Monique Coleman

I’m good in the kitchen. I can cook seafood, collard greens, black-eyed peas.

High School Musical is definitely the best thing that’s happened to my career and I walked away with great friends from it.

I have a gajillion headbands – yellows, pinks, reds, blues. I’m obsessed.

I was babysitting the night High School Musical premiered last year. I watched with the kids and we sang along to the lyrics. I was making $12 an hour.

As an African American actress, there are people who have been staples in my life that opened a door that I can walk through. I hope that I can have that impact.

When I get recognized, every time feels like the first time.

Dancing on ‘Dancing With The Stars’ really broadened my fan base. I jumped off the stage backwards one week, and so many women come up to me now and say, ‘You’re so brave. I can’t believe you put yourself out there like that’. If that inspires some girl out there, then great, because boys aren’t the only ones who get to have fun. We get to have fun too.

My character, Taylor McKessie, is a little bit brighter in the math and science department than I am… okay, a lot.