Alicia Morton

Alicia Morton
Born (1987-04-29) April 29, 1987 (age 37)
Education
Occupation(s)Actress, singer, dancer, drama teacher, veterinarian technician
Years active1999-2011
Websitemommaavelito.com

Alicia Morton (born April 29, 1987) is an American former actress, singer, dancer, drama teacher, and veterinarian technician. She starred as Annie Bennett Warbucks in the 1999 Wonderful World of Disney production of Annie, which was based on the Broadway musical of the same name.

Biography

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Morton was born and raised in Gonzales, Louisiana, and started singing when she was 18 months old. When she was 12, she played the titular role in Annie at her school in nearby Baton Rouge, Louisiana. She was 7 when she landed the part of young Cosette in Broadway's Les Misérables in 1996. Co-star Ricky Martin would rub makeup on her hands for good luck.[1] In 1998, Morton beat 3,000 girls to win the part of Annie in the Disney television film Annie,[2] which premiered on The Wonderful World of Disney on November 7, 1999, following a private screening at the New Amsterdam Theatre on November 1, 1999.[3] In Annie, Morton co-starred with Lalaine, who would go on to star in the Disney Channel original series Lizzie McGuire from 2001 to 2004, and in the 2003 Disney Channel original movie You Wish!. In this role, Morton struggled with some of the dramatic moments. "The emotional scenes were hard for me," she says, until an acting coach suggested that she draw on her father's death.[4][5] Her best friend, Alexis Kalehoff, is the daughter of Broadway's original Annie, Andrea McArdle. McArdle also had a cameo role in Morton's Annie, playing the Star-to-Be who has a solo in the song “N.Y.C.”.[2] Her most recent film was the 2006 vampire horror film The Thirst, where she played a young girl with hemophilia named Sara.

She graduated from East Ascension High School in Gonzales in 2005, and started her first year of college in 2006. She also plays guitar.[6][unreliable source] She studied music at Tulane University in New Orleans, Louisiana,[7] and also occasionally performs in regional theatre.

From October 6 to October 16, 2011, Morton starred alongside McArdle in the new musical Greenwood at the New York Musical Theatre Festival.[8] Morton then returned to Gonzales and taught drama at Ascension Christian High School.[9] She now works as a veterinarian technician in Colorado.[10]

Soundtracks

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Filmography

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Year Film Role Notes
1999 Annie Annie Bennett Warbucks YoungStar Award for Best Young Actress in a miniseries/made-for-TV film
Nominated- Young Artist Award for Best performance in a TV Movie or Pilot-Leading Young Actress
Nominated-Young Artist Award for Best Performance in a Feature Film or TV Movie-Young Ensemble
2001 The Big House
Dodson's Journey Maggie Dodson
2004 Miracle Run Jennifer
2005 Odd Girl Out Tiffany Thompson
2006 The Thirst Sara
2018 Deadpool 2 Vocalist of Tomorrow Voice only; archival audio from Annie

References

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  1. ^ "Alicia Morton". Amorosity.com. Archived from the original on June 29, 2011.
  2. ^ a b Knutzen, Eirik (November 7, 1999). "Disney Casts Alicia Morton in the Latest 'Annie' Role". The Morning Call. Archived from the original on July 4, 2016. Retrieved July 3, 2016.
  3. ^ Ehren, Christine (November 4, 1999). "PHOTO CALL: More 'Annie' Cast Shots: Alicia Mortron and Kristin Chenoweth". Playbill. Retrieved July 3, 2016.
  4. ^ "'Annie' celebrates 25 years". CNN. April 25, 2002. Archived from the original on November 3, 2007.
  5. ^ "Happy Anniversary! It Has Been 25 Years Since Annie′s Broadway Debut: Do You Know Where Your Favorite Orphan Is?". People. Vol. 57, no. 16. April 29, 2002. Archived from the original on November 1, 2008. Retrieved July 3, 2016.
  6. ^ "Alicia Morton – Biography". IMDb.
  7. ^ "Greenwood Cast". Archived from the original on December 16, 2013. Retrieved June 15, 2012.
  8. ^ Hetrick, Adam (August 23, 2011). "NYMF's Greenwood to Star Stage and Screen Annie Veterans Andrea McArdle and Alicia Morton". Playbill. Retrieved July 3, 2016.
  9. ^ Spaner, Whitney (December 13, 2014). "'You Won't Be An Orphan for Long': Where Are the Stars of Annie Now?". Playbill. Retrieved December 14, 2014.
  10. ^ "Alicia Morton". Facebook. [user-generated source]
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