Sharon Leal, a multifaceted individual, was born in Tucson, Arizona, to a family with a rich cultural heritage. Her parents, who were part of the military, relocated to the Philippines when she was just six years old, where she spent her early years in a prayer school. After a few years, they moved back to the United States, settling in Fresno, California. Her mother, Angelita, a homemaker of Filipino descent, and her African-American father, have a blended family, with Sharon having a younger sister, Kristina Manankil, from her parents' previous relationship.
Sharon's passion for performing began at an early age. At two years old, she sang into a microphone, and her parents recorded the moment, which would later inspire her to pursue acting. As a teenager, she started performing in community theater productions, which eventually led her to study at the prestigious Roosevelt High School of the Arts in Fresno. In 1993, she won a vocal scholarship at the Santa Cruz Jazz Festival, allowing her to hone her skills under the guidance of Seth Riggs, Michael Jackson's renowned voice coach.
Throughout her career, Sharon has showcased her talents in various music videos, cabaret productions in New York City, and regional theater shows. Notably, she played the role of teenager Dahlia Creed on the daytime soap opera Guiding Light in the mid-1990s. Her notable Broadway credits include performances in "Bright Lights, Big City" at the New York Theatre Workshop, as well as roles in "Little Shop of Horrors," "Into the Woods," "Ain't Misbehavin'," "West Side Story," "Me and My Girl," and "Nunsense." Most recently, she appeared on Broadway as Mimi in the iconic musical "Rent."
