A South Miami-Dade actress is taking her talents to one of Netflix’s most celebrated comedies, giving South Florida another hometown success story to celebrate.
Alecsys Proctor-Turner, who was raised in South Miami-Dade and has deep family roots in Richmond Heights, appears in the third and final season of Netflix’s Survival of the Thickest, starring comedian and FIU alumna Michelle Buteau. Proctor-Turner plays Nala, a tech-savvy Gen Z stylist assistant to Buteau’s character Mavis Beaumont.
As her acting career continues to grow, Proctor-Turner hasn’t forgotten where her story began. The South Dade native says her family’s history in Richmond Heights has shaped her identity and continues to influence the way she sees her success.
“We’re generations deep. We were a part of the creation of Richmond Heights. My great-grandfather was a part of the Bahamian migration that happened,” Proctor-Turner told the Miami Herald.
She also reflected on what it means to represent both her community and her family on a national stage.
“I’m fortunate that I am Caribbean, but I’m also fortunate because of how many generations have been here,” Proctor-Turner told the Herald. “I know I’m my great-grandma, Mary Lynn Cambridge’s, wildest dream. She used to tell me all the time, like, ‘Girl, you gonna be on TV.'”
For many Black performers, seeing themselves reflected both in front of and behind the camera still matters. Survival of the Thickest was created by Michelle Buteau and writer-producer Danielle Sanchez-Witzel, adapting Buteau’s bestselling essay collection into a comedy that celebrates Black women, friendship, fashion and self-discovery. Since its debut, the series has earned praise for its inclusive storytelling and its portrayal of women who have often been underrepresented in mainstream television.
The show’s third and final season gives Proctor-Turner the opportunity to be part of a series that has resonated with audiences for its humor, authenticity and representation, while adding another milestone to her growing acting career.
For South Florida, Proctor-Turner’s success is more than another Hollywood milestone. It’s a reminder that the stories, history and talent rooted in communities like Richmond Heights continue to resonate far beyond Miami-Dade County.
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