Aleta Mitchell

Aleta Mitchell, born October 13, 1952, is an American actress whose work spans stage, television, and film.

Mitchell made her Broadway debut in 1984, originating the role of Dussie Mae in August Wilson's Ma Rainey's Black Bottom at the Cort Theatre, where the production ran through 1985. Her Off-Broadway work includes multiple roles in Distracted at the Laura Pels Theatre, the role of Aunt Louise in Ohio State Murders at the Duke on 42nd Street, and appearances in the Young Playwrights Festival at Playwrights Horizons in 1993 and at the Joseph Papp Public Theater in 1995. In regional theater, she portrayed Mrs. Dickson in Intimate Apparel at Westport Country Playhouse in 2014.

On television, Mitchell guest starred in 1985 as Mrs. Randall in the season one Cosby Show episode "Physician of the Year." In 1989, she appeared on the CBS action drama The Equalizer as Martha Taylor, wife of Casey Taylor, played by Laurence Fishburne, in the season four episode "Race Traitors," which centered on a KKK member portrayed by David Andrews who attempts to organize neighborhood skinheads. During the 1990s, Mitchell accumulated three credits within the Law & Order franchise: Joanne Preston in the 1991 Law & Order episode "God Bless the Child," Phyllis Munroe in the 1992 Law & Order: Criminal Intent episode "Bright Boy," and Helene Carter in the 1994 Law & Order episode "Second Opinion." She also played Angelique Guerrero in the 2004 series The Jury.

Mitchell's film career began in the 1980s with the role of Cara in No Mercy (1986), followed by Celestine Durand in Wes Craven's horror film The Serpent and the Rainbow (1988), and Victoire in Miloš Forman's romantic drama Valmont (1989). In the 1990s, she played Sister Robin in Spike Lee's biographical drama Malcolm X (1992) and Alphabette in Clint Eastwood's crime drama Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil (1997). She also appeared as Louise in the 1998 film O.K. Garage, released alternatively under the title All Revved Up.