Anika Noni Rose facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Anika Noni Rose
Rose at GalaxyCon Raleigh in 2024
Born	(1972-09-06) September 6, 1972 (age 52) Bloomfield, Connecticut, U.S.
Education	Florida A&M University (BA) American Conservatory Theater (MFA)
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1998–present
Spouse(s)	Jason Dirden ​ (m. 2022)​

Anika Noni Rose (born September 6, 1972) is an American actress. She is famous for being the voice of Tiana. Tiana was Disney's first African-American princess, in the movie The Princess and the Frog (2009). Anika Noni Rose was honored as a Disney Legend in 2011.

She also played Lorrell Robinson in the movie Dreamgirls (2006). Her singing in the film earned her a nomination for a Grammy Award. Anika Noni Rose is also known for her work in theatre. She won a Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical for her role as Emmie Thibodeaux in Caroline, or Change (2004). She was also nominated for a Tony Award for her role in A Raisin in the Sun (2014).

Early Life and Education

Anika Noni Rose was born in Bloomfield, Connecticut. Her parents are Claudia and John Rose. She went to Bloomfield High School and acted in a school play during her first year.

She earned a bachelor's degree in theatre from Florida A&M University. After that, she studied drama at the American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco, California.

Career

Starting Out

After finishing her studies, Anika Noni Rose moved to New York City. She soon got a role as Rusty in the Broadway show Footloose. She also performed in other musicals and plays.

Her big break on Broadway was playing Emmie Thibodeaux in Caroline, or Change. In 2004, she won several awards for this role, including the Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical.

Anika Noni Rose also started acting in films. She appeared in From Justin to Kelly (2003) and Temptation (2004). In 2006, she starred in Dreamgirls as Lorrell Robinson. She acted alongside famous stars like Beyoncé Knowles and Jennifer Hudson.

Becoming Princess Tiana

Anika Noni Rose at the 2009 Peabody Awards

Anika Noni Rose is most famous for voicing Tiana in Disney's 2009 animated movie The Princess and the Frog. Tiana was Disney's first African-American princess. Rose said that Tiana was also the first American princess, which made the role even more special.

She hoped that her role would help young children with brown skin see themselves in a Disney film. The movie came out in 2009, the same year Barack Obama and Michelle Obama became the President and First Lady. This was a happy coincidence that showed positive images of African-Americans.

Anika Noni Rose hosted a special showing of The Princess and the Frog for children in her hometown. Her performance as Tiana earned her several awards, including the Black Reel Award for Outstanding Voice Performance.

On August 19, 2011, Anika Noni Rose was named a Disney Legend. She said she always dreamed of being a voice in a Disney movie, but never imagined being a princess. She felt very honored by this recognition.

More Roles in the 2010s

Rose at the 2010 Academy Awards

In 2010, Rose played Yasmine in the film For Colored Girls. She also had a recurring role in the TV show The Good Wife from 2010 to 2013. In 2011, she starred in the miniseries Bag of Bones, based on a Stephen King novel.

In 2012, she lent her voice to The Simpsons episode "Gone Abie Gone". She played Rita LaFleur, Abe Simpson's second wife.

In 2014, Anika Noni Rose returned to Broadway in a new version of A Raisin in the Sun. She was nominated for another Tony Award for her role.

She played the adult Kizzy in the 2016 miniseries Roots. Critics praised her performance in the show. She also had roles in the TV series Power and The Quad. In 2019, a star was named after her through the International Star Registry.

Recent Work in the 2020s

Rose at the 2024 Ft. Lauderdale's Super Festival

During the 2020 pandemic, Anika Noni Rose started a weekly series called Bedtime Stories for the Littles. She read bedtime stories to children to help them feel calm during a difficult time. She wanted to help kids use their imaginations and love books. She even read the Princess and the Frog book in her series.

In 2020, Rose starred in the Netflix musical Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey. She played Jessica Jangle. She liked that the movie showed black and brown professionals in an old English setting. In 2021, she appeared in the Netflix series Maid and the Amazon horror series Them.

Between 2022 and 2023, she acted in the Showtime series Let the Right One In. She also returned to voice Tiana in the Disney special Once Upon a Studio and the series Lego Disney Princess: The Castle Quest.

In 2024, she returned to theatre in the play Uncle Vanya on Broadway. She also voiced characters in SuperKitties and Mufasa: The Lion King.

Tiana's Bayou Adventure

In June 2020, Disney announced they would change the ride Splash Mountain at their U.S. theme parks. The ride would now feature characters from The Princess and the Frog. This was because the original ride was based on the controversial film Song of the South.

Anika Noni Rose was excited about the new ride. She said people were ready for Tiana's story to be brought to life in a new way. Disney said the ride would take place after the movie, during Carnival season. Rose also hoped Disney would create a Tiana's Palace Restaurant at the theme parks. She dreamed of them serving real beignets and shrimp and grits.

In 2022, Rose was involved in discussions with Disney about the ride. In July 2022, Disney announced the ride would be called Tiana's Bayou Adventure. It opened at Magic Kingdom in June 2024 and at Disneyland in November 2024. In September 2022, it was confirmed that Rose would voice Tiana for the ride. A Tiana's Palace restaurant also opened at Disneyland in September 2023.

Personal Life

Anika Noni Rose married actor Jason Dirden in October 2022. Their wedding was a secret until they announced it in Brides magazine in January 2023.

Acting Roles

Films

Television Shows

Theatre

Video Games

Awards and Recognition

See also

In Spanish: Anika Noni Rose para niños