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Brandy is a Actor and Executive Producer American born on 11 february 1979 at McComb (USA)
Brandy Rayana Norwood (born February 11, 1979), better known mononymously as Brandy, is an American recording artist and actress. Born into a musical family in McComb, Mississippi and raised in Carson, California, she enrolled in performing arts schools as a child and performed as a backing vocalist for teen groups. From 1993 to 1994, Norwood appeared in a supporting role on the short-lived ABC sitcom Thea and signed with Atlantic Records. The following year, she released her self-titled debut album. Norwood starred in the UPN sitcom Moesha as the title character, which lasted six seasons and resulted in numerous other roles. She resumed her music career in 1998 with the widely successful duet with Monica, "The Boy Is Mine", and her second album, Never Say Never; it sold 16 million copies, featured two number one singles, and earned Norwood her first Grammy award.
Throughout the 2000s, Norwood held a precarious position in the pop industry. In 2002, she starred in the reality series Brandy: Special Delivery. Her third and fourth albums, Full Moon (2002) and Afrodisiac (2004), were released to critical success; however, they were not as commercially successful as her previous two albums in the 1990s. She served as a judge on the first season of America's Got Talent before being involved in a widely-publicized car accident in 2006. After several lawsuits stemming from the accident, Norwood's fifth album Human (2008) was released to critical and commercial failure.
In the 2010s, Norwood received a critical and commercial resurgence. In 2010, she returned to television as a contestant on the eleventh season of Dancing with the Stars and starred in the reality series Brandy & Ray J: A Family Business and the BET series The Game. She released her sixth album Two Eleven in 2012 to critical praise and in April 2015, Norwood made her Broadway debut in the musical Chicago. She is also set to star in her new sitcom Zoe Ever After in 2016.
Within pop music, Norwood has become known for her distinctive sound, characterized by her peculiar timbre, voice-layering, intricate riffs, and beat-driven R&B. She has since been signed to both Epic Records and RCA Records, where she has acquired a catalogue of hits with singles such as "What About Us?", "Talk About Our Love", and "Put It Down" being her most successful. She has sold over 40 million records worldwide. The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) lists Norwood as one of the top selling artists in the United States, with 10.5 million certified albums. Her work has earned her numerous awards and accolades, including a Grammy Award, three American Music Awards, and seven Billboard Music Awards.
Relationships
In 1996, she shared a short relationship with Los Angeles Lakers player Kobe Bryant, whom she accompanied to his prom at Lower Merion High School in Ardmore, Pennsylvania. She also dated Boyz II Men lead singer Wanya Morris, whom she cited as her "first love." Morris, who was six years older than her, reportedly ended their relationship a month before her nineteenth birthday. Also during their work on the Never Say Never album, she briefly dated rapper Mase.
During the production of the Full Moon album, in mid-2001, Norwood became involved romantically with producer Robert "Big Bert" Smith. The couple kept the relationship secret until February 2002, when Norwood announced that she was expecting her first child. However, a year after the birth of their daughter, Sy'rai Iman Smith, on June 16, 2002—an event tracked by the four-part MTV reality series Brandy: Special Delivery—Norwood and Smith separated. In 2004, Smith revealed that the pair had never been legally wed, but that they had pretended to marry to preserve Norwood's public image. Norwood later stated that she regarded her relationship with Smith as a "spiritual union and true commitment to each other."
By the following year, Norwood had begun a relationship with NBA guard Quentin Richardson, who was then playing for the Los Angeles Clippers. The couple soon became engaged in July 2004 but Norwood eventually ended their 15-month engagement in October 2005. It was reported that Norwood had to get a tattoo of Richardson's face on her back transformed into a cat. In 2010, she briefly dated rapper Flo Rida, though their mild flirtation did not lead to a romance. At the end of 2012, Norwood became engaged to music executive Ryan Press.
In April 2014, Norwood called off her engagement with Press following their breakup earlier that year.
Automobile accident
Driving home on December 30, 2006, Norwood was involved in a fatal automobile accident on Los Angeles' San Diego (405) Freeway. The accident claimed the life of 38-year-old Awatef Aboudihaj, the driver of the Toyota that was struck by Norwood's Range Rover. Aboudihaj died from her injuries at the L.A. Holy Cross Hospital the following day. Norwood was neither arrested nor charged with vehicular manslaughter due to insufficient evidence. Law enforcement officials reported that Norwood was driving her car at 65 miles per hour, and did not notice that vehicles ahead of her had slowed considerably. Her vehicle then collided with rear of Aboudihaj's, causing the Toyota to strike another vehicle before sliding sideways and impacting the center divider. As the Toyota came to a stop, it was hit by yet another vehicle. A well-placed source in the California Highway Patrol, however, later reported that Aboudihaj actually struck the car in front of her and then slammed on her brakes before Norwood made contact. The sudden stop caused Norwood to hit Aboudihaj's car. As confirmed, toxicology reports showed that Aboudihaj had "slight traces" of marijuana in her system at the time of the crash.
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In December 2007, Norwood's attorney Blair Berk stated that "after a more thorough and extensive investigation by authorities, the Los Angeles City Attorney has determined that Brandy Norwood should not be charged with any crime whatsoever relating to the accident back in 2006." She continued, "These past 12 months have posed an extraordinary hardship for Brandy and her family, who have been unfairly forced to live under a cloud of suspicion initially caused by the ill-advised and premature press release sent out by the California Highway Patrol accusing Brandy of wrongdoing before the police investigation was even finished. However, Brandy continues to be mindful that she was so fortunate to be uninjured in this accident and there was a life lost that should be remembered." Meanwhile, speaking in May 2009, Norwood herself stated, "The whole experience did completely change my life, and I can say that I think I'm a better person from it. You know, I still don't understand all of it and why all of it happened, but I definitely have a heart, and my heart goes out to everyone involved. I pray about it every single day, and that's all I can really say on the subject."
Nevertheless, there have been multiple lawsuits filed against Norwood, all of which were ultimately settled out of court by Brandy's civil attorney, Ed McPherson. Aboudihaj's parents filed a $50 million wrongful death lawsuit against Norwood. Filed on January 30, 2007, the lawsuit was initially set to go to trial in April 2009, but was eventually canceled as Norwood had settled extrajudicially with Aboudihaj's parents. Aboudihaj's husband also filed a lawsuit against Norwood, suing her for an undisclosed amount of financial relief to cover medical and funeral expenses, as well as legal costs and other damages. He rejected his part of a $1.2 million settlement offer in February 2009, but did settle in November of that year. The couple's two children, who also filed a lawsuit against Norwood, received $300,000 each, according to court documents filed in L.A. County Superior Court on June 2, 2009. Two other drivers who were involved and injured in the accident also filed a lawsuit against Norwood. They settled with Norwood for undisclosed amounts.
(1998)
(Actress)
Source : Wikidata
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Throughout the 2000s, Norwood held a precarious position in the pop industry. In 2002, she starred in the reality series Brandy: Special Delivery. Her third and fourth albums, Full Moon (2002) and Afrodisiac (2004), were released to critical success; however, they were not as commercially successful as her previous two albums in the 1990s. She served as a judge on the first season of America's Got Talent before being involved in a widely-publicized car accident in 2006. After several lawsuits stemming from the accident, Norwood's fifth album Human (2008) was released to critical and commercial failure.
In the 2010s, Norwood received a critical and commercial resurgence. In 2010, she returned to television as a contestant on the eleventh season of Dancing with the Stars and starred in the reality series Brandy & Ray J: A Family Business and the BET series The Game. She released her sixth album Two Eleven in 2012 to critical praise and in April 2015, Norwood made her Broadway debut in the musical Chicago. She is also set to star in her new sitcom Zoe Ever After in 2016.
Within pop music, Norwood has become known for her distinctive sound, characterized by her peculiar timbre, voice-layering, intricate riffs, and beat-driven R&B. She has since been signed to both Epic Records and RCA Records, where she has acquired a catalogue of hits with singles such as "What About Us?", "Talk About Our Love", and "Put It Down" being her most successful. She has sold over 40 million records worldwide. The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) lists Norwood as one of the top selling artists in the United States, with 10.5 million certified albums. Her work has earned her numerous awards and accolades, including a Grammy Award, three American Music Awards, and seven Billboard Music Awards.
Biography
Norwood attended Hollywood High Performing Arts Center, but studied with a private tutor from 10th grade on. In 1996, she became a freshman at Pepperdine University in Malibu, California.Relationships
In 1996, she shared a short relationship with Los Angeles Lakers player Kobe Bryant, whom she accompanied to his prom at Lower Merion High School in Ardmore, Pennsylvania. She also dated Boyz II Men lead singer Wanya Morris, whom she cited as her "first love." Morris, who was six years older than her, reportedly ended their relationship a month before her nineteenth birthday. Also during their work on the Never Say Never album, she briefly dated rapper Mase.
During the production of the Full Moon album, in mid-2001, Norwood became involved romantically with producer Robert "Big Bert" Smith. The couple kept the relationship secret until February 2002, when Norwood announced that she was expecting her first child. However, a year after the birth of their daughter, Sy'rai Iman Smith, on June 16, 2002—an event tracked by the four-part MTV reality series Brandy: Special Delivery—Norwood and Smith separated. In 2004, Smith revealed that the pair had never been legally wed, but that they had pretended to marry to preserve Norwood's public image. Norwood later stated that she regarded her relationship with Smith as a "spiritual union and true commitment to each other."
By the following year, Norwood had begun a relationship with NBA guard Quentin Richardson, who was then playing for the Los Angeles Clippers. The couple soon became engaged in July 2004 but Norwood eventually ended their 15-month engagement in October 2005. It was reported that Norwood had to get a tattoo of Richardson's face on her back transformed into a cat. In 2010, she briefly dated rapper Flo Rida, though their mild flirtation did not lead to a romance. At the end of 2012, Norwood became engaged to music executive Ryan Press.
In April 2014, Norwood called off her engagement with Press following their breakup earlier that year.
Automobile accident
Driving home on December 30, 2006, Norwood was involved in a fatal automobile accident on Los Angeles' San Diego (405) Freeway. The accident claimed the life of 38-year-old Awatef Aboudihaj, the driver of the Toyota that was struck by Norwood's Range Rover. Aboudihaj died from her injuries at the L.A. Holy Cross Hospital the following day. Norwood was neither arrested nor charged with vehicular manslaughter due to insufficient evidence. Law enforcement officials reported that Norwood was driving her car at 65 miles per hour, and did not notice that vehicles ahead of her had slowed considerably. Her vehicle then collided with rear of Aboudihaj's, causing the Toyota to strike another vehicle before sliding sideways and impacting the center divider. As the Toyota came to a stop, it was hit by yet another vehicle. A well-placed source in the California Highway Patrol, however, later reported that Aboudihaj actually struck the car in front of her and then slammed on her brakes before Norwood made contact. The sudden stop caused Norwood to hit Aboudihaj's car. As confirmed, toxicology reports showed that Aboudihaj had "slight traces" of marijuana in her system at the time of the crash.
40x40px
Wikinews has related news:
US Singer Brandy involved in fatal car crash; sued for $50 million
In December 2007, Norwood's attorney Blair Berk stated that "after a more thorough and extensive investigation by authorities, the Los Angeles City Attorney has determined that Brandy Norwood should not be charged with any crime whatsoever relating to the accident back in 2006." She continued, "These past 12 months have posed an extraordinary hardship for Brandy and her family, who have been unfairly forced to live under a cloud of suspicion initially caused by the ill-advised and premature press release sent out by the California Highway Patrol accusing Brandy of wrongdoing before the police investigation was even finished. However, Brandy continues to be mindful that she was so fortunate to be uninjured in this accident and there was a life lost that should be remembered." Meanwhile, speaking in May 2009, Norwood herself stated, "The whole experience did completely change my life, and I can say that I think I'm a better person from it. You know, I still don't understand all of it and why all of it happened, but I definitely have a heart, and my heart goes out to everyone involved. I pray about it every single day, and that's all I can really say on the subject."
Nevertheless, there have been multiple lawsuits filed against Norwood, all of which were ultimately settled out of court by Brandy's civil attorney, Ed McPherson. Aboudihaj's parents filed a $50 million wrongful death lawsuit against Norwood. Filed on January 30, 2007, the lawsuit was initially set to go to trial in April 2009, but was eventually canceled as Norwood had settled extrajudicially with Aboudihaj's parents. Aboudihaj's husband also filed a lawsuit against Norwood, suing her for an undisclosed amount of financial relief to cover medical and funeral expenses, as well as legal costs and other damages. He rejected his part of a $1.2 million settlement offer in February 2009, but did settle in November of that year. The couple's two children, who also filed a lawsuit against Norwood, received $300,000 each, according to court documents filed in L.A. County Superior Court on June 2, 2009. Two other drivers who were involved and injured in the accident also filed a lawsuit against Norwood. They settled with Norwood for undisclosed amounts.
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(1998)(Actress)
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Filmography of Brandy (7 films)
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The Perfect Match (2016)
, 1h30Directed by Bille Woodruff
Origin USA
Genres Comedy, Romantic comedy, Romance
Actors Terrence J, Donald Faison, Kali Hawk, Dascha Polanco, Lauren London, Brandy
Roles Avatia
Rating49%
Charlie est un playboy qui est convaincu que ses relations sont mortes, même si sa sœur, une thérapeute, essaie de lui dire le contraire. Ses meilleurs amis lui parient que s'il sort avec une femme pendant un mois, il tombera amoureux. Charlie prend le pari parce qu'il croit qu'il est à l'abri de l'amour, jusqu'à ce qu'il rencontre la belle et mystérieuse Éva. Convenant à une histoire occasionnelle, Charlie se rend compte qu'il veut un peu plus de leur relation.
, 1h51Directed by Tyler Perry
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Comedy-drama, Romance
Themes Medical-themed films, Films based on plays, HIV/AIDS in film
Actors Jurnee Smollett-Bell, Lance Gross, Kim Kardashian West, Vanessa Williams, Robbie Jones, Brandy
Roles Melinda
Rating49%
Years ago, Judith (Jurnee Smollett-Bell) is a therapist working at a matchmaking agency owned by Janice (Vanessa L. Williams). She is married to her childhood sweetheart Brice (Lance Gross) whom she has known since she was 6. Brice and Judith attend the same church as her mother Miss Sarah (Ella Joyce), a devout Christian with strong beliefs. Brice is a pharmacist and is soon introduced to a new employee, Melinda (Brandy Norwood). Melinda soon reveals that she is on the run from an abusive boyfriend, who had tried to kill her. Judith is dissatisfied with her job and anxious to start her own business in marriage counseling, but Brice is cautious and tells her to wait until they are more financially stable, which frustrates Judith. She is further frustrated when Brice refuses to confront men who catcall her on their way home from dinner.
Osmosis Jones (2001)
, 1h35Directed by Frères Farrelly, Tom Sito, Bobby Farrelly, Peter Farrelly
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Comedy, Fantasy, Action, Adventure, Crime, Animation
Themes Medical-themed films, Buddy films, Children's films
Actors Chris Rock, Laurence Fishburne, David Hyde Pierce, Brandy, William Shatner, Molly Shannon
Roles Leah (voice)
Rating63%
Frank Detorre (Bill Murray) is a widowed slovenly zookeeper at the Sucat Memorial Zoo in Rhode Island. Much to the frustration of his young daughter, Shane (Elena Franklin), he eats compulsively unhealthy and has minimal concern for germs or disease. While trying to eat a hard-boiled egg with mayonnaise and salt, it is stolen from him by a chimpanzee. He gets it back, but not before it falls into the filth of the chimp's habitat. When Shane is disgusted by him about to eat it he uses the "ten second rule" as a justification for the unsanitary act.
Double Platinum (1999)
, 1h34Origin USA
Genres Drama, Musical
Themes Films about music and musicians, Musical films
Actors Christine Ebersole, Allen Payne, Diana Ross, Brandy, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Harvey Fierstein
Roles Kayla Harris
Rating59%
The film tells the story of a woman feeling unfulfilled and unappreciated in her life so she decides to abandon her husband and infant daughter in order to pursue her dreams of superstardom. The story starts off by showing aspiring vocalist, Olivia King (Diana Ross) performing at small lounge in Atlanta, 1981. As she takes a break from her performance she heads backstage to see her infant daughter, Kayla (Jayda Brown). A music executive approaches King at the bar and tells her she is talented and should move to the bigger market of New York City to fulfill her dreams. Olivia King initially denies his request and goes home to her husband ((Brian Stokes Mitchell)). King is shown trying to explain her night to her husband and tell him about the music executive but he brushes her off and tells her moving to New York City is a bad idea. Feeling depressed, conflicted and trapped in her marriage, Olivia King leaves her home in the middle of the night whispering to her daughter that she can't take her along, but will be back for her. The movie then picks back up in St.Louis, Missouri 18 years later and it is shown that Kayla Harris (Brandy Norwood), now 19 years old, has won a contest to meet famous superstar Olivia King. Kayla at this time does not know that Olivia is her mother, but she grew up being a huge fan of Ms. Olivia King and is extremely excited to meet her idol, completely ignorant to the truth. After enjoying the concert, Kayla then gets the second part of her prize which includes having dinner with Olivia King, at dinner Kayla lets Olivia know that she also would like to be a singer and invites Olivia to a small performance she would be doing. When Kayla gets home from dinner, her father asks her how it went and he is shocked to hear that the star Kayla got to meet was Olivia King, though he knows the truth he does not press the issue further as he sees his daughter is still in the dark. Next, Kayla is shown getting ready to perform, and she begins to worry that Olivia will not show up but sure enough Olivia shows up as Kayla starts to sing. Kayla is ecstatic that her idol has shown up but after the show Olivia pulls her aside and reveals to Kayla who she really is. Kayla is stunned and upset, she quickly leaves. Kayla is shaken, she argues with her father and refuses to speak to her mother even when Olivia offers to help her with her career. Kayla's best friend advises her to accept Olivia's help with her music career as it is the least she owes her.
, 1h40Directed by Danny Cannon
Origin USA
Genres Thriller, Horror, Slasher
Themes Serial killer films
Actors Jennifer Love Hewitt, Freddie Prinze, Jr., Brandy, Mekhi Phifer, Matthew Settle, Muse Watson
Roles Karla Wilson
Rating47%
Julie James wakes up screaming in her college class from a dream involving the terrifying, vengeful fisherman, Ben Willis. Julie is attending summer classes in Boston, in avoidance of returning to her hometown of Southport. All the while, she suffers from the painful memories and nightmares, trying to cope with the accident and brutal murders of her friends, Helen Shivers and Barry Cox, from the summer before.
Cinderella (1997)
, 1h28Directed by Robert Iscove
Origin USA
Genres Science fiction, Fantasy, Musical, Romance
Themes Films about children, Films about magic and magicians, Films about music and musicians, Films about the labor movement, Musical films, Téléfilm musical, Children's films
Actors Brandy, Whitney Houston, Bernadette Peters, Whoopi Goldberg, Jason Alexander, Natalie Desselle-Reid
Roles Cinderella
Rating66%
Cinderella's Fairy Godmother (Whitney Houston) explains that nothing is impossible in this magical, mystical realm. In the village, Cinderella (Brandy) struggles under the weight of the numerous gaudy purchases of her imperious Stepmother (Bernadette Peters) and her spiteful and envious stepsisters Minerva (Natalie Desselle-Reid) and Calliope (Veanne Cox). Cinderella's imagination wanders ("The Sweetest Sounds"). Disguised as a peasant, Prince Christopher (Paolo Montalban) is also strolling through the marketplace. The two meet when the Prince rushes over to help Cinderella after she is nearly crushed by the royal carriage. They begin to talk and realize they are both dissatisfied with their sheltered lives. She is charmed by his sincere, direct nature, while he is drawn to her naive honesty and purity. Their conversation is cut off when Cinderella's Stepmother scolds her for talking to a stranger. The Prince reluctantly leaves, but tells Cinderella that he hopes to see her again.
Arachnophobia (1990)
, 1h43Directed by Frank Marshall
Origin USA
Genres Science fiction, Thriller, Comedy, Horror comedy, Action, Adventure, Horror
Themes Films about animals, Natural horror films, Films about spiders, Comedy horror films
Actors Jeff Daniels, Julian Sands, Harley Jane Kozak, John Goodman, Brian McNamara, Mark L. Taylor
Roles Brandy Beechwood
Rating64%
Entomologist Dr. James Atherton (Julian Sands) searches the Amazon rainforest with the hope of discovering new species of insects and arachnids. Descending into an enormous sinkhole, his team sets up collectors on the ground below a large tree, then blow smoke up into the canopy of the tree. A large number of bugs fall into the collector, including a very aggressive new species of spider. The spider is captured and chloroformed for research; and is later revealed to be lacking sex organs, thus making it a drone, or soldier, highly unusual in an arachnid species. A nature photographer, Jerry Manley (Mark L. Taylor), who has been suffering a fever while traveling with the team, unknowingly has a fertile (non-drone) male spider of the same species jump into his backpack, that night sneaking into his sleeping bag and biting him. Manley has a massive seizure from the venom and dies. The remainder of the scientists takes his body back to the United States, blaming Manley's death on the preexisting fever. The spider crawls into the box and is sealed in with the corpse.
Production
Double Platinum (1999)
, 1h34Origin USA
Genres Drama, Musical
Themes Films about music and musicians, Musical films
Actors Christine Ebersole, Allen Payne, Diana Ross, Brandy, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Harvey Fierstein
Roles Executive Producer
Rating59%
The film tells the story of a woman feeling unfulfilled and unappreciated in her life so she decides to abandon her husband and infant daughter in order to pursue her dreams of superstardom. The story starts off by showing aspiring vocalist, Olivia King (Diana Ross) performing at small lounge in Atlanta, 1981. As she takes a break from her performance she heads backstage to see her infant daughter, Kayla (Jayda Brown). A music executive approaches King at the bar and tells her she is talented and should move to the bigger market of New York City to fulfill her dreams. Olivia King initially denies his request and goes home to her husband ((Brian Stokes Mitchell)). King is shown trying to explain her night to her husband and tell him about the music executive but he brushes her off and tells her moving to New York City is a bad idea. Feeling depressed, conflicted and trapped in her marriage, Olivia King leaves her home in the middle of the night whispering to her daughter that she can't take her along, but will be back for her. The movie then picks back up in St.Louis, Missouri 18 years later and it is shown that Kayla Harris (Brandy Norwood), now 19 years old, has won a contest to meet famous superstar Olivia King. Kayla at this time does not know that Olivia is her mother, but she grew up being a huge fan of Ms. Olivia King and is extremely excited to meet her idol, completely ignorant to the truth. After enjoying the concert, Kayla then gets the second part of her prize which includes having dinner with Olivia King, at dinner Kayla lets Olivia know that she also would like to be a singer and invites Olivia to a small performance she would be doing. When Kayla gets home from dinner, her father asks her how it went and he is shocked to hear that the star Kayla got to meet was Olivia King, though he knows the truth he does not press the issue further as he sees his daughter is still in the dark. Next, Kayla is shown getting ready to perform, and she begins to worry that Olivia will not show up but sure enough Olivia shows up as Kayla starts to sing. Kayla is ecstatic that her idol has shown up but after the show Olivia pulls her aside and reveals to Kayla who she really is. Kayla is stunned and upset, she quickly leaves. Kayla is shaken, she argues with her father and refuses to speak to her mother even when Olivia offers to help her with her career. Kayla's best friend advises her to accept Olivia's help with her music career as it is the least she owes her.