Her early career in dance included performances in Broadway productions such as Dreamgirls, Chicago, and Bob Fosse’s Dancin’. In 1988, Alexander was featured as a dancer in the music video for Natalie Cole’s “Pink Cadillac.” That same year, she was appointed choreographer for Whitney Houston’s world tour, a position she held from 1988 to 1992. Her work as a choreographer and dancer laid a strong foundation for her future career in television and film.

Transition to Acting

Alexander began her acting career in the late 1980s, taking on small television roles. Her first notable screen appearance came in 1985 on the sketch-comedy show FTV. By the early 1990s, she secured more prominent roles in both television and films. She appeared in a series of impactful films, including Sugar Hill (1993), Poetic Justice (1993), What’s Love Got to Do with It (1993), and CB4 (1993).

Breakthrough Television Roles

One of Alexander’s earliest major TV roles was in NBC’s sitcom NewsRadio, where she played Catherine Duke. Her performance garnered a nomination for the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series. She also portrayed Jackie Robbins, the sister of Dr. Peter Benton, in several episodes of ER. In 2000, Alexander gained critical acclaim for her portrayal of Fran Boyd, a drug-addicted single mother, in HBO’s miniseries The Corner. Her performance earned her the Black Reel Award for Best Actress.