Starz crime drama series, Power Book III: Raising Kanan. The year 2022 saw her cast opposite Tobias Menzies in the Apple TV+ limited series, Manhunt, and in the period drama film The Walk. In 2023, she starred in the science fiction thriller 57 Seconds.