Heather Morris
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Heather Elizabeth Morris (born February 1, 1987) is an American actress, dancer, singer, and model. She played the role of
Brittany S. Pierce Brittany Susan Pierce is a fictional character from the Fox musical comedy-drama series ''Glee''. The character is portrayed by actress Heather Morris, and first appeared in the show's second episode, "Showmance". Brittany was developed by ''Gle ...
in the
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musical comedy-drama series ''
Glee Glee means delight, a form of happiness. Glee may also refer to: * Glee (music), a type of English choral music * ''Glee'' (TV series), an American musical comedy-drama TV series, and related media created by Ryan Murphy * ''Glee'' (Bran Van 30 ...
''.


Early life

Morris was born in
Thousand Oaks, California Thousand Oaks is the second-largest city in Ventura County, California, United States. It is in the northwestern part of Greater Los Angeles, approximately from the city of Los Angeles and from Downtown Los Angeles, Downtown. It is named af ...
, and raised in
Scottsdale, Arizona , settlement_type = City , named_for = Winfield Scott , image_skyline = , image_seal = Seal of Scottsdale (Arizona).svg , image_blank_emblem = City of Scottsdale Script Logo.svg , nick ...
. She began dancing in early childhood. Morris competed at a young age in a variety of styles including
jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a major ...
, tap, and
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. Her father died of cancer when she was 14 years old. After graduating from
Desert Mountain High School Desert Mountain High School (DMHS) is a public high school in northeast Scottsdale, Arizona which opened in the fall of 1995. It is the newest of five high schools in the Scottsdale Unified School District. The school has four computer labs, medi ...
, where she was
homecoming queen Homecoming is the tradition of welcoming back alumni or other former members of an organization to celebrate the organization's existence. It is a tradition in many high schools, colleges, and churches in the United States, Canada and Liberia. ...
, Morris spent a year at
Arizona State University Arizona State University (Arizona State or ASU) is a public research university in the Phoenix metropolitan area. Founded in 1885 by the 13th Arizona Territorial Legislature, ASU is one of the largest public universities by enrollment in the ...
before moving to
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to pursue a dance career.


Career

Morris' first significant appearance was in 2006 on ''
So You Think You Can Dance ''So You Think You Can Dance'' is a franchise of reality television shows in which contestants compete in dance. The first series of the franchise, created by '' Idols'' producers Simon Fuller and Nigel Lythgoe, premiered in July 2005 and has ...
'' Season 2 where she made it through "Vegas Week" without being cut, but failed to make the final 20 by a vote of 3 to 2. Not discouraged, Morris actively pursued a career in dancing. Her big break came in 2007 via
Beyoncé Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter ( ; born September 4, 1981) is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Beyoncé's boundary-pushing artistry and vocals have made her the most influential female musician of the 21st century, according to ...
. Morris was one of Beyoncé's backup dancers on ''
The Beyoncé Experience The Beyoncé Experience was the third concert tour by American singer Beyoncé Knowles. It was staged in support of her second studio album, '' B'Day'' (2006). The Beyoncé Experience consisted of 96 shows in 2007 over five legs. Fan-club ticket ...
'' world tour and, following that, worked again with Beyoncé on a mini "
Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It) "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)" is a song recorded by American singer Beyoncé, from her third studio album, '' I Am... Sasha Fierce'' (2008). Columbia Records released "Single Ladies" as a single on October 13, 2008, as a double A-side alon ...
" promotional tour that included 2008 performances on the ''
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'', ''
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'', ''
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'', ''
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'', and MTV's ''
Total Request Live ''Total Request Live'' (known commonly as ''TRL'') was an American television program broadcast on MTV that premiered on September 14, 1998. TRL featured popular music videos played during its countdown, and was also used as a promotion tool by ...
'' finale. She also danced backup for Beyoncé and
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at the
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in 2008. She later appeared in a small role in the movie '' Fired Up'', where she met choreographer
Zach Woodlee Zach Woodlee (born April 27, 1977) is an American choreographer and dancer. He was choreographer and co-producer of the TV series '' Glee''. He has choreographed many other films such as '' Hairspray'' and '' Bedtime Stories''. Biography Earl ...
. Following that film, Woodlee brought Morris in to dance on other shows he was choreographing, including episodes of ''
Eli Stone ''Eli Stone'' is an American legal comedy-drama television series, named for its title character. The series was created by Greg Berlanti and Marc Guggenheim, who also served as executive producers alongside Ken Olin who directed the pilot, wit ...
'' and '' Swingtown'', and the movie '' Bedtime Stories''; eventually, Morris landed a role as Brittany on ''Glee''. In December 2010, Morris was named the Celebrity Style Ambassador for FLIRT! Cosmetics, an Estee Lauder cosmetics line. In 2010, Morris made the ''Maxim'' Hot 100 list, coming in at number 85. On the
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hot 100 list, she was ranked #2 behind her close friend
Naya Rivera Naya Marie Rivera (; January 12, 1987July 8, 2020) was an American actress, singer, and model. Recognized for her work on the popular musical comedy-drama series ''Glee'', she received various awards, including a Screen Actors Guild Award and ...
. In 2011, Morris starred in a back-to-school commercial for Staples Canada that featured her dancing. In the October 2011 issue of ''Fitness'' magazine, she stated that she had her breast implants removed. "Implants were something I thought I wanted when I was younger, and now I don't. It was hard being active with them, because my chest was always sore. It hurt a lot, and I didn't like always being in pain, so they had to go!" Her breast implant surgery was done sometime between her time on ''
So You Think You Can Dance ''So You Think You Can Dance'' is a franchise of reality television shows in which contestants compete in dance. The first series of the franchise, created by '' Idols'' producers Simon Fuller and Nigel Lythgoe, premiered in July 2005 and has ...
'' at age 18, and age 21 when she was a backup dancer for
Beyoncé Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter ( ; born September 4, 1981) is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Beyoncé's boundary-pushing artistry and vocals have made her the most influential female musician of the 21st century, according to ...
.


''Glee''

Morris was taking acting classes and actively pursuing an acting career when she was asked by Woodlee to teach the choreography for Beyoncé's " Single Ladies" dance to the ''Glee'' actors. At the same time, the show was looking for a third
cheerleader Cheerleading is an activity in which the participants (called cheerleaders) cheer for their team as a form of encouragement. It can range from chanting slogans to intense physical activity. It can be performed to motivate sports teams, to ente ...
, and Morris ended up landing the role of Brittany. Initially a background character who hardly ever spoke, the role grew as writers discovered Morris had a gift for delivering one-liners. Jarrett Wieselman of the ''
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'' opined that Morris had "emerged as one of the funniest second bananas on TV right now" and a ''LA Times'' writer mentioned having a "comedy crush on Morris, who plays the galactically dim Glee Club cheerleader Brittany". When a promotional clip for the episode " Sectionals" indicated that Brittany Pierce and
Santana Lopez Santana Lopez is a fictional character from the Fox musical comedy-drama series ''Glee''. The character was portrayed by Naya Rivera, and has appeared in ''Glee'' from its pilot episode, first broadcast on May 19, 2009. Santana was developed by ...
had slept together, Dorothy Snarker, writing for lesbian entertainment website
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, praised the pairing, referring to them by the
portmanteau A portmanteau word, or portmanteau (, ) is a blend of words Snarker called the two her "new favorite ''Glee'' pairing", commenting that: "While Heather Morris (Brittany) and
Naya Rivera Naya Marie Rivera (; January 12, 1987July 8, 2020) was an American actress, singer, and model. Recognized for her work on the popular musical comedy-drama series ''Glee'', she received various awards, including a Screen Actors Guild Award and ...
(Santana) have had minimal screen time, they've made it count. Heather in particular has brought the laughs as the Cheerio least likely to get a Mensa invitation. Never mind Finn and Rachel — I'm on Team Brittana now." Morris' role became more prominent during the final nine episodes of season one and, due to the overwhelmingly positive response to her character, was promoted to official series regular status during season two. She was at the center of the second episode, "
Britney/Brittany "Britney/Brittany" is the second episode of the second season of the American television series ''Glee'', and the twenty-fourth episode overall. Written and directed by series creator Ryan Murphy, it premiered on the Fox network on September 28, ...
" (a tribute to
Britney Spears Britney Jean Spears (born December 2, 1981) is an American singer. Often referred to as the " Princess of Pop", she is credited with influencing the revival of teen pop during the late 1990s and early 2000s. After appearing in stage productio ...
), where she made her singing debut covering Spears' " I'm a Slave 4 U" solo and dueting with
Naya Rivera Naya Marie Rivera (; January 12, 1987July 8, 2020) was an American actress, singer, and model. Recognized for her work on the popular musical comedy-drama series ''Glee'', she received various awards, including a Screen Actors Guild Award and ...
on "
Me Against the Music "Me Against the Music" is a song by American singers Britney Spears and Madonna for Spears' fourth studio album, ''In the Zone'' (2003). It was written by Spears, Madonna, Christopher "Tricky" Stewart, Thabiso "Tab" Nikhereanye, Penelope Magnet ...
". She later got many other singing and dancing solos. The second half of season two saw Morris' character engage in a lesbian storyline with Rivera's character. The arc and Rivera's and Morris' performances were met with critical acclaim. As on ''Glee'', Morris was best friends in real life with co-star Rivera, until Rivera’s death in 2020. In Season 3, her and Rivera's characters continue with the lesbian storyline. Morris had a large role in the episode "
Prom-asaurus "Prom-asaurus" is the nineteenth episode of the third season of the American musical television series ''Glee'', and the sixty-third overall. Written by Ryan Murphy and directed by Eric Stoltz, the episode aired on Fox in the United States on Ma ...
". During the season finale, she reveals that she has an 0.0 GPA and that she will not be graduating. During the 2011 Glee Tour, Morris performed Britney Spears' song "I'm a Slave 4 U". She also had a dance spotlight with castmate
Harry Shum Jr. Harry Shum Jr. (born April 28, 1982) is an American actor, dancer, choreographer, and singer. He is best known for his roles as Mike Chang on the Fox television series ''Glee'' (2009–15), Benson Kwan on the ABC television series ''Grey's Anato ...
during Naya Rivera's performance of "
Valerie Valerie may refer to: People *Saint Valerie (disambiguation), a number of saints went by the name Valerie *Valerie (given name), a feminine given name Songs *"Valerie", a 1981 song by Quarterflash, from ''Quarterflash'' *"Valerie", a 1982 son ...
", and was one of the dancers in the "Single Ladies" and "Safety Dance" numbers. Morris co-wrote and appeared in a January 2011 video for the comedy website
Funny or Die Funny or Die is a comedy video website and film/television production company owned by Henry R. Muñoz III that was founded by Will Ferrell, Adam McKay, Mark Kvamme, and Chris Henchy in 2007. The website contained exclusive material from a reg ...
, "Nuthin' But A Glee Thang" a parody of "
Nuthin' but a 'G' Thang "Nuthin' but a 'G' Thang" is a song by American rapper Dr. Dre, featuring fellow American rapper Snoop Doggy Dogg, on Dre's debut solo album, ''The Chronic'' (1992). The album's first single, "Nuthin' but a 'G' Thang," reaching number 2 on the ' ...
" by
Dr. Dre Andre Romelle Young (born February 18, 1965), known professionally as Dr. Dre, is an American rapper and record producer. He is the founder and CEO of Aftermath Entertainment and Beats Electronics, and previously co-founded, co-owned, and ...
featuring
Snoop Dogg Calvin Cordozar Broadus Jr. (born October 20, 1971), known professionally as Snoop Dogg (previously Snoop Doggy Dogg and briefly Snoop Lion), is an American rapper. His fame dates back to 1992 when he featured on Dr. Dre's debut solo single, " ...
. Co-written with actresses Ashley Lendzion and
Riki Lindhome Erika "Riki" Lindhome (born March 5, 1979) is an American actress, comedian, and musician. She is best known as a singer and songwriter for the comedy folk duo Garfunkel and Oates. After making her television debut in 2002 with minor roles in t ...
, the video features appearances from ''Modern Familys
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and Morris' ''Glee'' castmates
Matthew Morrison Matthew James Morrison (born October 30, 1978) is an American actor, dancer and singer-songwriter, best known for his role as Will Schuester on the Fox Broadcasting Company, Fox television show ''Glee (TV series), Glee'' (2009–2015). He has s ...
,
Cory Monteith Cory Allan Michael Monteith (; May 11, 1982 July 13, 2013) was a Canadian actor and musician who played Finn Hudson on the Fox television series ''Glee''. As an actor based in British Columbia, Monteith had minor roles on television series before ...
,
Harry Shum Jr. Harry Shum Jr. (born April 28, 1982) is an American actor, dancer, choreographer, and singer. He is best known for his roles as Mike Chang on the Fox television series ''Glee'' (2009–15), Benson Kwan on the ABC television series ''Grey's Anato ...
, and
Naya Rivera Naya Marie Rivera (; January 12, 1987July 8, 2020) was an American actress, singer, and model. Recognized for her work on the popular musical comedy-drama series ''Glee'', she received various awards, including a Screen Actors Guild Award and ...
. On June 28, 2013, it was reported that Morris would not be returning as regular on ''Glee'' fifth season. However, Morris reprised her role for the show's hundredth episode and the final episode of the show's fifth season. Morris also appeared in five episodes in the show's sixth and final season, including the series finale.


''Dancing with the Stars'', ''The Masked Dancer''

On March 1, 2017, Morris was revealed as one of the contestants who would compete on
season 24 A season is a division of the year based on changes in weather, ecology, and the number of daylight hours in a given region. On Earth, seasons are the result of the axial parallelism of Earth's tilted orbit around the Sun. In temperate and pol ...
of ''
Dancing with the Stars ''Dancing with the Stars'' is the name of various international television series based on the format of the British TV series '' Strictly Come Dancing'', which is distributed by BBC Studios, the commercial arm of the BBC. Currently the forma ...
''. Her participation in the show has been criticized, with many citing her professional dancing experience as an unfair advantage. The producers defended their decision to cast Morris by saying that she doesn't have ballroom or partnering experience. She was paired with professional dancer
Maksim Chmerkovskiy Maksim "Maks" Aleksandrovich Chmerkovskiy ( uk, Максим Олександрович Чмерковський ; born January 17, 1980) is a Ukrainian-American Latin–ballroom dance champion, choreographer, and instructor. He is widely known ...
, though she danced with troupe member
Alan Bersten Alan Bersten (born 26 May 1994) is an American professional Latin and ballroom dancer. He was a contestant on the tenth season of ''So You Think You Can Dance'' and is currently a professional dancer and choreographer on ''Dancing with the Stars ...
starting on the second until the fifth week of the competition due to Chmerkovskiy suffering a calf muscle injury. Morris and Chmerkovskiy reunited to dance in the sixth week of the competition on April 24, 2017, but were eliminated despite receiving the first perfect score of the season and topping the results board. On October 22, 2022, Morris was revealed to be the winner of the second season of ''The Masked Dancer''. She participated in the show under the character of "Scissors".


Personal life

Morris is married to Taylor Hubbell, whom she began dating when he was a college
baseball player Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each, taking turns batting and fielding. The game occurs over the course of several plays, with each play generally beginning when a player on the fielding tea ...
. They attended the same high school in Arizona, but did not know each other there. They began dating after Morris moved to Los Angeles and Hubbell contacted her on Myspace. In a 2011 interview with '' Fitness'', Morris said of Hubbell, "I want to marry him so bad. That's what I really care about. I want to marry Taylor and have kids with him. I love acting, but if it affects my relationship, then I won't continue doing it." After graduating from the University of Louisiana in
Lafayette Lafayette or La Fayette may refer to: People * Lafayette (name), a list of people with the surname Lafayette or La Fayette or the given name Lafayette * House of La Fayette, a French noble family ** Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette (1757 ...
, Hubbell began living with Morris in Los Angeles in early 2012. Morris gave birth to their first child, a son, on September 28, 2013, and he was named after Taylor Hubbell's older cousin. On August 28, 2014, it was announced that she and Hubbell were engaged, and they married on May 16, 2015. In August 2015, she announced via social media that they were expecting their second child. In an interview with E! News, she revealed that the second child would be a boy. She gave birth to their second son on February 11, 2016.


Filmography


Film


Television


Music videos


Awards and nominations


Discography


References


External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Morris, Heather 1987 births 21st-century American actresses 21st-century American singers 21st-century American women singers Actresses from California Actresses from Scottsdale, Arizona American female dancers American female models American film actresses American television actresses American voice actresses Dancers from California Female models from California Living people Musicians from Scottsdale, Arizona People from Thousand Oaks, California Singers from Arizona Singers from California So You Think You Can Dance (American TV series) contestants