Rosario Dawson facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Rosario Dawson
Dawson in 2024
Born	(1979-05-09) May 9, 1979 (age 46) New York City, U.S.
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1994–present
Children	1
Awards	Full list

Rosario Isabel Dawson (born May 9, 1979) is a famous American actress. She has starred in many movies and TV shows. Her first big movie was Kids in 1995. She is known for her roles in films like Men in Black II (2002), Rent (2005), and Sin City (2005).

Rosario Dawson has also done a lot of voice acting. She has lent her voice to characters for Disney/Marvel, Warner Bros./DC Comics, and ViacomCBS's Nickelodeon. She is especially known for playing characters from comic books and Star Wars. These roles include Claire Temple in several Marvel Netflix shows. She also voiced Diana Prince / Wonder Woman in animated movies and Barbara Gordon / Batgirl in The Lego Batman Movie. In 2020, she started playing Ahsoka Tano in The Mandalorian and later in her own show, Ahsoka.

Early life and beginnings

Rosario Dawson was born in New York City on May 9, 1979. Her mother, Isabel Celeste, has a mixed background, including Puerto Rican, Taíno, Cuban, and African roots. When Rosario was very young, her mother married Greg Dawson, who was a construction worker. The family lived in a special building in New York City that was part of an affordable housing plan. Later, they moved to Garland, Texas.

As a child, Rosario had a small part on the TV show Sesame Street. When she was 15, she was discovered by a photographer and a filmmaker. They thought she would be perfect for a role in the 1995 movie Kids. This was the start of her acting career.

Acting career highlights

Rosario Dawson has played many different kinds of roles. She has been in small, independent films and also in big blockbuster movies. Some of her early well-known films include He Got Game and Men in Black II.

Dawson at the 1st Streamy Awards in March 2009

In 2001, she appeared in the movie Josie and the Pussycats as Valerie Brown, a band member. She also worked with Ethan Hawke in his first movie as a director, Chelsea Walls.

She starred with Edward Norton in the drama 25th Hour in 2002. In 2004, she played Roxana, the wife of Alexander the Great, in the film Alexander. In 2005, Rosario performed on stage for the first time in a play called Two Gentlemen of Verona.

One of her most famous roles was Mimi Marquez in the movie version of the musical Rent in 2005. She won an award for Best Supporting Actress for this role.

Dawson at the 2011 Cannes Film Festival

In 2006, she played Becky in Clerks II. She also helped create a comic book series called Occult Crimes Taskforce. In 2007, she was in the movie Death Proof, which was directed by Quentin Tarantino. She also produced and starred in Descent.

In 2008, Rosario starred with Will Smith in Seven Pounds and in Eagle Eye, which was produced by Steven Spielberg. She also voiced characters in animated series like Gemini Division and Afterworld. In 2009, she hosted Saturday Night Live. She also voiced Artemis of Bana-Mighdall in the animated film Wonder Woman.

In 2010, she was in Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief as Persephone. She also starred in Unstoppable as a railway yardmaster. In 2013, she appeared in Gimme Shelter. The next year, she returned as Gail in Sin City: A Dame to Kill For.

From 2015 to 2018, she played Claire Temple in several Netflix TV series, including Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, Iron Fist, and The Defenders.

In 2020, Rosario Dawson joined the Star Wars universe. She played the character Ahsoka Tano in the second season of The Mandalorian on Disney+. She continued this role in The Book of Boba Fett and later starred in her own series, Ahsoka, which premiered in 2023. In 2022, she returned as Becky in Clerks III.

Activism and charity work

Rosario Dawson is very active in politics and charity. She believes in speaking up for what is right.

Political involvement

Dawson at the Bernie Sanders rally in East Los Angeles in May 2016

In 2004, she participated in a protest against President George W. Bush. She also supported Barack Obama for re-election in 2012. In both 2016 and 2020, she supported Bernie Sanders in the Democratic Party presidential primaries. In 2016, she was among a group of people who protested in Washington, D.C., as part of a movement called Democracy Spring.

Supporting good causes

Dawson at the 2008 Willow Awards

Rosario is involved with many charities. She supports the Lower East Side Girls Club and groups like Global Cool (an environmental group), One Campaign, Oxfam, and Amnesty International. She also works with Voto Latino, which encourages young Hispanic and Latino Americans to vote.

In 2008, she became a spokesperson for TripAdvisor.com's charity program, More Than Footprints. This program supports groups like Conservation International and Doctors Without Borders. She also spoke out against domestic violence for the RESPECT! Campaign. In 2012, she worked with SodaStream International to raise awareness about how plastic bottles and cans affect the environment.

Personal life

Rosario Dawson is a big fan of Star Trek, also known as a Trekkie. She has talked about her love for the show in interviews.

In 2014, Rosario adopted a 12-year-old girl named Isabella. In 2023, she shared the happy news that Isabella was expecting a baby, which means Rosario will become a grandmother in 2024.

From 2019 to 2022, Rosario was in a relationship with US Senator Cory Booker.

Filmography

Movies

Television shows

Music videos

Video games

Audiobooks

Audio projects

Awards and nominations

See also

In Spanish: Rosario Dawson para niños

• List of Puerto Ricans