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That’s So Chantel
Background:
Having been trained in music and theater since the age of two, Drew Sidora is
best remembered while playing Chantel (2004-2005) in the Disney Channel original
kids' sitcom "That's So Raven." In feature films, she had roles in 2004 films
White Chicks and Never Die Alone. She recently played the supporting role of
Lucy Avila in the dance/romance film, Step Up (2006, alongside Channing Tatum
and Jenna Dewan), in which she also sang "For the Love" (feat. Mario). Her
upcoming films are Wild Hogs, a bike comedy movie starring John Travolta, Tim
Allen, Martin Lawrence and William H. Macy, and Motives 2, a thriller film
starring Brian J. White and Vivica A. Fox.
Chicago Girl
Childhood and Family:
On May 1, 1985, Drew Sidora was born in Chicago, Illinois. She graduated from
high school early, and at the age 17, she relocated to California. There, she
enrolled in Santa Monica College, taking Entertainment Law as the major and
Music History as the minor.
Step Up
Career:
Since the age of two, Drew Sidora has been trained in music and theater at the
Suzuki Method of classical piano and at the Organic Theater in Chicago. She then
learned jazz, ballet and modern dance with Tony Dyer of Dyer Studios at age four
and has done several voice-overs, television commercials and prints advertising
by the age of seven.
The youngest member of the World Renowned "Hook Player's Theater Ensemble" In
Hollywood California, nine-year-old Sidora landed her first TV job with a
regular role on Fox 1995 pilot drama "Divas," alongside, Khalil Kain, Nicole
Parsons and Nicole Ari Parker. She followed it up three years later with a
recurring role as Sasha in the comedy talk-show "The Howie Mandel Show" (1998).
By this time, Sidora also tried her hand in singing and was the lead vocal in
the R& B group Mo'Tempo. She was later signed to Kenny "Edmonds" Babyface
Entertainment and began writing music with Edmonds Publishing Company. She has
collaborated with such artists as Kurupt, Truth Hurts, Chico & Cool Wadda,
Roscoe, White Boy, Houston, B2K, Dave Hollister, Kymani Marley and many more.
She also has co-written numerous songs with Frannci from Dr. Dre’s camp, the
Banana Toons. She has also recorded a public service announcement for Deejay
Ra's 'Hip-Hop Literacy' campaign, encouraging reading of DMX's autobiography.
Meanwhile, Sidora continued her acting career and was spotted as a guest in an
episode of the WB sitcom "What I Like About You" in 2003 and CBS FBI drama
"Without a Trace" in 2004. Moviegoers could also catch her in Ernest R.
Dickerson's adaptation of the novel by Donald Goines, the crime thriller/drama
Never Die Alone (starring DMX) and in Keenen Ivory Wayans' disappointing comedy
film, White Chicks (starring Shawn and Marlon Wayans).
From 2004 to 2005, Sidora played Chantel in the Disney Channel original kids'
sitcom "That's So Raven." Afterward, she appeared as a guest in a February 2006
episode of UPN (now CW) popular sitcom “Girlfriends.” She also returned to the
big screen supporting Channing Tatum and Jenna Dewan in Anne Fletcher's
dance/romance film, Step Up (2006), playing Dewan's best friend and Mario's love
interest. In the film, she also showed her singing talent by performing song
"For the Love" (feat. Mario). The song was included in the film’s soundtrack,
which was released in August 2006.
Sidora will soon complete her upcoming film with director Walt Becker, a bike
comedy movie called Wild Hogs, alongside John Travolta, Tim Allen, Martin
Lawrence and William H. Macy. She is also attached to appear in Aaron
Courseault's thriller film, Motives 2, reportedly starring Brian J. White and
Vivica A. Fox.
Awards:
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