NOW LOADING

Terri J. Vaughn


Terri J. Vaughn doesn’t just tell stories, she commands them. A three-time NAACP Image Award winner who first captured audiences as Lovita Alizé Jenkins on The Steve Harvey Show, Vaughn has evolved from beloved actress to formidable creative force — a director and producer known for emotional precision, cultural fluency, and bold authenticity.

In 2025, she made waves with Miss Governor, the sharp Netflix satire she co-created and executive produced with Niya Palmer and Tyler Perry. Starring as Antoinette Dunkerson, Vaughn seamlessly merged performance and power, shaping the series both on screen and behind the scenes.  But it is in the director’s chair where Vaughn’s storytelling truly ignites. 

 

Her lens is fearless and fluid. She moves effortlessly from high-stakes courtroom tension to lush, soul-stirring drama to effervescent holiday comedy, always centering humanity. She launched Hallmark’s Mahogany with Unthinkably Good Things, shot against the sweeping backdrop of Rome, Italy – a film that earned the network its first-ever Gracie Award and signaled a new era of global Black storytelling. She has directed the magnetic Michael Beach and Loretta Devine in Paramount’s acclaimed Kingdom Business, stepped into the layered legal world of Hulu’s Reasonable Doubt Season 4 and delivered Disney Channel precision on the multi-cam hit Bunk’d.

Her versatility is expansive. For BET’s TALES, she directed the series’ first comedic episode, redefining its tonal boundaries. For Viacom, she has crafted standout features including the romantic comedy Angrily Ever After, the holiday hit ‘Twas The Chaos Before Christmas, and the female-forward comedies Christmas Belles and A Christmas Surprise.
 Vaughn’s directorial debut, #DigitalLivesMatter, was both culturally sharp and unapologetically funny – a Friday-inspired indie comedy that spotlighted emerging voices like DC Young Fly, Emmanuel Hudson, and B. Simone. Even then, her instincts were clear: bold tone, grounded characters, undeniable rhythm.
Her signature is cinematic intimacy. Performances feel lived-in. Comedy carries weight. Drama breathes. Every frame is intentional. Terri J. Vaughn directs stories that look like us, move like us, and matter. And she is just entering her most powerful chapter.

On Set


As a working actor, producer, and director, Vaughn understands the power of perspective. She brings fresh energy to comedic, slice-of-life storytelling, blending humor, heart, and cultural specificity. Inspired by filmmakers like Rob Reiner, Judd Apatow, and Nancy Meyers, she aims to expand the genre with bold, relatable narratives rooted in emotional truth. Her mission is clear: to fill the void with audacious, heartwarming, and deeply authentic stories — told unapologetically from a Black woman’s point of view.

Get in Touch


Buchwald Talent Agency Los Angeles / New York