Biography
LaChanze is an American actress, singer, dancer and producer. Born Rhonda LaChanze Sapp on 16 December 1961 in St. Augustine, Florida, she began her career in theatre and gained recognition for originating the role of Ti Moune in the Broadway musical Once on This Island (1990).
She won the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical in 2006 for playing Celie Harris Johnson in The Color Purple. Her screen credits include Rachel in The Help (2011), the voice of Terpsichore in Disney's Hercules (1997), and recurring roles in series such as Law & Order: Special Victims Unit and The Blacklist. She has also worked as a producer on Broadway shows including Kimberly Akimbo and Topdog/Underdog.
In 2026 she appeared as Hattie Dahmer in the film By Any Means.
