Danielle Brisebois facts for kids

Danielle Brisebois (born June 28, 1969) is an American singer, songwriter, and former child actress. She is famous for playing Stephanie Mills in the TV shows All in the Family and Archie Bunker's Place. She was even nominated for a Golden Globe Award for her role in Archie Bunker's Place. Danielle also played Molly in the original Broadway musical Annie.

After her acting career in the late 1980s, Danielle started focusing on music. She was a key member of the band New Radicals with her songwriting partner Gregg Alexander. She played keyboards, percussion, and sang backing vocals for the group. Danielle has also released two solo albums, Arrive All Over You and Portable Life. She has written or co-written many popular songs, including "Unwritten" and "Pocketful of Sunshine" for Natasha Bedingfield.

In 2015, Danielle and Gregg Alexander were nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Song for "Lost Stars" from the movie Begin Again.

Early Life and Acting Career

Danielle Brisebois was born in Brooklyn, New York. Her father, Frank Brisebois, was a computer instructor. Danielle started acting when she was just seven years old, appearing in her first movie, The Premonition, in 1976.

In 1977, she joined the original Broadway cast of Annie. She played Molly, the youngest of the orphans. Later, a part of Danielle's performance from Annie was used in Jay-Z's song "Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem)". In the late 1970s, she joined the cast of the popular TV show All in the Family. She then continued her role in its spin-off, Archie Bunker's Place, from 1979 to 1983.

Danielle won two Youth in Film Awards for her acting. In 1981, she won for her role in the TV movie Mom, the Wolfman and Me. In 1982, she won for her work on Archie Bunker's Place. She was also nominated for a Golden Globe Award in 1982 for Archie Bunker's Place.

During the early 1980s, Danielle appeared in several TV specials like Battle of the Network Stars and Circus of the Stars. She also played the daughter of a main character on the show Knots Landing. In the late 1980s, she made guest appearances on various TV series, including Murder, She Wrote and Days of Our Lives. In 2005, she was ranked among the top 100 greatest kid stars by VH1.

Music Career

Danielle Brisebois started her music career in the early 1990s. She provided backing vocals for rock singer Gregg Alexander's 1992 album, Intoxifornication. This was the start of a long partnership with Alexander. He helped write and produce her first solo album, Arrive All Over You, in 1994. Even though it wasn't a big hit in the U.S., the album became somewhat popular in Europe. Critics liked Arrive All Over You, and it still has many fans today.

In 1998, Danielle became a member of Alexander's band, New Radicals. The band became very successful with their hit song "You Get What You Give" and their album Maybe You've Been Brainwashed Too. Danielle's unique female vocals were a key part of the band's sound on songs like "Mother We Just Can't Get Enough". Alexander ended the band in 1999.

After New Radicals, Alexander produced and co-wrote Danielle's second solo album, Portable Life. This album was supposed to be released in 1999, but it was delayed for unknown reasons. It was finally released as a digital download in 2008. A collection of songs from her Arrive All Over You period, called Just Missed the Train, was released in 2006.

Danielle has written and produced many songs for other artists. These include Kelly Clarkson, Kylie Minogue, and Paula Abdul. She co-wrote Natasha Bedingfield's popular songs "Unwritten" and "Pocketful of Sunshine". She also co-wrote "Stamp Your Feet" for Donna Summer. In 2008, she reunited with Gregg Alexander and others to sing lead vocals on "Obama Rock," a song supporting Barack Obama's election. In 2009, Danielle won several awards for "Pocketful of Sunshine," including Song of the Year.

In 2012, Danielle co-wrote the Halestorm song "Here's to Us". This song was featured in an episode of the TV show Glee. She also co-wrote songs for the movie Begin Again (2013), including "Lost Stars". This song was nominated for Best Original Song at the 2015 Academy Awards.

Personal Life

On August 2, 2008, Danielle Brisebois married Nick Lashley, who is a producer, composer, and guitarist. They have twin daughters named Charlotte and Lola, who were born in December 2013. Danielle prefers to live a private life with her family and stays away from the media spotlight.

Film and Television Roles

Music Albums and Singles

Albums

• Arrive All over You (1994)
• Portable Life (1999, released in 2008)

Compilations

• Just Missed the Train (2006)

Singles

• "What If God Fell from the Sky" (1994)
• "Gimme Little Sign" (1995)
• "I Don't Wanna Talk About Love" (1995)
• "I've Had It" (1999, promotional single only)

Other Music

• Annie (1977 Original Broadway Cast Recording) as Molly

Songs Written by Danielle

Awards and Nominations

Awards Won

• 1981 Young Artist Award – Best Young Actress in a TV Special; for Mom, the Wolfman and Me
• 1982 Young Artist Award – Best Young Actress in a Television Series; for Archie Bunker's Place
• 2009 BMI – The Robert S. Musel Award; for "Pocketful of Sunshine"
• 2009 BMI – College Song; for "Pocketful of Sunshine"
• 2009 BMI – Pop Award; for "Pocketful of Sunshine"
• 2009 BMI – Cable Award; The Hills

Nominations

• 1980 Young Artist Award – Best Juvenile Actress in a TV Series or Special; for All in the Family
• 1981 Young Artist Award – Best Young Actress in a Television Series; for Archie Bunker's Place
• 1982 Golden Globe Award – Best Supporting Actress in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for TV; for Archie Bunker's Place
• 1983 Young Artist Award – Best Young Actress in a Television Series; for Archie Bunker's Place
• 1984 Young Artist Award – Best Young Actress in a Television Series; for Archie Bunker's Place
• 2015 Academy Award – Best Original Song; for "Lost Stars" from Begin Again.

See also

In Spanish: Danielle Brisebois para niños