Bio
Penny Johnson Jerald (also credited as Penny Jerald) is an American actress best known for her television roles as Sherry Palmer on the action series 24, Kasidy Yates on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and Beverley Barnes on The Larry Sanders Show.
She also had a lead role on the short-lived television series Homegrown (co-written by Marc Cherry of Desperate Housewives) and stars as Captain Victoria Gates, the boss of the 12th Precinct having taken over for the deceased Roy Montgomery, in the comedy-drama police procedural series Castle.
Johnson Jerald is best known as the scheming and conniving Sherry Palmer on 24. She was so good in the role that it helped her make the list of television's 50 Most Powerful Divas.
In addition to her work on that show, Penny portrayed Dean Etwood on October Road, recurred on the sitcom Eve, played Condoleezza Rice on ABC's Path to 9/11, was Maxine on House of Payne, and has had numerous other roles on such shows as Bones, Law & Order and NCIS, among others.
Penny was nominated for both a Cable Ace Award and an NAACP Image Award for Best Actress in a Comedy Series as quick-witted assistant Beverly on The Larry Sanders Show. She also spent four seasons on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine as Captain Kasidy Yates.
When not shooting film or television, Penny works side by side with her husband, Gralin, for the couple's theatre group, OCTC (Outreach Christian Theatre Company), directing plays, teaching classes, producing vocals in her recording studio, Behind The World Productions, or imparting some of her knowledge to those who seek it.
She continues to do public speaking engagements, personal appearances and to help charities close to her heart.
A veteran theatre actress, Penny won critical acclaim for her portrayal of Rose in Chicago's Goodman Theatre production of Regina Taylor's Trinity River Plays.
She has directed dozens of plays, including The Tinker, A Very L.A. L.A. Christmas Carol, Chains of Freedom, Just in Time, The Descent from the Cross: A Living Portrait, A Christmas Carol, Heaven's Gates/Hell's Flames, Zodiocracy, Loving the Beloved, The Christmas Club, Gold, Frankincense, Christmas Tree Ornaments, Myrrh, A Question of Innocence/The People Versus Christ, The Windows of Christmas, A Stranger in Bethlehem, The Vagina Monologues and Moist!.
Theatre performance credits include her one-woman show, Not My Child, Our Country's Good, The Debutante Ball, The Night of the Assassin, The Two Sisters, The Vault and The Derelict.