Rosario Dawson
Biography
This stunning and resourceful actress has been primarily a film player thus far. Only recently has she been opening herself up more to doing television (the series Gemini Division (2008), which she executive-produced), and animated voice-overs. Dawson's powerhouse talent stands out the most in edgy, urban filming that dates back to 1995 when she was only sixteen.
A rags-to-riches article entitled "Rosario Dawson: From Tenement to Tinseltown" probably says it all. Rosario was born on May 9, 1979 in New York City. Her mother, Isabel Celeste, of Puerto Rican and Afro-Cuban descent, is a singer, and her stepfather, who raised her, Greg Dawson, of Irish descent, is a construction laborer. Her parents, who married when both were teenagers, eventually divorced. Rosario and her younger brother, Clay Dawson, had it hard while growing up, and were cared for by family members, most of whom were poverty-stricken, and some of whom were HIV-positive.
Her career actually started as a child when she made a minor showing on the children's show, Sesame Street (1969). As the story goes, she was "discovered" as an adolescent on her front porch step by two photographers. One of them, Harmony Korine, was an aspiring screenwriter who thought the inexperienced sixteen-year-old was ideal for the controversial cult film Kids (1995), in which she would portray a sexually active adolescent. It took time for Rosario's film career to kick in after that, but by the late 1990s, she had nabbed several independent films. Since then, she has moved into main-stream hits (and misses) and has surprised viewers with her earthy, provocative, uninhibited approach to her roles.
Reflecting New York's tougher, tawdrier side as assorted streetwalkers, homeless mothers, drug addicts, etc., her film highlights have included Light It Up (1999), Edward Burns' Sidewalks of New York (2001), Spike Lee's 25th Hour (2002) and Shattered Glass (2003). For Oliver Stone, she portrayed the duped bride of Colin Farrell's famed B.C. Macedonian warrior, Alexander (2004) (as in "...the Great"), which featured a notoriously violent-tinged nude/sex scene.
Family
No info available
Trivia
Her uncle is a teacher known as Uncle Frank or Mr. Jump
Rosario was raised in Manhattan. Rosario's mother, Isabel Celeste, is a writer and professional vocalist, who has Puerto Rican and Afro-Cuban ancestry. Rosario's biological father's name is Patrick C. Harris. Rosario's mother married Greg Dawson, a caucasian construction worker who raised Rosario and gave her his surname.
Discovered sitting on her front porch in New York City and asked if she wanted to be in a movie. That movie was Kids (1995).
Attended an alternative school in downtown Manhattan, where she harbored aspirations of one day becoming a marine biologist.
Has a younger brother: Clay Dawson.
Lives with Jason Lewis in Los Angeles, California. [November 2005]
Has her own production company called Trybe.
Her character from Rent (2005), Mimi, is modeled after the character Mimi in Giacomo Puccini's "La Boheme".
Her uncle is comic book artist Gustavo Vazquez.
Co-created the comic book "Occult Crimes Taskforce" (2006).
(November 9, 2006) Broke up with Jason Lewis.
Originally had a small role as a nurse in the horror film The Devil's Rejects (2005). Her character was cut out of the theatrical release after director Rob Zombie decided to remove the character Dr. Satan. Her character was to be killed off within forty seconds of her entrance.
Is an alumna of the Lee Strasberg Institute, along with such actors as Frank Miranda, Mickey Rourke, Scarlett Johansson, Dennis Hopper and Julia Roberts.
Is a huge fan of the Star Trek franchise, and even speaks broken Klingon language.
Her birthdate holds the record for the hottest May 9th ever in New York City at an approximate 97 degrees.
Attended and graduated from Garland High School in Garland, Texas.
She was homeless and lived in abandoned apartments virtually all of her adolescence.
Is a huge fan of the webcomic "Homestuck".
Never knew her biological father. Her adoptive father Greg Dawson met Rosario's mother when she was eight months pregnant with her.
Her mother was sixteen when she gave birth to her.
Although she is relatively tall at 5"7", she is quite short compared to the rest of her family. Her mother is six feet tall, her father is six-feet three inches tall and her brother is nearly a foot taller than her at six-feet five inches.
Personal Quotes
As an actor, there are times when you're sitting around and wishing you were working, so you've got to just take it when it comes.
[on what she would change about her body] I'd be taller. I'm 5' 7", but my mom is 6 feet tall. In my family, I'm short.
If you wanted something better, you had to do it yourself.
There's always something to learn. That's my ultimate goal. To grow and learn.
