Heather Morris (Glee actress)
Encyclopedia
Heather Elizabeth Morris (born February 1, 1987) is an American actress, dancer, and singer best known for her role as the cheerleader Brittany S. Pierce in the musical comedy series Glee
.
, and raised in Scottsdale, Arizona
. She began dancing when she was one. Morris competed at a young age in a variety of styles including jazz, tap, and contemporary.
Morris's father died when she was 14 years old. "It's something that is hard for me, because I'm sad about it, but I don't dwell on it," she said during an interview workshop with students in December 2009. "I know he's in a better place, instead of suffering."
After graduating from Desert Mountain High School, Morris decided to enroll in a local university but realized she was in the wrong place so she moved to L.A. instead at age 19.
Season 2 where she made the "green mile" but failed to make the final 20 by a vote of 3-2.
Not discouraged, Morris moved to Los Angeles and actively pursued a career in dancing. Her big break came in 2007 via Beyoncé
. Morris was one of Beyoncé's backup dancers on The Beyoncé Experience
world tour and, following that, worked again with Beyoncé on a mini "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)
" promotional tour that included 2008 performances on the American Music Awards, Saturday Night Live
, The Ellen DeGeneres Show
, Today, and MTV's Total Request Live
Finale. She also danced backup for Beyoncé and Tina Turner
at the 50th Grammy Awards
in 2008. She later appeared in a small role in the movie Fired Up
, where she met choreographer Zach Woodlee
. Following that film, Woodlee brought Morris in to dance on other shows he was choreographing, including episodes of Eli Stone
and Swingtown
, the movie Bedtime Stories
, and eventually Glee.
In December 2010 Morris was named the Celebrity Style Ambassador for FLIRT! Cosmetics, an Estee Lauder cosmetics line.
In 2010 Morris made the Maxim Hot 100 list, coming in at number 85. On the AfterEllen hot 100 list she was ranked #2 behind Naya Rivera
.
In 2011 Morris starred in a back-to-school commercial for Staples Canada that featured her dancing.
In the October 2011 issue of Fitness magazine, Heather Morris admitted that she has had her breast implants removed. She was quoted saying "Implants were something I thought I wanted when I was younger, and now I don't, It was hard being active with them, because my chest was always sore. It hurt a lot, and I didn't like always being in pain, so they had to go!" Her breast implant surgery was done sometime between her time on So You Think You Can Dance
at age 18 and age 21 when she was a backup dancer for Beyoncé
.
" dance to the Glee actors. At the same time, the show was looking for a third cheerleader, and Morris ended up landing the role of Brittany. Initially a background character who hardly ever spoke, the role grew as writers discovered Morris had a gift for delivering one-liner
s. Jarrett Wieselman of the New York Post
opined that Morris has "emerged as one of the funniest second bananas
on TV right now" and the LA Times wrote of having a "...comedy crush on Morris, who plays the galactically dim Glee Club cheerleader Brittany".
When a promotional clip for the episode "Sectionals
" indicated that Brittany Pierce and Santana Lopez
had slept together, Dorothy Snarker, writing for lesbian entertainment website After Ellen, praised the pairing, referring to them by the portmanteau "Brittana". Snarker called the two her "new favorite Glee pairing", commenting that: "While Heather Morris (Brittany) and Naya Rivera
(Santana) have had minimal screen time, they've made it count. Heather in particular has brought the laughs as the Cheerio least likely to get a Mensa
invitation. Never mind Finn and Rachel — I'm on Team Brittana now."
Morris' role became more prominent during the final nine episodes of season one, and due to the overwhelmingly positive response to her character, was promoted to official series regular status during season two. She was at the center of the second episode, "Britney/Brittany
", (a tribute to Britney Spears
) where she made her singing debut covering Spears' "I'm a Slave 4 U" solo and dueting with Naya Rivera
on "Me Against the Music". The second half of season two saw Morris' character engage in a lesbian storyline with Rivera's character. Both the arc along with Rivera's and Morris' performances were met with critical acclaim. As on Glee, Morris is best friends in real life with co-star Rivera.
During the 2011 Glee Tour Heather performed Britney Spears' song "I'm a Slave 4 U". She also had a dance spotlight with castmate Harry Shum Jr. during Naya Rivera
's performance of "Valerie" and was one of the dancers in the Single Ladies and Safety Dance numbers.
Morris co-wrote and appeared in a January 2011 video for Funny or Die
, "Nuthin' But A Glee Thang," a take-off of the Dr. Dre
/Snoop Dogg collaboration "Nuthin' but a 'G' Thang". Co-written with actresses Ashley Lendzion and Riki Lindhome, the video features appearances from Modern Familys Sofia Vergara
and Morris's Glee castmates Matthew Morrison
, Cory Monteith
, Harry Shum, Jr.
, and Naya Rivera
.
Glee (TV series)
Glee is an American musical comedy-drama television series that airs on Fox in the United States, and on GlobalTV in Canada. It focuses on the high school glee club New Directions competing on the show choir competition circuit, while its members deal with relationships, sexuality and social issues...
.
Early life
Morris was born in Thousand Oaks, CaliforniaThousand Oaks, California
Thousand Oaks is a city in southeastern Ventura County, California, in the United States. It was named after the many oak trees that grace the area, and the city seal is adorned with an oak....
, and raised in Scottsdale, Arizona
Scottsdale, Arizona
Scottsdale is a city in the eastern part of Maricopa County, Arizona, United States, adjacent to Phoenix. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, as of 2010 the population of the city was 217,385...
. She began dancing when she was one. Morris competed at a young age in a variety of styles including jazz, tap, and contemporary.
Morris's father died when she was 14 years old. "It's something that is hard for me, because I'm sad about it, but I don't dwell on it," she said during an interview workshop with students in December 2009. "I know he's in a better place, instead of suffering."
After graduating from Desert Mountain High School, Morris decided to enroll in a local university but realized she was in the wrong place so she moved to L.A. instead at age 19.
Career
Morris' first significant appearance was in 2006 on So You Think You Can DanceSo You Think You Can Dance (U.S. TV series)
So You Think You Can Dance is an American dance competition and reality show that airs on Fox in the United States.The series first premiered on July 20, 2005, and was created by American Idol producers Simon Fuller and Nigel Lythgoe and is produced by 19 Entertainment and Dick Clark Productions...
Season 2 where she made the "green mile" but failed to make the final 20 by a vote of 3-2.
Not discouraged, Morris moved to Los Angeles and actively pursued a career in dancing. Her big break came in 2007 via Beyoncé
Beyoncé Knowles
Beyoncé Giselle Knowles , often known simply as Beyoncé, is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and actress. Born and raised in Houston, Texas, she enrolled in various performing arts schools and was first exposed to singing and dancing competitions as a child...
. Morris was one of Beyoncé's backup dancers on The Beyoncé Experience
The Beyoncé Experience
The Beyoncé Experience was the second worldwide concert tour by American singer-songwriter Beyoncé in support to her second solo album B'Day. According to Vibe, the tour grossed over $18.1 million.-Background:...
world tour and, following that, worked again with Beyoncé on a mini "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)
Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)
"Single Ladies " is a song by American recording artist Beyoncé Knowles from her third studio album, I Am... Sasha Fierce. It was released by Columbia Records on October 12, 2008 as the album's lead single, and appeared with "If I Were a Boy" as a double A-side single, demonstrating the...
" promotional tour that included 2008 performances on the American Music Awards, Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live is a live American late-night television sketch comedy and variety show developed by Lorne Michaels and Dick Ebersol. The show premiered on NBC on October 11, 1975, under the original title of NBC's Saturday Night.The show's sketches often parody contemporary American culture...
, The Ellen DeGeneres Show
The Ellen DeGeneres Show
The Ellen DeGeneres Show, often shortened to Ellen, is an American television talk show hosted by comedian/actress Ellen DeGeneres. Debuting on September 8, 2003, it is produced by Telepictures and airs in syndication, including stations owned by NBC Universal. For its first five seasons, the show...
, Today, and MTV's Total Request Live
Total Request Live
Total Request Live is a television series on MTV that featured popular music videos. TRL was MTV's prime outlet for music videos as the network continues to concentrate on reality-based programming. In addition to music videos, TRL featured daily guests...
Finale. She also danced backup for Beyoncé and Tina Turner
Tina Turner
Tina Turner is an American singer and actress whose career has spanned more than 50 years. She has won numerous awards and her achievements in the rock music genre have led many to call her the "Queen of Rock 'n' Roll".Turner started out her music career with husband Ike Turner as a member of the...
at the 50th Grammy Awards
50th Grammy Awards
The 50th Annual Grammy Awards took place at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California, on February 10, 2008. Kanye West received the most nominations, with eight. Amy Winehouse was the big winner, winning a total of five awards. Herbie Hancock's River: The Joni Letters won Album of the Year,...
in 2008. She later appeared in a small role in the movie Fired Up
Fired Up (film)
Fired Up! is a 2009 teen comedy film produced and directed by Will Gluck and written by Freedom Jones. The main plot revolves around two popular high school football players who create their lie to attend cheerleading camp for the summer and get close to its female cheerleaders.-Plot:Nick Brady...
, where she met choreographer Zach Woodlee
Zach Woodlee
Zach Woodlee is an American choreographer and dancer. He is currently choreographer and co-producer of the TV series Glee.-Early life and education:Zachary Vinson Woodlee was born April 27, 1977 in Mesquite, Texas...
. Following that film, Woodlee brought Morris in to dance on other shows he was choreographing, including episodes of Eli Stone
Eli Stone
Eli Stone is an American TV series, and also the name of the title character.San Francisco lawyer Eli Stone begins to see things, which leads him to discover a brain aneurysm...
and Swingtown
Swingtown
Swingtown was an American television series created by Mike Kelley as a summer replacement series for CBS. The show was a period and relationship drama about the impact of sexual and social liberation in 1970s American suburban households, with story arcs involving open marriages and key...
, the movie Bedtime Stories
Bedtime Stories (film)
Bedtime Stories is a 2008 American family-fantasy-comedy film directed by Adam Shankman that stars Adam Sandler in his first appearance in a family-oriented film...
, and eventually Glee.
In December 2010 Morris was named the Celebrity Style Ambassador for FLIRT! Cosmetics, an Estee Lauder cosmetics line.
In 2010 Morris made the Maxim Hot 100 list, coming in at number 85. On the AfterEllen hot 100 list she was ranked #2 behind Naya Rivera
Naya Rivera
Naya Marie Rivera is an American actress and singer known for her role in the musical comedy television series Glee, as cheerleader Santana Lopez.-Early life:...
.
In 2011 Morris starred in a back-to-school commercial for Staples Canada that featured her dancing.
In the October 2011 issue of Fitness magazine, Heather Morris admitted that she has had her breast implants removed. She was quoted saying "Implants were something I thought I wanted when I was younger, and now I don't, It was hard being active with them, because my chest was always sore. It hurt a lot, and I didn't like always being in pain, so they had to go!" Her breast implant surgery was done sometime between her time on So You Think You Can Dance
So You Think You Can Dance (U.S. TV series)
So You Think You Can Dance is an American dance competition and reality show that airs on Fox in the United States.The series first premiered on July 20, 2005, and was created by American Idol producers Simon Fuller and Nigel Lythgoe and is produced by 19 Entertainment and Dick Clark Productions...
at age 18 and age 21 when she was a backup dancer for Beyoncé
Beyoncé Knowles
Beyoncé Giselle Knowles , often known simply as Beyoncé, is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and actress. Born and raised in Houston, Texas, she enrolled in various performing arts schools and was first exposed to singing and dancing competitions as a child...
.
Glee
Morris was taking acting classes and actively pursuing an acting career when she was asked by Woodlee to teach the choreography for Beyoncé's "Single LadiesSingle Ladies (Put a Ring on It)
"Single Ladies " is a song by American recording artist Beyoncé Knowles from her third studio album, I Am... Sasha Fierce. It was released by Columbia Records on October 12, 2008 as the album's lead single, and appeared with "If I Were a Boy" as a double A-side single, demonstrating the...
" dance to the Glee actors. At the same time, the show was looking for a third cheerleader, and Morris ended up landing the role of Brittany. Initially a background character who hardly ever spoke, the role grew as writers discovered Morris had a gift for delivering one-liner
One-liner joke
A one-liner is a joke that is delivered in a single line. A good one-liner is said to be pithy.Comedians and actors use this comedic method as part of their act, e.g...
s. Jarrett Wieselman of the New York Post
New York Post
The New York Post is the 13th-oldest newspaper published in the United States and is generally acknowledged as the oldest to have been published continuously as a daily, although – as is the case with most other papers – its publication has been periodically interrupted by labor actions...
opined that Morris has "emerged as one of the funniest second bananas
Sidekick
A sidekick is a close companion who is generally regarded as subordinate to the one he accompanies. Some well-known fictional sidekicks are Don Quixote's Sancho Panza, Sherlock Holmes' Doctor Watson, The Lone Ranger's Tonto, The Green Hornet's Kato and Batman's Robin.-Origins:The origin of the...
on TV right now" and the LA Times wrote of having a "...comedy crush on Morris, who plays the galactically dim Glee Club cheerleader Brittany".
When a promotional clip for the episode "Sectionals
Sectionals
"Sectionals" is the 13th episode of the American television series Glee. It premiered on the Fox network on December 9, 2009. The episode was written and directed by series co-creator Brad Falchuk, and serves as the mid-season finale for the show's first season. "Sectionals" sees the glee club win...
" indicated that Brittany Pierce and Santana Lopez
Santana Lopez
Santana Lopez is a fictional character from the Fox musical comedy-drama series Glee. The character is portrayed by actress Naya Rivera, and has appeared in Glee from its pilot episode, first broadcast on May 19, 2009. Santana was developed by Glee creators Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk and Ian Brennan...
had slept together, Dorothy Snarker, writing for lesbian entertainment website After Ellen, praised the pairing, referring to them by the portmanteau "Brittana". Snarker called the two her "new favorite Glee pairing", commenting that: "While Heather Morris (Brittany) and Naya Rivera
Naya Rivera
Naya Marie Rivera is an American actress and singer known for her role in the musical comedy television series Glee, as cheerleader Santana Lopez.-Early life:...
(Santana) have had minimal screen time, they've made it count. Heather in particular has brought the laughs as the Cheerio least likely to get a Mensa
Mensa International
Mensa is the largest and oldest high-IQ society in the world. It is a non-profit organization open to people who score at the 98th percentile or higher on a standardised, supervised IQ or other approved intelligence test...
invitation. Never mind Finn and Rachel — I'm on Team Brittana now."
Morris' role became more prominent during the final nine episodes of season one, and due to the overwhelmingly positive response to her character, was promoted to official series regular status during season two. She was at the center of the second episode, "Britney/Brittany
Britney/Brittany
"Britney/Brittany" is the second episode of the second season of the American television series Glee, and the 24th episode overall. Written and directed by series creator Ryan Murphy, it premiered on the Fox network on September 28, 2010, and pays tribute to Britney Spears...
", (a tribute to Britney Spears
Britney Spears
Britney Jean Spears is an American recording artist and entertainer. Born in McComb, Mississippi, and raised in Kentwood, Louisiana, Spears began performing as a child, landing acting roles in stage productions and television shows. She signed with Jive Records in 1997 and released her debut album...
) where she made her singing debut covering Spears' "I'm a Slave 4 U" solo and dueting with Naya Rivera
Naya Rivera
Naya Marie Rivera is an American actress and singer known for her role in the musical comedy television series Glee, as cheerleader Santana Lopez.-Early life:...
on "Me Against the Music". The second half of season two saw Morris' character engage in a lesbian storyline with Rivera's character. Both the arc along with Rivera's and Morris' performances were met with critical acclaim. As on Glee, Morris is best friends in real life with co-star Rivera.
During the 2011 Glee Tour Heather performed Britney Spears' song "I'm a Slave 4 U". She also had a dance spotlight with castmate Harry Shum Jr. during Naya Rivera
Naya Rivera
Naya Marie Rivera is an American actress and singer known for her role in the musical comedy television series Glee, as cheerleader Santana Lopez.-Early life:...
's performance of "Valerie" and was one of the dancers in the Single Ladies and Safety Dance numbers.
Morris co-wrote and appeared in a January 2011 video for Funny or Die
Funny or Die
Funny or Die is a comedy video website founded by Will Ferrell and Adam McKay's production company, Gary Sanchez Productions with original and user-generated content. Funny or Die contains exclusive material from a number of famous contributors and also has its own Funny or Die Team, which creates...
, "Nuthin' But A Glee Thang," a take-off of the Dr. Dre
Dr. Dre
Andre Romelle Young , primarily known by his stage name Dr. Dre, is an American record producer, rapper, record executive, entrepreneur, and occasional actor. He is the founder and current CEO of Aftermath Entertainment and a former co-owner and artist of Death Row Records...
/Snoop Dogg collaboration "Nuthin' but a 'G' Thang". Co-written with actresses Ashley Lendzion and Riki Lindhome, the video features appearances from Modern Familys Sofia Vergara
Sofía Vergara
Sofía Margarita Vergara Vergara is a Colombian actress, comedian, television hostess and model.Vergara had been widely known for co-hosting two TV shows for Univisión in the late 1990s. Her TV career opened up for her a window of exposure to North American audiences prior to her first notable...
and Morris's Glee castmates Matthew Morrison
Matthew Morrison
Matthew James "Matt" Morrison is an American actor, director, musician, and singer-songwriter. He is best known for starring in multiple Broadway and Off-Broadway productions, including his portrayal of Link Larkin in Hairspray on Broadway, and most notably for his Emmy and Golden Globe nominated...
, Cory Monteith
Cory Monteith
Cory Allan Monteith is a Canadian actor and musician, best known for his role of Finn Hudson on the Fox television series Glee.-Early life:...
, Harry Shum, Jr.
Harry Shum, Jr.
Harry Shum, Jr. is an American dancer, actor, and choreographer. He is best known for his role as Mike Chang on the FOX television show Glee. He has appeared in dance films such as Stomp the Yard, You Got Served, Step Up 2: The Streets and Step Up 3D...
, and Naya Rivera
Naya Rivera
Naya Marie Rivera is an American actress and singer known for her role in the musical comedy television series Glee, as cheerleader Santana Lopez.-Early life:...
.
Filmography
| Music Video appearances | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Artist | Song Title | otes |
| 2008 | An-Ya | Nightlife | Dancer |
| 2008 | The White Tie Affair The White Tie Affair The White Tie Affair is a pop rock/electronica band from Chicago, Illinois. The members consist of: Sean-P , Chris Wallace , Tim McLaughlin and Ryan McLain . In early 2007, the band signed with Epic Records/Slightly Dangerous and released their debut album, Walk This Way in April 2008... |
Allow Me To Introduce Myself...Mr. Right/Candle (Sick and Tired) Candle (Sick and Tired) "Candle " is a pop rock song recorded by American band The White Tie Affair, released as the lead single from their debut album, Walk This Way... |
|
| 2008 | Hit the Lights | Drop the Girl | |
| 2011 | Leo Moctezuma | 2 Da Left | |
| Film appearances | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Title | Role | otes |
| 2008 | Bedtime Stories Bedtime Stories (film) Bedtime Stories is a 2008 American family-fantasy-comedy film directed by Adam Shankman that stars Adam Sandler in his first appearance in a family-oriented film... |
Dancer | Uncredited, Cat dancer |
| 2009 | Fired Up! Fired Up (film) Fired Up! is a 2009 teen comedy film produced and directed by Will Gluck and written by Freedom Jones. The main plot revolves around two popular high school football players who create their lie to attend cheerleading camp for the summer and get close to its female cheerleaders.-Plot:Nick Brady... |
Fiona | Part of the "Panther" cheer squad/Body double. |
| 2011 | Glee: The 3D Concert Movie Glee: The 3D Concert Movie Glee: The 3D Concert Movie is a 2011 American 3-D concert film directed by Kevin Tancharoen. It is based on the Fox television series Glee and features the cast performing during the Glee Live! In Concert! tour.-Synopsis:... |
Brittany Susan Pierce Brittany Pierce Brittany Susan Pierce is a fictional character from the Fox musical comedy-drama series Glee. The character is portrayed by actress Heather Morris, and has appeared in Glee from its second episode, "Showmance", first broadcast on September 9, 2009. Brittany was developed by Glee creators Ryan... /Herself |
|
| 2012 | Ice Age: Continental Drift Ice Age: Continental Drift Ice Age: Continental Drift, also known as Ice Age 4, is an upcoming American 3-D computer-animated film directed by Steve Martino and Mike Thurmeier, starring the voices of Ray Romano, John Leguizamo, Denis Leary, Queen Latifah, Seann William Scott, Josh Peck, with Chris Wedge and Jeremy Renner.It... |
Gossip Girl | Voice |
| Television appearances | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Title | Role | otes |
| 2007 | Dancer | DVD: | |
| 2008 | Swingtown Swingtown Swingtown was an American television series created by Mike Kelley as a summer replacement series for CBS. The show was a period and relationship drama about the impact of sexual and social liberation in 1970s American suburban households, with story arcs involving open marriages and key... |
Dancer | Uncredited, Episode: "Get Down Tonight" |
| 2008 | Eli Stone Eli Stone Eli Stone is an American TV series, and also the name of the title character.San Francisco lawyer Eli Stone begins to see things, which leads him to discover a brain aneurysm... |
Dancer | Uncredited, Episodes: "The Path" and "The Humanitarian" |
| 2009- present |
Glee Glee (TV series) Glee is an American musical comedy-drama television series that airs on Fox in the United States, and on GlobalTV in Canada. It focuses on the high school glee club New Directions competing on the show choir competition circuit, while its members deal with relationships, sexuality and social issues... |
Brittany Susan Pierce Brittany Pierce Brittany Susan Pierce is a fictional character from the Fox musical comedy-drama series Glee. The character is portrayed by actress Heather Morris, and has appeared in Glee from its second episode, "Showmance", first broadcast on September 9, 2009. Brittany was developed by Glee creators Ryan... |
Season 1 - Series Recurring. Season 2,3 – Series Regular Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series Nominated – Teen Choice Award for Choice Music: Group 2010 Teen Choice Awards 2010 Teen Choice Awards were held on August 8, introducing a lot of new categories now separated into "Movie", "TV", "Music", "Summer", "Fashion" and "Other". The show aired on August 9, 2010 on Fox, co-hosted by Katy Perry, who also performed, and Cory Monteith, Chris Colfer, Kevin McHale, and... (shared with Glee Cast) |
| 2010 | How I Met Your Mother How I Met Your Mother How I Met Your Mother is an American sitcom that premiered on CBS on September 19, 2005, created by Craig Thomas and Carter Bays.As a framing device, the main character, Ted Mosby with narration by Bob Saget, in the year 2030 recounts to his son and daughter the events that led to his meeting... |
Suit Dancer | Uncredited, Episode: "Girls Versus Suits Girls Versus Suits "Girls Versus Suits" is the twelfth episode of the fifth season of the CBS situation comedy How I Met Your Mother and 100th episode overall. It originally aired on January 11, 2010.... " |
| 2011 | Staples Commercial | Herself/Dancer | Back-to-school commercial for Staples (Canada) |
Awards and nominations
| Award | Year | Category | Result | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Playhouse West Film Foundation 2011 PWFF Grand Jury Awards | 2011 | Best Supporting Actress in a Feature Film | Lily in a Short Film called POST by Jim Parrack Jim Parrack Jim Parrack is an American actor. He has a starring role as Hoyt Fortenberry in HBO series True Blood, and appeared in the film Battle: Los Angeles, which was released March 2011.... |