Tolbert majored in theater at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts in Winston-Salem.

[6] On The Jeffersons, Tolbert played Jenny, the daughter of interracial couple Tom and Helen Willis.

Jenny had become engaged to Lionel Jefferson, the son of George and Louise, when they were still characters on Norman Lear's "All In The Family".

[7] Tolbert was born just one day after Mike Evans (1949–2006), the original actor who played her boyfriend/husband Lionel.

As of December 2023[update], Tolbert, Marla Gibbs, Jay Hammer and Damon Evans (Lionel #2) are the last surviving members of The Jeffersons main cast.