Lincoln Lawyer star Yaya DaCosta's life from 'inauthentic' reality show to tragic loss

The Lincoln Lawyer returns in season three trailer

The Lincoln Lawyer season three reunited the main cast for another round of courtroom drama, leaving Netflix fans eager for more but away from the screen, who is the talent behind Andrea Freeman?

Fans of the hit legal series on Netflix rejoiced as they were treated to yet another gripping season following Mickey Haller (portrayed by Manual Garcia-Rulfo) and his support crew, with speculations about a fourth instalment.

Season three shone a spotlight on the actress playing attorney Andrea Freeman, drawing viewers' interest towards the real-life story of the 41-year-old starlet Yaya DaCosta.

America's Next Top Model

Yaya DaCosta grew up in New York along with her three siblings, to a mum who worked as a Montessori teacher and her dad a sociology professor.

Educated at Brown University, she focused on International Relations and African Studies, but she went on to pursue a career in modelling.

Before her acting days became the talk of the town, DaCosta launched into the public eye through her participation in the third season of Tyra Banks' America's Next Top Model.

At just 21, DaCosta's striking presence saw her finishing as runner-up in 2004, despite facing criticism during the show for an attitude perceived by some as arrogance, which left a notable impression on her career.

Inside Lincoln Lawyer star Yaya DaCostas life from feeling betrayed on reality show to tragic loss (Image: NETFLIX)

Actress and model Yaya DaCosta is currently starring in Netflix's The Lincoln Lawyer as Andrea Freeman. (Image: GETTY)

Inside Lincoln Lawyer star Yaya DaCostas life from feeling betrayed on reality show to tragic loss (Image: NETFLIX)

Reflecting on her time on the show to WonderMind, she recounted: "I was introduced to the public, which is a very different thing, in 2004 when I participated in a reality show.

"That was really difficult for me because I only realized afterward that ... they were leading us to places that felt inauthentic to ourselves in the moment.

"After such a period of feeling lost, of confused, betrayed, I definitely had to tap into my tools and then gather more tools, prioritize my self-love, prioritize forgiveness of myself for having made that choice and allowing myself to kind of get taken, but also forgiving others who I felt had wronged me at the time.

"And [I gathered] the courage to show up repeatedly in front of that same public-not as Yaya, but as whatever elements of my being showed up in different characters that I embodied."

Achieving acting success

DaCosta had long aspired to become an actress, and following her stint on America's Next Top Model, she was able to turn this dream into a reality.

She went on to land roles in All My Children as Cassandra Foster, Ugly Betty, House, The Butler, Unforgettable, and portrayed music icon Whitney Houston in the 2015 TV movie biopic Whitney.

Her most notable role to date came in 2015 when she joined the cast of NBC's Chicago Med as April Sexton, but she departed at the end of season six in 2022.

DaCosta revealed to Deadline that she chose to leave the show, having "fallen in love with Our Kind of People," a Fox drama where she plays Angela Vaughn.

She gushed: "The show is a dream in so many ways and it's saucy and so much fun!

"And there's so much about my character that I felt was really important to bring to the forefront of our discussions. We're just playing with these serious themes and we're making them fun."

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Actress Yaya DaCosta was announced as the runner-up in America's Next Top Model season three. (Image: THE CW)

Actress and model Yaya DaCosta starred in Chicago Med as April Sexton for seven years before her exit in 2022. (Image: NBC)

As we fast-forward to 2024, DaCosta is captivating audiences as attorney Andrea Freeman in Netflix's hit series The Lincoln Lawyer.

After a fleeting romantic entanglement with Mickey, the star divulged to TV Insider her characters newfound self-reliance, stating: "I think Andrea has had a hard time with men because the weak ones are intimidated by her, and the strong ones are in competition with her.

"And so she really has learned to rely on herself and to be her own partner, her own cheerleader, her own coach."

Tragic loss

A heart-wrenching chapter in her life unfolded during the filming of the 2013 movie Big Words, when DaCosta endured the tragedy of her brother's death.

Confiding in Complex, the actress shared: "I was only on set for five days. The night before [shooting], I had learned of my brother's accident."

While keeping the specifics private, DaCosta has shared the profound effect this event had on her performance at the time.

"Those five days, I was being told that he was in a coma, although I knew that he had already passed.

"I wanted to just be with family and be quiet and not say anything and not see people.

"I just wanted to curl up into a ball and cry. And I had to perform. And it was a bubbly character."

"But it was an amazing exercise, and I thank my brother for the strength. He helped me get through it."

Motherhood

DaCosta is a mother-of-one, having given birth to her son Sankara Alafia in September 2013.

She had him during her relationship with Sankara's father, independent film producer and director Joshua Bee Alafia. DaCosta was in a relationship with him for three years before they parted ways in 2015. It is currently believed that the star is single.

The Lincoln Lawyer is available to watch on Netflix.

Lincoln Lawyer star Yaya DaCosta's life from 'inauthentic' reality show to tragic loss

Lincoln Lawyer star Yaya DaCosta's life from 'inauthentic' reality show to tragic loss

Lincoln Lawyer star Yaya DaCosta's life from 'inauthentic' reality show to tragic loss

Lincoln Lawyer star Yaya DaCosta's life from 'inauthentic' reality show to tragic loss

Lincoln Lawyer star Yaya DaCosta's life from 'inauthentic' reality show to tragic loss