Rosario Dawson was born May 9, 1979, in New York City. She was raised in a Manhattan tenement building by her Bronx-born mother, a professional vocalist, and her father, who worked in construction.

When she was at the age of 15, she was discovered sitting on her front porch in New York City by Larry Clark and asked if she wanted to be in a movie. She played her first movie role in "Kids" (1995). She played Ruby

Since Kids she has snagged roles in Spike Lee's He Got Game, and played Valerie in the under-rated Josie and The Pussycats. Roles like these led to bigger roles, more substantial roles in films like Sidewalks of New York, and The First $20 Million.

That same year she appeared in Side Streets, which features a series of vignettes depicting life throughout New York City. Dawson appeared in three more small-time films: as an honour student held hostage in Light It Up, a pothead in Down to You, and a bully in King of the Jungle.

Pluto Nash she plays Dina Lake, a beautiful earthling who has traveled to the moon to further her singing ambitions. This role has her cast opposite Eddie Murphy. Also on her slate is MIB2 with Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones.

Rosario Dawson will round out her resume further with appearances in a number of films slated for release in 2002, including the gangster flick Ash Wednesday and Spike Lee's The 25th Hour, wherein she'll play the girlfriend of a convicted felon. She has also been penned in for two 2003 films: Shattered Glass and opposite The Rock in Helldorado.