Mariann Aalda's illustrious career spans decades, beginning with her breakout role as DiDi Bannister on the ABC soap opera Edge Of Night (1981-84). As the smart and spirited young attorney, she paved the way for professional African-American female characters on network TV, earning accolades and numerous awards from the African-American community. Aalda's journey began with her education at Southern Illinois University and the Negro Ensemble Company conservatory training program, where she was classmates with Laurence Fishburne and Robert Townsend.
After completing her education, Aalda joined NYC's Off-Center Theatre Company as a sketch comedy writer and performer and toured the country with The Proposition improv troupe alongside Charlie Adler. Her impressive resume continued to grow as she became one of the first African-American daytime contract players and soap opera heroines on Edge Of Night.
When the show ended its run, Aalda relocated to LA, where she quickly landed a recurring role on the HBO dramedy First & 10, opposite OJ Simpson. Her sitcom career took off, with numerous recurring and guest-starring roles, including a memorable turn opposite Meshach Taylor on Designing Women as his yuppie-from-hell girlfriend, Lita Ford.
Aalda's impressive list of credits continued with a series regular role on the CBS sitcom The Royal Family, as Elizabeth Royal-Winston, the daughter of Redd Foxx and Della Reese. She later returned to daytime television in the recurring role of the "tragically disfigured" Lena Hart, Sherrie Saum's mom on the NBC soap opera Sunset Beach.
In recent years, Aalda has appeared on the NBC hit The Blacklist and starred in the short film Gumbo on AMC's ALLBLK-TV. She returned to her comedy roots as co-producer and star in the 25-episode web series Talk To Me, Ginger!, based on her performance art character, Adult Sex-Ed Evangelist & Mojo Motivator, Dr. Ginger.
Aalda's solo show, Gettin' Old Is a Bitch...But I'm Gonna Wrestle That Bitch to the Ground!, has sold out shows in New York, New Orleans, Chicago, and broke a 30-year box office record at the 2019 National Black Theatre Festival in Winston-Salem, NC. In 2021, she was invited to perform an excerpt at the Silver Sirens Redefining Aging Summit in Sydney, Australia.
As an influencer in the positive aging movement, Aalda has changed the narrative on older women and has been recognized by AARP as an Age Disruptor. She is a prolific podcast guest on shameless aging, a sought-after pro-age moderator on the popular audio app Clubhouse, and has a TEDx Talk, Ageism Is a Bully...Stand Up to It!
