Overview

Gender

female

Investor Type

Angel

Investor Stage

Seed

Rosario Dawson has garnered praise for her numerous leading roles with today’s hottest film actors and directors, making her one of Hollywood’s most sought after leading ladies. At the age of 14, Dawson debuted in the critically acclaimed KIDS and went on to gain accolades in roles such as ‘Mimi Marquez’ in the film RENT. She was honored in 2007 at the esteemed ShoWest where she received the award for “Supporting Actress of the Year.” Dawson was awarded the “Best Actress in a Motion Picture” Award at the 2009 NAACP Image Awards for her performance in SEVEN POUNDS and the “Half-Life” Award at the 2008 Cine Vegas International Film Festival alongside Don Cheadle, Viggo Mortensen and Sam Rockwell.

Dawson can be seen in the Danny Boyle thriller TRANCE alongside James McAvoy and Vincent Cassel. The film is centered on a failed art heist that pits two men against one another, though they both develop unusual relationships with the same woman. Dawson was also seen in the Sony Pictures’ romantic comedy ZOOKEEPER, starring opposite Kevin James, Sylvester Stallone, Adam Sandler and Jon Favreau.

Dawson made her small screen debut in the Lifetime original movie, “Project Five,” which sewed together five personal narratives depicting the effects of breast cancer through survivor stories. Dawson, directed by Alicia Keys, received a 2012 NAACP Image Award nomination for her role as ‘Lili’.

In 2010 Dawson starred in the Fox action thriller UNSTOPPABLE alongside Denzel Washington and Chris Pine. Directed by Tony Scott, UNSTOPPABLE was #1 at the box office during its opening weekend, and earned over $100 million dollars worldwide.

Dawson appeared in the Sony drama SEVEN POUNDS opposite Will Smith in 2008. Gabriele Muccino, who directed THE PURSUIT OF HAPPYNESS, directed the film that follows a guilt-ridden man who falls in love during his extraordinary journey of redemption. Her moving performance gained her acclaim and praise from critics and fans alike.

Also in 2008, Dawson co-starred in EAGLE EYE opposite Billy Bob Thornton and Shia LaBeouf for Paramount/DreamWorks. This thriller follows a young slacker and single mother as they mistakenly get caught up in a terrorist political assassination. EAGLE EYE was #1 at the box office in its opening weekend. That same year Dawson was seen in the political drama EXPLICIT ILLS, which premiered at SXSW Film Festival. The film received praise from critics as well as three festival awards including the “Audience Award”.

Dawson worked with Quentin Tarantino in the horror feature GRINDHOUSE. The project was a joint venture consisting of two feature films, one directed by Tarantino and the other by Robert Rodriguez. The films featured an ensemble cast ranging from Kurt Russell to Stacey Ferguson. DEATH PROOF, Quentin Tarantino’s half of the double feature was chosen as an in competition film for the 2007 Cannes Film Festival and continued its success overseas.

Dawson starred in and produced the film DESCENT for director Talia Lugacy. This was her first self-produced feature film under her production banner, Trybe Films. DESCENT premiered at the 2007 Tribeca Film Festival to rave reviews.

Dawson starred in Kevin Smith’s CLERKS 2 for the Weinstein Company in which she earned much critical acclaim for her comedic portrayal of ‘Becky’. She was also seen in A GUIDE TO RECOGNIZING YOUR SAINTS opposite Robert Downey Jr., Shia LaBeouf, Dianne Wiest, Chazz Palminteri and Channing Tatum. A GUIDE TO RECOGNIZING YOUR SAINTS was honored at the Sundance Film Festival where it received the award for “Special Jury Prize for a Dramatic Film.”

In 2005, Dawson showed great range in the film adaptation of famed Broadway play RENT. Dawson shone as ‘Mimi Valdez’ in the Chris Columbus directed version of the Pulitzer Prize-winning Jonathan Larson musical, joining many of the original cast members including Anthony Rapp, Adam Pascal, Jesse Martin, and Taye Diggs. The film was produced by Michael Barnathan, Jane Rosenthal and Robert De Niro, and was distributed by Revolution Studios under the SONY umbrella. RENT received enormous acclaim from both critics and industry peers alike.

Dawson made a huge impact in the 2005 Robert Rodriguez/Frank Miller film noir drama SIN CITY. She played the role of ‘Gail’ in the third and final installment of the film based on Miller’s graphic novel series, which also stars Bruce Willis, Benicio Del Toro, Clive Owen, and Brittany Murphy. This Miramax/Dimension film opened #1 at the box office and was in dramatic competition at the 2005 Cannes Film Festival.

Dawson co-starred in the Oliver Stone epic ALEXANDER for Warner Brother’s pictures alongside an all-star cast including Colin Farrell, Angelina Jolie, Anthony Hopkins, and Jared Leto. Dawson played the roll of ‘Roxanne,’ wife of Alexander The Great (Farrell). She was also seen co-starring with Dwayne Johnson and Christopher Walken in Universal’s action/comedy THE RUNDOWN.

Dawson shone on-screen starring in the acclaimed Spike Lee film, THE 25th HOUR, opposite Edward Norton, Philip Seymour Hoffman and Barry Pepper. She had recently starred opposite Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones in Columbia Pictures’ MEN IN BLACK 2 and in THE ADVENTURES OF PLUTO NASH, a futuristic action/comedy, starring opposite Eddie Murphy. She also starred in the Lionsgate features CHELSEA WALLS, for director Ethan Hawke, which was based on the play of the same name, and the drama SHATTERED GLASS with Hayden Christensen, Chloe Sevigny and Steve Zahn. The film has received considerable critical acclaim and was an award show contender in 2004.

Some of Dawson’s other credits include the independent film LOVE IN THE TIME OF MONEY, written and directed by theater director Peter Marrei, which premiered with high acclaim at the 2002 Sundance Film Festival. The dark comedy chronicles the lives of nine New Yorkers connected through searches for love and sex in the city. The film also stars Steve Buscemi, Carol Kane, Michael Imperioli and Adrian Grenier. She can also be seen in Paramount Classic’s SIDEWALKS OF NEW YORK, a romantic comedy, written, directed, and starring Ed Burns as well as Heather Graham, Stanley Tucci and Brittany Murphy.

Dawson made her film debut in the highly acclaimed and controversial hit KIDS. Directed by photographer Larry Clark, with a script by Harmony Korine, KIDS depicted 24 hours in the life if a group of New York Skaters and the havoc that runs through it. The film features a group of kids actually pulled from the streets in New York, as opposed to professional actors. With a surprise midnight screening at Sundance and a spot in the main competition at the Cannes Film Festival, her film career was well underway.

Dawson’s other film credits include: Spike Lee’s HE GOT GAME opposite Denzel Washington; LIGHT IT UP, opposite Forrest Whitaker and Vanessa Williams; DOWN TO YOU with Freddie Prinze Jr.; and, JOSIE AND THE PUSSYCATS, with Rachel Leigh Cook and Tara Reid.

In addition to her numerous leading roles, Dawson also lends her time to a range of influential organizations including Voto Latino, which she co-founded in 2004, V-Day, The Lower Eastside Girls Club and the Environmental Media Association amongst others. Dawson was recently awarded the President’s Volunteer Service Award for her valuable contributions to the community and encouragement in getting others involved.