The mother of two boys with husband Sterling K. Brown (This is Us), Ryan has been working in film and television pretty much non-stop since the 2005's series "Boston Legal."
Originally from St. Louis, Ryan attended Stanford University and received her MFA from New York University. The natural progression of course was to move into acting which presented its own set of challenges as a black woman. Despite concerns from her mother (actress and singer Claire Bathe), Ryan was up to the task. Speaking with Advocate Channel's Arthur Kade, Ryan had this to say about her experience:
"My mother was an actress, and when I told her, when she realized what I was going to ultimately do, you know she was very worried for me because I was a black woman and she knew what I was going to have to face and I had to face it."
That determination and the success that came with it is why we celebrate Ryan in this #seeher2020 Celebrity Spotlight.
"Sylvie's Love" is available now for streaming on Amazon.