---
name: "LaChanze"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/lachanze"
roles: ["Actor"]
born: "16 December 1961"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 3
average_fi1m_score: 63
updated: "2026-09-16T22:36:38.825392+00:00"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# LaChanze

Actor. Born 16 December 1961 in St. Augustine, Florida, USA.

## Details

- **Work:** Actor
- **Born:** 16 December 1961, St. Augustine, Florida, USA
- **Active:** 2011–present

## 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*.

*Sources: imdb.com, en.wikipedia.org, mslachanze.com.*

## On Fi1m (3)

- *By Any Means* (2026), Fi1m 52, as Hattie Dahmer — [page](https://film.one/film/by-any-means.md)
- *Side Effects* (2013), Fi1m 70, as Wards Island Desk Nurse — [page](https://film.one/film/side-effects.md)
- *The Help* (2011), Fi1m 66, as Rachel — [page](https://film.one/film/the-help.md)

## Also known for

- *Hercules* (1997), Terpsichore the Muse of Dance (voice)
- *Law & Order: Special Victims Unit* (1999), Ms. Pivik, Rosa Freeman, Amber
- *The Blacklist* (2013), Anne
- *Sex and the City* (1998), Hostess
- *The Night Of* (2016), Dwight's Mom
- *Highest 2 Lowest* (2025), Sgt. Bell
- *The Cosby Show* (1984), Sylvia
- *For Love or Money* (1993), Nora

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/lachanze