Nealla Gordon
# Nealla Gordon

Nealla Gordon is an American actress. She has appeared in a number of Lee Daniels's productions, including films Precious (2009), The Paperboy (2012), and The Butler (2013). She portrayed the role of Harlow Carter on the first season of Fox prime time soap opera Empire in 2015. In 2017, Gordon was cast in another Daniels's soap opera, Star playing villainous Arlene Morgan.

## Career

Gordon began her career in early 1990s, appearing on television shows include Thirtysomething, Doogie Howser, M.D. and Murphy Brown. Her other television credits include Touched by an Angel, Will & Grace, Desperate Housewives, NYPD Blue, and Grey's Anatomy. Gordon has a minor role portraying Nancy Kassebaum in The Butler.

## Filmography

### Film

| Year | Title | Role |
| - | - | - |
| 2005 | A Lot like Love | Caterer |
| 2008 | Merem Melek | Sonya |
| 2009 | Precious | Mrs. Lichtenstein |
| 2011 | No Strings Attached | Lydia |
| 2012 | Wrong | Colleague Jodie |
| 2012 | The Paperboy | Ellen Guthrie |
| 2013 | The Butler | Nancy Kassebaum |
| 2021 | The United States vs. Billie Holiday | Courthouse Reporter |

### Television

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| - | - | - | - |
| 1991 | Thirtysomething | Kooky Coworker | Episode: "Melissa in Wonderland" |
| 1991 | Sibs | Anna | Episode: "The Big Hurt" |
| 1991 | Growing Pains | Waitress | Episode: "Bad Day Cafe" |
| 1992 | Doogie Howser, M.D. | Suzanne | Episode: "Club Medicine" |
| 1992 | Dream On | Corinne | Episode: "Terms of Employment" |
| 1993 | Murphy Brown | Eileen | Episode: "Games Mother Play" |
| 1993 | Daddy Dearest | Justin's Mother | Episode: "Raging Bully" |
| 1993 | Shameful Secrets | Margaret Chapman | Television film |
| 1994 | To My Daughter with Love | Mrs. Lewiston | Television film |
| 1995 | Ed McBain's 87th Precinct: Lightning | Miss Delongis | Television film |
| 1996 | Life's Work | Judge Randall | 2 episodes |
| 1997 | Over the Top | Ms. Kleiger | Episode: "The Bee Story" |
| 1998 | Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction | Lucy Robins | 2 episodes |
| 1998 | Touched by an Angel | Young Elaine | Episode: "Elija" |
| 1999 | Rescue 77 | — | Episode: "Tunnel Vision" |
| 2000 | Once and Again | Mrs. Sepnefski | Episode: "Sneaky Feelings" |
| 2001 | Dharma & Greg | Kathy | Episode: "Judy & Greg" |
| 2001 | Philly | Shirley | Episode: "Live and Leg Die" |
| 2002 | Will & Grace | Eileen | Episode: "Someone Old, Someplace New" |
| 2003 | American Dreams | Eleanor | Episode: "I Wanna Hold Your Hand" |
| 2003 | Judging Amy | Joyce | Episode: "Tricks of the Trade" |
| 2004 | 7th Heaven | Kate | Episode: "Little White Lies: Part 1" |
| 2004 | Desperate Housewives | Mrs. Bukowski | Episode: "Pretty Little Picture" |
| 2005 | NYPD Blue | Esther Zell | Episode: "Lenny Scissorhands" |
| 2005 | Medium | Elisha's Mother | Episode: "Penny for Your Thoughts" |
| 2005 | Entourage | Casting Director | Episode: "My Maserati Does 185" |
| 2008 | Weeds | Lee Milne | Episode: "The Love Circle Overlap" |
| 2009 | Grey's Anatomy | Jill Boyd | Episode: "Invest in Love" |
| 2010 | Huge | Ian's mom | 2 episodes |
| 2010–2011 | The Defenders | Judge Susan White | 6 episodes |
| 2013 | NCIS: Los Angeles | Administrator | Episode: "Big Brother" |
| 2013 | Masters of Sex | Nurse Lang | Episode: "Fallout" |
| 2015 | Empire | Harlow Carter | 4 episodes |
| 2016–2019 | Star | Arlene Morgan | 18 episodes |
| 2018 | SEAL Team | Holly Baxter | Episode: "Never Say Die" |
| 2021 | The Ms. Pat Show | Denise | Episode: "Lights Out" |
