Filmography:
>> Queen of the Damned, The (2002) .... Queen Akasha
>> MTV Icon: Janet Jackson (2001) (TV) .... Herself
>> 2000 MTV Movie Awards (2000) (TV) .... Presenter
>> Making of 'Romeo Must Die', The (2000) (V) .... Herself/Tris
O'Day
>> MTV Video Music Awards 2000 (2000) (TV) .... Herself
>> Romeo Must Die (2000) .... Trish O'Day
Mini Biography :
>> Talented. Beautiful. Modest. These three words described
R&B singer-turned-actress Aaliyah perfectly. Born in Brooklyn, New
York but raised in Detroit, Aaliyah got her first major exposure appearing
on the syndicated television series "Star Search," where she awed
the audience with her amazing voice and talent. Withdrawing from the
celebrity scene for a few years, Aaliyah lived the life of a normal
teenage girl, attending Detroit's Performing Arts High School where
she majored in dance. It was around this same time that Aaliyah met
singer/composer R. Kelly. Kelly assisted Aaliyah with the production
of her debut album "Age Ain't Nothing But A number" which scored several
number hits, specifically "Back and Forth." The album's title was
a brief reference to her short-lived marriage to R. Kelly (she was
15 years of age at the time, and he was in his 20's). Thir marriage
was annulled due to her status as a minor. During her senior year,
Aaliyah went on to record "One In A Million" which featured the songwriting
talents of major R&B producers/writers Missy Elliot and Timbaland.
That album was a major success and sealed Aaliyah's fame forever.
After seeing her at an awards show and in the video for her hit song
"Are You that Somebody?" (from the Eddie Murphy film "Dr. Dolitte"),
film producer Joel Silver (producer of the 'Matrix" and other major
actor films) asked Aaliyah to audition for a role in an upcoming romance/action
film called "Romeo Must Die." With her determination and sex appeal,
Aaliyah won Silver over and was cast in her first major film role.
"Romeo Must Die" was a hit at the box office.
>> This film led to her being cast as one of the stars of the
film based on Anne Rice's "Queen of the Damned" and in the two followup
sequels to the major box office hit, the Matrix. During the busy schedule
of her film career, Aaliyah took time to record her third album, the
self-titled "Aaliyah". July 2001 was a busy time for Aaliyah. After
the sucess of her song "Try Again" for which she was nominated for
a Grammy Award and won several MTV Video Awards, Aaliyah finally released
her "Aaliyah" album. Debuting at number two on the Billboard charts,
"Aaliyah" was a sales success despite all the critical reviews it
received. In August 2001, Aaliyah took time off from her busy album
promotional tour to fly to the Bahamas to film a video for the song
"Rock the Boat". The video, filmed on Abaco Island, was directed by
Hype Williams, a major music video director known for his style and
wit. On August 25, 2001, after filming the video, Aaliyah and about
9-11 of her entourage took off from Marsh Harbour airport at 6:50pm
EDT in a small Cessna 404 en route to Opa-Locka, Florida. A few minutes
after takeoff, the plane crashed about 200 feet from the runaway killing
Aaliyah and many others instantly. Four passnegers were pulled alive
from the wreckage, and one later died at a hospital in Nassau. Aaliyah
was only 22 years old. Aaliyah's short-lived, but brillant career
was a true success story for a young African-American woman who went
against all odds to be herself in an industry where originality is
scarce. Truly missed by her family, friends, and fans, her music and
film contributions will live forever.
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