Tabitha Brown (actress)

Tabitha Bonita Brown (née Thomas; born February 4, 1979) is an American actress and social media personality. She creates online video content incorporating veganism, humor and motivational speaking. Brown has over four million followers on TikTok and over three million followers on Instagram as of July 2021. She has been described by HuffPost as "America's Mom"[4] and her content has been characterized by critics as being "comforting"[5] and "calming".[6][7][8][9][10]

Tabitha Brown
Brown in 2013
Born
Tabitha Bonita Thomas[1][2]

(1979-02-04) February 4, 1979[3]
EducationMiami International University of Art & Design
Occupation
  • Actress
  • social media personality
Years active2002–present
Spouse(s)
Chance Brown
(m. 2003)
Children3
Websiteiamtabithabrown.com

Early life and career

1979–2007: Early years and career beginnings

Brown was born in Eden, North Carolina.[8][11] She was raised in Stoneville, but grew up and did schooling in Eden.[10] She started studying fashion design at Miami International University of Art & Design, but dropped out at age 19 and moved to Laguna Niguel, California.[12] After struggling financially, she returned to North Carolina, this time moving to Greensboro, where she lived for five years.[12][11][13]

In 2002, Brown got a job as the co-host of a local late-night show, where she interviewed celebrities who performed at Greensboro Coliseum Complex.[12] In 2004 she moved with her husband to Los Angeles where she tried out stand-up comedy.[8] After failing to land as a TV actress, Brown spent five years working at a Macy's in Century City.[14][8] After six months of being settled in, Brown began bouncing between North Carolina and Los Angeles to care for her mother who had developed ALS.[12]

2008–2016: Acting and performance hiatus

Brown had spent three years taking care of her mother.[10] Following her mother's death in 2007,[15] Brown began her career acting small roles in several indie films and direct-to-video films.[12][16] Brown subsequently developed chronic pain and fatigue and could not work for a year.[12] Brown was introduced to veganism after her daughter had suggested adopting it to help with her recovery.[12][17]

2017–present: Social media breakthrough

In late 2017, Brown was running out of disability insurance funds, which led to her becoming an Uber driver in October 2017,[10] in order to make ends meet as a "struggling"[18] part-time actress.[15] Her video review from December 2017 of a Whole Foods Market vegan BLT sandwich went viral, after which the company hired her as a brand ambassador to travel the country.[10][15] In early March 2020, she created a TikTok account on which she began sharing vegan recipes, cooking tips, family moments, and encouraging advice, amassing 2 million followers in the space of five weeks.[8][9] Brown had also been broadcasting live cooking shows and product reviews on Facebook live since early 2018.[19][20]

In late April 2020, Brown was signed to Creative Artists Agency.[21] In late June 2020, she began hosting All Love on Ellen Digital Network.[20][22] In 2021, Brown hosted the YouTube Original children's show Tab Time.[23]

Personal life

Brown is married to Chance Brown, who was a police officer for the Los Angeles Police Department,[8] with whom she co-hosts Fridays with Tab & Chance on IGTV. Together, they have two children; Choyce and Queston.[14][17][24] They reside in Los Angeles, California.[25]

Filmography

Adapted from IMDb:[16]

Film

As Writer

Year Title Writer Notes
2019Love or LaughsYesCo-written with Bo Starks

As Actress

Year Title Role Director Notes
2005 Bad Reputation High School Student / Partygoer Jim Hemphill
2008 Outrighteous Simone Jill Maxcy
2009 Thug Love CeCe Marcello Thedford
2010 Helpless Tabitha Johnson Brent Huff Short film
2010 Caution to the Wind Veronica Paige Douglas Herman
2012 Laughing to the Bank Various Brian Hooks
2017 I Am Still Here Alicia Mischa Marcus
2018 All Between Us Aubyrn Jamie Jones
2018 I Hate LA Roxie Reuben Johnson
2018 A Stone Cold Christmas Homeless Santa Courtney Miller
2019 Princess of the Row Aunty Tammy Max Carlson

Television

Year Title Role Notes
2011 Lbs Sabrina Wright 3 episodes
2013 Fat Ass Anonymous Sabrina Pilot episode
2014 Black Boots Dr. Freeman Episode: "Revolutions"
2015 Family Time Dr. Darlene Episode: "What's Ours is Mine"
2015, 2019 Black Jesus Theresa / Teresa 2 episodes
2016 Sex Sent Me to the ER Dr. Mary Manson Episode: "Bedroom Eyes"
2017 The Ellen DeGeneres Show Lorraine Episode: "Felicity Huffman/Lea Michele/Stephen 'tWitch' Boss"
2017 Switched at Birth Nurse Reed Episode: "Four Ages in Life"
2017 CH Originals Aunt Tiffany Episode: "Disarming Conversational Land Mines"
2018 Vengeful Dr. Darcel Anderson-Ramirez Pilot episode
2020 Will & Grace Female Officer Episode: "What A Dump"
2020 Anatomy of Black Love Self TV documentary
2020 The Talk Self Episode: "Joel McHale/Tabitha Brown"
2021 The Chi Octavia Matthews 5 episodes

Psychic on The Conner Sept 22nd, 2021

Awards and nominations

Award Year Category Recipient(s) and nominee(s) Result Ref.
Veggie Awards 2020 Favorite Vegan Social Media Personality Herself Won [26]
Streamy Awards 2020 Food Won [27]
NAACP Image Awards 2021 Outstanding Social Media Personality Herself Won [28]

References

  1. "Tabitha Bonita Brown (born 4 Feb 1979) – United States Public Records". FamilySearch. United States Public Records. Retrieved July 1, 2020.
  2. "Resume – Tabitha Bonita Brown". Nowcasting.com. Retrieved July 15, 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  3. Tabitha Brown [@IAmTabithaBrown] (February 4, 2019). "It's my birthday!!!! Feb 4th [...] Omg I'm 40 THANK YOU…" (Tweet) via Twitter.
  4. Finley, Taryn (May 3, 2020). "How TikTok Star And Actor Tabitha Brown Is Becoming America's Mom". HuffPost. Retrieved August 5, 2020.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  5. Shapiro, Ari (May 20, 2020). "Viral Vegan Influencer Makes Comforting TikTok Videos During The Pandemic". NPR. Retrieved August 5, 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  6. Abrams, Margaret (July 17, 2020). "Why Tabitha Brown is TikTok's best chef to follow". Evening Standard. Retrieved August 5, 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  7. Jackson, Leigh-Ann (June 27, 2020). "She came to L.A. for fame. 20 years later, this auntie is a bonafide TikTok star". Los Angeles Times. ISSN 0458-3035. Retrieved July 1, 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  8. Blackmon, Michael (April 21, 2020). "How A Vegan TikTok Star Became A Daily Pick-Me-Up For Millions Of People". BuzzFeed News. Retrieved April 25, 2020.
  9. Zoledziowski, Anya (April 17, 2020). "TikTok Star Tabitha Brown's Vegan Recipe Videos Will Soothe Your Soul". Vice. ISSN 1077-6788. Retrieved July 1, 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  10. Murphy, Desiree; Behar, Deidre (July 21, 2020). "How Tabitha Brown Overcame Obstacles to Live Out Her Dream Life". Entertainment Tonight. Retrieved August 4, 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  11. "Tik Tok Sensation Tabitha Brown Remembers Her Triad Roots". Spectrum News. May 24, 2020. Retrieved July 1, 2020.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  12. Garcia, Sandra E.; Rago, Rozette (May 13, 2020). "The Joy of Vegan Cooking, 60 Seconds at a Time". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved July 1, 2020.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  13. Welch, Hailey (May 20, 2020). "How Vegan TikTok Star Tabitha Brown Started Her Viral Career". The Beet. Retrieved July 1, 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  14. McFeters, Chloé (March 14, 2018). "Interview with Actress and Vlogger Tabitha Brown". Chloé McFeters. Retrieved July 1, 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  15. Bowie, Richard (May 31, 2020). "Black Wellness Matters: How Vegan TikTok Star Tabitha Brown is Healing Her Community". VegNews. Retrieved July 1, 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  16. "Tabitha Brown". IMDb. Retrieved July 1, 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  17. Garrity, Kate (April 28, 2020). "TikTok Sensation, Tabitha Brown, Is a Vegan Chef and Mother of Two". Distractify. Retrieved July 1, 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  18. "Making Tomato Sandwiches—Because That's Our Business!—With TikTok Star Tabitha Brown on A Zoom of One's Own". Vogue. May 7, 2020. ISSN 0042-8000. Retrieved July 1, 2020.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  19. Raven, Robin (March 4, 2020). "Tabitha Brown Is On a Mission to Inspire You to Eat More Plants". Chowhound. CBS Interactive. Retrieved April 25, 2020.
  20. Starostinetskaya, Anna (June 25, 2020). "Vegan Influencer Tabitha Brown Gets Own Show on Ellen's Network". VegNews. ISSN 1544-8495. Retrieved July 1, 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  21. Axworthy, Nicole (April 29, 2020). "Vegan Influencer Tabitha Brown Signs With One of Hollywood's Top Talent Agencies". VegNews. ISSN 1544-8495. Retrieved July 1, 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  22. Tomky, Naomi (June 29, 2020). "Tabitha Brown Is Finally Getting Her Own TV Show (and We Hope There's More Carrot Bacon)". The Kitchn. Retrieved July 1, 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  23. "New Show: "COME ON IN, it's 'TAB TIME'!" Starring Tabitha Brown". November 19, 2021.
  24. "Everything about Tabitha Brown's husband and her children". TheNetline. September 24, 2020. Retrieved May 8, 2021.
  25. Jackon, Leigh-Ann (May 27, 2020). "She came to L.A. for fame. 20 years later, this auntie is a bonafide TikTok star". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved May 8, 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  26. "The Results Are In! Here are the Winners of the 2020 Veggie Awards". VegNews. April 2, 2020. ISSN 1544-8495. Retrieved July 5, 2020.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  27. "10th Annual Streamy Nominees & Winners".
  28. "NAACP Image Awards: Three Things To Know About Tabitha Brown Winner of Outstanding Social Media Personality". BET.com. Retrieved March 31, 2021.
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