JoMarie Payton was born on August 3, 1950, in Albany, Georgia, to Driscoll Payton, a construction worker, and Frankie Bell Payton, a maid. In 1950, her family relocated to the Miami suburb of Opa-Locka, Florida. JoMarie was the second of nine children.
At the tender age of six, JoMarie made her first stage performance. After completing high school, she attended Albany State University in Albany, Georgia. Following her graduation, JoMarie left for California to join the national touring company of the musical "Purlie," starring Robert Guillaume. As an accomplished singer, she secured her first major professional acting roles through musical auditions.
JoMarie's big break came when she played Harriet Winslow in the sitcom Perfect Strangers in 1986. Audiences adored her character, leading to a spin-off focused on the Winslow family, titled Family Matters, in 1989. However, the show quickly shifted its focus to character Steve Urkel, and during the ninth season, JoMarie was given the opportunity to end her contract, allowing her to pursue other artistic endeavors.
Beyond her acting career, JoMarie is a human rights activist and a four-time NAACP Image Award nominee. In honor of her mother, she established the Frankie Payton Scholarship Fund at Albany State College. JoMarie has been married four times and has one daughter, Chantale France.
