Personal details
Born:
- Birthday: 1985-12-01
- Born Place: New York, New York, USA
Also Known As:
Ильфенеш Хадера
Ilfenesh Hadera
Ilfenesh Hadera is an American actress born on December 1, 1985, in Harlem, New York City. She is of mixed heritage, identifying as half Ethiopian and half white; her father is an Ethiopian refugee who founded the African Services Committee, a Harlem-based organization assisting African refugees, where Ilfenesh volunteered before her acting career. She attended The Harlem School of the Arts and Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School before earning an MFA in text and performance studies from RADA/King's College London.Hadera made her acting debut in 2010 and is a frequent collaborator with director Spike Lee, having appeared in his projects such as "Oldboy," "Chi-Raq," "Show Me a Hero," and "She's Gotta Have It." She gained wider recognition for her co-starring role as Stephanie Holden in the 2017 film "Baywatch" and for her main roles in television series like "Deception" (2018) and "Godfather of Harlem" (2019-present), where she plays Mayme Johnson, Bumpy Johnson's wife. Her diverse television credits also include recurring roles in "Billions," "Master of None," and "The Punisher."In film, her recent and upcoming works include "The Bricklayer" (2024), "Werewolves" (2024), and "Highest 2 Lowest" (2025), where she will be seen as Pam King.
