hi, thanks for coming!, I'm so excited that you're here. My name is Toni Belafonte.  Pronounced Tah-Nee or like ToniC without the C; Jamaican born - Bronx bred - City - Girl, currently spending time between NY and Los Angeles.

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As a proud SAG-AFTRA member, it is a sheer honor to be a 'working actor' in this industry, representing and partnering with some amazingly talented artists and brands, on the business side and the show side, gotta love show business!

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A dynamically striking 5'9.5," often cast embodying visceral and power house  characters -  heartbroken mother, nurturing wife, petty thug, undercover cop, love interest - affords me the unabashed freedom to be bold, be tantalizing, be vulnerable, be free! I am in good fortune to work and share this beautiful space of art and creativity, with some really brilliant and generous actors, thus far in my career.
Some highlights thus far in my career include Guest Star appearances on Law & Order, sharing the screen with the brilliant and generous Mariska Hargitay as,  fiercely protective President of Hudson University.  Also a very intense grieving mother, wife and friend on Season 5's Episode 4 on Fox's 9-1-1 sharing the screen with my amazingly talented cast-mates, alongside with Aisha Hind's and Ryan Guzman. How wonderful to travel to the city of Budapest to seek vengeance as a brokenhearted wife for her husband's murder on Season1 Episode 5 of CBS's FBI International opposite Luke Kleintank and Heida Reed.

 

Still dear to my heart, some time ago, I embarked on a really scary journey to shoot a video short, of the late, legendary singer, Whitney Houston.  For me it is a montage of "private moments - beyond the music."  #TheWhitneyProject has been viewed over 42,000 times on the YouTube sharing platform which afforded me interviews with populated  radio blogs and led to my first magazine cover, which came through the honor given by SYM Magazine, where the titled publication, "My Name is Not Whitney Houston" earns me top seller for the company to date.

With on-air being a first love in this business, I am glad to keep the fire alive, hosting red-carpet events, music and film festivals, travel shows, and talent showcases across the nation, and maybe a podcast on the way. Stay tuned! 

Grateful to also be invited to school speakings, career fairs, pep rally's and graduations. 

Supporting the community and arts are so important to me.  Over the years aI have used my skill-set as a former student-athlete, to Coach girls Varsity and AAU Basketball.  I engage with The Glenn Toby Book Bank Foundation - and volunteer for it's annual Shelter from the Streets tour; gathering clothes, shoes and books we and distribute to shelters across NYC.  When in LA, I love to volunteer with several organizations that aids and feeds the large population of homeless people and families; The Peggy Beatrice Foundation, We Feed the Hungry and Love My Neighbor Foundation are all doing amazing work servicing the Skid Row community.

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I am a proud board member of New Yorker's Against Gun Violence (NYAGV), New York state’s oldest gun violence prevention organization. NYAGV mission is to educate and advocate for communities free of gun violence, achieving this by training the next generation of leaders in this fight - the Black and Brown youth who are most affected by gun violence.

I care about the people of New York and being able to enjoy our communities, I care about the safety of our streets and the preservation of peace and love. 

 

I enjoy seeking knowledge, I strive to be in the service of gratitude, dining in great company, sailing in the sun, all while reading great literature and enjoying good music; whether at home or on the dance floor, you'll most likely find me moving to the groove!  I have immense gratitude for the moments - even the trials - of life and love.

 

~ Thanks for indulging in a bit of me

;-) xox!