Regina King didn?t have to go far to chase her dreams of fame and fortune -- she was born in L.A., and was the first daughter to an electrician and a teacher. Her parents divorced when she was only 8, but this ambitious young lady was not deterred.In 1985, while she was still just a high school student, Regina King won the role of Brenda Jenkins on the successful sitcom 227. It was a lot more fun than a job at the mall, and paid a lot more too. Regina King was hooked.Regina King had dabbled in film during her tenure on 227 (including a small part in Scrooged). When that sitcom ended in 2000, Regina threw herself into film full-time. First up was a role in John Singleton?s Boyz n the Hood, followed by Poetic Justice with Janet Jackson and Tupac Shakur. While her costars weren?t exactly Jodie Foster or Al Pacino, Regina King won praise and saw her stocking rising fast.regina king in jerry maguireAfter a comedic turn in the cult hit Friday, Regina King showed that she could do funny as well as she did serious. That served her well in 1996 when she landed the role of Marcee Tidwell, wife to flamboyant wide receiver (and annoying ?Show me the money? catchphrase coiner) Rod Tidwell (Cuba Gooding Jr.) in Cameron Crowe?s smash hit Jerry Maguire. It certainly made her one of the most recognizable African-American actresses in the industry, even if few people actually knew her name.Buoyed by the success of Jerry Maguire, Regina King began to work steadily. She appeared in critically acclaimed dramas (Ray) and not-so-critically-acclaimed comedies (Daddy Day Care), but all the while she displayed a spark that set her apart from her colleagues. And that spark has equated to millions for this talented woman.regina king on the boondocksNow that she no longer needs to grind out roles and can pick ones she wants, Regina King has time to do as she pleases. And right now, that means voicing characters on The Boondocks, a hilarious, politically charged cartoon that tackles important social issues while offending people of all races. She?s also set to star in a new cop show LAPD in 2009.