Ciera Payton
- Actress
- Writer
- Additional Crew
Ciera Payton is a multi-talented actress, philanthropist, writer, educator, and entrepreneur.
Becoming
Ciera Payton grew up surrounded by street performers, artists, and the amazing cuisine found only in the vibrant city of New Orleans. She didn't know it at the time, but she was using art as a coping mechanism to deal with challenging aspects of her home life. Her natural inclination toward storytelling, creative writing, performing, and filmmaking would go on to become her life's calling.
Blooming
After Hurricane Katrina, Ciera and her family relocated to North Carolina, where she graduated with a BFA from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts. While at UNCSA, she landed her first role as the female lead opposite Steven Seagal in the action feature Flight of Fury. Since her breakout role, she has shared the screen with Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, Nicolas Cage, Kevin Hart, Josh Brolin, and many other acclaimed artists.
Acting
Ciera has also appeared in AMC's The Walking Dead, USA Network's Graceland, Spike Lee's Oldboy, and First, a web series acquired by the Issa Rae Network. Ciera stars in Tyler Perry's The Oval as Lilly Winthrop, fashion designer and wife to the chief of staff. The 22 episode series came on the heels of Ciera's breakout performance as Sylvia in A Madea Family Funeral. You can also find Ciera in the second season of Spike Lee's She's Gotta Have It and in Amazon's supernatural thriller The Manor.
Ciera has also showcased her talent for bringing real people to life in Lifetime's biopic Wendy Williams: The Movie. Williams' superfans campaigned on social media to cast her as the larger-than-life celebrity. And indeed, her raw portrayal of the infamous talk show host did not disappoint.
Serving
Ciera went on to compile her life experiences into a one-woman show called Michael's Daughter. As a performer and teaching artist, Ciera learned she was far from alone in her complicated experiences. She created the Michael's Daughter Project as an outlet for family members of the incarcerated to heal and be heard.
The Michael's Daughter programs, services, and charities thrived along with the community members they served. Ciera has since founded The Michael's Daughter Foundation, a 501c3 non-profit organization where she serves as president.
Inspiring
One of Ciera's ultimate goals is to inspire others to live their best lives and thrive regardless of personal circumstances. In addition to reaching others through her acting and foundation, she runs a lifestyle website called The In Trive - The Inspired Thriving Tribe. Here Ciera and her contributing writers share uplifting personal stories and tips on wellness, fashion, beauty, and more.
Thriving
When she's not showcasing her authenticity on-screen or helping others step into their light, you can find Ciera discovering new plant-based recipes & restaurants, practicing meditation, dancing it out at (small) gatherings, or peacefully hiking the nature trails of California.
Ciera's fun and sophisticated persona continues to help this beautiful powerhouse rise to the top of the entertainment industry as an actor, writer, producer, and creator. She shines on and off-screen and embodies her goals of aspiring to inspire and uplift others.
Becoming
Ciera Payton grew up surrounded by street performers, artists, and the amazing cuisine found only in the vibrant city of New Orleans. She didn't know it at the time, but she was using art as a coping mechanism to deal with challenging aspects of her home life. Her natural inclination toward storytelling, creative writing, performing, and filmmaking would go on to become her life's calling.
Blooming
After Hurricane Katrina, Ciera and her family relocated to North Carolina, where she graduated with a BFA from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts. While at UNCSA, she landed her first role as the female lead opposite Steven Seagal in the action feature Flight of Fury. Since her breakout role, she has shared the screen with Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, Nicolas Cage, Kevin Hart, Josh Brolin, and many other acclaimed artists.
Acting
Ciera has also appeared in AMC's The Walking Dead, USA Network's Graceland, Spike Lee's Oldboy, and First, a web series acquired by the Issa Rae Network. Ciera stars in Tyler Perry's The Oval as Lilly Winthrop, fashion designer and wife to the chief of staff. The 22 episode series came on the heels of Ciera's breakout performance as Sylvia in A Madea Family Funeral. You can also find Ciera in the second season of Spike Lee's She's Gotta Have It and in Amazon's supernatural thriller The Manor.
Ciera has also showcased her talent for bringing real people to life in Lifetime's biopic Wendy Williams: The Movie. Williams' superfans campaigned on social media to cast her as the larger-than-life celebrity. And indeed, her raw portrayal of the infamous talk show host did not disappoint.
Serving
Ciera went on to compile her life experiences into a one-woman show called Michael's Daughter. As a performer and teaching artist, Ciera learned she was far from alone in her complicated experiences. She created the Michael's Daughter Project as an outlet for family members of the incarcerated to heal and be heard.
The Michael's Daughter programs, services, and charities thrived along with the community members they served. Ciera has since founded The Michael's Daughter Foundation, a 501c3 non-profit organization where she serves as president.
Inspiring
One of Ciera's ultimate goals is to inspire others to live their best lives and thrive regardless of personal circumstances. In addition to reaching others through her acting and foundation, she runs a lifestyle website called The In Trive - The Inspired Thriving Tribe. Here Ciera and her contributing writers share uplifting personal stories and tips on wellness, fashion, beauty, and more.
Thriving
When she's not showcasing her authenticity on-screen or helping others step into their light, you can find Ciera discovering new plant-based recipes & restaurants, practicing meditation, dancing it out at (small) gatherings, or peacefully hiking the nature trails of California.
Ciera's fun and sophisticated persona continues to help this beautiful powerhouse rise to the top of the entertainment industry as an actor, writer, producer, and creator. She shines on and off-screen and embodies her goals of aspiring to inspire and uplift others.
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