Profile Text
De Sousa in 2019, photo by kathclick/bigstock.com
Birth Name: Melissa O. de Sousa
Place of Birth: New York City, New York, U.S.
Date of Birth: September 25, 1967
Ethnicity: Panamanian, Trinidadian, Barbadian, likely some Portuguese/Portuguese Jewish
Melissa De Sousa is an American actress. Her roles include the films Ride (1998), The Best Man (1999), Miss Congeniality , 30 Years to Life , Biker Boyz , Lockdown (2003), Constellation (2005), and The Best Man Holiday , the shows Valley of the Dolls , Damon , Grown Ups , The $treet , One on One , Second Time Around , Reed Between the Lines , Single Ladies , Ladies of the Law , On Becoming a God in Central Florida , Black Ligtning , Our Kind of People , The Best Man: The Final Chapters , and The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder , and the made-for-tv movies The Ron Clark Story and Bats: Human Harvest .
Her parents were from Panama, and had African ancestry. They are pictured here and here . The surname de Sousa can also indicate some degree of Portuguese or Portuguese Jewish [Sephardi Jewish] ancestry.
Melissa’s paternal grandfather likely was named William de Sousa (the son of William de Sousa). Melissa’s grandfather William was born on Trinidad. He is pictured here .
Melissa’s paternal grandmother was Violet Wilson (the daughter of Alonzo Wilson and Louisa Lucas). Alonzo and Louisa were born on Barbados.
Sources: Melissa’s father on the 1930 U.S. Census – http://www.familysearch.org
Obituary of Melissa’s mother – http://dignitymemorial.com