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Reagan Gomez-Preston

Reagan Gomez-Preston (born April 24, 1980) is an American actress and voice actress. She gained prominence for her role as Zaria Peterson, the eldest daughter in the Peterson family, on the WB sitcom The Parent 'Hood, which aired from 1995 to 1999 and featured her as a recurring teenage character navigating family dynamics and urban life. Gomez-Preston began her on-screen career in the mid-1990s, appearing in films such as Jerry Maguire (1996), where she played a supporting role alongside Tom Cruise. Her voice work has included notable animated characters like Roberta Tubbs, the daughter of Cleveland Brown, on The Cleveland Show (2009–2013), as well as Jenny and Kiki Pizza in Steven Universe (2013–2019). These roles highlight her versatility in live-action and animation, contributing to her sustained presence in television and film over two decades.

Early life

Family background and upbringing

Reagan Gomez-Preston was born on April 24, 1980, in , , to Cheryl Gomez, a Puerto Rican mother who joined the in 1977 as one of its early female officers assigned to street patrol, and Bennett Preston, an African American father who trained as a medical student and later became a pathologist. She has a younger brother named Kyle. The family moved from to , , during Gomez-Preston's early years, coinciding with her mother's tenure in and her father's professional relocation to work as a . Cheryl Gomez encountered workplace adversities, including a successful lawsuit against the and the city for after her marriage to Preston, which highlighted gender-based discrimination in the department at the time. Gomez-Preston grew up in this multiracial household amid her parents' careers in and , with her upbringing spanning urban environments in both and before her entry into training.

Initial influences on acting

Gomez-Preston was born on April 24, 1980, in , , but her family relocated to during her early childhood. There, at the age of eight, her mother enrolled her in , dancing, and classes at the Freedom Theatre, a Philadelphia-based institution dedicated to African American education and professional development. These classes marked the beginning of her structured exposure to performance disciplines, fostering foundational skills in stage presence, vocal technique, and movement that would underpin her later . The Freedom Theatre's curriculum, emphasizing cultural storytelling and ensemble training, provided Gomez-Preston with early immersion in theatrical techniques tailored to young performers from underrepresented backgrounds. Her mother's initiative in securing this training reflected a deliberate effort to channel her daughter's interests into professional-grade preparation, amid a family environment where her father worked as a and her mother as a cook. This period of development occurred prior to any on-screen work, distinguishing it as a formative influence separate from subsequent industry networking. Following her parents' divorce, Gomez-Preston moved to with her mother in 1994, at age 14, shifting from regional arts education to the competitive ecosystem. This relocation, driven by familial changes rather than prior industry connections, aligned her honed abilities with casting opportunities, culminating in her debut role on shortly thereafter. No evidence indicates direct familial ties to the entertainment industry as an influence; instead, maternal support and institutional training at the Freedom Theatre stand as the primary catalysts for her entry into acting.

Professional career

Breakthrough in television

Gomez-Preston's breakthrough in television occurred with her casting as Zaria Peterson, the eldest daughter in the family sitcom , which premiered on network on January 18, 1995. Created by Robert Townsend, Andrew Nicholls, and Darrell Vickers, the series centered on a middle-class African American family in , with Gomez-Preston portraying the intelligent, outspoken teenager who frequently clashed with her parents over issues like , , and . At age 14, this marked her first major recurring role, following a minor appearance in the 1995 ABC TV movie remake of . The show ran for five seasons, producing 90 episodes and concluding its original run on , , providing Gomez-Preston with sustained exposure on network television during her formative acting years. Her character , daughter of professors Robert (Robert Townsend) and Ann Peterson (), embodied relatable adolescent rebellion tempered by family values, contributing to the series' appeal as a positive depiction of Black family life. This role established her as a recognizable young talent in sitcoms, paving the way for subsequent guest spots and voice work.

Film and supporting roles

Gomez-Preston debuted in feature films with a minor supporting role as Tidwell's Cousin in the 1996 sports drama Jerry Maguire, directed by Cameron Crowe and starring Tom Cruise. She portrayed Jenna, a supporting character, in the 2000 romantic sports drama Love & Basketball, which explored themes of love and basketball rivalry. In 2003, she appeared as Denise in the teen romantic comedy Love Don't Co$t a Thing, a remake of Can't Buy Me Love starring Nick Cannon. Additional supporting roles followed in urban dramas and comedies, including Juanita in the 2004 thriller , opposite . That year, she also played Fiona in the comedy , featuring and . Gomez-Preston took on the role of Chik in the 2005 ensemble comedy , a spin-off from starring . In 2007, she appeared as Kelli in the holiday family drama This Christmas, directed by Preston A. Whitmore II. Later credits include Ebony (also listed as Trish in some sources) in the 2012 ensemble dramedy , which dealt with interpersonal conflicts among friends. She continued with smaller supporting parts in independent films such as Doing Hard Time (2004) as Rayvon Jones and Couples' Night (2018) as Kia. These roles, often in ensemble casts or as secondary friends and family members, reflect her work in genres like comedy, drama, and urban thrillers, though her film appearances have been sporadic compared to her television output.

Voice acting and animation

Gomez-Preston entered prominently with the role of Tubbs, the stepdaughter of the titular character, on the animated sitcom , which ran from November 1, 2009, to May 19, 2013, across four seasons and 88 episodes. She assumed the part starting in the first season, succeeding original voice actress . In 2013, she contributed additional voices to the Adult Swim animated series , including the character Jessica's Friend in early episodes. From 2014 to 2015, Gomez-Preston provided recurring voices for the twin sisters Jenny Pizza and Kiki Pizza on Cartoon Network's , appearing in multiple episodes of the series that premiered on November 4, 2013; she reprised these roles in the follow-up miniseries , which aired from December 7, 2019, to March 6, 2020. Her animation credits continued with , an HBO Max and anthology series, where she voiced Dolphin Handler, Mikayla, and Ugly Irwin in the 2019 first season's fifth episode, "The ," part of the 40-episode run that began airing on August 5, 2019.

Later projects and diversification

Gomez-Preston took on the role of Candice in the Showtime drama series , debuting in 2018 and continuing through subsequent seasons, including episodes in 2024 and 2025. She guest-starred as Henrietta in the episode "Eight!" of the Showtime comedy in 2021. In film, she appeared in the ensemble comedy in 2012, portraying a character amid a group of friends reuniting after a funeral. Diversifying beyond acting, Gomez-Preston served as executive producer for the 2013 web series Almost Home, in which she also starred, marking her entry into digital content production. She has credited her production efforts with expanding opportunities in projects centering Black women's narratives across film, television, and digital media. In 2025, she featured as Claudia in the sci-fi action film Absolute Dominion, a story set in 2063 involving a global tournament amid holy wars, directed by Lexi Alexander.

Personal life

Marriage and family

Reagan Gomez-Preston married DeWayne Turrentine, a , on November 10, 1999. The couple began dating in the mid-1990s and has maintained their for over 25 years as of 2025, with public celebrations marking anniversaries such as their 20th in 2019 and 23rd in 2022. Gomez-Preston and Turrentine have two children: a , Scarlett Annette Turrentine, born in 2007, and a son, Tyger Turrentine, born in 2011. The family has shared occasional public glimpses of their life together, including family photos emphasizing their close-knit dynamic, though Gomez-Preston has generally kept personal details private beyond these confirmations. No public records or reports indicate separation or as of the latest available information in 2025.

Ethnic heritage and public identity

Reagan Gomez-Preston is of mixed African American and Puerto Rican descent. Her mother, Cheryl Gomez, is Puerto Rican, and her father, Bennett Preston, is African American. This biracial heritage stems from her upbringing in , Michigan, where her family background reflected these dual cultural influences. In public discussions, Gomez-Preston has embraced both aspects of her identity, identifying as and expressing pride in her Puerto Rican roots alongside her lineage. In a 2013 interview, she articulated her appreciation for being Puerto Rican, highlighting cultural affinity despite societal categorizations. She has also addressed challenges of racial identity in mixed-heritage contexts, navigating perceptions in the entertainment industry where she is often recognized for roles emphasizing family dynamics. Her self-presentation consistently acknowledges this duality without prioritizing one over the other, as evidenced in profiles listing her as both Puerto Rican and .

Reception and legacy

Achievements and industry recognition

Gomez-Preston received an early nomination for her television work on The Parent 'Hood, earning a Young Artist Award nod in 1998 for Best Performance in a TV Series (Comedy or Drama) - Leading Young Actress. She was also nominated for an NCLR Bravo Award in 1996 for outstanding television series actress in a crossover role, recognizing her portrayal of Zaria Peterson as bridging cultural representations in sitcom formats. In voice acting, Gomez-Preston garnered a 2017 Behind the Voice Actors (BTVA) Television Voice Acting Award nomination for Best Vocal Ensemble in a Television Series, contributed to the ensemble of . These nominations highlight her versatility across live-action and animated projects, though she has not secured major competitive wins in industry awards such as Emmys or Image Awards based on available records. Her attendance at the 2011 Primetime Creative Arts Emmys reflects ongoing industry engagement, but no formal accolades were conferred there.

Challenges and criticisms faced

Gomez-Preston has described her guest-starring role as on the sitcom in the October 9, 2001, episode "Hyde Gets the Girl" as a profoundly negative experience. In response to fan inquiries years later, she characterized working on the production as a "," leading to her not being asked back despite initial plans for recurrence, though she did not publicly detail specific incidents beyond the overall discomfort. In interviews, Gomez-Preston has frequently addressed systemic barriers for Black actresses in , including a persistent shortage of substantive film and television roles. During a 2012 discussion, she stated, "There aren't that many roles (on film) for black actresses," which influenced her shift toward voice work in animated series like and . She echoed this in 2013, highlighting insufficient opportunities for African American women and advocating for greater industry diversity to counter and underrepresentation. These constraints prompted Gomez-Preston to establish her own around 2010 to generate projects tailored for performers of color, circumventing limited mainstream casting options post her early success. Her experiences reflect broader critiques of Hollywood's narrow pipelines for beyond child or supporting roles, contributing to her diversification into like Almost Home (2013) and independent films.

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