Angel Emmy

With one blockbuster already on the big screen and a unique
theatrical background under her belt, all at the age of 18,
it�s no wonder Emmy Rossum was named as one of the �Six Actors
to Watch this Fall (and Long Thereafter)� in 2003 by the New
York Times. Born and raised in New York, Rossum developed a
passion for music at the tender age of 7 when she was chosen to
join the Metropolitan Opera at Lincoln Center as part of the
Children�s Chorus. It was here that she collaborated with the
likes of such musical talents as Dimitri Hvorostovsky and
Denyce Graves and made her singing debut in Tschaikovsky�s 1995
production of �Queen of Spades�. Rossum went on to appear in 20
different operas including Tim Albery�s production of Benjamin
Britten�s �A Midsummer Night�s Dream,� and had the chance to
perform at Carnegie Hall in 1997 in a presentation of Berlioz�s
�La Damnation de Faust.� Trained in stagecraft and classical
vocal technique, Rossum developed a keen sense for language and
dialect while at the Met, which helped catapult her career in
TV, and soon after film.

With her new found interest in acting, Rossum made her first TV
appearance at age 11 as Abigail Williams on the longtime
running daytime soap, �As the World Turns� and went on to make
several guest appearances for the highly-acclaimed dramas �Law
and Order,� (NBC, 1990) and �The Practice� (ABC,1997). Her
short, yet notable stints on the small screen opened doors for
Rossum to dabble in film, where she starred in the made-for-TV
movie �Genius� (1999) and stole the spotlight in her portrayal
of Audrey Hepburn in the ABC Original Movie �The Audrey Hepburn
Story� (2000). It wasn�t long until Hollywood came knocking on
Emmy�s door as she ventured into less conventional roles and
made a lasting impression with her film debut as an Appalachian
orphan in the 2000 indie feature, �Songcatcher.� But Rossum�s
big break came when she scored the supporting role as Oscar
winner, Sean Penn�s daughter in the 2003 critically acclaimed
�Mystic River.�

Rossum�s next appearance came in the special effects-packed and
adrenaline-infused film �The Day After Tomorrow� (2004), where
she played the love interest of Sam (Jake Gyllenhaal), playing
young students trapped in New York City amidst disastrous
global warming. At such a young age, Rossum garnered much
attention and praise as the �next big thing� within Hollywood.
Rossum was next seen in Joel Schumacher�s highly anticipated
rendition of �The Phantom of the Opera� (2004), where she
combined her two passions of music and acting as the beautiful,
young singer Christine who becomes a disfigured musical genius�
object of desire. Rossum equated herself marvelously in a
winning performance that seemed beyond her years, providing the
best moments in the entertaining but somewhat uneven
adaptation. At 18, she received her first Golden Globe
nomination for Best Performance by an Actress in a Musical or
Comedy.

Along with demonstrating her gifts for performing, Rossum has
also proven her academic talents as a former student of
Stanford University�s Program for Gifted Youth (EPGY) and
Northwestern University�s Center for Talent Development. She is
currently enrolled at Columbia University.

Source: Yahoo.com