Fantasia Barrino
Birthdate – June 30, 1984 (40 Years Old)
Birthplace – High Point, North Carolina
Fantasia Barrino (birthname: Fantasia Monique Barrino) is one of the most successful winners in the history of the American Idol singing competition and a best-selling R&B recording artist but has burst onto the movie landscape in 2023 with her acclaimed role as Celie in The Color Purple (2023).
After winning the 2004 edition of American Idol, Barrino (as “Fantasia”) was the second woman (with Lauryn Hill) to make a single debut to land at the top of the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Barrino’s earliest acting experiences were in made-for-TV work (including portraying Aretha Franklin and herself in the Debbie Allen-directed 2006 TV movie version of her 2005 memoir, Life Is Not a Fairy Tale: The Fantasia Barrino Story), and then her casting in 2007 as Celie in the Broadway musical version of Alice Walker’s novel, The Color Purple.
Remarkably, even though she received acclaim for her acting, Barrino didn’t act again until she re-created her Broadway role alongside Taraji P. Henson and Danielle Brooks in the Blitz Bazawule-directed big-screen version of The Color Purple, for which Barrino received universal critical acclaim and a Golden Globe Best Actress nomination.
Personal Details
Fantasia Barrino was born and raised in High Point, North Carolina by parents Diane and Joseph Barrino. Barrino attended public schools in High Point, including Andrews High School. Unfortunately, in the aftermath of being raped by a classmate, including much harassment, Barrino dropped out of high school.
In 2001 when she was seventeen years old, Barrino had a daughter, Zion, whose father is Barrino’s ex-boyfriend, Brandel Shouse. In 2011, Barrino had her second child, son Dallas, with former lover and NFL star Antwuan Cook, after having had a previous abortion with Cook. Barrino has been married to actor Kendall Taylor since 2015; the couple has one daughter, Keziah Taylor. Barrino’s height is 5’ 7”. Barrino’s estimated net worth is $500 thousand.
Filmography
The Color Purple
Celie (2023)
Some Facts About Fantasia Barrino
Musical Family: Fantasia Barrino’s cousins include the R&B duo, K-Ci & JoJo, and her uncles comprised the 1970s-era R&B group, The Barrino Brothers.
What’s In A Name?: Although Barrino’s last name suggests that she has Latino heritage, her ancestors aren’t of Latino heritage; the name appears likely to be a version of the French name “Barrineau.”
Personal Dramas: Fantasia Barrino has been involved in divorce and other legal disputes, including being slapped with a lawsuit by her father Joseph for what he claimed were false charges directed at him in Barrino’s 2005 memoir, Life Is Not a Fairy Tale. Barrino faced foreclosure action and debt repayments on a Charlotte, North Carolina home, until a last-minute, undisclosed deal in 2009 was made. A year later, during much personal drama involving divorce proceedings and a love affair with NFL star Antwaun Cook, Barrino overdosed on aspirin and sleep aid, which was ruled as an apparent suicide attempt.
Awards
Nominee, Best Female Actor—Musical or Comedy, Golden Globe Awards (2024); Winner, Best Female R&B Vocal Performance, Grammy Awards (2011); Two-time Nominee, Best Actress—TV Movie, Miniseries or Dramatic Special, NAACP Image Awards/Outstanding Female Artist, NAACP Image Awards (2007, 2017); Winner, Spotlight Award, Palm Springs Film Festival (2024).
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