Dr. Rolf has worked his mystical magic again, this time bringing Lexie Carter back from the dead on Days of our Lives. Nikki Crawford is making her daytime debut in the role of Abe’s wife and Theo’s mother, a beloved character last played by Renee Jones in 2012.
Here’s What You Need to Know about Nikki Crawford
Born and raised in Washington, D.C., Crawford earned a B.F.A. from Carnegie Mellon University School of Drama. Upon graduation, she landed a lead role in the European tour of Bubbling Brown Sugar, and with that, her theater career was off and running. Eventually, Crawford moved to Los Angeles to pursue film and television work, and she’s never looked back, having landed roles on Tracker, Elsbeth, Cruel Intentions, Criminal Minds, and more.
Want to learn more about the actress? Here are seven things to know about Nikki Crawford.
1. Although she’s had a flourishing success as an actress, that’s not how Crawford began her performing career. “I was a dancer,” she revealed in an interview with Broadway World. “I was a ballerina first.”
2. What project made her fall in love with acting? “The Hot L Baltimore. I was ‘the girl’,” she told Broadway World. “And she talked and talked and talked… That was the first role that I played. It was an amazing experience. Terrifying, but an amazing experience, and that was my foray into acting.”
3. Crawford was nominated for a 2023 Tony Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play for her role as Tedra, the family matriarch, in the award-winning Broadway play, Fat Ham.
4. During her run in Fat Ham, Crawford got to meet numerous celebrities, who stayed to meet her after her performance; everyone from Sterling K. Brown to Catherine Keener, Debra Messing, Cynthia Nixon, Cedric the Entertainer, and more. But can you guess which one left her overwhelmed? “Tonight was one of the rare times I was star-struck,” posted Crawford along with a photo on Instagram. “I met @whoopigoldberg y’all!! I love me some Whoopi!”
5. She was handpicked by legendary film and theatre director Mike Nichols to star in the Las Vegas production of Spamalot in 2008. During her run, she was named Vegas Showstopper of the Year.
6. In 2010, Crawford was nominated for a Best Supporting Actress LA Ovation Award and won the NAACP Theatre Award for Best Lead Actress – Equity for her portrayal of a young Lena Horn in Stormy Weather. “I played her from 16 to 46, which was awesome,” recounted Crawford to LA STAGE Alliance. “It was a dream role. And to work with Leslie Uggams – she played the older Lena… it was a wonderful experience.”
7. She’s been cast in the FOX pilot, Very Young Frankenstein, a comedy series based on Mel Brooks’ classic 1974 film, Young Frankenstein. Crawford couldn’t contain her joy about the project. “I’m very excited to announce, I will be part of the amazing cast of Very Young Frankenstein…” she shared on Instagram. “And the one and only Mel Brooks is producing. I am beyond grateful and can’t wait to play with these amazing people!” Those “amazing people” include cast members Zach Galifianakis, Cary Elwes, Dolly Wells, Spencer House, and Kumail Nanjiani.
