Rutina Wesley
Biography
Rutina Wesley is an American film, stage, and television actress known for her television roles as Tara Thornton on the HBO series True Blood and Nova Bordelon on the OWN series Queen Sugar. She was born in Las Vegas, Nevada, where she was also raised. Her father, Ivery Wheeler, worked as a professional tap dancer, and her mother, Cassandra Wesley, worked as a showgirl. For her high school education, she attended the Las Vegas Academy of International Studies, Performing and Visual Arts. Additionally, she studied dance at the West Las Vegas Arts Center and Simba Studios. After missing some auditions for college training programs while at the Las Vegas Academy, she decided to attend the University of Evansville in Indiana.
Career overview
Rutina Wesley is an American film, stage, and television actress. She is best known for her role as Tara Thornton on the HBO series True Blood and as Nova Bordelon on the OWN series Queen Sugar. Born and raised in Las Vegas, Nevada, she was born to a professional tap dancer father, Ivery Wheeler, and a showgirl mother, Cassandra Wesley. She attended high school at the Las Vegas Academy of International Studies, Performing and Visual Arts, and also studied dance at Simba Studios and the West Las Vegas Arts Center. While at the Las Vegas Academy, she missed some auditions for college training programs before ultimately deciding to attend the University of Evansville in Indiana.
According to professional records, Wesley has a total of twenty-two known acting credits in her career across film and television. Her work spans multiple platforms and networks, establishing her prominent presence in the entertainment industry through recognized television roles. Her background in the performing arts began during her youth in Las Vegas, where her parents' careers in tap dancing and the showgirl industry surrounded her with the arts from an early age, eventually guiding her toward formal training at the collegiate level and professional acting success.
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Frequent co-stars
Career timeline
Full filmography
- Red Clay (2025)
- The Last of Us (2023) as Maria
- Monster High (2022) as Venus McFlytrap (voice)
- Outsiders (2022) as Ramila
- Stucco (2019) as Officer
- Last Looks (2017) as Sister
- Last Looks (2017) Executive Producer
- Queen Sugar (2016) as Nova Bordelon
- The Perfect Guy (2015) as Alicia
- California Winter (2015) as Marcy Sanchez
- Getting the Old Scent Again: Reimagining Red Dragon (2015) as Self
- 13 Sins (2014) as Shelby
- Last Weekend (2014) as Nora Finley-Perkins
- True Blood. A Farewell to Bon Temps (2014) as Self
- Hannibal (2013) as Reba McClane
- Arrow (2012) as Liza Warner
- Halloween Wars (2011) as Self - Guest Judge
- The Walking Dead (2010) as Jocelyn
- The Cleveland Show (2009)
- True Blood (2008) as Tara Thornton
- How She Move (2008) as Raya Green
- Numb3rs (2005) as Sarah / Jenny Calandro
- The Upside of Unrequited as Nadine