Melissa De Sousa

A regular face in African-American comedy, Melissa De Sousa was perhaps best-known for her role as Murch's high-maintenance girlfriend Shelby in the sleeper hit "The Best Man" (1999). Born in New York City in 1967 to Afro-Panamanian parents, De Sousa attended the city's High School of Performing Arts before making her on-screen debut in legal drama "The Trials Of Rosie O'Neill" (CBS 1990-92). Guest appearances in "Getting By" (ABC 1993-94), "Silk Stalkings" (CBS 1991-99) and "Living Single" (Fox 1993-98) then followed, while she was also cast as drug-addicted Hollywood actor Neely O'Hara in the soap opera adaptation of Jacqueline Susann's "Valley Of The Dolls" (Syndicated 1994). Following cameos in "Married With Children" (Fox 1987-1997), "ER" (NBC 1994-2009) and "The Wayans Bros" (The WB 1995-99), De Sousa appeared as Hakeem's brief love interest in "Moesha" (UPN 1996-2001), starred as NYC film graduate-turned-music video assistant Leta in the indie comedy "Ride" (1998) and played career driven cop Stacy Phillips in the short-lived sitcom "Damon" (Fox 1998). But for many, it was her turn as cunning gold-digger Shelby in Malcolm D. Lee's romantic comedy drama "The Best Man" (1999) where her talents first stood out.