Background
Ella was born to an Eritrean mother from Asmara and an American Air Force officer, who was stationed in Eritrea. Ella also studied French, while simultaneously continuing Tigrinya and English lessons at home with her mother.
Ella was born to an Eritrean mother from Asmara and an American Air Force officer, who was stationed in Eritrea. Ella also studied French, while simultaneously continuing Tigrinya and English lessons at home with her mother.
There, she attended a local German school.
When she was still a child, Ella"s family relocated to Germany, where they lived in the small town of Kindsbach. Around this time, Ella first developed an appreciation for the performing arts, and began taking part in local school and theater productions. She likewise would periodically return home to Asmara to visit relatives.
Ella has guest starred as Agent Deborah Meade on "Computer Society of India: New York" and played one of the lead characters, Anna Roberts, in "The Storm" miniseries on National Broadcasting Company. In the fall 2009, she appeared opposite Bruce Willis in the Touchstone/Disney sci-fi thriller Surrogates, which opened September 25, 2009.
One of her most recognizable performances was as Viveca, a model who attempts to seduce Vince (played by Adrien Grenier), on the Home Box Office hit "Entourage" and as P Diddy"s fiancee Nadine Alcott on Computer Society of India: Miami. Ella also starred on the breakout series Parenthood opposite Monica Potter and Peter Krause as well as the American Broadcasting Company"s hit show Castle.
Thomas has a recurring role on NCIS: Los Angeles and returned to the show in the fall of 2015 as the character Jada Khaled. Ella guest starred in the episode "Skin" of the Karl Urban and Michael Ealy helmed FOX series Almost Human.
She will next be seen opposite Zoe Saldana as the author Lorraine Hansberry in the Nina Simone biopic,"Nina", scheduled for release April 22, 2016.
Most recently she filmed one of the lead roles in the Hallmark Movie Channel film production Portrait of Love with Francis Fisher as well as recurring on the new Home Box Office series Ballers alongside Dwayne Johnson and John David Washington. Ella has also been featured in editorial spreads for American Vogue and Glamour and ELLE and she has also appeared in print ads for companies such as Gap, Tiffany & Company, and Levi"s and is appearing in the Lexus Exact Sciences automotive commercials. She is currently filming a recurring arc on American Broadcasting Company"s Mistresses (United States television series).
