Rolonda Watts

Rolonda Watts is a journalist, talk show host, actor, producer, writer, and voice-over talent.

Her name, face, and now even her distinctive voice are known by audiences everywhere, thanks to her work in radio, television, and film. Most viewers know Rolonda Watts from her internationally syndicated talk show, Rolonda (1994). Produced by King World and Watts Works Productions, the talker ran for four successful seasons. Rolonda was also part owner and supervising producer of the show.

Ro began her television career as a local news reporter in Greensboro, North Carolina, before moving on to larger markets. She landed a reporting and anchoring job at the New Jersey Network before joining WNBC-TV in New York, where she also anchored the local morning news cut-ins for the Today (1952) Show. While at WNBC-TV, Ro received an Emmy nomination for her "Live Spot News Coverage" of a deadly train crash. She later moved on to WABC-TV in New York to anchor, report, and moderate "Eyewitness News Conference," the station's weekly political forum.

Ready to spread her wings outside of local news, Ro gained national exposure and attention when she became host of Lifetime Television's talk show, "Attitudes." There, she received a Cable Ace nomination for "Best Talk Show." After that, the award-winning journalist went on to tackle news around the world, joining the "Inside Edition" news magazine team as senior correspondent, weekend anchor, and producer. Still bitten by the talk show bug, Ro jumped at the opportunity to host her own show when TV legend Roger King of King World Productions made her an offer she couldn't refuse.

Rolonda has also taken "The Ro Show" to radio, having worked with the Greenstone Media Network, which is offering pod casts of some of her most remarkable radio moments. (Visit: RadioRolonda.com).

She has also hosted other television reality shows, including "Lie Detector" for PAX-TV.

With that distinctive, warm, and recognizable voice, Rolonda has also emerged as one of the leading voice-over talents in America. She is the Announcer of "The Judge Joe Brown Show," as well as for the new game show, "Temptation." She is also the voice of Professor Wiseman in the animated television series, "Curious George." for Universal Studios. Ro also recently became one of the animated voices of Disney.

In commercials, Ro is the voice of Boeing, Wells Fargo Bank, Tropicana, Southwest Airlines, Big Lots, Children's Hospital, Wendy's, Aleve, and Alka Seltzer - and more.

From New York to Hollywood, Rolonda has demonstrated her comedic and dramatic talents in various television and feature films, including JAG (1995), The West Wing (1999), The District (2000), Boston Public (2000), Yes, Dear (2000), Sister, Sister (1994), My Wife and Kids (2001), Rugrats (2006) and many more. She has also appeared in the daytime drama series Days of Our Lives (1965) and The Bold and the Beautiful (1987), In fact, she returns to Days of Our Lives (1965) in January 2008 in the recurring role as the sassy law shark, attorney "Cameron Reese". (See Ro's theatrical resume).

In film, Ro has worked with some of Hollywood's most talented directors, including Spike Lee, John Landis, Charles Winkler and the late Carrie Hamilton, who cast Ro in the role of Dorothy Dandridge, portraying the Hollywood legend the hour before her death.

New York City and Newark, NJ each established an official "Rolonda Day" for her journalistic, community, and humanitarian works. She has served on the Board of Directors for Literacy Volunteers of New York City, the Board of Advisors for the Rahway State Prison's Lifers Group, the Board of Advisors for New York University School of Dentistry, and the Board of Advisors for the United Negro College Fund. She has volunteered as a tutor for H.E.L.P. - the Hollywood Education and Literacy Project. She is a member of Women in Film, AFTRA, and SAG. The Spelman College Alumna Association awarded Ro for her community service. And the McDonald's Corporation honored her as a "Broadcast Legend".

A Southern girl from Winston-Salem, North Carolina, Ro was graduated Magna Cum Laude from Spelman College in Atlanta, where she double-majored in Theatre Arts and English. She holds a Master of Science degree from the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism. Rolonda also holds an honorary doctorate in Humane Letters from Winston-Salem State University.

Rolonda is CEO/President of her own production company, Watts Works Productions. She and her Boxer, Jack, and her cat, Wolfe, reside in Los Angeles.