Sicily Sewell (born October 1, 1985) is an American chef, restaurateur, television producer, and former actress. She is sometimes credited in film or television as simply with a mononym Sicily. Following the birth of two daughters, Sewell became a restaurateur.

Early life, family and education

Sewell was born in Pontiac, Michigan. Her parents divorced, and she and her mother and brothers relocated to California where other family resided. She has three brothers (one of which was born after their relocation to California). She resided in Los Angeles during her childhood. As an adult, Sewell attending the Hollywood campus of Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts.

Career

Television and film

Sewell made her television appearance on an Emmy Award-winning episode of Sesame Street when she was eight years old. She played "Young Aisha" in a two-part episode of Season 2 of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers called "Rangers Back in Time", as well as in the 10 part miniseries Mighty Morphin Alien Rangers. She starred as young Diana in the hit miniseries, Mama Flora's Family in 1998, and as Angela Bassett's niece in the film How Stella Got Her Groove Back. For 4 seasons, Sewell portrayed Spirit Jones, the best friend of Breanna Barnes (played by Kyla Pratt) in the sitcom One on One. Citing a decision by UPN to move in a different direction for the fifth season, Sicily was released from the series on June 20, 2005, when it was nine episodes away from syndication. Sewell also appeared in the Lifetime original movie Fighting the Odds: The Marilyn Gambrell Story alongside Ernie Hudson, Edwin Hodge and Jami Gertz in August 2005.

Chef and restaurateur

Sewell's family has a long tradition of skilled cookery. She has told interviewers she is much happier as a chef and restaurateur than she was an actor. In 2010, while Sewell was attending the Hollywood campus of Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts, she was an intern at the Los Angeles Times' Test Kitchen. Sewell subsequently graduated, with honours. Sewell and her mother are co-owners of a soul food restaurant known as Pinky and Red's, in Berkeley, California. In late 2019, Sewell was hired as the chef of a high-profile restaurant known as Colors, in New York City.

Personal life

Sewell came out as gay in a 2022 interview with Comedy Hype channel. She revealed that, despite still being in the closet to her One On One castmates, she was open about her attraction to females at a young age to her close friends. She married Melanie Wilkerson in 2022 and has two daughters.

Filmography