
Denise Burse
Acting
Born 1952-01-23
Denise Burse-Mickelbury (born January 13, 1952) is an American actress, best known for her role as Claretha Jenkins in the television series Tyler Perry's House of Payne. An African-American native of Atlanta, Burse received professional training at the Just Us Theatre, The Alliance Theatre and The Atlanta Children's Theater. She has numerous television credits such as Law & Order: Special Victims Unit and Law & Order: Criminal Intent. Burse has also appeared in various stage productions such as An American Daughter, Harriet’s Return, Ground People, Pearl Cleage's Flyin' West, and Radio Golf. In 2016, she appeared in "San Junipero", an episode of the anthology series Black Mirror.
Known for

Tyler Perry's House of Payne
2007 · TV

Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
1999 · TV

Law & Order
1990 · TV

Black Mirror
2011 · TV

Law & Order: Criminal Intent
2001 · TV

Manifest
2018 · TV

Third Watch
1999 · TV

New Amsterdam
2018 · TV

Doc
2025 · TV

New York Undercover
1994 · TV

Greenleaf
2016 · TV