Brandy Norwood
Birthdate – February 11, 1979 (45 Years Old)
Birthplace – McComb, Mississippi, USA
Brandy Norwood (birthname: Brandy Rayana Norwood) is an international pop star who has appeared in a range of starring roles on the big screen, beginning with her lead ensemble role in the slasher sequel, I Still Know What You Did Last Summer (1998), with Jennifer Love Hewitt, Freddie Prinze Jr., and Mekhi Phifer under Danny Cannon’s direction, and grossing $40 million globally for Columbia Pictures/Mandalay Entertainment.
Brandy’s first voice role in a live-action/animated movie was Warner Bros.’ commercial bomb ($14 million gross against $70 million costs), Osmosis Jones (2001), co-directed and co-produced by Bobby and Peter Farrelly and co-starring Chris Rock, Laurence Fishburne, David Hyde Pierce, William Shatner, Molly Shannon, Chris Elliott, and Bill Murray.
Brandy Norwood (her screen name at the time) was cast by director/writer/producer Tyler Perry in the erotic drama, Temptation: Confessions of a Marriage Counselor (2013), co-starring Jurnee Smollett-Bell, Lance Gross, Kim Kardashian, Vanessa Williams, and Robbie Jones, and earning $53 million for Lionsgate. Brandy joined the ensemble of the Bille Woodruff-directed rom-com The Perfect Match (2016), with Terrence J., Cassie Ventura, Donald Faison, Joe Pantoliano, and Paula Patton, grossing $10.4 million for Lionsgate.
Brandy starred in her first horror-tinged drama in directors/writers Sam and Max Eggers’ debut feature based on Susan Hill’s 2016 short story, The Front Room (2024), co-starring Kathryn Hunter, Andrew Burnap, and Neal Huff, and released wide by A24.
Personal Details
Brandy Norwood was born in McComb, Mississippi, and raised in the Los Angeles suburb of Carson by parents Willie (Gospel singer) and Sonja Norwood (H&R Block district manager). Norwood has one younger brother, singer/songwriter Ray J. Brandy’s third cousin is legendary guitarist/singer Bo Diddley. Norwood attended Bancroft Junior High School and Hollywood High School Performing Arts Center, from which she dropped out in grade ten and was privately tutored while pursuing a recording music career. Norwood was in a quiet relationship with producer Robert “Big Bert” Smith, starting in 2001, until 2003; the couple has one child, Sy’rai Iman Smith. Norwood was in a 14-month engagement to Los Angeles Clippers player Quentin Richardson but ended it in 2005. Norwood was engaged to music executive Ryan Press in 2012 but ended the engagement in 2014. Norwood’s height is 5’ 7”. Brandy Norwood’s estimated net worth is $12 million.
Filmography
Temptation: Confessions of a Marriage Counselor
Melinda (2013)
Descendants: The Rise of Red
Cinderella (2024)
The Front Room
Belinda (2024)
Some Facts About Brandy Norwood
It’s All Relative: Brandy Norwood has been told that Snoop Dogg claims they are cousins, but she has stated that she’s unsure that Snoop’s claim is true.
Hero Worship: Norwood was most influenced as a pop singer by Whitney Houston, who then cast Norwood in the title role of her first TV movie or movie acting role, in the TV movie version of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella (1997).
Seller: Brandy Norwood has sold more than 40 million records worldwide since her 1994 album debut.
Biblical: Norwood has been so highly regarded by contemporary singer-songwriters that she’s referred to as “The Vocal Bible.”
Date Night: Brandy Norwood was the date of the late Lakers great Kobe Bryant for his 1996 high school prom.
Awards
Winner, Favorite Soul/R&B New Artist, American Music Awards (1996); Winner, Best R&B Performance by Duo or Group, Grammy Awards (1999); Three-time Winner, Best New Artist/Best Youth Actor or Actress/Best Supporting Actress-Comedy Series, NAACP Image Awards (1996, 1997, 2014); Winner, Best Movie Song, MTV Movie + TV Awards (1996); Seven-time Nominee, Best Rap Video/Best Video from a Film/Best R&B Video/Video of the Year/Viewer’s Choice, MTV Video Music Awards (1995, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2002, 2004).
