Heather Morris

Heather Elizabeth Morris was born in Thousand Oaks, California, and raised in Scottsdale, Arizona. She began dancing at the age of one, developing skills in jazz, tap, and contemporary styles. Her early dance career included competing on “Star Search” with her dance group in 2003 and reaching the top 40 on FOX’s “So You Think You Can Dance” in 2006. After attending Arizona State University for two semesters, she moved to Los Angeles to pursue professional dance, securing a position as a backup dancer for Beyoncé on ‘The Beyoncé Experience’ World Tour in 2007. She continued to work with Beyoncé, including the iconic ‘Single Ladies’ promotional tour in 2009. These early experiences provided a foundation for her transition into acting.

In 2009, Morris began studying at the Meisner acting school, “Playhouse West,” in Los Angeles. Her breakthrough acting role came when she was cast as Brittany S. Pierce in the Fox series “Glee.” Initially brought in due to her dance abilities, her role expanded significantly, earning her and the cast a SAG Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series in 2010. She portrayed Brittany S. Pierce from 2009 to 2015, becoming a main cast member from seasons 2–4 and recurring in seasons 1, 5, and 6. Post-“Glee,” Morris continued to act in various projects, including “Spring Breakers” (2012) and “Ice Age: Continental Drift” (2012).

Morris has also taken on production and writing roles. She co-wrote and appeared in the 2011 Funny or Die video “Nuthin’ But A Glee Thang” and served as an executive producer for “The Bystanders Podcast” (2021-2023) and TV series “I.R.L.” (2018). Her recent acting credits include playing Judy Maxon on CBS’s “So Help Me Todd” (2024) and participating as a contestant on “Dancing with the Stars” (2017) and the winner of “The Masked Dancer” (2022). She joined the HEAT Convention and Competition Faculty in 2020 as a teacher and judge.