Sharon Brown

About

Stage and screen actress known for her work in musical theater and particularly for playing Effie in Dreamgirls, as well as for her roles in films such as A Chorus Line, Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit, and Blues Brothers 2000. She is also known for her television appearances including a recurring role on the soap opera Generations and for guest acting on numerous shows.

Before fame

She grew up around the entertainment industry and began performing at a young age. She made early television appearances as a child including a role on the soap opera Love of Life in 1971. She attended Hollywood High School where she appeared in stage productions such as Mame and Wonderful Town. She appeared on the show Good Times in 1977. She began her professional theater career in the early 1980s and became widely recognized after playing Effie in Dreamgirls in the late 1980s. She appeared in the film A Chorus Line in 1985. She appeared in Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit in 1993. She appeared in Blues Brothers 2000 in 1998. She continued working steadily in theater into the 2020s, including Broadway-era productions such as Caroline, or Change in 2021 and Days of Wine and Roses in 2024.

Trivia

She received a Helen Hayes Award nomination in 1987 for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Non-Resident Production for her work in Dreamgirls. She appeared in an episode of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air in 1992. She appeared on Broadway Podcast Network podcasts such as Why I'll Never Make It in 2020 and The Ensemblist in 2023. She also appeared on Surviving the Creative Brain in 2023.

Family life

She is the daughter of actor Johnny Brown who is best known for playing Nathan Bookman on the sitcom Good Times. She has one brother named John Brown Jr. She has an adopted son named Elijah. She was married to Billy Blanks Jr. and they divorced in 2016. 

Associated with

She appeared in Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit alongside Whoopi Goldberg.