Personal details
Born:
- Birthday: 1961-12-16
- Born Place: St. Augustine, Florida, USA
LaChanze
Rhonda LaChanze Sapp, known professionally as LaChanze, is a highly acclaimed American actress, singer, dancer, and producer. Born on December 16, 1961, in St. Augustine, Florida, she has had a distinguished career spanning over three decades in the entertainment industry, particularly on Broadway.LaChanze's Broadway debut was in 1986 as a tap dancer in "Uptown... It's Hot!". She rose to prominence for originating the role of Ti Moune in the 1990 musical "Once on This Island," for which she received a Tony Award nomination and a Theatre World Award. Her most celebrated role was as Celie Harris Johnson in the 2005 Broadway production of "The Color Purple," for which she won the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical in 2006. Other notable Broadway credits include "Dreamgirls," "Ragtime," "Company," "If/Then," "Summer: The Donna Summer Musical" (earning another Tony nomination), and "Trouble in Mind" (also earning a Tony nomination).Beyond her acting, LaChanze has also become a prominent producer on Broadway, supporting acclaimed productions such as the 20th-anniversary revival of "Topdog/Underdog," "Kimberly Akimbo," "Here Lies Love," "Jaja's African Hair Braiding," and "The Outsiders." She is also the President of Black Theatre United, an organization dedicated to fostering awareness, accountability, and advocacy within the Black theater community.On screen, LaChanze's work includes appearances in television shows like "The Blacklist," "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit," "The Good Fight," "Sex and the City," and "The Underground Railroad," as well as films such as "The Help" and the upcoming "Highest 2 Lowest" (2025). She also famously voiced Terpsichore, one of the Muses, in Disney's animated film "Hercules" (1997). An Emmy Award winner for "Handel's Messiah Rocks: A Joyful Noise," LaChanze continues to be a powerful and influential figure in American theater and film.
