LaChanze

Biography

LaChanze is an American actress, singer, dancer, and theater producer who began her professional career on Broadway in 1986 in the musical Uptown... It's Hot!, after a first summer job as a tap dancer in Atlantic City. She played Ti Moune in Once on This Island in 1990, earning Tony and Drama Desk nominations, and later took over the role of Sarah in Ragtime. Her performance as Dessa Rose brought an Obie Award, and in 2005 she originated Celie Harris Johnson in The Color Purple, winning the Tony for Best Actress in a Musical in 2006. She earned a further Tony nomination for Summer: The Donna Summer Musical and another for Trouble in Mind. From 2022 she has produced Broadway shows, taking Tony Awards for Kimberly Akimbo, Topdog/Underdog, The Outsiders, and Purpose. She also published a picture book, Little Diva, in 2010.

64years old

Turns 65 on December 16in 64 days

Born December 16, 1961St. Augustine
Star sign: SagittariusThe sign runs November 22 to December 21
Rhonda LaChanze Sapp (birth name)Also credited as R. Lachanze Sapp and Rhonda Sapp

Movie Career

Films: 7
Career span: 34 years1992 to 2026

Genres

Drama71%, 5 films
Comedy57%, 4 films
Crime29%, 2 films
Romance29%, 2 films
Fantasy14%, 1 film

First and latest

LaChanze movies on Netflix

By Any Means2026IMDb rating 6.8as Hattie Dahmer
Highest 2 Lowest2025IMDb rating 5.5as Sgt. Bell
Birth/Rebirth2023IMDb rating 6.2as Colleen
Genie2023IMDb rating 5.9as Grandma Patty
For Love or Money1993IMDb rating 6.2as Nora
Leap of Faith1992IMDb rating 6.2as Georgette
My New Gun1992IMDb rating 5.3as Kelly Jane

Best known for

The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.

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Highest 2 Lowest2025 Crime, Drama, Thrilleras Sgt. Bell
IMDb rating 5.536K votes
For Love or Money1993 Comedy, Drama, Romanceas Nora
IMDb rating 6.217K votes
Birth/Rebirth2023as Colleen
IMDb rating 6.210K votes
Genie2023as Grandma Patty
IMDb rating 5.913K votes
Leap of Faith1992as Georgette
IMDb rating 6.216K votes
By Any Means2026as Hattie Dahmer
IMDb rating 6.83.0K votes
My New Gun1992as Kelly Jane
IMDb rating 5.3874 votes

Worked with

LaChanze shares two films with Philip Seymour Hoffman, and one with each of the others. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.

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Philip Seymour Hoffman

Liam Neeson

Udo Kier

Luis Guzmán

David Strathairn

Giancarlo Esposito

Spike LeeDirector, 1 film

Barry SonnenfeldDirector, 1 film Richard PearceDirector, 1 film

Films together

Philip Seymour Hoffman2 films together, 1992
Philip Seymour Hoffman's page
- Leap of Faith1992IMDb rating 6.2LaChanze as GeorgetteHoffman as Matt
- My New Gun1992IMDb rating 5.3LaChanze as Kelly JaneHoffman as Chris
Liam Neeson1 film together, 1992
Liam Neeson's page
- Leap of Faith1992IMDb rating 6.2LaChanze as GeorgetteNeeson as Will
Udo Kier1 film together, 1993
Udo Kier's page
- For Love or Money1993IMDb rating 6.2LaChanze as NoraKier as Mr. Himmelman
Luis Guzmán1 film together, 2023
Luis Guzmán's page
- Genie2023IMDb rating 5.9LaChanze as Grandma PattyGuzmán as Detective Perez
David Strathairn1 film together, 2026
David Strathairn's page
- By Any Means2026IMDb rating 6.8LaChanze as Hattie DahmerStrathairn as Special Agent Roy K. Moore
Giancarlo Esposito1 film together, 2026
Giancarlo Esposito's page
- By Any Means2026IMDb rating 6.8LaChanze as Hattie DahmerEsposito as Vernon Dahmer
Spike LeeDirector, 1 film, 2025
All films by Spike Lee
- Highest 2 Lowest2025IMDb rating 5.5LaChanze as Sgt. Bell
Barry SonnenfeldDirector, 1 film, 1993
All films by Barry Sonnenfeld
- For Love or Money1993IMDb rating 6.2LaChanze as Nora
Richard PearceDirector, 1 film, 1992
All films by Richard Pearce
- Leap of Faith1992IMDb rating 6.2LaChanze as Georgette

Awards

Five awards and honors from 1991 to 2023, three of them major.

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LaChanze's awards and nominations, grouped by award
Year	Award	Result
Tony Awards
2023	Best Musical	Won
2023	Best Revival of a Play	Won
2006	Best Actress in a Musical	Won
Other honors
2005	Obie Award for Distinguished Performance by an Actress	Won
1991	Theatre World Award	Won

Online

Official profiles and reference pages.

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