Biography
Sultry singer Tia Texada began to build a parallel career as an actress in the 1990s, moving to increasingly prominent roles in independent and Hollywood studio productions.
Born in New Orleans, Texada earned a major break as a singer on the 1995 Lilith Fair tour. While her songs could be heard on the soundtrack for TV teen drama
Dawson's Creek, Texada herself moved into acting with guest appearances on such shows as
ER and
NYPD Blue, and a bit part in
Robert Rodriguez's vampire gore fest
From Dusk Till Dawn (1996). Texada, or at least her voice, subsequently garnered a larger role in the talking parrot film
Paulie (1998). Texada finally became more than a voice with supporting turns in the
Jamie Foxx crime comedy
Bait (2000) and
Neil LaBute's critically acclaimed
Nurse Betty (2000). As amnesiac Betty's Hispanic roommate Rosa, Texada became a down to earth foil for Betty's soap opera star dreams, and her unwitting ally when assailants
Morgan Freeman and
Chris Rock come calling. Texada used both her music and acting talents as one of
Mariah Carey's friends and bandmates in
Glitter (2001), but the ill-starred vanity project flopped at the box office. Still, Texada offset
Glitter's failure by notching a film festival success with
Jill Sprecher's ensemble film
13 Conversations About One Thing (2001). ~ Lucia Bozzola, All Movie Guide