Aloma Wright

Actress Aloma Wright became an audience favorite with her realistic turns as no-nonsense working women on "Scrubs" (NBC, 2001-2010), "Suits" (USA Network, 2011- ) and "Days of Our Lives" (NBC, 1965- ). Born Aloma Lesley Wright on March 10, 1950 in New York City, she began her professional career shortly after graduating from the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. She toured with numerous musical productions, including "Ain't Misbehavin'" and "The Gospel Truth," and netted Drama-Logue Awards in 1996 and 1997 for "The Visit" and "From the Mississippi Delta," respectively. Wright also made her screen acting debut during this period, appearing largely in guest roles on television series like "Friends" (NBC, 1994-2004) and "Frasier" (NBC, 1993-2004). She was also a series regular on "Power Rangers in Space" (Fox/ABC Family, 1998) and enjoyed recurring appearances as formidable judges on both "Ally McBeal" (Fox, 1997-2002) and "Judging Amy" (CBS, 1999-2005). Wright's breakout role came in 2001 when she was cast as Nurse Laverne Roberts, who grounded the animated medical staff with her acerbic tone on "Scrubs." When series creator Bill Lawrence decided to kill off the character in its sixth season, he promised Wright that he would write a new character for her if the series was renewed for another season. True to form, Wright returned as Nurse Shirley, whose similarity to Nurse Laverne was only perceived by Zach Braff's J.D. Wright would continue with the series for another season while also playing another nurse, the decidedly warmer Maxine Landis, on "Days of Our Lives" from 2008 to 2015. She also enjoyed recurring turns as social worker Mildred Clemons, who oversaw Addison Montgomery's (Kate Walsh) attempt to adopt a baby, on "Private Practice" (ABC, 2007-2013) and as Gretchen Bodinski, the savvy secretary to lawyer Harvey Specter (Gabriel Macht), on "Suits." She departed the series in 2017 to join the cast of TBS's "The Guest Book," a comedy created by Greg Garcia about the eccentric residents of a small town.