Antonique Smith facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Antonique Smith
Background information
Born	(1983-08-11) August 11, 1983 (age 42) East Orange, New Jersey, U.S.
Genres	R&B, pop, musicals
Occupation(s)	Singer, actress
Years active	2002–present

Antonique Smith, born on August 11, 1983, is a talented American actress and singer. She has starred in movies, TV shows, and Broadway musicals. Antonique is also known for her Grammy-nominated music.

Antonique Smith's Journey

Antonique Smith grew up in East Orange, New Jersey. She went to Eastern Christian High School in North Haledon, New Jersey.

Early Acting and Broadway Roles

Antonique began her acting career on Broadway. She played the main character, Mimi, in the famous musical Rent. She was even featured on posters for the show across the country. After her time on Broadway, Antonique decided to focus on recording her own music and acting in films.

Her first TV appearance was in the show 100 Centre Street. She later played the singer Faith Evans in the movie Notorious. Critics praised her performance, calling her "one to watch."

Movies and TV Shows

Antonique has appeared in many different films. She played a CIA agent named Sandra Burns in the action movie Abduction. She also acted in Yelling to the Sky and the musical film Across the Universe.

On television, she has been a guest star on popular shows like Law & Order and Bored to Death. She also starred in the TV One romantic comedy Stock Option. Later, she appeared in the Netflix movie Deuces. Antonique had a recurring role in the FOX drama series Shots Fired. She also joined the cast of the hit Netflix series Marvel's Luke Cage in its second season. In 2021, she played Aretha Franklin’s mother, Barbara Franklin, in the third season of the NatGeo series Genius: Aretha.

Antonique's Environmental Work

Beyond acting and singing, Antonique Smith cares deeply about the environment. She focuses on climate change and environmental justice. She was part of the first album ever made about climate change, called H.O.M.E. (Heal Our Mother Earth). Antonique has also performed at many events to raise awareness about climate issues. She even sang at the Pope's climate rally in Washington, D.C. Many people, including environmentalist Bill McKibben, call her the voice of the climate movement.

Antonique Smith's Music Career

Antonique's music career has also been very successful. The famous rapper Nas mentioned her in his song "Nasty." She also appeared in the music video for Rick Ross's song "Amsterdam."

Grammy-Nominated Music

In 2014, Antonique released her first single, "Hold Up Wait a Minute (Woo Woo)." The music video was directed by actor Larenz Tate. This song was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Traditional R&B Performance at the 57th Annual Grammy Awards.

In 2015, she released her EP (extended play) called Love Is Everything. Her fans helped fund this project through Kickstarter, raising over $50,000 in just 30 days. Antonique co-wrote her Grammy-nominated song. She also co-wrote the theme song for the TV show Shots Fired and sang on other songs for the show.

Antonique Smith's Performances

Film Appearances

Television Appearances

Music Videos

Broadway Performances