Sharon Leal

Sharon Leal

Leal in May 2011
Born October 17, 1979 (1979-10-17) (age 32)
Tucson, Arizona, United States
Occupation Actress
Years active 1996–present
Website
sharonleal.me

Sharon Leal (born October 17, 1979)[1] is an American actress and singer. She is best known for her roles in movies such as Dreamgirls, Why Did I Get Married?, Why Did I Get Married Too? and her roles on the television shows Legacy, The Guiding Light, Boston Public, and Hellcats.

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Personal life

Leal was born in Tucson, Arizona to a Filipino mother and an African American father.[2] Her adoptive father, Jesse Leal, was a Master Sergeant in the United States Air Force and a police officer at Clark Air Base, Philippines; he married Leal's mother in 1972 and legally adopted Leal.[3] Leal's mother, a housewife, later re-married to Elmer Manankil, the father of Leal's younger sister, Kristina.

With Bev Land, her ex-husband, Leal has a son, Kai Miles (born 2001). Leal is currently divorced with Land, which she discussed briefly in an interview with Essence.

Former Guiding Light co-star Yvonna Wright has said that she and Leal are close friends; the two starred together in a community production of Dreamgirls in their hometown.[4]

Career

Leal's career began with the role of Dahlia Crede in the CBS daytime serial Guiding Light from 1996 to 1999. In 1998, she joined the Broadway company of Rent. Soon after, she was cast as Mimi for the San Francisco leg of the first national tour of Rent, staying with the company until it closed in September 1999. Leal also appeared on the 1999 original cast recording of the Off-Broadway musical Bright Lights, Big City alongside Patrick Wilson and Jesse L. Martin. She also appeared on the 2001 cast recording of Making Tracks.

From 2000 to 2004, Leal starred in the Fox prime time TV series Boston Public. Leal also had a role in the theatrical release Face the Music. She also appeared in a recurring role in the short-lived NBC series LAX, as the wife of airport co-director, Roger de Souza.

She also co-starred in the film adaptation of the Broadway musical Dreamgirls as Michelle Morris, Effie White's replacement in the pop group The Dreams, with Beyoncé Knowles, Jennifer Hudson, Eddie Murphy and Jamie Foxx. In 2007 Leal also starred in This Christmas and in the Tyler Perry production Why Did I Get Married?. She played the characer Vanessa Lodge in the series Hellcats, until it was cancelled in 2011.

Filmography

Films

Year Film Role Notes
2000 Face the Music Tracie
2006 Dreamgirls Michelle Morris Nominated—Asian Excellence Award for Outstanding Film Supporting Actress
Nominated—Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best Acting Ensemble
Nominated—Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
2007 Motives 2 Nina
Why Did I Get Married? Dianne
This Christmas Kelli Whitfield Nominated—Asian Excellence Award for Outstanding Film Actress
2008 Soul Men Cleo
Linewatch Angela Dixon
2009 Limelight Nina
2010 Why Did I Get Married Too? Dianne Brock
2011 Little Murder Jennifer

Television

Year TV Series Role Notes
1998–1999 Legacy Marita Regular Role: 18 Episodes
1996–1999 Guiding Light Dahlia Crede Regular Role: 218 Episodes
2000–2004 Boston Public Marylin Sudor Regular Supporting Role: 67 Episodes
2005 Las Vegas Nina Episode: "Sperm Whales and Spearmint Rhinos"
2004–2005 LAX Monique DeSouza Recurring Role: 3 episodes
2007 CSI: Miami Lauren Sloan Episode: "Internal Affairs"
2009 Private Practice Dr. Sonya Nichols Recurring Role: 5 episodes
2010-2011 Hellcats Vanessa Lodge Regular Role: 21 episodes
2010 Suits Lisa Parker Episode: "Dirty Little Secrets"

References

External links