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Early life

Rutina Wesley was born and grew up in Las Vegas. Wesley`s father Ivery Wheeler is a professional tap dancer and mother Cassandra Wesley was a showgirl.She attended high school at the Las Vegas Academy of International Studies, Performing and Visual Arts. She studied dance at Simba Studios and the West Las Vegas Arts Center.
While at the Las Vegas Academy, Wesley missed several other auditions for college training programs and was finally accepted by University of Evansville in Indiana. She was hesitant in joining the university because of lack of minorities in the state.
After earning her undergraduate degree in Theatre Performance, her grandmother suggested that she do a nursing course, but Wesley insisted on pursuing her education.
She joined Juilliard School in 2001 and graduated in May 2005, which included a summer spent at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art.

Career

In December 2006, Wesley starred in David Hare`s Broadway play The Vertical Hour, directed by Sam Mendes, alongside Julianne Moore and Bill Nighy.
In 2007 Wesley also appeared in The Public Theatre production of In Darfur by playwright Winter Miller, co-starring Heather Raffo, Aaron Lohr among others.
Wesley did a minor role in 2005 film Hitch, which was edited in the final cut.
However, she made her on screen debut in the lead role in 2007 film How She Move, from British director Ian Iqbal Rashid. The character Raya Green, who enters a step dancing competition to secure funds for her education, was inspired from Tony Monero, portrayed by John Travolta in Saturday Night Fever.
Prior to the shooting of the film, Wesley underwent a five-week dance rehearsal period. Portraying a woman of Jamaican descent, she also took dialect coaching for the role.
Wesley auditioned for the role Tara Thornton in the HBO series True Blood in 2007 and secured the part after creator Alan Ball chose her because "[she] was the first person who showed [Tara`s] vulnerable side".
Wesley has been nominated for a 2009 Scream Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role as Tara in True Blood.

Personal life

Wesley divides her time living in Los Angeles and Astoria, Queens. She is married to Jacob Fishel, an actor.

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