Rosie Perez

Rosie Perez is an Academy Award-nominated actress, Emmy-nominated choreographer, author, and activist whose career spans more than three decades across film, television, and stage. Perez began her entertainment career as a dancer on "Soul Train" and was later discovered at a New York City dance club by filmmaker Spike Lee, who cast her as Tina in "Do the Right Thing." This debut led to a career marked by diverse performances, including choreographing the Fly Girls dance troupe on "In Living Color," which earned her three Primetime Emmy nominations. Perez has appeared in films such as "White Men Can't Jump," "Untamed Heart," and "It Could Happen to You."

Perez received an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress for her role as an airplane crash survivor in Peter Weir's "Fearless." Her filmography includes voicing Chel in DreamWorks' animated feature "The Road to El Dorado," portraying DC superhero Renee Montoya in "Birds of Prey," and delivering an Emmy-nominated performance as Megan Briscoe in HBO Max's dark comedy thriller "The Flight Attendant." She has also appeared in the Apple TV+ series "Before" and the Showtime drama "Your Honor."

On Broadway, Perez has performed in productions such as Terrence McNally's "Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune," "The Ritz," and Larry David's "Fish in the Dark." She served as a co-host on ABC's "The View," contributing her perspective to daytime television. Her memoir, "Handbook for an Unpredictable Life: How I Survived Sister Renata and My Crazy Mother, and Still Came Out Smiling (with Great Hair)," details her experiences growing up in foster care and group homes and her path to a career in entertainment.

Perez is also recognized for her work as an activist. She was appointed to the Presidential Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS, where she contributed to the development of the national AIDS strategy. Perez serves as the Artistic Board Chair for Urban Arts Partnership, a nonprofit organization focused on arts education for underserved New York City students, and she produced and co-directed the documentary "Yo Soy Boricua, Pa'que Tu Lo Sepas!" highlighting Puerto Rican heritage and identity. Her contributions to the arts and advocacy have been recognized with the Hispanic Heritage Award for Leadership.