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Dorothy Jean Dandridge (November 9, 1922 – September 8, 1965) was an American actress and singer. She was the first African-American film star to be nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress, which was for her performance in Carmen Jones (1954). Dandridge also performed as a vocalist in venues such as the Cotton Club and the Apollo Theater. During her early career, she performed as a part of The Wonder Children, later The Dandridge Sisters, and appeared in a succession of films, usually in uncredited roles. In 1959, Dandridge was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Porgy and Bess. She is the subject of the 1999 biographical film Introducing Dorothy Dandridge, with Halle Berry portraying her. She has been recognized with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Dorothy Dandridge was a pioneering mid-century American actress and singer who became the first African-American film star nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress.
She is best known for her groundbreaking performances in Carmen Jones and Porgy and Bess, as well as her early work as a vocalist with The Dandridge Sisters.
Key films in her career include Island in the Sun, Bright Road, and Sun Valley Serenade. Discover her filmography on Mood.