Tessa Thompson

Actor

Tessa Lynne Thompson (born October 3, 1983) is an American actress. Known for her roles in both blockbusters and independent dramas, her accolades include nominations for two BAFTA Awards, a Golden Globe Award, and a Primetime Emmy Award.

Thompson began her professional acting career with the Los Angeles Women’s Shakespeare Company while studying at Santa Monica College, acting in productions of The Tempest and Romeo and Juliet. She made her film debut in the horror film When a Stranger Calls (2006), followed by leading roles in the independent drama Mississippi Damned (2009) and Tyler Perry’s For Colored Girls (2010). Thompson received favourable notices for roles in the comedy-drama Dear White People (2014) and as civil rights activist Diane Nash in Ava DuVernay’s historical drama Selma (2014). 

She gained mainstream attention for her roles in franchise films, playing Bianca Taylor in the sports dramas Creed (2015), Creed II (2018) and Creed III (2023), and as Valkyrie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, including the movies Thor: Ragnarok (2017) and Thor: Love and Thunder (2022), as well as her leading role in Men in Black: International (2019). She starred in the independent films Sorry to Bother You (2018), Little Woods (2018), and Annihilation (2018). For her role as a black woman living during the Harlem Renaissance in Passing (2021), she was nominated for the BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role. She portrayed the title role in Hedda (2025), which she also executive produced.

On stage, she acted in the off-Broadway production of the Lydia R. Diamond play Smart People (2016). On television, she took recurring roles in shows such as the teen mystery series Veronica Mars (2005–2006), the historical drama series Copper (2012–2013), and the science fiction series Westworld (2016–2022). She starred in the romantic drama film Sylvie’s Love (2020) on Amazon Prime Video. Also, she served as an executive producer, for which she received a nomination for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Television Movie.

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Known For

Avengers: Endgame Not in library

Avengers: Endgame

2019

Thor: Ragnarok Not in library

Thor: Ragnarok

2017

Grey's Anatomy Not in library

Grey's Anatomy

2005

Annihilation Not in library

Annihilation

2018

Thor: Love and Thunder Not in library

Thor: Love and Thunder

2022

Creed Not in library

Creed

2015

Westworld Not in library

Westworld

2016

Creed II Not in library

Creed II

2018

Men in Black: International Not in library

Men in Black: International

2019

What If...? Not in library

What If...?

2021

Acting

2026 HIS & HERS as Anna Andrews (6 episodes) In Library
2025 Hedda as Hedda Gabler
2025 Number One on the Call Sheet as Self (1 episode)
2025 Marvel Zombies as Valkyrie (voice) (2 episodes)
2024 The Listener as Beth
2023 The Marvels as Valkyrie
2023 Creed III as Bianca Creed
2022 Soul of a Nation Presents: Screen Queens Rising as Self
2022 Thor: Love and Thunder as King Valkyrie
2022 Marvel Studios Assembled: The Making of Thor: Love and Thunder as Self - King Valkyrie
2022 Logic Paralyzes the Heart
2022 Sherri as Self - Guest (1 episode)
2022 Civilization Express - The Great Feast of Movies as Self (1 episode)
2021 Passing as Irene Redfield
2021 Marvel Studios Legends as Valkyrie (archive footage) (uncredited) (2 episodes)
2021 What If...? as Valkyrie (voice) (2 episodes)
2020 Sylvie's Love as Sylvie
2019 Little Woods as Oleander 'Ollie' Hale
2019 Lady and the Tramp as Lady (voice)
2019 Men in Black: International as Agent M
2019 Between Two Ferns: The Movie as Tessa Thompson
2019 Avengers: Endgame as Valkyrie
2019 Shadow Stalker as Tessa Thompson
2019 Brave Girl Rising as Nasro (voice)
2018 Annihilation as Josie Radek
2018 Sorry to Bother You as Detroit
2018 Creed II as Bianca
2018 Furlough as Nicole Stevens
2018 Dirty Computer as Zen
2017 Thor: Ragnarok as Valkyrie
2017 South Dakota as Chris
2017 100 Years as Narrator (voice)
2017 Moonlight as Monica
2017 Dear White People as Rikki Carter (2 episodes)
2016 War on Everyone as Jackie Hollis
2016 Salt Water as Brit
2016 Westworld as Charlotte Hale (36 episodes)
2015 From Rocky to Creed: The Legacy Continues as Self
2015 Creed as Bianca
2015 The Late Late Show with James Corden as Self - Guest (1 episode)
2015 Hot Ones as Self (1 episode)
2015 The Late Late Show with James Corden as Self (1 episode)
2014 Dear White People as Samantha White
2014 Grantham & Rose as Wallis
2014 Points of Origin as Rosemary
2014 Selma as Diane Nash
2014 BoJack Horseman as Taneisha (voice) (1 episode)
2014 The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon as Self (1 episode)
2014 Variety Studio: Actors on Actors as Self (1 episode)
2014 Late Night with Seth Meyers as Self - Guest (1 episode)
2013 Automotive as Maggie
2012 Murder on the 13th Floor as Nia Palmer
2012 RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars as Self - Guest Judge (1 episode)
2011 Everyday Black Man as Claire
2011 Portlandia as Bailey (1 episode)
2010 For Colored Girls as Nyla / Purple
2010 Exquisite Corpse as Liz
2010 Betwixt as Jenny
2010 Rizzoli & Isles as Anna Farrell (1 episode)
2009 Mississippi Damned as Kari Peterson
2009 Mental
2009 Three Rivers
2009 Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen as Self - Guest (1 episode)
2008 Make It Happen as Dana
2008 The Human Contract as Waitress
2007 Life as Liza (1 episode)
2007 Private Practice as Zoe Salter (2 episodes)
2007 Hidden Palms as Nikki Barnes (8 episodes)
2007 The Graham Norton Show as Self (2 episodes)
2006 When a Stranger Calls as Scarlet
2006 The Initiation of Sarah as Esme
2006 Heroes as Rebecca Taylor (3 episodes)
2005 The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson as Self (1 episode)
2005 Grey's Anatomy as Camille Travis (2 episodes)
2004 Veronica Mars as Jackie Cook (22 episodes)
2003 Cold Case as Wilhemina 'Billie' Doucette (1 episode)
2003 Jimmy Kimmel Live! as Self - Guest (2 episodes)
1996 The Daily Show as Self (1 episode)
1992 MTV Movie & TV Awards as Self - Presenter (2 episodes)
1988 LIVE with Kelly and Mark as Self - Guest (1 episode)
— Creed IV as Bianca Taylor
— Later the War
— A Separation

Production

2026 Is God Is Producer
2026 HIS & HERS Executive Producer In Library
2025 Hedda Producer
2024 The Listener Producer
2020 Sylvie's Love Executive Producer
2019 Little Woods Executive Producer
— A Separation Producer

Sound

2018 Creed II Songs