Adrienne Monique Coleman (born November 13, 1980)[1] is an American actress and dancer. She is best known for her role as Taylor McKessie in the High School Musical movies.

Monique Coleman
Coleman in February 2011
Born
Adrienne Monique Coleman

(1980-11-13) November 13, 1980 (age 43)
Alma materDePaul University (BFA)
OccupationActress
Years active1995–present
Known forTaylor McKessie in High School Musical
Spouse
Walter Jordan
(m. 2012; div. 2022)

Early life and education

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Adrienne Monique Coleman was born in Orangeburg, South Carolina.[2] She started her acting career in theater and television at a young age in Columbia, South Carolina. She trained at the Workshop Theater School of Dramatic Arts where she performed in over fifteen plays. Coleman went to Heathwood Hall Episcopal School. She later attended The Theater School at DePaul University in Chicago, earning her BFA in Acting in 2002.[3]

Career

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Coleman's first lead role was in the independent film Mother of the River (1995) directed by Zeinabu irene Davis.[4] Two years later, Coleman appeared as Young Donna in The Family Channel movie The Ditchdigger's Daughter,[5] for which she was nominated for a Young Artists Award of Hollywood. During her sophomore year of high school, Coleman wrote, directed, produced, and starred in a one-person play titled "Voices from Within." In Chicago, Coleman appeared in stage productions of Noises Off, Polaroid Stories, The Real Thing, and The Colored Museum.[6]

In 2005, Coleman acted alongside James Earl Jones in the Hallmark TV Movie The Reading Room.[7] She received a 2006 CAMIE Award for the role and represented the film at the NAACP Image Awards.[8] Coleman has had several other guest appearances on television, including Boston Public, Gilmore Girls, Malcolm in the Middle, Strong Medicine, 10-8: Officers on Duty, Married to the Kellys, and Veronica Mars.

Disney Channel

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Coleman during the High School Musical: The Concert in January 2007

In 2006, Coleman starred in High School Musical, portraying Taylor McKessie, the best friend of the new girl at school, Gabriella Montez (played by Vanessa Hudgens).[9] She had previously worked on the Disney Channel as a recurring guest star in The Suite Life of Zack & Cody.[10] In the summer of 2006, Coleman took part in the first Disney Channel Games.[11] She was also the host of 3 Minute Game Show: High School Musical Edition, which aired on the Disney Channel in 2007. That year, Coleman recorded a song called "Christmas Vacation" for the compilation album Disney Channel Holiday.[12] She later appeared in High School Musical 2 (2007) and High School Musical 3: Senior Year (2008), reprising her role as Taylor McKessie.

Dancing with the Stars

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Coleman competed in the Fall 2006 third edition of the reality dance competition show Dancing with the Stars. She was paired with professional partner Louis van Amstel. The pair appeared on The Ellen DeGeneres Show before they were eliminated from the competition on November 1, 2006. Coleman and van Amstel finished fourth in the competition. She was the final female contestant in that season's competition.[13][14]

Week Dance / Song Judges' Score Status
Inaba Goodman Tonioli
1 Foxtrot / "Baby Love" – The Supremes 6 6 7 Safe
2 Mambo / "Bop to the Top" – Ashley Tisdale feat. Lucas Grabeel 9 8 9 Safe
3 Jive / "The Heat Is On" – Glenn Frey 9 9 9 Safe
4 Waltz / "If I Were a Painting" – Kenny Rogers 8 8 8 Bottom two
5 Rumba / "So Nice" – Bebel Gilberto 9 9 9 1st Place
6 Samba / "ABC" – The Jackson 5 9 7 7 No Elimination
Due to Sara Evans's withdrawal
7 Quickstep / "Luck Be a Lady" – Frank Sinatra 9 9 9 Bottom two
Pasodoble / "The Reflex" – Duran Duran 9 9 9
8 Tango / "Somebody's Watching Me" – Rockwell 8 8 8 Eliminated
Cha Cha Cha / "Ghostbusters" – Ray Parker Jr. 9 10 10

Philanthropy

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In 2010, Coleman worked with DoSomething.org[15] to produce a video tutorial for the series "Do Something U." Coleman's video focused on teaching young people the best way to utilize social media to spread ideas and actions.[16]

UN Youth Champion

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Coleman was appointed a Youth Champion by the United Nations in November 2010. At a ceremony at the UN headquarters in New York, Coleman was presented with a letter of recognition of her role by Assistant Secretary-General Jomo Kwame Sundaram of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs. In presenting the letter, Mr. Sundaram said Coleman would work "to raise awareness about the challenges young people face and will highlight the positive contribution they make to their communities." Coleman said receiving the designation of Youth Champion was "beyond an honor" and she would use her position to promote global efforts to achieve the anti-poverty Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).[17]

Personal life

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In February 2012, Coleman married Walter Jordan.[18][19] The pair divorced in February 2022.[20]

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role Notes
2006 On Line Jessie Short film
2008 High School Musical 3: Senior Year Taylor McKessie
Order - Direct-to-video
2014 Free the Nipple Roz
2015 Naomi and Ely's No Kiss List Girl-Robin
2016 Distortion Woman Short film
2017 We Are Family Elise
The Outdoorsman Jen
2018 Broken Star Annie
2019 Real.Live.Girl Sam Short film
2020 Witness Infection Rose
GraceLand - Short film
The Little Death Camille
2021 Phobias Natalie
Pawns Veronica Barrett Short film
2022 Give Me an A Megan

Television

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Year Title Role Notes
1995 Mother of the River Dofimae Television film
1997 The Ditchdigger's Daughters Young Donna
2003 Strong Medicine Tanya Episode: "Misdiagnosis Murder"
2003–2004 Boston Public Molly Recurring role (season 4)
2004 Gilmore Girls Andy Episode: "The Nanny and the Professor"
10-8: Officers on Duty Maya Barnes Episode: "Love Don't Love Nobody"
Married to the Kellys Waitress Episode: "Chris And Mary Fight"
Malcolm in the Middle Andrea Episode: "Malcolm Visits College"
Method & Red - Episode: "Kill Bill Volume 3"
2005 Veronica Mars Gabrielle Pollard Episode: "Lord of the Bling"
2005–2006 The Suite Life of Zack & Cody Mary Margaret Recurring role (season 12)
2005 The Reading Room Leesha Television film
2006 High School Musical Taylor McKessie
Dancing with the Stars Herself Contestant (season 3)
2007 High School Musical 2 Taylor McKessie Television film
2008 Million Dollar Password Herself 1 episode
2009 Bones Becca Hedgepeth Episode: "The Salt in the Wounds"
2010 The Cleveland Show Fontaisha (voice) Episode: "Our Gang"
2014 Downtown Girls Morgan Episode: "The Inception"
2015 Stitchers Solaris Episode: "Future Tense"
The Fourth Door Lain Main role
2016 Here We Go Again Kayla Recurring role
2017 Guidance Katina Howard Recurring role (season 3)
2019 I Am Somebody's Child: The Regina Louise Story Ms. Lewis Television film
2020 Celebrity Scene Spotlight The Passionate Storyteller Episode: "The Bench Play"
Steppin' Back To Love April Television film
2021 Family Reunion Ebony Episode: “Remember When Jade Thought She Was Grown?”
A Christmas Dance Reunion Lucy Television film
2022 Greed: A Seven Deadly Sins Story Zuri Maxwell
2023 High School Musical: The Musical: The Series Herself 2 episodes

Music

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Awards

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  • 19th Annual Young Artist Awards (1996–1997)[23]
Best Performance in a TV MOVIE or FEATURE FILM: Young Ensemble – "Ditchdigger's Daughter"
Best Family TV MOVIE/ PILOT/MINI-SERIES (CABLE) – The Ditchdigger's Daughters, Family Channel
  • Character and Morality in Entertainment Awards (CAMIE) 2006 – The Reading Room[24]
  • Teen Choice Awards 2006 Award for Choice TV Show: Comedy/Musical – High School Musical
  • American Music Award 2007 for High School Musical 2
  • Teen Choice Awards 2009 Award for Choice Movie: Music/Dance – High School Musical
  • Daytime Emmy Awards 2019 : Outstanding Host ( Nominated)

References

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  1. ^ Monique Coleman. TVguide.com. Accessed November 11, 2011.
  2. ^ Pat Berman (January 4, 2007). Music Preview: Monique Coleman brings Disney's 'High School' cheer to the fans. Post-Gazette. Accessed 1478-06-06.
  3. ^ Monique Coleman Celebrity Profile. Hollywood Life. Retrieved May 2, 2023.
  4. ^ Mother of the River (Short 1995) at IMDb
  5. ^ The Ditchdigger's Daughter at IMDb
  6. ^ "High School Musical, Monique Coleman". Londonnet. Londonnet.co.uk. December 13, 2007. Retrieved January 15, 2012.
  7. ^ The Reading Room at IMDb
  8. ^ Awards
  9. ^ "Vanessa Hudgens Reunites With High School Musical Best Friend After 15 Years". Screen Rant.
  10. ^ "All the Details: Remember Monique Coleman? See What She's Been up to Since 'High School Musical'".
  11. ^ "Disney Channel Games 2006 Event 1 Part 1". YouTube.
  12. ^ "Christmas Vacation by Monique Coleman". YouTube.
  13. ^ "Monique's luck runs out on 'Dancing' – Dancing With the Stars – MSNBC.com". Today.com. Retrieved January 15, 2012.
  14. ^ TV Guide, TV Listings, Online Videos, Entertainment News and Celebrity News TVGuide.com
  15. ^ "dosomething.org". dosomething.org. Retrieved January 15, 2012.
  16. ^ "Change the World with Social Media". Seventeen.com. December 2010.
  17. ^ Monique Coleman named 'Youth Champion' for UN’s Youth Year. united nations.org. Retrieved May 21, 2013.
  18. ^ "Monique Coleman on Instagram: "#REBIRTH 🦋🦋🦋 6 months ago today, I made the most difficult decision of my adult life. I decided to step away from a 12 relationship (10 year marriage) in order to live more fully expressed and authentically. I thought I knew myself at 29 — and now at 41, I feel like I'm only getting glimpses of who I really am and what I'm truly capable of. I used to believe that for a relationship to be successful it had to last forever. That simply isn't true. I'm infinitely proud of the last 12 years & have nothing but the utmost respect and love for my former partner. However, the past few years have shown us all that life is too short and fragile to live anywhere but in our truth. And as painful as it has been, this is mine. I had to break my heart to free my soul and honestly I've never been more proud. This isn't a new chapter because my life isn't a book. This is a Rebirth. A Reclamation. A Restoration. And Resurrection. This is my Renaissance. #MightyMo 🚀"".
  19. ^ "DisneyDreaming.com". Archived from the original on December 15, 2013. Retrieved December 15, 2013.
  20. ^ "Monique Coleman on Instagram: "#REBIRTH 🦋🦋🦋 6 months ago today, I made the most difficult decision of my adult life. I decided to step away from a 12 relationship (10 year marriage) in order to live more fully expressed and authentically. I thought I knew myself at 29 — and now at 41, I feel like I'm only getting glimpses of who I really am and what I'm truly capable of. I used to believe that for a relationship to be successful it had to last forever. That simply isn't true. I'm infinitely proud of the last 12 years & have nothing but the utmost respect and love for my former partner. However, the past few years have shown us all that life is too short and fragile to live anywhere but in our truth. And as painful as it has been, this is mine. I had to break my heart to free my soul and honestly I've never been more proud. This isn't a new chapter because my life isn't a book. This is a Rebirth. A Reclamation. A Restoration. And Resurrection. This is my Renaissance. #MightyMo 🚀"".
  21. ^ "Christmas Vacation, Monique Coleman". Shazam. 2020. Retrieved December 12, 2020.
  22. ^ "Pop Hits 2010 (Pop It Rock It 2: It's On), Various Artists". Deezer. 2020. Retrieved December 12, 2020.
  23. ^ "19th Annual Awards". Youngartistawards.org. Archived from the original on July 16, 2015. Retrieved January 15, 2012.
  24. ^ The Reading Room (2005) (TV)
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