Introduction
Michael Hyatt, born Charlene Hyatt, is a British-born American actress. Before her work in film and television, she enjoyed memorable performances on stages throughout the country, particularly in Ragtime on Broadway.
Early life
Hyatt was born in Birmingham, West Midlands, to Vera Hyatt, an art historian, museologist, and former Deputy Director of the National Gallery of Jamaica, and Charles Hyatt a well known Jamaican actor, broadcaster, and comedian. Her parents are both from Jamaica.
As a child Hyatt was exposed to art and theater from the work of both of her parents during the 1970s in Jamaica. Hyatt emigrated to the United States with her mother and two siblings when she was ten years old. The family lived in Maryland and then Washington, D.C. Hyatt has BFA from Howard University and received her MFA from New York University's Tisch School of the Arts. During college she did a theater practicum and worked at Arena Stage. During grad school she worked for Spike Lee as an assistant.
Career
Hyatt has worked extensively in theater, television, and film.
Early in her career, Hyatt appeared for five months on Broadway in the musical, Ragtime.
She appeared in the role Rita in the Los Angeles production of the Danai Gurira play, Eclipsed.
Hyatt had a recurring role on the first four seasons of the HBO series The Wire as Brianna Barksdale. She starred in Spike TV's The Kill Point as SWAT team commander Connie Reubens. She has guest starred on both Aaron Sorkin's The West Wing and Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip. She has also made brief appearances in ER, 24, Law & Order, Six Feet Under, The Big Bang Theory, Oz, Criminal Minds, Joan of Arcadia, Dexter, and Glee.
Hyatt had a featured role in the 2014 film Nightcrawler as a police detective, as well as a recurring role in the second season of the HBO series True Detective.
She has a recurring role on Crazy Ex-Girlfriend as Rebecca's (Rachel Bloom) therapist, Dr. Akopian. Hyatt portrays Detective Sheila Muncie in the TV show, Ray Donovan.
Personal life
Hyatt has a son. She got her name, Michael, when she was in high school, as a nickname because she was a huge Michael Jackson fan.