Profile Text
Birth Name: Lela Rochon Staples
Place of Birth: Torrance, Los Angeles, California, United States
Date of Birth: April 17, 1964
Ethnicity: African-American
Lela Rochon is an American actress. Her roles include the films Breakin’ 2: Electric Boogaloo , Stewardess School , The Wild Pair , Harlem Nights , Boomerang (1992), The Meteor Man , Waiting to Exhale , The Chamber (1996), Gang Related , The Big Hit , Knock Off , Why Do Fools Fall in Love , Any Given Sunday , First Daughter , Brooklyn’s Finest , Blood Done Sign My Name , Supremacy , and Reversion (2015); the made-for-tv movies Mr. and Mrs. Loving , Ruby Bridges , The Charlotte Austin Story , Let the Church Say Amen , Terry McMillan Presents: Tempted by Love , Terry McMillan Presents: Tempted 2 Love , and The Dating App Killer: The Monica White Story ; the shows Generations , The Wayans Bros. , Intimate Portrait , The Division , Training Day , David Makes Man , and The Family Business: New Orleans ; and the music videos for “All Night Long (All Night),” “It’s Over Now,” “Harlem Shuffle,” and “Again.”
Lela is the daughter of Zelma, a nurse practitioner, and Samuel Staples, a graphic artist, who owned a business. She attended high school in Cerritos, California. She is married to director and producer Antoine Fuqua , with whom she has two children.
Lela’s paternal grandfather was named Claud/Claude O. Staples. Claude was born in Arkansas.
Lela’s paternal grandmother was Lela Atkins (the daughter of Dink Atkins and Margaret Jackson). Lela was born in El Dorado, Arkansas. Margaret was the daughter of Aron Jackson and Emely Milsap.
Lela’s maternal grandfather’s surname was Foreman.
Sources: Lela’s father on the 1940 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org
Marriage record of Lela’s paternal grandparents, Claud/Claude O. Staples and Lela Atkins – https://www.familysearch.org
Death record of Lela’s paternal grandmother, Lela (Atkins) Staples – https://www.familysearch.org