Marsha Thomason — Biography
Marsha Lisa Thomason Sykes, born January 19, 1976, is an English actress recognized for her work in television and film. She is widely known for portraying Sara Evers in the Disney film The Haunted Mansion. Her television credits include Nessa Holt in the initial two seasons of the NBC series Las Vegas, Naomi Dorrit on ABC's Lost, FBI agent Diana Berrigan in USA Network's White Collar, and DS Jenn Townsend in ITV's crime drama The Bay.
Thomason hails from Moston, Manchester. Her father, Peter Thomason, was involved in politics, and her mother, Phyllis (née McCrae), worked for an electronics company in Jamaica. Her early education included Holy Trinity Primary School in Harpurhey and North Manchester High School for Girls in Moston. She later pursued A levels in media studies, theatre studies, and performing arts at Oldham Sixth Form College, and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from Manchester Metropolitan University. From the age of thirteen, Thomason was engaged in youth theater productions at the Oldham Theatre Workshop.
Her professional acting career began on British television, gaining notice in the fifth season of Pie in the Sky in 1997, where she played a waitress named Sally for eight episodes. Subsequent British appearances included roles in Playing the Field and Where the Heart Is in 1998, and the first season of the BBC Three drama Burn It in 2003.
In the United States, Thomason appeared in Disney's The Haunted Mansion alongside Eddie Murphy. Her filmography also includes roles as Brandy in My Baby's Daddy and Victoria in Black Knight, as well as Vicki in Pure. She starred as Nessa Holt in the first two seasons of the U.S. television series Las Vegas, appearing in a total of 47 episodes. On October 21, 2004, she made a guest appearance on the radio show Loveline. In January 2008, she was part of Messiah V: The Rapture, and in August 2008, she was cast as a regular in the CW show Easy Money. In late 2009, she made an appearance on General Hospital.
Following a guest role as agent Diana Berrigan in the pilot episode of White Collar, Thomason returned for the first-season finale and was subsequently announced as a full-time cast member for the second season. She also lent her voice to the character of Diana in the video game Hitman: Absolution. Thomason held a recurring role as Naomi Dorrit on the acclaimed television show Lost. As a fan of the series and a friend of Dominic Monaghan, who played Charlie Pace, she was enthusiastic about joining the cast. Her first appearance was in the April 18, 2007 episode "Catch-22," and she continued through the season finale, "Through
Thomason hails from Moston, Manchester. Her father, Peter Thomason, was involved in politics, and her mother, Phyllis (née McCrae), worked for an electronics company in Jamaica. Her early education included Holy Trinity Primary School in Harpurhey and North Manchester High School for Girls in Moston. She later pursued A levels in media studies, theatre studies, and performing arts at Oldham Sixth Form College, and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from Manchester Metropolitan University. From the age of thirteen, Thomason was engaged in youth theater productions at the Oldham Theatre Workshop.
Her professional acting career began on British television, gaining notice in the fifth season of Pie in the Sky in 1997, where she played a waitress named Sally for eight episodes. Subsequent British appearances included roles in Playing the Field and Where the Heart Is in 1998, and the first season of the BBC Three drama Burn It in 2003.
In the United States, Thomason appeared in Disney's The Haunted Mansion alongside Eddie Murphy. Her filmography also includes roles as Brandy in My Baby's Daddy and Victoria in Black Knight, as well as Vicki in Pure. She starred as Nessa Holt in the first two seasons of the U.S. television series Las Vegas, appearing in a total of 47 episodes. On October 21, 2004, she made a guest appearance on the radio show Loveline. In January 2008, she was part of Messiah V: The Rapture, and in August 2008, she was cast as a regular in the CW show Easy Money. In late 2009, she made an appearance on General Hospital.
Following a guest role as agent Diana Berrigan in the pilot episode of White Collar, Thomason returned for the first-season finale and was subsequently announced as a full-time cast member for the second season. She also lent her voice to the character of Diana in the video game Hitman: Absolution. Thomason held a recurring role as Naomi Dorrit on the acclaimed television show Lost. As a fan of the series and a friend of Dominic Monaghan, who played Charlie Pace, she was enthusiastic about joining the cast. Her first appearance was in the April 18, 2007 episode "Catch-22," and she continued through the season finale, "Through
