Anika Noni Rose Will Pay Tribute to Dolly Parton at GLAAD's New York Gala

GLAAD, the leading global media advocacy organization for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) equality, announced that Tony Award winner Anika Noni Rose will take the stage for a special tribute to LGBTQ ally Dolly Parton at the New York Gala on Friday, October 23rd.

Globally recognized for voicing 'Princess Tiana'—Disney's first African American 'Princess'—in the three-time Oscar-nominated film The Princess and The Frog, Tony Award winner Anika Noni Rose holds the distinction of being the youngest inductee ever named a Disney Legend. Beyond her iconic voice role, she has authored two children's books, "Tiana's Perfect Plan" and "A Princess is a Princess." Her voice work also includes portraying Afia in Disney's Mufasa: The Lion King and Squeal of Fortune in Zootopia 2. The performance is presented by Presenting Sponsor Hyundai Motor America.

As previously announced, producer Bruce Cohen—an Oscar and Tony winner and Emmy nominee—will receive the prestigious Vito Russo Award being presented by Oscar winning actress Ariana DeBose.

The Vito Russo Award, named after GLAAD's co-founder, the renowned LGBTQ film historian and AIDS activist who also co-founded ACT UP. The award is presented to an LGBTQ media professional who has made a significant difference in accelerating LGBTQ acceptance.

GLAAD's Emmy and GLAAD Media Award Winner Ross Mathews will host the event which will also feature a special live performance by Tony Award, Drama Desk Award, and Outer Critics Circle Award-winner Alex Newell.

For more information or tickets contact philanthropy@glaad.org.

About Anika Noni Rose

Tony Award winner Anika Noni Rose is known around the world for having voiced 'Princess Tiana' in Disney's The Princess and The Frog, which featured the first African American Disney 'Princess.' The film received three Oscar nominations, and Anika became the youngest inductee ever honored as a Disney Legend. She is also the author of two children's books “Tiana's Perfect Plan” and “A Princess is a Princess.” Anika voices Afia in the Disney movie, Mufasa: The Lion King, and as Squeal of Fortune in Zootopia 2.

Anika most recently starred in the Broadway play The Balusters, which was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Play. Prior to that she starred in the critically acclaimed revival of Uncle Vanya on Broadway alongside Steve Carell. She won the Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical for her role in Caroline, or Change (Lucille Lortel Award, Theatre World Award, Obie Award, Clarence Derwent Award, Drama Desk nominations). Her other Broadway credits include A Raisin in the Sun (Tony Award nomination and Outer Critics Circle nomination), Cat On A Hot Tin Roof, Footloose. Additional stage credits include Carmen Jones for which she won a Lucille Lortel Award, an AUDELCO award and received Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle nominations; the New York Philharmonic's production of Company and Broadway's Cat On A Hot Tin Roof directed by Debbie Allen.

On screen, Anika starred in the critically acclaimed Netflix limited series Maid, opposite Margaret Qualley and Nick Robinson, earning a 2022 NAACP Image Award Nomination for “Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Television Movie, Limited-Series or Dramatic Special” Her additional television credits include Let the Right One In, Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey (Netflix), Lena Waithe's horror anthology Them (Amazon) and Little Fires Everywhere (Hulu) Power, The Good Wife, The Simpsons, and The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency, She led the cast of BET's series The Quad as Eva Fletcher for two seasons. Her film credits include Everything, Everything, For Colored Girls, Half of a Yellow Sun, Assasination Nation, and Dreamgirls, in which she starred as 'Lorell Robinson' in Dreamgirls (AFI Ensemble Award, SAG Award nomination, Grammy Award nomination). She also portrayed Kizzy in the History Channel's adaption of Roots, earning her an NAACP Image Award Nomination.

A twelve time NAACP Image Award nominee, Rose has voiced many audiobooks, and has performed sold out concerts all over the world, including singing at Carnegie Hall and the Vatican.