Jazzmine Raycole Dillingham (born February 11, 1988) is an American actress and dancer. She is best known for her role as Claire Kyle on the ABCsitcomMy Wife and Kids during its first season. She is credited as Jazzmine Raycole.
Early life and education
Raycole was born in Stockton, California,[1] the daughter of Ray, a water company superintendent,[1] and Claudia Dillingham, who owned a dance studio and managed Raycole's career during her childhood.[2] A trained dancer, Raycole first danced when she was a toddler.[3] Raycole studied dance under both her mother[2] and Barbara Faulkner,[4] and was a competitive dancer by the age of four.[5] She attended a program at the Boston Ballet in 2001,[6] and also taught dance classes that year.[1] Raycole was home schooled by her mother.[1]
Career
Raycole's acting career began in 1995, when she appeared in two films: voicing a puppy in Babe[7] and as Onika Harris in Waiting to Exhale.[8] One of her earliest roles on television was a guest spot on sitcom Ellen.[9] She also was once featured as the voice of a one-time appearing character named Chloe on Nickelodeon's Hey Arnold! in 2003.[10]
In 2001, Raycole appeared in the first dozen episodes of My Wife and Kids as Claire Kyle,[11] with Damon Wayans portraying her father.[12] However, she was subsequently replaced on the show by Jennifer Freeman when the second season began.[13] It is reported that Raycole herself said "I was 12 years old when I got that job. The producers wanted a different thing, they wanted someone a little bit older. I wasn't ready for that," she said. "I ended up going to New York to dance, which was my first passion. I really thank God for that because I got to grow and travel."[14]
