Elijah Kelley on AllMovie

Multifaceted performer Elijah Kelley debuted on camera in his early teens, initially with bit parts that included roles in the racially-themed drama A Lesson Before Dying (1999) and the prime-time cop drama The Shield. Kelley's enduring passions and most heightened gifts, however, lay in dancing and vocal performance -- gifts he showcased with great aplomb in two successive projects: the dance-themed drama Take the Lead (2006) and the blockbuster movie musical Hairspray (2007).