Michael Hyatt is a British-born American actress. Before her work in film and television, she performed on stages throughout the United States, particularly in Ragtime on Broadway. She played Brianna Barksdale on The Wire, Dr. Noelle Akopian on Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, Detective Sheila Muncie on Ray Donovan, and Cissy Saint on Snowfall.
Early life Hyatt was born in Birmingham, West Midlands, to Jamaican-born parents Vera Hyatt, an art historian, museologist, and former deputy director of the National Gallery of Jamaica; and Charles Hyatt, an actor, broadcaster, and comedian.
As a child in 1970s Jamaica, Hyatt was exposed to art and theater by the work of both of her parents. Hyatt migrated to the United States with her mother and two siblings when she was 10 years old. The family lived in Maryland and then Washington, D.C. Hyatt holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Howard University and received her Master of Fine Arts from New York University's Tisch School of the Arts. During college, she took a theater practicum, working at Arena Stage in Washington, D.C. During graduate school, she worked for director Spike Lee as an assistant.
Career Hyatt has worked extensively in theater, television, and film. Early in her career, Hyatt performed for five months on Broadway in the musical Ragtime.
She played the role of Rita in the 2009 Los Angeles production of the Danai Gurira play Eclipsed.
Hyatt had a recurring role on the first four seasons of the HBO series The Wire as Brianna Barksdale. She starred in Spike TV's The Kill Point as SWAT team commander Connie Reubens. She has guest starred on Aaron Sorkin's The West Wing and Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip. She has also made brief appearances in ER, 24, Law & Order, Six Feet Under, The Big Bang Theory, Veronica Mars, Oz, Criminal Minds, Joan of Arcadia, Dexter, High Potential, and Glee.
Hyatt played a featured role in the 2014 film Nightcrawler as a police detective. She also held a recurring role in the second season of the HBO series True Detective, and a recurring role on Crazy Ex-Girlfriend as Rebecca's (Rachel Bloom) therapist, Dr. Akopian. Hyatt portrays Detective Sheila Muncie in the TV show Ray Donovan.
In July 2017, she starred on the FX series Snowfall as Cissy Saint, mother of drug dealer Franklin Saint, a role she played from the 2016 pilot to the series's conclusion in 2023. Since 2025, she has played Gloria UnderwoodGloria Underwood on HBO's The Pitt.The Pitt
Personal life Hyatt has used the name "Michael" since high school, when she was nicknamed for being a fan of American entertainer Michael Jackson. She has one son.
Filmography
Film + Year Title Role Notes 1995 New Jersey Drive Tiny Dime's Relative 1996 Chocolate Babies Lauretta 1998 Of Love & Fantasy Lecture Woman Video 1999 Pushing Tin Trudy 2001 Acts of Worship Digna 2002 The Good Girl Floberta Washington Heights Michelle 2005 Crazylove Nurse Gates 2006 Two Weeks Carol 2009 Mississippi Damned Delores Fame Malik's Mom 2010 See You in September Eve 2011 Like Crazy Customs Agent 2013 The Trials of Cate McCall Fern 2014 Nightcrawler Detective Frontieri 2017 The Price Ife Ogunde 2019 Foster Boy Shaina Randolph 2020 Four Good Days Lisa 2021 The Little Things Flo Dunigan 2022 Where the Crawdads Sing Mabel 2023 Phels High Captain Bailey
Television Year Title Role Notes 1998 Dharma & Greg Doctor Episode: "Unarmed and Dangerous" Law & Order Rachel Willis Episode: "Bad Girl" 1999 Oz Sadiya Khan Episode: "Out o' Time" 2000 Law & Order Elan Holt Episode: "Black, White and Blue" Wonderland CPEP Nurse Episode: "Pilot" 2001 Law & Order Clerk Episode: "Myth of Fingerprints" 2002 Ally McBeal Stage Manager Episode: "What I'll Never Do for Love Again" 2002–06 The Wire Brianna Barksdale Recurring cast (season 1–3), guest (season 4) 2003–04 The West Wing Angela Blake Recurring cast (season 5) 2004 Six Feet Under Josette Marshall Episode: "Coming and Going" Joan of Arcadia Mary Wallace Episode: "Out of Sight" 2005 Huff Dr. Long Episode: "Crazy Nuts & All Fucked Up" 24 Marcy Episode: "Day 4: 2:00 p.m.-3:00 p.m." Law & Order Defense Attorney Julia Shinnear Episode: "License to Kill" E-Ring Agent Kathryn Thompson Episode: "Cemetery Wind: Part 1 & 2" Veronica Mars Woman's Studies Professor Episode: "One Angry Veronica" Grey's Anatomy Marian Davidson Episode: "Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer" 2006 Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip Maisey Episode: "The Focus Group" & "The West Coast Delay" Shark Ruth Hartford Episode: "Love Triangle" Smith Officer Lauper Episode: "Pilot" & "Four" 2007 ER Yvonne Devilliere Episode: "Breach of Trust" Drive Susan Chamblee Recurring cast The Kill Point Lt. Connie Reubens Main cast 2008 The Big Bang Theory Charlotte Episode: "The Bath Item Gift Hypothesis" Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles Dr. Barbara Morris Episode: "Earthlings Welcome Here" 2009 NCIS Judy Williams Episode: "Caged" Criminal Minds Dr. Ticona Roberts Episode: "Conflicted" Bones Sheriff Tina Mullins Episode: "The Beaver in the Otter" 2010 Brothers & Sisters Dr. Katherine Cortez Episode: "The Science Fair" & "Run Baby Run" Medium Cameron's Attorney Episode: "Bring Your Daughter to Work Day" Glee Joan Martin Episode: "Never Been Kissed" The Wyoming Story Mrs. Prose TV movie 2011 Tyler Perry's House of Payne Dr. Hughes Episode: "When the Payne's Away" Southland Renee McBride Episode: "Fixing a Hole" Harry's Law Sally Epps Episode: "In the Ghetto" Mad Love Delores Episode: "The Young and the Reckless" Dexter Admissions Director Episode: "Those Kinds of Things" 2012 FutureStates Angela Young Episode: "Crossover" NCIS: Los Angeles FBI Assistant Director Episode: "Patriot Acts" CSI: Crime Scene Investigation Jolene Newman Episode: "Fallen Angels" The Mindy Project Diana Episode: "Two to One" Left to Die Congresswoman Brown TV movie 2012–14 Franklin & Bash Judge Elizabeth Sheffield Guest cast (season 2–4) 2013 Major Crimes Jada Roads Episode: "Risk Assessment" 2014 Blue Claire Episode: "A History of Anxiety" & "Make Me Feel Good" Castle Mrs. Leslie Ruiz Episode: "Child's Play" Hello Ladies H.R. Woman Episode: "Hello Ladies: The Movie" 2015 Shameless Officer Pimental Episode: "The Two Lisas" True Detective Katherine Davis Recurring cast (season 2) 2015–16 Ray Donovan Detective Sheila Muncie Recurring cast (season 3–4) 2015–19 Crazy Ex-Girlfriend Dr. Noelle Akopian Recurring cast 2016 Better Things Ms. Dickler Episode: "Future Fever" Crunch Time Mullins Main cast How to Get Away with Murder Camila Episode: "It's About Frank" 2017–23 Snowfall Sharon 'Cissy' Saint Main cast 2018 Homecoming Evita Episode: "Toys" 2020 The Comey Rule Loretta Lynch Episode: "Part 1 & 2" 2023 The Last Thing He Told Me Maris Anderson Recurring cast 2024 Genius Helen Malloy Episode: "Matriarchs" Law & Order Vanessa Carter Episode: "No Good Deed" 2025 The Pitt Dr. Gloria Underwood Recurring cast (season 1) 2026 High Potential Sergeant Dottie Reynolds Episodes: "Grounded" and "If You Come for the Queen"
Awards and honors YearAwardCategoryWorkResultRef.2026Actor AwardsOutstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama SeriesThe Pitt
References
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