Anneliese van der Pol

Anneliese Louise van der Pol (born 23 September 1984) is a Dutch-American actress, singer, and dancer. Following her early career in musical theatre, she was best known for her role as Chelsea Daniels on That's So Raven, a role she reprises on its sequel Raven's Home. Van der Pol also has a career as a singer and has recorded several songs for The Walt Disney Company. She made her Broadway debut in 2007, and appeared Off-Broadway in 2009. She has also acted in the 2010 vampire spoof film Vampires Suck directed by Jason Friedberg and Aaron Seltzer.
== Life and career ==
=== Early life and career beginnings ===
Van der Pol was born in Naaldwijk, Netherlands,[2] to Willem van der Pol, who is Dutch and the director of the Physical Plant at the California State University in Fullerton, California, and Dyan Ross, an American from Brooklyn, New York. Van der Pol's mother named her after Anne Frank after visiting the house where Frank hid (van der Pol's mother is Jewish).[3] Van der Pol has two older sisters, Rachel and Sarah. Van der Pol's family moved to the United States when she was three years old, and she retains dual American and Dutch citizenship.
Van der Pol attended School in Bellflower, California where she began acting in third grade at Washington Elementary School. She attended Bellflower Middle School and High School, then transferred and subsequently graduated from the acclaimed Orange County High School of the Arts in Santa Ana, CA. In 1999, van der Pol played Sandy Dumbrowsky in the Huntington Beach Playhouse revival of Grease, which earned her a Bobbi Award for "Best Actress in a Musical."[4] She played Eva Perón in the Buena Park Civic Theatre production of Evita in 1999 and received positive reviews from the Los Angeles Times.[5] At the age of fifteen, she is also the youngest actress in theatrical history to play the role in a professional production.[6]
Van der Pol subsequently starred as "Laurey" in an Austin, Texas, musical theatre production of Oklahoma! from 2000 to 2001.[6] Her performance earned her both an Austin Critics Table Award nomination for "Best Actress in a Musical" and a B. Iden Payne Nomination for "Best Featured Actress in a Musical".[7] Van der Pol graduated from the Orange County High School of the Arts in 2001.
=== 2003–2007: Breakthrough with That's So Raven ===
In late 2001, she was cast as Chelsea Daniels, the best friend of the title character on the Disney Channel's That's So Raven, a role which she portrayed from 2003 until 2007. Just as the first season of "That's So Raven" began, she went back to Austin Musical Theatre to perform in "Celebrate: AMT," a performance highlighting all the shows the company had done up to then. She was a featured soloist. Van der Pol also appeared on the Disney Channel Gamesas a member of the Red Team; her teammates were Zac Efron, Kay Panabaker, Dylan Sprouse, Shin Koyamada, and Moises Arias. She also played Heather in a guest starring role on Kim Possible in the episode "And the Mole-Rat Will Be CGI."
Anneliese also had a supporting role in Bratz: The Movie as Avery, a mean popular girl and best friend to the main antagonist.
As the popularity of That's So Raven grew, Disney showcased van der Pol's musical talents by signing her for several music compilations. She even performed a solo in one episode, "Alone in the Hallways." In 2004, she recorded the song "Over It" for the Disney Channel Original Movie Stuck in the Suburbswhich became the soundtrack's lead single. Her second solo recording, called "A Day in the Sun," a cover originally sung by Hilary Duff, appeared on the albumThat's So Raven Too!. Van der Pol has been associated with several other Disney music projects, including the Elton John song "Circle of Life" for a special edition of The Lion King DVD, "A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes" for the Cinderella: Special Edition DVD, and "Candle on the Water" from Pete's Dragon on DisneyMania 4.
=== 2007–2009: Broadway debut, Beauty & the Beast and Vanities, A New Musical ===
In February 2007, it was announced that van der Pol would be making her Broadway debut as Belle, in Beauty and the Beast. Van der Pol was the musical's 17th (and final) Belle.[8] She played the role from April 3, 2007 to July 29, 2007 as the show reached its 5,464th (and final) performance. During her run as Belle, van der Pol also performed at Bryant Park's Broadway in Bryant Park on July 12, 2007 along Beauty and the Beast co-stars Chris Hoch and Jeanne Lehmann, performing songs from the show.[9] Prior to Beauty's final show, van der Pol appeared on Live with Regis and Kelly for a small interview discussing her Broadway debut and experiences with the show. She also discussed the origins of her name, and performed Beauty 's "A Change in Me."[10]
In May 2008, it was revealed that van der Pol would play the role of Kathy in the new musical, Vanities, A New Musical.[11] She originated the role of Kathy during the musical's Broadway previews in Pasadena, California from August 22, 2008 to September 28, 2008.[12] Originally, the musical was scheduled to begin performances on Broadway February 2, 2009 at the Lyceum Theatre with an official opening on February 26, 2009 but the show's Broadway run was postponed due to the economic turmoil in the US and to focus on the future of the musical.[13] The show then made its New York City debut Off-Broadway at the Second Stage Theatre on July 2, 2009 in previews, and officially opened on July 16, 2009. Performances continued through August 9, 2009.[14] On August 21, 2009, she started recording the Original Cast Album for the musical alongside Lauren Kennedy and Sarah Stiles.[15] The album was later released with Sh-k-Boom Records on December 15, 2009.[16]
As of July 2009, she stated she had received her fourth call-back for the role of Glinda in Wicked on Broadway.[17] Van der Pol appeared in a twelve part Jewish miniseries revival of Shalom Sesame (the Jewish version of Sesame Street). The series premiered during the Hanukkah holiday in December 2010.[18][19][20]
In September 2009, van der Pol starred as Esther Smith in the Theatre Under The Stars production of Meet Me in St. Louis that had a limited run from September 29 to October 11, 2009.[21][22] In December 2009, van der Pol made a guest appearance on The Battery's Down, as Rhonda Busby Smith. The episode premiered on December 1, 2009 on YouTube, where the web-series ran for two seasons.[23]
=== 2010–16: Films, For the Record series and theatre work ===
Van der Pol starred in Jason Friedberg and Aaron Seltzer's spoof film, Vampires Suck, based on the Twilight series. Van der Pol plays the role of Jennifer, Becca's new best friend.[24] The film's trailer exclusively premiered on Break.com on July 7, 2010 featuring Anneliese's character introducing the cast of Jersey Shore. To promote the film, van der Pol made appearances during New York Comic Conweekend for meet-and-greets with fans and to join a live discussion panel for Vampires Suck, along with co-star Matt Lanter.[25] She also participated in a fashion pictorial tribute to teen films for Zooey Magazine. The pictorial was shot by David Nguyen and paid tribute to Pretty Woman, Romy and Michele's High School Reunion, 10 Things I Hate About You, The Princess Diaries, and Legally Blonde.[26]
Van der Pol appeared in the thriller film, Cats Dancing on Jupiter, alongside Amanda Righetti and Jonathan Bennett.[27] Van der Pol returned to television as a guest star in NBC's television series, Friends with Benefits. Van der Pol also returned to the Disney Channel in a guest starring role on Shake It Up, as Ronnie, a former dancer of Shake It Up Chicago! The episode, "Reunion It Up!" premiered on April 10, 2011.[28]
Van der Pol had been cast as "Fiona MacLeod" in Arthur Kopit and Anton Dudley's "A Dram of Drummhicit", a Scottish play presented by La Jolla Playhouse.[29] The Scottish play started previews May 17, 2011 in San Diego.[30]On April 24, van der Pol announced that she would not be continuing with the production, due to artistic differences between herself and the play's director.[31]
In September 2011, van der Pol was cast to perform in For the Record: Tarantino in Concert, conceived and directed by Shane Scheel and Christopher Lloyd Bratten. The show featured songs and scenes from the films of Quentin Tarantino, including Pulp Fiction and Inglourious Basterds, and ran from September 29 to November 12.[32] Van der Pol continued to be part of the 'For the Record' series throughout 2012 with For the Record: John Hughes, For the Record: Baz Luhrmann and again in For the Record: Tarantino in Concert.[33][34]She went on to record the production's first cast recording, For the Record: Tarantino which was released through LML Music on November 13, 2012.[35][36]
From April to May 2012, she starred as Marian Almond in the Pasadena Playhouse production of The Heiress.[37]
She played the lead role in the Arizona Theatre Company's production of Paul Gordon's new musical, Emma, which ran from December 1, 2012 to January 20, 2013.[38] She returned to the Arizona Theatre Company in Stephen Wrentmore's production of The Importance of Being Earnest as Gwendolyn Fairfax. The show ran in Tucson from September 14, 2013 through October 5, 2013 and in Phoenix from October 10, 2013 through October 27, 2013.[39]
Van der Pol appeared in an industry reading for the highly anticipated Ghostlight, A New Musical, as the central role of Olive Thomas, in New York. Van der Pol was joined by Robert Cuccioli, Rachel Bay Jones, Jennifer Hope Wills, Trevor McQueen, and Kimberly Faye Greenberg.[40][41] In July 2014, she played Millie Dillmount in the Will Rogers Memorial Center production of Thoroughly Modern Millie.[42][43]
=== 2016–present: Raven's Home ===
On November 14, 2016, it was reported that Van der Pol will reprise her role as Chelsea Daniels for the second That's So Raven spin-off series Raven's Home, which premiered on July 21, 2017.[44][45]
== Arrest ==
Van der Pol was arrested for DUI in Los Angeles on July 10, 2006. She had a blood-alcohol level of 0.19, more than twice the legal limit in California. Police said she swerved and hit a parked car, which caused the parked car to hit two others. Van der Pol later pleaded no contest to two misdemeanors. She was sentenced in 2007 and was ordered to go on probation for 36 months, as well as pay fines and assessments, and attend an alcohol education program. The probation ended in 2010.[46]
== Filmography ==
Film roles
Year	Show 	Role 	Notes
2001	Divorce: The Musical 	Chelsey Weber 	
2005	Horror High 	Rachael Morrs 	
2007	Bratz: The Movie 	Avery 	
2010	Vampires Suck 	Jennifer 	
2011	Extremely Decent 	Jess 	
2011	Wish Wizard[47] 	Fairyista 	
2011	Cats Dancing on Jupiter	Dayna 	
2018	5 Weddings 	Whitney Simmons	
Television roles
Year 	Show 	Role 	Awards & notes
2003–2007 	Express Yourself 	Herself 	Interstitial series
2003–2007 	That's So Raven 	Chelsea Daniels 	Main role (97 episodes) 
Won – Young Artist Award - "Outstanding Young Ensemble Performers in a TV Series"[48]
2005 	Totally Suite New Year's Eve on Disney Channel	Herself 	
2005 	Katbot 	Katbot/Katerina Botenski (voice)	Unsold television pilot
2006 	Kim Possible 	Heather (voice) 	Episode: "And the Mole-Rat Will Be CGI"
2006 	The Disney Channel Games 	Herself 	
2009 	The Battery's Down 	Rhonda Busby Smith 	Episode: "The Party's Over"
2009 	Chelsea Daniels on the Diamond 	Chelsea Daniels 	Not Picked up
2010–2011 	Shalom Sesame 	Herself 	Host
2011 	Friends with Benefits 	Beth 	
2011 	Shake It Up 	Ronnie 	Episode: "Reunion It Up"
2017 	Shane and Friends 	Herself 	Episode: "Anneliese van der Pol"
2017–present	Raven's Home 	Chelsea Grayson 	Main role (absent in a few episodes)
== Theatre ==
Year 	Production 	Role 	Awards & Notes
1990 	The Sleeping Beauty Ballet 	Little Red Riding Hood 	
1991 	The Glory of Christmas 	Soloist 	
1991 	The Sound of Music 	Brigitta 	
1991 	The Will Rogers Follies 	Mary Rogers 	
1996 	Eleanor, An American Love Story	Young Eleanor Roosevelt	
1997 	Catch a Falling Star 	Sheree 	
1998 	Murphy's Law 	Kelly 	
1999 	Fiddler on the Roof 	Chava 	
1999 	Grease 	Sandy 	Won - Bobbi Award - "Best Actress in a Musical"
1999 	Beguiled Again 	Principal 	
1999 	Evita 	Eva "Evita" Peron 	Youngest actress in history to play the role in any professional production (15-years-old)
2000 	Oklahoma! 	Laurey 	Nominated - B. Iden Payne Award - "Best Featured Actress in a Musical"
Nominated - Austin Critics Table Award - "Best Actress in a Musical"
2002 	The Nutcracker 	Clara 	
2002 	Coppélia 	Coppélia 	
2007 	Beauty and the Beast 	Belle 	Broadway debut/Last Belle on Broadway
2008 	Vanities, A New Musical 	Kathy 	Won - StaceSceneLA.com Outstanding Achievement in 2008/9 - Outstanding Achievement by a Lead Actress (Musical)
2009 	Vanities, A New Musical 	Kathy 	Off-Broadway
2009 	Meet Me in St. Louis 	Esther Smith 	
2012 	The Heiress 	Marion Almond 	
2012–2013 	Emma 	Emma Woodhouse 	
2013 	The Importance of Being Earnest	Gwendolyn Fairfax 	
2014 	Thoroughly Modern Millie 	Millie Dillmount 	
2016–present	A Taste of Things to Come 	Joan Smith 	
2018 	The Cuban and the Redhead 	Lucille Ball 	
== Discography ==
=== Cast recordings ===
Year	Title 	Label
2009	Vanities, A New Musical (Kathy)	Sh-K-Boom Records
2012	For the Record: Tarantino 	LML Music
=== Selected soundtracks and miscellaneous ===
Year	Song(s) 	Album 	Label
1999	"Winter Wonderland" (w/ Desi Arnaz Jr) & various tracks 	The Children of Christmas	Jason Williams
2003	"Circle of Life" (w/ Disney Channel Circle of Stars) 	Disneymania 2 	Walt Disney Records
2004	"That's So Raven" (w/ Raven-Symoné, Orlando Brown) 	That's So Raven 	Walt Disney Records
2004	"Over It" 	Stuck in the Suburbs 	Walt Disney Records
2006	"A Day in the Sun" "Friends" (w/ Raven-Symoné) "Let's Stick Together" (w/ Raven-Symoné, Kyle Massey)	That's So Raven Too! 	Walt Disney Records
2006	"Candle on the Water" "A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes" (w/ Disney Channel Circle of Stars) 	Disneymania 4 	Walt Disney Records
2012	"Stand Tall" 	Pride the Movie - Single 	O'Lloyd Records
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