Dreamgirls

Background:

Actress and singer Sharon Leal, who is of African American and Filipino descent, is perhaps most popular for her portrayals of devoted young teacher Marilyn Sudor on David E. Kelley's groundbreaking television drama “Boston Public” (2000-2004) and Michelle Morris on the critically acclaimed movie “Dreamgirls” (2006), adapted from the 1981 Broadway musical of the same name. She picked up a Screen Actors Guild nomination for “Dreamgirls.” Prior to “Boston Public,” Leal played Dahlia Crede on the CBS soap “Guiding Light” (1996-1999), Marita on the short-lived UPN show “Legacy” (1998-1999) and starred in the Broadway hits “Rent” and “Miss Saigon” (both 1998). She continued to have recurring roles on “LAX” (2004-2005) and “Private Practice” (2009) and guest starred in the TV series “Las Vegas” (2005) and “CSI: Miami” (2007). Leal's other film credits include “Face the Music” (2000), “Why Did I Get Married” (2007), “This Christmas” (2007), “Linewatch” (2008) and “Soul Men” (2008).

Leal will portray Nina in the upcoming television film “Limelight” (2009).

Leal was once romantically linked to “Guiding Light” costar Kevin Mambo and “Legacy” costar Grayson McCouch. She is the mother of one child, Kai Miles Land, who was fathered by her former husband, Bev Land.

Seth Riggs' Pupil

Childhood and Family:

Sharon Leal was born on October 17, 1972, in Tucson, Arizona. She was adopted as a baby by Jesse Leal, a former Master Sergeant in the United States Air Force and police officer at the Clark Air Base in the Philippines, and Angelita, a homemaker. After seven years, the marriage ended in divorce and her mom later married Elmer Manankil. Her younger sister, Kristina Manankil, was born in 1983.

Raised in Fresno, California, Sharon attended Roosevelt High School of the Arts in Fresno, CA. After graduating in 1990, she went to Diablo Valley Junior College in Pleasant Hill, CA, and studied acting while also privately taking voice lessons. Sharon once won a voice scholarship at the Santa Cruz Jazz Festival, where she had the chance to study under voice coach Seth Riggs.

In 2001, Sharon married Bev Land. They have one child, Kai Miles Land. Sharon and her husband are in the process of divorcing.

Sharon is close friends with ex-“Guiding Light” costar Yvonna Wright. In her leisure time, she loves ice skating, dancing at clubs, rollerblading and reading.

Boston Public

Career:

Sharon Leal knew from a young age that she had a knack for singing. She later received a vocal scholarship and her involvement with acting began at age 13 when she performed with a community heater. She later acted in regional theater productions of “Little Shop of Horrors,” “Into the Woods,” “West Side Story,” “Me and My Girl,” and “Ain't Misbehavin.”

Leal headed to New York City to gain further opportunities. Her first break arrived when she landed the role of Dahlia Crede on the CBS daytime soap “Guiding Light,” a role she played from 1996 to 1999. In 1998, she joined the musical “Miss Saigon” and a Broadway production of “Rent.” Starring in the lead role of Mimi in the latter, she reprised the acclaimed role for a San Francisco production of “Rent” in 1999. Leal followed it up with a leading role in the original off-Broadway musical “Bright Lights, Big City,” opposite Jesse L. Martin and Patrick Wilson, at the New York Theatre Workshop. She also contributed to the show's soundtrack.

The beautiful actress returned to the small screen when she was cast as Marita in the series “Legacy,” which ran on UPN from October 1998 to July 1999. In the series, she costarred with Brett Cullen, Jeremy Garrett, Grayson McCouch, Lea Moreno and Steven Williams. Moving to Los Angeles, she enjoyed a major breakthrough when she won the regular role of Marilyn Sudor on the Fox prime time TV series “Boston Public,” which was created by David E. Kelley. She stayed with the Emmy Award winning show from its debut in October 2000 to its cancellation in January 2004.

Leal made her feature acting debut in “Face the Music” (2000), a comedy directed by Jeff Howard and written by Beth Hollander Harris. Costars in the Cannes-screened film included Tyler Christopher, Elena Lyons, Patrick Malone and Bev Land. After the departure of “Boston Public,” she resurfaced in “What Are the Odds,” a 2004 short film produced, directed and written by “Face the Music” costar Bev Land. In between her busy acting schedule, Leal recorded an R&B album with Universal Records in 2002.

Leal next portrayed Monique on three episodes of the brief-lived NBC series “LAX” (2004-2005) and appeared as Nina in a 2005 episode of “Las Vegas” called “Sperm Whales and Spearmint Rhinos.” However, it was her next assignment that put the talented actress back in the limelight. Leal was cast as Michelle Morris, the substitute of Effie White in the pop group The Dreams, on the wide screen adaptation of the Broadway musical “Dreamgirls.” Released on December 25, 2006, the film, which was directed by Bill Condon and starred Jamie Foxx, Beyoncé Knowles, Eddie Murphy and Jennifer Hudson, was a commercial hit. It collected two Academy Awards, three Golden Globes and many other honors. Leal jointly received a 2007 Screen Actors Guild nomination in the category of Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture.

Leal's film career took off after “Dreamgirls.” Subsequently, she supported Brian J. White, Vivica A. Fox and Sean Blakemore in the thriller “Motives 2” (2007), costarred as Diane in Tyler Perry's “Why Did I Get Married?” (2007) and was cast as a member of the Whitfield family on the Christmas drama “This Christmas” (2007), from which she took home an Asian Excellence Award for Outstanding Film Actress. The next year, she worked with Cuba Gooding Jr. and Omari Hardwick in the Kevin Bray-directed thriller “Linewatch” and offered a solid turn as Cleo Whitfield, a beautiful singer who is believed to be the daughter of Floyd (played by Bernie Mac), on the comedy “Soul Men,” for director Malcolm D. Lee. “Soul Men” also starred Samuel L. Jackson, Isaac Hayes, John Legend and Mike Epps.

Recently, Leal portrayed the recurring role of Sonya in the medical drama series “Private Practice” (2009), the spin-off of “Grey's Anatomy.” It was her first TV series performance after she played Lauren Sloan in a 2007 episode of “CSI: Miami.” She has also completed filming the made-for-TV film “Limelight” (2009), loosely based on the life of Pharrell Williams, an American recording artist, producer, musician and fashion designer.

Awards:

• Asian Excellence: Outstanding Film Actress, “This Christmas,” 2008