For eight seasons, Ross starred in ABC's critically acclaimed comedy series BLACK-ISH, earning a Golden Globe Award, five NAACP Image Awards, and nominations for Emmy Awards, Screen Actors Guild Awards, and Critics Choice Awards for her portrayal as Dr. Rainbow Johnson. The series also won a Peabody Award and was nominated for multiple Emmy Awards, Golden Globe Awards, SAG Awards, and Critics Choice Awards. Ross also starred in the Emmy and GLAAD Award-nominated series GIRLFRIENDS for eight seasons, earning four NAACP Image Awards and a BET Comedy Award for her portrayal of Joan Clayton.

Ross is the owner, founder, and co-CEO of PATTERN Beauty, the global multimillion-dollar hair & body care brand she created for the curly, coily & tight-textured community and everyBODY. The brand’s award-winning products can be found at retailers such as Amazon, Sephora, and Ulta Beauty. In 2025, PATTERN expanded into body care, bringing juicy & joyful hydration to hair and now body. With PATTERN, Ross is changing the paradigm of how the textured hair community is marketed to and supported. The company's content and messaging are a celebration of Black beauty and joy, and that commitment extends beyond product, with PATTERN supporting organizations and programs that empower women and people of color. In June 2025, Ross starred in PATTERN Beauty's first-ever television commercial, reuniting with her "Girlfriends" co-stars Golden Brooks, Jill Marie Jones, and Persia White. The campaign, directed by child. and produced through ATTN,  marked a major marketing milestone for the brand by showcasing PATTERN's full product range across streaming and network television.

Ross is currently in production for Season 2 of the Roku original series SOLO TRAVELING WITH TRACEE ELLIS ROSS. The first season set a record as Roku's most-watched unscripted original series. The docuseries follows Ross as she embarks on transformative solo adventures, showcasing her unique blend of humor, heart, and honesty. At each destination, she explores the intersection of beauty, fashion, design, food, and culture. Ross serves as the Executive Producer of the series, which is produced by Joy Mill Entertainment and Artists First.

Ross recently announced a multiyear first-look scripted and overall unscripted deal with Fox Entertainment Studios via her production company Joy Mill Entertainment. Under the partnership, Ross will executive produce and develop scripted content spanning comedy, drama, and animation, as well as unscripted and reality programming. Joy Mill Entertainment is dedicated to creating entertaining, culture-bending stories centered around identity and joy. 

Recently, Ross starred in THE FAMILY MCMULLEN on HBO Max, the long-awaited follow-up to the classic THE BROTHERS MCMULLEN, alongside Ed Burns, Connie Britton, and Michael McGlone. Additionally, Ross was seen in season 7 of the critically acclaimed Netflix series BLACK MIRROR along with Paul Giamatti, Jesse Plemons, Rashida Jones, Chris O'Dowd, and Emma Corrin, among other returning cast favorites.

Ross also appeared opposite Jeffrey Wright in the Oscar-winning drama AMERICAN FICTION, directed by Cord Jefferson in 2023. The film won the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay and was nominated for Best Picture, Golden Globe Awards, Screen Actors Guild Awards, and Independent Spirit Awards. It was named one of AFI's Movies of the Year and won the People's Choice Award at the Toronto International Film Festival. In December of that year, Ross also starred opposite Eddie Murphy in Amazon's holiday film CANDY CANE LANE, which became the most-watched Amazon movie debut in the U.S. and among the top 10 worldwide film debuts ever on the service.

Ross is a powerful voice for joy, self-acceptance, inclusivity, and equity. She has spoken at numerous prestigious venues including the TED Conference, where she made history as the first Black woman to open the event; Glamour's Women of the Year Summit; Fast Company Innovation Festival; Forbes Power Women's Summit; Masters of Scale Summit; Business of Fashion Global Forum; The New York Times Well Festival; Travel + Leisure WBA Summit; Oprah’s 2020 Vision Tour, and Martha's Vineyard African-American Film Festival. Ross moderated a conversation with Adam Mosseri, Head of Instagram, at the WIRED25 Summit. Ross has also moderated multiple conversations for Michelle Obama's book tours, including her latest book THE LOOK, connecting with audiences on topics of empowerment and personal growth. Through her speaking engagements, Ross continues to inspire conversations about identity, belonging, and the expansiveness of joy.  

Ross has been recognized with multiple prestigious honors throughout her career, including the People's Choice Awards Fashion Icon Award and induction as a Disney Legend by The Walt Disney Company. She received WWD's first-ever Hollywood Trailblazer Award for her significant impact on fashion as self-expression. Ross has been recognized as the “Racial Justice Trailblazer” by The Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law for her commitment to racial and social justice, promoting values that foster an inclusive democracy. She has received a Webby Special Achievement Award for her innovative use of the Internet to share multidimensional stories of belonging, enhance Black representation in the beauty industry, and serve as a consistent positive force online. Additionally, she has been named a Cosmetic Executive Women Female Founder honoree and honored with the Trailblazer Award by 15 Percent Pledge. Ross has also been recognized as a CNBC Changemaker and received the Achievement Award for Excellence in the Arts from the National Museum of Women in the Arts for her leadership in the entertainment industry and advocacy for gender equity.

Ross received honorary Doctorate degrees from both Spelman College and her alma mater, Brown University. Read Less ^