Life and career

Reuben was born in Toronto, to Pearl Avis (Mills), a classical singer, and Cyril George Reuben, an architect. Her parents were both Jamaican-born; her father, who was Caucasian, was from a Sephardi Jewish family, and her mother was Afro-Jamaican. Her father died when she was young.

Reuben is the half-sister of Denis Simpson, an actor and children's television host who died in 2010. She was the subject of a segment of Henry Louis Gates television genealogy series Finding Your Roots. She began learning piano as a child and later studied music technique and theory, ballet and jazz at the Canadian Royal Conservatory. Her career as an actress was triggered by a few jobs as a model and appearances in television advertisements.

Reuben is known for her role on the American television series ER as Jeanie Boulet, an HIV-positive physician assistant on the hospital's staff. She was a guest star throughout Season 1 and was elevated to full-time cast member at the beginning of Season 2. She continued that role until early Season 6, when she left the show. In 2008, Reuben returned to ER for one episode during its 14th season. She has stated that this role led to her HIV/AIDS activism.

Reuben again held a major role in a television series, when she starred as FBI agent Brooke Haslett in 1-800-Missing (2003-2004). She later starred as Rosalind Whitman in the TNT series Raising the Bar. In 1996 she was chosen by People magazine as one of the 50 Most Beautiful People in the World.

In 2000, she sang back up vocals for Tina Turner on her Twenty Four Seven Tour.

Reuben guest-starred in the season two finale of Drop Dead Diva as Professor Kathy Miller. Reuben guest-starred in season 12 of NBC's Law & Order: Special Victims Unit reprising her role as U.S. Attorney Christine Danielson. In 2012, she appeared in the CBS TV movie, Jesse Stone: Benefit of the Doubt.

In 2012, Reuben played Elizabeth Keckley in Steven Spielberg's historical drama film Lincoln and her portrayal of the character received critical praise. In 2013, she guest starred on the sci-fi drama series, Falling Skies.

Filmography

Films

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1992	Wild Orchid II: Two Shades of Blue	Celeste
1994	Timecop	Sarah Fielding
1995	Nick of Time	Krista Brooks
1998	Indiscreet	Eve Dodd
1999	Macbeth in Manhattan	Claudia / Lady Macbeth
1999	David and Lola	Gloria
1999	Deep in My Heart	Barbara Ann Williams
2000	Pilgrim	Vicky
2000	Shaft	Sgt. Council	Uncredited
2001	Feast of All Saints, TheThe Feast of All Saints	Cecile Ste. Marie
2002	Happy Here and Now	Hannah
2002	Salem Witch Trials	Tituba Indian
2006	The Sentinel	Mrs Merriweather
2012	Lincoln	Elizabeth Keckley	Nominated: NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best Cast Detroit Film Critics Society for Best Ensemble Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association Award for Best Ensemble
2013	Admission	Corrinne
2014	Reasonable Doubt	Detective Blake Kanon
2015	The Longest Ride	Adrienne Francis
2014	Anesthesia	Unknown

Television

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1990-91	Flash, TheThe Flash	Sabrina	5 episodes
1995	Homicide: Life on the Street	Det. Theresa Walker	3 episodes
1995-99, 2008	ER	Jeanie Boulet	Series regular; 102 episodes Won: Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series (1996-99) Viewers for Quality Television for Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series (1997-98) Nominated: Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress - Series, Miniseries or Television Film (1998) Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series (1997-98) Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series (2000) NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series (1996-99)
2001-02	Agency, TheThe Agency	Lisa Fabrizzi	Regular: episodes 1-13, 21-22
2002, 2007-11	Law & Order: Special Victims Unit	Christine Danielson (2007-11) / Violet Tremain (2002)	4 episodes
2002	Little John	Natalie Britain	TV Film Nominated - NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Television Film
2003-04	1-800-Missing	Brooke Haslett	Series regular; season 1: 18 episodes
2005	Numb3rs	Erica Quimby	Episode: "Noisy Edge"
2008-09	Raising the Bar	Rosalind Whitman	Series regular; 25 episodes
2010	Drop Dead Diva	Professor Kathy Miller	Episode: "Freeze the Day"
2011	Jesse Stone: Innocents Lost	Thelma Gleffey
2012	Jesse Stone: Benefit of the Doubt	Thelma Gleffey
2013	Falling Skies	Marina Peralta	10 episodes
2014	Happy Face Killer	FBI Agent Melinda Gand	TV film
2015	The Blacklist	Dr. Selma Orchard	Episode: "Luther Braxton Conclusion"
2015	Mr. Robot	Krista Gordon	5 episodes
2015	Jesse Stone: Lost in Paradise	Thelma Gleffey
2016	Saints & Sinners	Mayor Pamela Clayborne	Series regular

[ Source: Wikipedia ]