Who is Monique Coleman?

You may have seen her recently on ABC's hit series, Dancing With The Stars, and not recognized her. You may have been trying to put the face with a film you've seen her in.

Well, if you don't have children who are hooked on the Disney Channel like I do, then you may not know that actress Monique Coleman is one of the best young actresses currently working in the film and television industry.

Here is everything you've ever wanted to know about up-and-coming actress, Monique Coleman.

Born in Orangeburg, South Carolina on November 13, 1980, Monique Adrienne Coleman is best known for being one of the co-stars of the Disney Channel Original Movie, High School Musical, in which she plays Gabriella Montez's (Vanessa Anne Hudgens) best friend Taylor McKessie. Coleman also competed in the third edition of ABC's Dancing With The Stars (US TV series), finishing in fourth place.

Coleman is part Indian and part Creole and is fondly called Mo or Momo by her close friends and relatives. Coleman started her acting career in theatre and television at a very young age in Columbia, South Carolina.
According to the Monique Coleman Official Site, her training began at the Workshop Theatre School of Dramatic Arts where she performed in over 15 plays. An acting class taught by a guest teacher actually turned out to be an audition, and resulted in her booking her first commercial.

Coleman then began auditioning for anything she could in the Southeast region, landing several local and regional commercials as well as a few supporting roles in films. In addition to acting, Coleman was very involved in her community and school where she did everything from performing in plays to competing in forensic tournaments, volunteering with abused children, running track, and even cheerleading.

After graduating from Heathwood Hall Episcopal School she attended The Theatre School at DePaul University in Chicago, earning her BFA in Acting in 2002. Coleman made her first lead in the independent feature entitled, Mother of the River which was shot in the historic Charleston, South Carolina.

The film won numerous awards at film festivals in Chicago. Two years later, Monique appeared as Young Donna in The Family Channel Movie The Ditchdigger's Daughters for which she was nominated for a Young Artists Award of Hollywood.

On stage in Chicago, Coleman starred in productions of Noises Off, Polaroid Stories, The Real Thing and The Colored Museum.

In 2005, Coleman had the honor of working opposite one of her heroes - the legendary James Earl Jones - when she played Leesha in the 2005 Hallmark TV Movie "The Reading Room". She received a 2006 Camie Award for the role and represented the film at the NAACP Image Awards.

Aside from co-starring in High School Musical, Coleman has also been a recurring guest star in The Suite Life of Zack and Cody episodes, "Forever Plaid," "Not So Suite 16," and "Neither a Borrower Nor a Speller Bee" along with Vanessa Anne Hudgens.

Prior to that she guest-starred in The Suite Life season one episode A Prom Story. Coleman has had seven other guest appearances on the television shows Boston Public, Gilmore Girls, Malcolm in the Middle, Strong Medicine, 10-8, Married to the Kellys, and Veronica Mars.

Monique also participated in the first ever Disney Channel Games, on the Blue Team, along with Brenda Song, Corbin Bleu, Vanessa Anne Hudgens, Cole Sprouse, and Jason Earles.

Since the debut of Disney Channel's Original Movie High School Musical in January 2006, Coleman has appeared on such shows as The Today Show, Good Morning America, CNN Showbiz Tonight and TRL. She is one of Teen People's 25 hottest stars under 25, and has been featured in Bop, Popstar, Tigerbeat, Cosmo Girl, Word Up, Teen Vogue, The New York Times, Newsweek, and many other international publications.

She has also signed on to play Taylor McKessie again in the anticipated sequel to High School Musical which will go into production in 2007.

During the Teen Choice Awards 2006, when the cast of High School Musical accepted the award for Choice TV Show: Comedy/Musical, Coleman thanked all her fans for their support and then went on to say, "And please vote for me on Dancing With the Stars!"

Coleman competed in the Fall 2006 third edition of ABC's Dancing with the Stars reality dance competition and was paired with professional partner Louis van Amstel throughout the competition. van Amstel praised her for "taking risks" during the competition. However, she was eliminated on November 1, 2006, finishing fourth in the competition.

The thing that amazed me most about Coleman is the fact that she is 26-years-old. Watching her on so many Disney Channel shows, and playing the role of a high school aged girl in High School Musical, there is absolutely no way anyone would think Coleman is a day over 20 - tops. Youthful looks aside, Coleman, it would appear, has an even bigger future lying head of her. Here is a look at her career filmography and television appearances.

Year Title Role Notes
2007 High School Musical 2: Sing It All Or Nothing! Taylor McKessie made-for-television
2006 Dancing With the Stars Herself television
2006 High School Musical Taylor McKessie made-for-television
2006 Disney Channel Games Herself game show/television
2005- The Suite Life of Zack & Cody Mary-Margeret televison
2005 The Reading Room Leesha television
2003 - 2005 Boston Public Molly 3 episodes television
2005 Veronica Mars Gabriel Pollard 1 episode television
2004 Malcolm in the Middle Andrea 1 episode television
2004 Married to the Kellys waitress 1 episode television
2004 10-8: Officers on Duty Maya Barnes 1 episode television
2004 Gilmore Girls Andy 1 episode television
2003 Strong Medicine Tanya 1 episode television
1997 The Ditchdigger's Daughters Young Donna television
1995 Mother of the River Dofimae television
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