Tessa Thompson Siblings: Meet Zsela Thompson Who is a Musician

Tessa Thompson is an American actress known for her roles in films such as Creed, Thor: Ragnarok and Sorry to Bother You.

She began her acting career in theater productions while studying at Santa Monica College, where she earned a degree in cultural anthropology.

Thompson gained recognition for her roles in films like Selma, Dear White People, and the Creed franchise, as well as her portrayal of Valkyrie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

In addition to acting, she is also a singer-songwriter and has made her directorial debut with a music video.

Thompson has received numerous award nominations, including for her work in the TV series Westworld and the films Sylvie’s Love and Passing.

Siblings

Tessa has a half-sister named Zsela Thompson. Zsela is a singer-songwriter and musician and she is the daughter of Tessa’s father, Marc Anthony Thompson, from a different relationship.

Zsela has collaborated musically with her half-sister Tessa on occasion. Despite being half-sisters, Tessa and Zsela appear to have a close relationship.

They have supported each other’s musical endeavors and performed together. Zsela has accompanied Tessa to various red carpet events and award shows.

The sisters seem to share a passion for music and the arts, following in their father’s footsteps.

Career

Thompson began her professional acting career in the theater, appearing in productions with the Los Angeles Women’s Shakespeare Company while studying at Santa Monica College.

She gained recognition for her roles as Juliet in Romeo and Juliet: Antebellum New Orleans, 1836 in 2003, which earned her an NAACP Theatre Award nomination.

Thompson made her television debut in 2005 with a guest role on the CBS series Cold Case.

That same year, she landed a main role on the UPN/CW series Veronica Mars, playing Jackie Cook in the show’s second season.

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Thompson’s first feature film role came in 2006 with the horror remake, When a Stranger Calls. Over the next several years, she had guest spots on shows like Grey’s Anatomy, Life and Heroes.

In 2010, she appeared in Tyler Perry’s film adaptation of For Colored Girls. This helped raise her profile, and she went on to star in acclaimed films like Dear White People, Selma and the Creed franchise.

Thompson’s breakout role came in 2017 when she portrayed the superhero Valkyrie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe film Thor: Ragnarok.

She has since reprised this role in Avengers: Endgame and Thor: Love and Thunder.

Other notable projects in Thompson’s filmography include Sorry to Bother You, Annihilation, Passing and the TV series, Westworld.

She has also ventured into music, contributing songs to the Creed soundtracks and making her directorial debut with a music video in 2024.

Awards and accolades

Thompson has received numerous awards and nominations throughout her acting career.

She won a Gotham Independent Film Award for Breakthrough Actor for Dear White People, a Hamptons International Film Festival Breakthrough Performer Award for Selma and an Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture for Creed.

Thompson also won a Seattle Film Critics Award for Best Music, Original Song for Grip from Creed, a Black Reel Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress, Motion Picture for Creed, a Black Reel Award for Outstanding Actress for Passing and African-American Film Critics Association Awards for Breakthrough Performance for Dear White People and Best Supporting Actress for Creed.

She also won a New York Film Critics Online Award for Best Actress for Passing.

Thompson has received numerous nominations as well, including a Saturn Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress in a Television Series for Westworld, a BAFTA Film Award nomination for Best Leading Actress for Passing and a Critics’ Choice Television Award nomination for Best Actress in a Limited Series or Television Movie for Sylvie’s Love.

Others are a Primetime Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Television Movie for Sylvie’s Love, a Gotham Independent Film Award nomination for Outstanding Lead Performance for Passing and several Image Award nominations for her work in films like Dear White People, Thor: Ragnarok and Passing, as well as the television movie, Sylvie’s Love.