Eva Marcille is an American actress, TV host and
fashion model, who most recently played the role of
Tyra Hamilton on the
Daytime Emmy-winning
soap opera The Young and the Restless. She started her career by winning the
third cycle of
America's Next Top Model; she was the first
African American contestant to win the program.
She was previously credited by her birth name,
Eva Pigford. In an interview with
B. Scott, she changed her name for acting purposes; Marcille is her middle name, an
amalgam of "Marjorie" and "Lucille," her grandmothers' names.
[Eva Marcille interview at B. Scott]
Early life
Eva Pigford was born in
Los Angeles, California. She attended Raymond Avenue Elementary School, Marina Del Rey Middle School, and
Washington Preparatory High School (2002). She attended
Clark Atlanta University in
Atlanta, Georgia; however, she left the school shortly after winning the third cycle of
America's Next Top Model.
