Born Monique Adrienne Coleman on November 13, 1980 in Orangeburg, South Carolina, Monique is most famously known for playing Taylor McKessie in the High School Musical Movies where she played alongside Vanessa Hudgens.

Monique began her acting career at the age of fifteen in the independent film, Mother of the River. Two years later in 1997, Monique played the role of Young Donna in The Family Channel Movie, The Ditchdigger’s Daughters. She was nominated for a Young Artists Award of Hollywood for her performance.

In 2005, Monique starred in the Hallmark TV Movie, The Reading Room, with the legendary James Earl Jones. For her role as Leesha, Monique won a 2006 Cammie Award and represented the film at the NAACP Image Awards. Following this role, Monique was cast in The Disney Channel’s High School Musical as Taylor McKessie, best friend of Gabriella Montez, Vanessa Hudgens’ character. After filming, Monique made several guest appearances on the Disney Channel Original Series, “The Suite Life of Zack & Cody” as Mary Margaret. She also made appearances on such series as “Boston Public”, “Gilmore Girls”, “Malcolm in the Middle”, “Strong Medicine”, and “Veronica Mars”.

That same year, in 2006, Monique competed in the third edition of “Dancing with the Stars”. She partnered with professional Louis van Amstel and the two came in 4th place in the competition. In December 2007, she toured with the “Dancing with the Stars” performers. She also reprised her role as Taylor in High School Musical 2 and then again in 2008 in High School Musical 3: Senior Year.
Monique is currently working on an independent film titled, Crush, where she plays a depressed femme fatale; the film takes place in the 1920’s. Also, Monique is expected to play the lead role in the romantic comedy, Promise Rings, due out in theaters in 2010.

What Monique Has Appeared In:

- Bones (1 episode, 2009) – Becca Hedgepeth
- High School Musical 3: Senior Year (2008) – Taylor McKessie
- High School Musical 2 (2007) – Taylor McKessie
- Online (2006) – Jessie
- The Suite Life of Zack and Cody (6 episodes, 2005-2006) – Mary Margaret
- High School Musical (2006) – Taylor McKessie
- The Reading Room (2005) – Leesha
- Veronica Mars (1 episode, 2005) – Gabrielle Pollard
- Boston Public (3 episodes, 2003-2004) – Molly
- Malcolm in the Middle (1 episode, 2004) – Andrea
- Married to the Kellys (1 episode, 2004) – Waitress
- 10-8: Officers on Duty (1 episode, 2004) – Maya Barnes
- Gilmore Girls (1 episode, 2004) – Andy
- Strong Medicine (1 episode, 2003) – Tanya
- The Ditchdigger’s Daughters (1997) – Young Donna
- Mother of the River (1995) – Dofimae