Kenya Summer Moore (born January 24, 1971) is an American film and television actress, producer, model, and author. She is also a television personality and beauty pageant titleholder who won Miss USA 1993. Moore was born on January 24, 1971, in Detroit, Michigan, to teenagers Patricia Moore and Ronald Grant and raised by her paternal grandmother Doris Grant and aunt after her mother abandoned her three days after her birth.
Always the performer, she noted in a 2018 interview with OTS Magazine that she started dancing at age 6 and modeling at age 14, eventually attending a college preparatory high school where she majored in performing arts. Prior to entering the spotlight in a major way, she graduated from her hometown’s Wayne State University, receiving her degree in psychology.
Let's delve into the impressive career of Kenya Moore, exploring her journey from beauty pageants to her notable contributions to the entertainment industry.
Beauty Pageant Success and Miss USA Win
"I won Miss USA, not Miss Congeniality." - Kenya's Season 5 tagline.
"I entered my first beauty pageant at 14 called 'Little Miss Black Star' because all of my friends were and it was something fun to do. It was actually a talent pageant and I performed a modern dance as I’m a trained dancer," Kenya recalled in her OTS interview. "I placed first runner-up. It was a very positive experience. From there, I continued to enter pageants and won the very next one. It was great because the prizes often included college scholarships which paid for my education."
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In 1993, Kenya won Miss Michigan USA, going on to win Miss USA - the second-ever Black woman to do so. Later that year, she competed in Miss Universe, placing in the top six overall.
In an October 2022 interview with Glamour, Kenya said that winning Miss USA changed the trajectory of her life.
"There’s nothing that would change your life like winning an international or national beauty pageant in the ’90s, for a little Black girl from Detroit who didn’t really have much, didn’t have a lot of exposure, had never been out of the country," she explained. "We lived a very modest lifestyle in the inner city, and then I was catapulted into fame and wealth and traveling all over the world. So I would have to say winning Miss USA and being the second Black woman crowned."
Modeling Career
In addition to her pageant competitions, Kenya began modeling at age 14, eventually landing covers for magazines such as Ebony Man's, Upscale, Smooth, Jet, and Essence.
Moore began modeling at the age of 14, and was the January 1992 cover girl for Ebony Man magazine. She also modelled for the Ebony Fashion Fair cosmetic line. Moore has also appeared on the covers of Glamour, Seventeen, Ebony, and Essence magazines.
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In April 2020, Kenya shared a "comp card" from early in her career with her Instagram followers. This card, left over from the '90s, basically served as her business card, an easy way to send measurements, photos, and contact info to potential clients.
Naturally, she was as gorgeous then as she is now, sporting a full head of curls and faraway gaze.
Acting Career
Kenya is recognizable for her roles in movies such as Waiting to Exhale, Deliver Us from Eva and the 2007 Lindsay Lohan thriller I Know Who Killed Me. One of her best acting roles came in the independent film Trois which also starred Gretchen Palmer and CSI: Crime Scene Investigation star Gary Dourdan. Trois went on to become one of the highest grossing African-American films of 2000. Kenya also makes magic happen behind the scenes.
Kenya kicked off her film career with a role in the iconic female empowerment movie Waiting to Exhale. Directed by Forest Whitaker, the film also starred Whitney Houston, Angela Bassett, and Loretta Devine; Kenya's character, Denise, briefly showed up as a romantic rival of Houston's.
Today, Kenya has 15 films under her belt, as well as a number of music videos, including playing the love interest in Jay-Z and Jermaine Dupri's video for the 1998 hit "Money Ain't a Thang."
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Kenya's first television project was a 1994 episode of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. Since then, she's acted in numerous shows including Living Single (alongside former RHOA cast member Kim Fields), Smart Guy, The Jamie Foxx Show, Martin, In the House, The Steve Harvey Show, Girlfriends, and The Parkers.
Here's a list of Kenya Moore's notable film and television appearances:
| Title | Year | Role |
|---|---|---|
| The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air | 1994 | эпизодическая роль |
| Waiting to Exhale | 1995 | Denise |
| Trois | 2000 | роль |
| Deliver Us From Eva | 2003 | роль |
| I Know Who Killed Me | 2007 | роль |
| The Real Housewives of Atlanta | 2012-2024 | Сама себя |
She has appeared on the cover of several major magazines, including Glamour, Seventeen, Ebony and Essence. Kenya has also been featured in several music videos, including R&B group Shai's "I Don't Wanna Be Alone", rapper Nas' "Street Dreams" and the Jay-Z & Jermaine Dupri Grammy-nominated hit "Money Ain't a Thang".
Kenya Moore Throwing Shade For 10 Minutes Straight | RHOA | Bravo
Production Career
In 2010, her production company Moore Vision Media produced the movie The Confidant. She also worked on a scripted TV pilot, Life Twirls On. Moore has also produced and directed various projects and launched her own company, Moore Vision Media in 2008.
Moore Vision Media produced the erotic thriller "The Confidant". Moore is credited as producer/director of the film Trapped: Haitian Nights. After the project lost its director, Moore took over the production and completed the film.
Other Ventures
On November 28, 2007, Moore published a book titled Game, Get Some!: What Women Really Want. Described as a how-to guide, the book is a self-help and conduct containing relationship advice, as well as the author's personal experiences regarding interpersonal and intimate relationships.
Moore has stated about the book, "No one man can know everything there is to know about women, but with my help, they may just come close; I feel like the female Ms. Hitch! I want to bring us together not apart."
The author reviews self-esteem and self-concept issues, offers sexual advice, discusses tips on mending a relationship or the proper way to break up. In 2012, Moore released her debut single, "Gone With the Wind Fabulous." In 2013, Moore released her own exercise video, named "Kenya Moore: Booty Boot Camp".
Reality TV Appearances
When fans first met Kenya in Season 5 Episode 1, she'd just moved to Atlanta from Los Angeles. While introducing herself, she gave a brief summary of her resumé. "I'm an actor, producer, author, director. I'm a hustler," she said. "I like to win."
What can't she do? During Season 30 of Dancing With the Stars in 2021, Kenya came in 10th place. She was eliminated during Week 6 after performing an Argentine tango with partner Brandon Armstrong.
"I just want to say thank you so much for this opportunity. This has been a dream come true," said Kenya at the time, according to People. In an Instagram video, she called her DWTS tenure "one of the happiest times of my life."
The following year, Kenya was nominated for the "Reality TV Star of 2022" award at the People's Choice Awards.
Kenya founded the Kenya Moore Foundation which awards scholarships to under-privileged girls from her high school alma-mater.
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