DEMETRIA'S BIO

Demetria McKinney, a triple threat in the truest sense of the term. A vocal powerhouse, an

award-winning actress, a skillful songwriter and a trend setter. Demetria has played many di-
verse roles on both the big and small screen. She is showing us why she is making her mark on

your TV screens, in movie theaters and on stage.
Demetria will be seen next as a series regular on the upcoming and much anticipated
FREEFORM series, “Motherland: Fort Salem”, she plays ‘Anacostia’ – an articulate,
tough and passionate sergeant whose sole focus is keeping the young recruits alive through their
basic training. The show is set to debut in March 2020. She is also concurrently recurring on
BounceTV’s, “Saints & Sinners” and “A House Divided” for UMC.
You may recognize McKinney from her role as ‘Janine Payne’ on the hit TBS sitcom “Tyler

Perry’s House of Payne”, which produced over 250 episodes and received five NAACP Im-
age Awards for Best Sitcom. The show now airs in syndication on BET Networks.

Born in Albuquerque, New Mexico to a Military family, Demetria has lived all over the world
and was given a drive that resembled that of her parents growing up. Her work ethic, way of life
and how she sees life is that of her relationships with her family. Finding an interest in theater
since she was little, Demetria decided to go to Okaloosa Walton Community College to

study theater, where she took part in different theatrical plays outside and inside the college cir-
cuit. However, she didn’t finish her degree because other opportunities came calling her name,

one being Mr. Tyler Perry. Mr. Perry discovered her in a play that was touring called, “The
Woman I am Today,” which she will say “kick started” her career.
McKinney also worked with Tyler on his stage play, “Meet the Browns” and went on to star in

several of his other plays including “What’s Done in The Dark”, “Why Did I Get Mar-
ried?” and “Madea’s Family Christmas”. Her additional stage work includes leading roles

in the plays “The Mountaintop”, “Church Girl”, the musical “I Dream” (in which she portrayed

Mrs. Coretta Scott King) and “Dreamgirls”, where she performed alongside the legendary Jen-
nifer Holliday.

Demetria always makes time for her first love: music. In October 2017, she released her debut
album Officially Yours, featuring the single Easy which was a top 5 hit on the Billboard and
Urban AC radio charts. Demetria has opened on tour for R&B mainstays including Tyrese, BBD,

Tank, and Fantasia. She received a 2017 NAACP Image Award nomination for Out-
standing New Artist.

For Fun, Demetria loves spending time with her family, taking in a good movie, traveling and

even painting art. She is very passionate about cancer research, due to her father, a cancer sur-
vivor. On top of that, she spends time in the women empowerment space, especially with young

African American women in her community, which plays a big role in her life, sexual abuse,
homelessness and Earth Awareness.