Anika Noni Rose

Anika Noni Rose is an American actress and singer whose career spans Broadway, film, and television. Rose earned a Bachelor of Arts in theater from Florida A&M University and a Master of Fine Arts from the American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco. She made her Broadway debut in "Footloose" and received an Obie Award for her Off-Broadway performance in "Eli's Comin'."

Rose originated the role of Emmie Thibodeaux in the Tony Kushner and Jeanine Tesori musical "Caroline, or Change" on Broadway. She received the Theatre World Award, the Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding Featured Actress, and the Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical for her work in "Caroline, or Change." Additional honors include the Clarence Derwent Award, the Los Angeles Critics' Circle Award, an Ovation Award, and an Obie Award, along with multiple NAACP Image Award nominations, including the NAACP Lifetime Achievement Award for Theater. Rose earned a Tony Award nomination for her role as Beneatha Younger in the Broadway revival of "A Raisin in the Sun" and won a Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Musical for her title role in "Carmen Jones."

In film, Rose played Lorrell Robinson in the Academy Award-winning movie "Dreamgirls," earning a Grammy Award nomination for her contribution to the soundtrack. She voiced Princess Tiana in Disney's animated feature "The Princess and the Frog," becoming the first Black Disney Princess. The film received three Academy Award nominations, and Rose was honored as a Disney Legend. She has continued to voice Tiana in projects such as "Once Upon a Studio" and the series "Lego Disney Princess: The Castle Quest."

On television, Rose portrayed the adult Kizzy in the History Channel adaptation of "Roots" and played Regina in the Netflix limited series "Maid," earning a nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actress at the NAACP Image Awards. A 12-time NAACP Image Award nominee, Rose has also voiced numerous audiobooks and performed concerts internationally, including appearances at Carnegie Hall and the Vatican.

Rose returned to the stage as Elena in the Lincoln Center Theatre revival of Anton Chekhov's "Uncle Vanya" at the Vivian Beaumont Theatre. She appeared in Barry Jenkins' film "Mufasa: The Lion King" as Afia, earning a nomination at the NAACP Image Awards. She starred in the world premiere of "The Balusters" on Broadway, a play by David Lindsay-Abaire and directed by Kenny Leon. Rose also hosts the podcast "Being Seen," which focuses on cultural representation and features conversations with artists, activists, and writers. Her career reflects a commitment to storytelling and representation across the entertainment industry.