Marianne Jean-Baptiste's brilliantly calm performance as the illegitimate daughter of a white mother in Mike Leigh's "Secrets and Lies" earned her an Oscar nomination for best supporting actress in 1996; making her the first black British person to be nominated for the award.

Marianne is an accomplished actress who trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, and a classically trained singer. She is also a playwright and composer, and co-wrote the original music for Mike Leigh's film, "Career Girls".

Since leading a blistering attack on the racism that exists within the British film industry, after being excluded from a group of young British actors invited to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Cannes Film Festival, Marianne has been working primarily in the United States, working with actors like Halle Berry, Rosie Perez and Cuba Gooding Jr.