Elise Demetria Neal (born March 14, 1966) is an American actress. Her big break came in 1997, appearing in films Rosewood, Money Talks and Scream 2.
From 1998 to 2002, Neal starred as Yvonne Hughley in the ABC/UPN sitcom The Hughleys. She also has appeared in films include Restaurant (1998), Mission to Mars (2000), Paid in Full (2002), Hustle & Flow (2005), and Logan (2017). On television, Neal also starred as Tia Jewel in the first two seasons of the UPN/The CW sitcom All of Us from 2003 to 2005. She also played many other roles on film and television. She is three-time NAACP Image Award nominee.
Neal was born on March 14, 1966 in Memphis, Tennessee, the daughter of a nurse and a construction worker. She attended Lakeview Elementary. She was a ballet dancer and a cheerleader. She broke her left wrist in a high toss cheerleading stunt; after the bones healed, her wrist never straightened back out completely. She graduated from Overton High School for the Creative and Performing Arts. From 1984–1988, she attended the University of the Arts in Philadelphia. Elise left college after two years and moved to New York City where she landed roles in musical theater and found herself traveling the world with various touring companies. Her experience in musical theater allowed her to easily transition into commercials, eventually bringing her to Los Angeles.