Rosario Dawson

Rosario Dawson

Rosario Dawson (born May 9, 1979) is an American actress best known for her roles in Sin City, Kids, and Rent.

Dawson was born in New York City to a father of Native American and Irish descent and a mother of Puerto Rican and Afro-Cuban ancestry (they are now divorced). Her film career began unexpectedly when filmmaker Larry Clark saw her on a Manhattan street and asked her to be in a movie he was making. The movie, Kids, became a critical success and Dawson's performance was commended.

As a result, Dawson decided to pursue an acting career and attended the Lee Strasberg Theatre Institute. Dawson has worked steadily since her debut, with a mixed amount of commercial and critical success. To date, she has worked with such critically acclaimed directors as Oliver Stone, Robert Rodriguez, Chris Columbus and Spike Lee, and costarred with the likes of Will Smith, Edward Norton, Adam Pascal, Colin Farrell and Clive Owen.

Dawson's film career has been varied, ranging from independent films to massive big-budget flops to highly successful blockbusters, among them the Spike Lee-directed He Got Game, opposite Denzel Washington. Notably she has had leading roles in two massive flops: Josie and the Pussycats and The Adventures of Pluto Nash. The latter was nominated for six Razzie Awards.

In 2005, Dawson portrayed the HIV-positive heroin-addicted exotic dancer Mimi Marquez in the film adaption of Rent. It was her first role in a film musical. Some critics praised her performance; others panned it, stating that she was not as good as the actress who originated the role. A few months prior to the release of Rent, Dawson appeared on stage as Julia in the Public Theatre revival of Galt MacDermot's 1971 musical "The Two Gentlemen of Verona" at the Delacorte Theatre in Central Park, New York (August-September 2005).

The same year, she also had a major role in the comic book adaptation, Sin City, and will appear in the film's sequel.

Dawson is also working on a role in the movie Descent with RENT costars Tracie Thoms and Wilson Jermaine Heredia.

Dawson has been described by fans and staff as being extremely 'kind' and 'down to earth', and is noted for her 'friendly' and 'sociable' attitude during public appearances. She is currently dating former Sex and the City star Jason Lewis.

Filmography

Sin City 2 (2007) as Gail
Clerks II (2006)
Descent (2006) as Mya
Killshot (2006) as Donna
The Devil's Rejects (2005) (Deleted scene)
Rent (2005) as Mimi
Sin City (2005) as Gail
Alexander (2004)
Shattered Glass (2003)
The Rundown (2003)
This Girl's Life (2003)
25th Hour (2002)
The Adventures of Pluto Nash (2002)
The First $20 Million Is Always The Hardest (2002)
Men in Black II (2002)
Ash Wednesday (2002)
Love In the Time of Money (2002)
Chelsea Walls (2001)
Trigger Happy (2001)
Josie and the Pussycats (2001) as Valerie
Sidewalks of New York (2001)
King of the Jungle (2001)
Down to You (2000)
Light It Up (1999)
He Got Game (1998)
Side Streets (1998)
Girls Night Out (1997)
Kids (1995)

Rosario Dawson Picture Gallery

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