Biography

Sonya Eddy (born Sonya Jean Eddy, June 17, 1967, in Concord, California; died December 19, 2022, in Burbank, California) was an American actress who earned a B.A. in theater and dance from UC Davis (1992). She made her acting debut in the West Coast premiere of Ruby Dee's Zora Is My Name (1990), and was a licensed vocational nurse. She died of a post-surgical infection at age 55, and was awarded a posthumous Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series (2023) for General Hospital. She is best known as head nurse Epiphany Johnson in General Hospital (2006–2022, 543 episodes, ABC) and its spinoff General Hospital: Night Shift (2007–2008, 25 episodes). Her film credits include Barbershop (2002), Coach Carter (2005, with Samuel L. Jackson), Seven Pounds (2008, with Will Smith), Matchstick Men (2003), Nutty Professor II: The Klumps (2000, with Eddie Murphy), Inspector Gadget (1999), Gridiron Gang (2006, with Dwayne Johnson), The Incredible Burt Wonderstone (2013, with Steve Carell and Jim Carrey), Pee-wee's Big Holiday (2016), and Dicks: The Musical (2023, posthumous). On television she also appeared in Seinfeld, ER (twice), Joan of Arcadia (2004–2005, recurring), Legit (2013–2014, FX), Those Who Can't (2016–2019, truTV), Fresh Off the Boat (2015), Glee (2011), Monk (2003), House, Desperate Housewives, 2 Broke Girls, Castle, and The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey (2022, miniseries).