Biography
A talented young singer/songwriter whose initial rise to fame came in the wake of collaborations with
Ja Rule and
Jennifer Lopez, Christina Milian has -- much like her more famous musical partners -- opted to pursue a career not only on-stage, but onscreen as well.
A native of New Jersey, Milian was raised by Cuban immigrant parents in Waldorf, MD. An early role in the popular play Annie seemed the idea vehicle to fuse the youngster's singing talent and acting ambitions, and before she had even reached her teens, Milian had also served as a junior journalist on the Disney Channel's Movie Surfers. Numerous television guest roles were quick to follow, and in 1998, the young actress voiced characters in the popular animated feature
A Bug's Life. Subsequent roles in
American Pie and
The Wood found Milian gaining face time in front of the camera, and in 2001 she landed a prime role as hostess of the popular television series
Wannabe -- which was soon followed by the release of her self-titled solo debut album. As her presence on the big screen gained momentum, her musical career exploded when the young songstress teamed with rapper
Ja Rule for the breakthrough hit "Between Me and You." Of course, with that kind of exposure it doesn't take long for the phones to start ringing, and soon thereafter Milian was teaming with none other than
Jennifer Lopez to pen the hit single "Play." As Milian began production on her second full-length album, she could be seen on the big screen in such high-profile releases as
Love Don't Cost a Thing (2003) and
Torque (2004).
Never one to forsake her musical career simply for the silver screen, Milian keptthe grooves coming with the release of her sophomore album It's About Time in 2004. By this time Milian had grown to be as comfortable in front of the camera as she was in front of the microphone, with roles in 2005's
Man of the House and
Be Cool somehow managing to keep the laughs coming despite her increasingly crowded schedule. Her 2006 album So Amazin' drawing fair enough reviews from critics, Milian would next take a break from the funny to get her fans screaming in the 2006 horror remake
Pulse. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide