Shanice Williams

She grew up in Rahway, New Jersey. Her mother, Andrea Holmes, is a postal worker; and her father, Shelton Williams, is a security guard. Her cousin, Willis Williams, is an independent professional wrestler known as Ali Shabazz. She attended Rahway High School, where she performed as part of her school's drama program. Williams studied briefly at the American Musical and Dramatic Academy in Los Angeles, but began her singing career in her grandfather's choir. == Career ==

Her first major break was playing the role of Dorothy in The Wiz Live!, a televised program based on the 1975 Broadway theatrical production, The Wiz. Williams was selected for the role through an open casting call when she was 18 years old, which was a collaboration between NBC and the theatrical division of Cirque du Soleil. In 2017 Williams starred in the HBO film Manic. For her role in this film, she won best actress in a drama at the New York Television Festival and best actress in a drama at SeriesFest. A year later, Williams was cast as Little Red Riding Hood in the Hollywood Bowl production of Into the Woods which ran July 26–28. == Filmography ==