Anna Maria Horsford (born March 6, 1947) is an American television and film actress. She is perhaps best known for her role as Thelma Frye on the sitcom Amen, and her role as Craig Jones' mother, Betty Jones, in the 1995 comedy, Friday.
Horsford was born in Harlem, New York, the daughter of Lillian Agatha (née Richardson) and Victor A. Horsford, an investment real estate broker. Her parents were from Antigua and Barbuda. She attended Manhattan's School of Performing Arts, where she studied and perfected her acting abilities. Horsford is a member of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc.
Though she is known today for her work in front of the cameras, her first major role in television was as a producer for the PBS show, Soul!, hosted by Ellis Haizlip, which aired between 1967-1973. Horsford made guest appearances on such sitcoms as as The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Sparks, Moesha,The Bernie Mac Show, The Shield,Girlfriends, and Everybody Hates Chris. She had prominent role on the sitcom The Wayans Bros as "Dee Baxter". She also appeared on the drama Judging Amy. More recently she was seen in the first season of Grey's Anatomy, as Dr. Ellis Grey (Meredith Grey's mother)'s ailing former scrub nurse. Horsford also made an appearance in St. Elmo's Fire as a prostitute.
