Mekia Cox
Encyclopedia
Mekia Cox is an American actress and dancer, known for her recurring role as Sasha in the second
and third
seasons of 90210
and her role as a dancer in the Michael Jackson concert series This Is It
and the related film Michael Jackson's This Is It
. In 2010, she assumed a supporting role in Lost
creator J. J. Abrams
's cancelled spy drama, Undercovers
.
As a youth, Cox had a history of dance and theater training and experience. Much of her early work was associated with Universal Studios
and Nickelodeon
. She continued to train in the performing arts in high school and college. Subsequently, she toured nationally in stage productions of musicals such as Fame
.
. In 1989, Cox was invited to participate in the Disney's Magic Kingdom Christmas Spectacular show. Due to her proximity to Universal Studios
, Cox was able to earn roles as a child actor in various Nickelodeon shows such as My Brother and Me
, Keenan and Kel, and All That
.
Cox was a 1999 graduate of Dr. Phillips High School
where she was enrolled in the Visual and Performing Arts magnet program for vocal performance. Cox earned a Bachelor of Music
degree from Florida State University
in 2003 after being accepted to their Musical Theater program. During her summers she worked at the Heritage Repertory Theater in where she played roles in Smokey Joe's Cafe
and Anything Goes
one summer and performed as a recurring character in Nickelodeon
's show Noah Knows Best
during another. Other regional theater credits include Rent
in which she played club dancer and drug addict Mimi Márquez, the Chicago
role of Liz, and Frenchie in Cabaret
.
After graduating, she performed the role of Sarah in Ragtime
, the musical at Merry-Go-Round Theater in . Cox then toured nationally for two years as Carmen in Fame as well as revisiting her role as Brenda in Smokey Joe's Café. After touring and landing her first television role she moved to Los Angeles, where she continues to reside. Among her personal interests are learning how to play guitar and painting.
, and Half & Half
, and she appeared in One Tree Hill
as Faith in season 3 episode 10 the following year. More recently she made a guest appearance on Bones
and in four episodes of Paradise Hotel
in 2008. She also has a role in the musical I Kissed a Vampire
as well as an appearance in the marital crisis comedy Crazy, Stupid, Love., which was released in July 2011.
Cox was one of only two women selected for the 11-member dance group from a field of over 500 for the This Is It concert series. She was one of the featured dancers in he documentary film Michael Jackson's This Is It. She can be seen dancing with Jackson during the rehearsal of "The Way You Make Me Feel
".
During the 2009 second season of 90210 she appeared in six episodes. She also appears in the fourth episode of season three (October 4, 2010). Her 20-something character, Sasha, becomes the controversial love interest of Tristan Wilds
' 17-year-old character, Dixon Wilson. The character is a DJ
who met his character at a pizza parlor and a party she DJed on a yacht. Dixon led her to believe he was her age. One of the things that helped them bond despite his status as a high school junior was that they had the same cell phone ringtone. Eventually, Cox's character becomes pregnant.
On October 29, 2009, she was one of the This is It dancers who appeared on The Ellen DeGeneres Show
to fulfill host Ellen DeGeneres
' birthday wish.
She appeared in all first season episodes of Undercovers. She plays a character named Lizzy Gilliam, who is the sister of the female lead and who is unaware of her family's involvement in Central Intelligence Agency
activities. Originally, Jessica Parker Kennedy
was cast in the role, but Cox replaced her in June 2010 before the first episode of the first season was aired in September 2010. Her character is described as "Boy crazy". Cox says that Lizzy's character, which spends much of her onscreen time running the family catering business, embodied much of her own true character and described the character as follows: "Lizzy's a good character; very light-hearted, very fun loving, she’s got a good heart and an interesting past and she’s trying to deal with it".
90210 (season 2)
The second season of 90210, an American television series, premiered in the U.S. on September 8, 2009 and ended on May 18, 2010. The season picks up at the end of summer after the events of last season's dramatic prom party...
and third
90210 (season 3)
The third season of 90210, an American television series, premiered on Monday September 13, 2010. The CW officially renewed the show for a third season on February 16, 2010. With the reveal of the networks fall 2010 schedule, they announced their decision to move 90210 to Monday...
seasons of 90210
90210 (TV series)
90210 is an American teen drama television series developed by Rob Thomas, Jeff Judah and Gabe Sachs, and the fourth series in the Beverly Hills, 90210 franchise created by Darren Star. 90210 is the first series produced by CBS Productions under the company's re-launch, but is now produced by CBS...
and her role as a dancer in the Michael Jackson concert series This Is It
This Is It (Michael Jackson concerts)
This Is It was a planned series of fifty concerts by Michael Jackson to be held at The O2 Arena in London. They were scheduled to begin in July 2009 and continue through to March 2010. However, with all concerts sold out, Jackson died less than three weeks before the first concert date...
and the related film Michael Jackson's This Is It
Michael Jackson's This Is It
Michael Jackson's This Is It is a 2009 American documentary–concert film directed by Kenny Ortega that documents Michael Jackson's rehearsals and preparation for the concert series of the same name scheduled to start on July 13, 2009, but canceled due to his death eighteen days prior on June 25. It...
. In 2010, she assumed a supporting role in Lost
Lost (TV series)
Lost is an American television series that originally aired on ABC from September 22, 2004 to May 23, 2010, consisting of six seasons. Lost is a drama series that follows the survivors of the crash of a commercial passenger jet flying between Sydney and Los Angeles, on a mysterious tropical island...
creator J. J. Abrams
J. J. Abrams
Jeffrey Jacob "J. J." Abrams is an American film and television producer, screenwriter, director, actor, and composer. He wrote and produced feature films before co-creating the television series Felicity...
's cancelled spy drama, Undercovers
Undercovers (TV series)
Undercovers is an American action spy television series created by J. J. Abrams and Josh Reims for NBC. They were executive producers of the pilot along with Abrams' frequent collaborator Bryan Burk....
.
As a youth, Cox had a history of dance and theater training and experience. Much of her early work was associated with Universal Studios
Universal Studios
Universal Pictures , a subsidiary of NBCUniversal, is one of the six major movie studios....
and Nickelodeon
Nickelodeon (TV channel)
Nickelodeon, often simply called Nick and originally named Pinwheel, is an American children's channel owned by MTV Networks, a subsidiary of Viacom International. The channel is primarily aimed at children ages 7–17, with the exception of their weekday morning program block aimed at preschoolers...
. She continued to train in the performing arts in high school and college. Subsequently, she toured nationally in stage productions of musicals such as Fame
Fame (musical)
A stage musical based on the 1980 musical film Fame has been staged under two titles. The first, 'Fame – The Musical' conceived and developed by David De Silva, is a musical with a book by Jose Fernandez, music by Steve Margoshes and lyrics by Jacques Levy. The musical premiered in 1988 in Miami,...
.
Background
Cox, a St. Croix native, moved with her family to Orlando, Florida at age seven after spending five years of her youth studying dance in the U.S. Virgin IslandsUnited States Virgin Islands
The Virgin Islands of the United States are a group of islands in the Caribbean that are an insular area of the United States. The islands are geographically part of the Virgin Islands archipelago and are located in the Leeward Islands of the Lesser Antilles.The U.S...
. In 1989, Cox was invited to participate in the Disney's Magic Kingdom Christmas Spectacular show. Due to her proximity to Universal Studios
Universal Studios
Universal Pictures , a subsidiary of NBCUniversal, is one of the six major movie studios....
, Cox was able to earn roles as a child actor in various Nickelodeon shows such as My Brother and Me
My Brother and Me
My Brother and Me is a sitcom on Nickelodeon that premiered on October 15, 1994, and ran until February 2, 1995. The show is about a family living in the West Side of Charlotte, North Carolina, who experience the highs and lows of everyday life. Jennifer and Roger Parker have two sons, Alfie and...
, Keenan and Kel, and All That
All That
All That is an American live-action, sketch comedy-variety show that aired on the Nickelodeon cable television network featuring short comedic sketches and weekly musical guests. The theme song for All That was performed by TLC...
.
Cox was a 1999 graduate of Dr. Phillips High School
Dr. Phillips High School
Dr. Phillips High School is a high school located in Orlando, Florida, United States.The area of Dr. Phillips, Florida is named after Dr. Philip Phillips, a physician who later became a Central Florida citrus magnate. He was responsible for several key innovations in the processing and packaging of...
where she was enrolled in the Visual and Performing Arts magnet program for vocal performance. Cox earned a Bachelor of Music
Bachelor of Music
Bachelor of Music is an academic degree awarded by a college, university, or conservatory upon completion of program of study in music. In the United States, it is a professional degree; the majority of work consists of prescribed music courses and study in applied music, usually requiring a...
degree from Florida State University
Florida State University
The Florida State University is a space-grant and sea-grant public university located in Tallahassee, Florida, United States. It is a comprehensive doctoral research university with medical programs and significant research activity as determined by the Carnegie Foundation...
in 2003 after being accepted to their Musical Theater program. During her summers she worked at the Heritage Repertory Theater in where she played roles in Smokey Joe's Cafe
Smokey Joe's Cafe
Smokey Joe's Cafe is a musical revue showcasing 39 pop standards, including rock and roll, rhythm and blues songs written by songwriters Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller...
and Anything Goes
Anything Goes
Anything Goes is a musical with music and lyrics by Cole Porter. The original book was a collaborative effort by Guy Bolton and P.G. Wodehouse, heavily revised by the team of Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse. The story concerns madcap antics aboard an ocean liner bound from New York to London...
one summer and performed as a recurring character in Nickelodeon
Nickelodeon (TV channel)
Nickelodeon, often simply called Nick and originally named Pinwheel, is an American children's channel owned by MTV Networks, a subsidiary of Viacom International. The channel is primarily aimed at children ages 7–17, with the exception of their weekday morning program block aimed at preschoolers...
's show Noah Knows Best
Noah Knows Best
Noah Knows Best is a television series that aired on Nickelodeon. The show premiered on October 7, 2000 and was canceled with five unaired episodes out of thirteen produced, due to low ratings. The show starred Phillip Van Dyke as the title character, Noah...
during another. Other regional theater credits include Rent
Rent (musical)
Rent is a rock musical with music and lyrics by Jonathan Larson based on Giacomo Puccini's opera La bohème...
in which she played club dancer and drug addict Mimi Márquez, the Chicago
Chicago (musical)
Chicago is a musical set in Prohibition-era Chicago. The music is by John Kander with lyrics by Fred Ebb and a book by Ebb and Bob Fosse. The story is a satire on corruption in the administration of criminal justice and the concept of the "celebrity criminal"...
role of Liz, and Frenchie in Cabaret
Cabaret (musical)
Cabaret is a musical based on a book written by Christopher Isherwood, music by John Kander and lyrics by Fred Ebb. The 1966 Broadway production became a hit and spawned a 1972 film as well as numerous subsequent productions....
.
After graduating, she performed the role of Sarah in Ragtime
Ragtime (musical)
Ragtime is a musical with a book by Terrence McNally, lyrics by Lynn Ahrens, and music by Stephen Flaherty.Based on the 1975 novel by E. L. Doctorow, Ragtime tells the story of three groups in America, represented by Coalhouse Walker Jr., a Harlem musician; Mother, the matriarch of a WASP family in...
, the musical at Merry-Go-Round Theater in . Cox then toured nationally for two years as Carmen in Fame as well as revisiting her role as Brenda in Smokey Joe's Café. After touring and landing her first television role she moved to Los Angeles, where she continues to reside. Among her personal interests are learning how to play guitar and painting.
Television and film career
Prior to her role on Undercovers Cox made guest appearances on several television shows. In 2005, she appeared in CSI: NYCSI: NY
CSI: NY is an American police procedural television series that premiered on September 22, 2004, on CBS. The show follows the investigations of a team of NYPD forensic scientists and police officers as they unveil the circumstances behind mysterious and unusual deaths as well as other crimes...
, and Half & Half
Half & Half
Half & Half is an American sitcom that aired on UPN from September 23, 2002, to May 15, 2006. The show focuses on the lives of two paternal half-sisters in their twenties who were estranged throughout their childhood, and are finally developing a close relationship...
, and she appeared in One Tree Hill
One Tree Hill (TV series)
One Tree Hill is an American television drama created by Mark Schwahn, which premiered on September 23, 2003, on The WB Television Network. After its third season, The WB merged with UPN to form The CW Television Network, and, since September 27, 2006, the network has been the official broadcaster...
as Faith in season 3 episode 10 the following year. More recently she made a guest appearance on Bones
Bones (TV series)
Bones is an American crime drama television series that premiered on the Fox Network on September 13, 2005. The show is based on forensic anthropology and forensic archaeology, with each episode focusing on an FBI case file concerning the mystery behind human remains brought by FBI Special Agent...
and in four episodes of Paradise Hotel
Paradise Hotel
The first season of Paradise Hotel aired on Fox from June 18, 2003 to October 1, 2003 with thirty episodes and was hosted by Amanda Byram. A similar show called Forever Eden was produced the following year...
in 2008. She also has a role in the musical I Kissed a Vampire
I Kissed a Vampire
I Kissed a Vampire is a vampire rock musical web series starring Lucas Grabeel, Drew Seeley, and introducing Adrian Slade. It was one of the most popular webseries ever to appear on iTunes and has been made into a two hour movie featuring 17 songs. The movie will premiere in the spring 2012...
as well as an appearance in the marital crisis comedy Crazy, Stupid, Love., which was released in July 2011.
Cox was one of only two women selected for the 11-member dance group from a field of over 500 for the This Is It concert series. She was one of the featured dancers in he documentary film Michael Jackson's This Is It. She can be seen dancing with Jackson during the rehearsal of "The Way You Make Me Feel
The Way You Make Me Feel
"The Way You Make Me Feel" is a song by American recording artist Michael Jackson. Released by Epic Records in November 1987, it was the third single from Jackson's seventh studio album Bad. Written and composed by Jackson, and produced by Quincy Jones , the song is credited as being a pop and R&B...
".
During the 2009 second season of 90210 she appeared in six episodes. She also appears in the fourth episode of season three (October 4, 2010). Her 20-something character, Sasha, becomes the controversial love interest of Tristan Wilds
Tristan Wilds
Tristan Paul Mack Wilds is an American actor. He is best known for his roles as Michael Lee on the HBO original drama series The Wire and as Dixon Wilson on the CW drama series 90210.-Life and career:...
' 17-year-old character, Dixon Wilson. The character is a DJ
Disc jockey
A disc jockey, also known as DJ, is a person who selects and plays recorded music for an audience. Originally, "disc" referred to phonograph records, not the later Compact Discs. Today, the term includes all forms of music playback, no matter the medium.There are several types of disc jockeys...
who met his character at a pizza parlor and a party she DJed on a yacht. Dixon led her to believe he was her age. One of the things that helped them bond despite his status as a high school junior was that they had the same cell phone ringtone. Eventually, Cox's character becomes pregnant.
On October 29, 2009, she was one of the This is It dancers who appeared on The Ellen DeGeneres Show
The Ellen DeGeneres Show
The Ellen DeGeneres Show, often shortened to Ellen, is an American television talk show hosted by comedian/actress Ellen DeGeneres. Debuting on September 8, 2003, it is produced by Telepictures and airs in syndication, including stations owned by NBC Universal. For its first five seasons, the show...
to fulfill host Ellen DeGeneres
Ellen DeGeneres
Ellen Lee DeGeneres is an American stand-up comedienne, television host and actress. She hosts the syndicated talk show The Ellen DeGeneres Show, and was also a judge on American Idol for one year, having joined the show in its ninth season....
' birthday wish.
She appeared in all first season episodes of Undercovers. She plays a character named Lizzy Gilliam, who is the sister of the female lead and who is unaware of her family's involvement in Central Intelligence Agency
Central Intelligence Agency
The Central Intelligence Agency is a civilian intelligence agency of the United States government. It is an executive agency and reports directly to the Director of National Intelligence, responsible for providing national security intelligence assessment to senior United States policymakers...
activities. Originally, Jessica Parker Kennedy
Jessica Parker Kennedy
Jessica Parker Kennedy is a Canadian actress. She is perhaps best known for her recurring portrayal of the comic book character Plastique, in the Superman-inspired TV series, Smallville...
was cast in the role, but Cox replaced her in June 2010 before the first episode of the first season was aired in September 2010. Her character is described as "Boy crazy". Cox says that Lizzy's character, which spends much of her onscreen time running the family catering business, embodied much of her own true character and described the character as follows: "Lizzy's a good character; very light-hearted, very fun loving, she’s got a good heart and an interesting past and she’s trying to deal with it".
External links
- Mekia Cox at The New York TimesThe New York TimesThe New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
- Mekia Cox at TV.comTV.comTV.com is a website owned by CBS Interactive. The site covers television and focuses on English-language shows made or broadcast in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland and Japan...