Summer Madness | Rae Dawn Chong

by Tim Gordon

Turner Classic Movies (TCM)’s annual “Summer Under the Stars” series spotlights one actor’s work daily. As an inspiration, we present our companion series, Summer Madness. The series will spotlight the achievements and films of one Black actor, daily throughout August.

Day 6

Rae Dawn Chong (born February 28, 1961) is a Canadian-American actress. She made her big screen debut appearing in the 1978 musical drama film Stony Island, and in 1981 starred in the fantasy film Quest for Fire, for which she received the Genie Award for Best Actress.

Chong later starred in films Beat Street (1984), American Flyers (1985), The Color Purple (1985), Commando (1985), Soul Man (1986), The Principal (1987), Tales from the Darkside (1990), Time Runner (1993), and Boulevard (1994). She is the daughter of comedian and actor Tommy Chong.

Recommended films:
Quest for Fire (’81)
Beat Street (’84)
Soul Man (’86)
The Visit (’00)