Adrienne Warren (born 6 May 1987) is an American actress, singer and dancer. She made her Broadway debut in the 2012 musical Bring It On, and in 2016 received a Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical nomination for her performance in Shuffle Along, or, the Making of the Musical Sensation of 1921 and All That Followed. She was also praised for her role as Tina Turner in the West End production of Tina in 2018, and for the same role in the Broadway production, for which she received the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical in 2020.
Early life and education Adrienne Warren is the daughter of two high school coaches. She began her performance career in church.
Warren studied at Marymount Manhattan College, and while there joined a rock band and performed with the Trans-Siberian Orchestra.
Career Warren began her career performing in musicals The Wiz and Dreamgirls before making her Broadway debut in the musical Bring It On in 2012. In 2016, she starred in Shuffle Along, or, the Making of the Musical Sensation of 1921 and All That Followed, for which she received Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical nomination. Warren also appeared in a number of television series, including Blue Bloods, Orange Is the New Black, and Black Box.
In 2018, Warren was cast as Tina Turner in the West End production of Tina. She received critical praise for her performance as Turner and a Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical nomination. The following year, she performed in the Broadway production, winning the 2020 Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical in 2021.
In October 2020, it was announced that Warren was cast in her first television leading role in the ABC limited series Women of the Movement playing activist Mamie Till-Mobley, the mother of Emmett Till.
In December 2020, Warren narrated the audiobook of Tina Turner's memoir Happiness Becomes You, which was released by the Simon & Schuster imprint Atria Books.
In September 2021, Warren was cast in the epic film The Woman King starring Viola Davis. Inspired by true events from the 18th and 19th centuries Kingdom of Dahomey in Africa, Warren plays a warrior.
She is set to star in the new musical Imitation of Life, based on the novel by Fannie Hurst, that will premiere Off-Broadway at The Shed beginning November 21, 2026. theshed.org Imitation of Life Musical pageaccessed 09/26/2026
Work Theatre Year Title Role Venue Ref. 2009 The Wiz Ensembleu/s Dorothy City Center, Encores! production 2009–10 Dreamgirls Lorell Robinson Touring Production 2011–12 Bring It On Danielle National Tour St. James Theatre, Broadway Debut 2016 Shuffle Along Gertrude Saunders Florence Mills Music Box Theatre, Broadway 2017 Damn Yankees Gloria Thorpe Stephen Sondheim Theatre, Broadway See Matthew Morrison, Whoopi Goldberg, Adrienne Warren, and More in Damn Yankees 2018-19TinaTina Turner Aldwych Theatre, West End 2019–21 Lunt-Fontanne Theatre, Broadway 2025 The Last Five Years Cathy Hiatt Hudson Theatre, Broadway 2026 The Wild Party Kate City Center, Encores! productionhttps://playbill.com/article/jasmine-amy-rogers-adrienne-warren-andrea-martin-more-join-encores-season Proof Claire Booth Theatre, Broadwayhttps://playbill.com/article/adrienne-warren-will-join-proof-on-broadwayShuffle Along Gertrude Saunders Florence MillsLincoln CenterHall, Margaret Shuffle Along Reunion Concert to Play Lincoln Center Playbill, August 5, 2026
Film +Key Denotes works that have not yet been released
Year Title Role Notes 2022 The Woman King Ode 2023 Rustin Claudia Taylor
Television Year Title Role Notes 2013 Blue Bloods Rachel Manning Episode: "Ends and Means" Orange Is the New Black Dina Episode: "Bora Bora Bora" People in New Jersey Nina Television pilot 2014 Black Box Carrie Waylan Episode: "Sweet Lies Lies" Irreversible Waitress Television pilot 2015 Point of Honor Abby Television pilot Last Week Tonight with John Oliver Maternity Episode: "Paid Family Leave" 2016 Royal Pains Wedding Guest Episode: "The Good News Is..." 2017 Quantico Malory Haynes Episode: "MOCKINGBIRD" Perfect Citizen Ingrid Tate Television pilot The Tap Nia Murphey Television pilot 2022 Women of the Movement Mamie Till-Mobley Lead role 2023 Black Cake Benny Bennett Lead role 2024 The Diplomat CIA officer Episode: "The Ides of March" Doctor Odyssey Dominique Episode: "Quackers"
Awards and nominations Year Award Category Work Result Ref. 2016 Tony Award Best Featured Actress in a Musical Shuffle Along, or, the Making of the Musical Sensation of 1921 and All That Followed 2018Evening Standard Theatre AwardBest Musical PerformanceTina: The Tina Turner MusicalStage Debut AwardBest West End DebutBroadwayWorld UK AwardBest Actress in a New Production of a Musical 2019 Laurence Olivier Award Best Actress in a Musical WhatsOnStage AwardBest Actress in a Musical 2020 Tony Award Best Actress in a Musical Drama Desk Award Outstanding Actress in a Musical Drama League Award Distinguished Performance Outer Critics Circle Award Outstanding Actress in a Musical 2026Drama League AwardDistinguished PerformanceThe Wild Party
See also African-American Tony nominees and winners
References
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