Anika Noni Rose was trained at San Francisco's American Conservatory Theater. In 2004, she was honored with a Best Actress Tony Award for her work on Broadway in Tony Kushner's Caroline, Or Change. She reprised the role in both the San Francisco and Los Angeles productions of the play.
In 2006, Anika Noni Rose appeared opposite Beyonce Knowles and Jennifer Hudson in Bill Condon's film version of Dreamgirls. She also starred in Anthony Minghella's film adaptation of The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency, and in Tyler Perry's For Colored Girls. She was the voice of Princess Tiana in Disney's animated hit The Princess and the Frog, and was named a "Disney Legend" in August, 2011.
On television, Rose's many roles include her "Lavender" (opposite Judy Davis and Stephen Moyer) in the miniseries Starter Wife, directed by Jon Avnet and her recurring role on The Good Wife as Wendy Scott-Carr.