A relative newcomer to Hollywood, petite singer-actress Anika Noni Rose made her major screen debut in 2003’s disastrous dud – the “American Idol” spin-off film, “From Justin to Kelly,” but was best known for her work on the live stage. A Tony Award winner for her feature role in 2004’s “Caroline, or Change,” Rose landed her biggest role to date in 2006 as Lorrell Robinson, the third Dreamette in the hotly anticipated big screen version of the legendary musical, “Dreamgirls.” 
Born in Bloomfield, CT on Sept. 6, 1972, Rose got her first taste of acting while performing in a high school production of “Fame.” Bit hard by the acting bug, Rose promptly abandoned her childhood ambition to become a veterinarian and set a course toward becoming an actress. Earning a degree in Theater from Florida A&M University, Rose went on to receive her M.F.A. from the prestigious American Conservatory Theater in 1998. After graduating from A.C.T.’s actor training program, Rose played a number of stage roles in the late 1990’s and into the next millennium.
Rose received her first break in 1998 as a late addition to the Broadway production of “Footloose,” but it was her Obie-winning performance in 2001’s “Eli’s Comin” that really made her a darling with the critics. Unfortunately, Rose found – as many stage actors do – that critical accolades did not equate to financial stability. Down to her last $25, Rose was close to leaving New York for good, but for a timely stroke of good luck –she landed a small role in 2003’s embarrassing musical misfire, “From Justin to Kelly”. A vehicle built to capitalize on the popularity of the first “American Idol” (Fox, 2002- ) finalists Kelly Clarkson and Justin Guarini, the film died hard at the box office, but managed to buy Rose a stay of execution until she could find her next job.
Luckily, that next job was not long in coming. In 2004, Rose landed a breakthrough role as Emmie Thibodeaux in playwright Tony Kushner’s critically acclaimed social study “Caroline, or Change.” Set in 1960’s Louisiana at the height of the American Civil Rights movement, “Caroline, or Change” gave Rose her juiciest role to date as the impetuous daughter of a black maid, the show’s formidable title character (played by Tonya Pinkins). Rose’s portrayal of the yearning Emmie won the young actress Broadway’s top honor – the Tony Award – for that year’s best featured actress in a musical.
Back on Hollywood’s radar thanks to her Tony win, Rose got a second chance at a feature career; and this time around, she did it right. Impressed by Rose’s stage cred, director Bill Condon wisely cast Rose as the third Dreamette, Lorrell Robinson, in the long-awaited screen adaptation of “Dreamgirls” (2006), based on the 1981 award-winning Broadway musical. Taking on the role originally created by Loretta Devine on Broadway, the role of Lorrell was arguably the most difficult, requiring an actress who could stand out yet, not overshadow her co-stars. A less glamorous character than Beyoncé Knowles’s Deena and less showy than Jennifer Hudson’s scorned Effie White, Lorrell might have easily gotten lost in the shuffle as simply the film’s third banana, were it not for Rose’s ability to hold her own and nail the comic material that the part required.
Education
- American Conservatory Theatre, San Francisco, California
Milestones
- 1999 Feature debut in "King of the Bingo Game"
- 2003 Appeared in "From justin to Kelly"
- 2004 Cast in "Surviving Christmas" a comedy film starring Ben Affleck
- 2004 Won a Tony award as Tonya Pinkins' daughter in the Broadway production of "Caroline, or Change"
- 2006 Co-starred with Beyonce Knowles and Jennifer Hudson in Bill Condon's "Dreamgirls," a movie adaptation of the Broadway musical
- Moved to New York
- Won the role of Rusty in the Broadway musical "Footloose"
Yahoo.com
http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/contributor/1808489830/bio
