Adilah Barnes is a renowned actress with over five decades of acting experience, having appeared in numerous television shows and films. She is best recognized for her role as Anne Marie on ABC's "Roseanne," which remains in syndication.
Throughout her career, Barnes has been fortunate to play strong, steadfast, and resilient characters that reflect her own personality. One of her most notable roles was as Ida B. Wells in HBO's "Iron Jawed Angels," where she portrayed a women's rights activist. Interestingly, Barnes is also an advocate for women's rights and supports women of all ethnicities.
Barnes has made guest appearances on various TV shows, including CBS' "NCIS," Showtime's "Shameless," NBC's "Harry's Law" and "Prime Suspect," ABC's "The Middle," and TNT's "Trust Me." Her other television credits include "Gilmore Girls," "City of Angels," "For the People," "Roswell," "The Agency," "Family Law," "Any Day Now," "Suddenly Susan," and "Mad About You."
In addition to her television work, Barnes has appeared in several films, including "Murder By Numbers" alongside Sandra Bullock and "Erin Brockovich" with Julia Roberts. She has also appeared in the CBS Hallmark made-for-TV movie "Little John" opposite Ving Rhames.
As a writer, Barnes has published her memoir, "On My Own Terms: One Actor's Journey," which debuted at #3 on Essence Magazine's non-fiction paperback list in June 2009. She has also founded The Writer's Well, an international literary retreat for women, and has attracted writers from as far away as Ghana and Puerto Rico.
Barnes is the Co-Founder of the Los Angeles Women's Theatre Festival, a multi-cultural festival that showcases female artists in various disciplines. The festival has produced over 500 artists and is now in its twenty-seventh year. Both Barnes and the festival were honored with the prestigious Women in Theatre Award in 2006.
Furthermore, Barnes hosted her own internet radio show, "Adilah," on the BlakeRadio Network, where she conducted thought-provoking interviews with celebrity guests that can still be accessed by a global audience.
