Video: Anika Noni Rose Talks UNCLE VANYA and Her Children's Book on THE TODAY SHOW

On Tuesday, actress Anika Noni Rose joined the Today Show to discuss her role in Uncle Vanya and her upcoming children's book featuring fan-favorite character, Tiana.

Rose is currently staring as Yelena in Uncle Vanya and believes that it speaks to the present moment, particularly after the COVID-19 pandemic.

"People are really looking at their lives and reevalutating and the people in this play are all reevalutating where they are in life. To be clear, it's a dark comedy. But they want to know what is life about at this point. Are we making the best choices? Have we missed the mark?" She reiterated the relevance of the material and how applicable it is today.

She goes on to discuss working with the cast, including her affection for Steve Carell and Alfred Molina (who she jokingly says that she would carry him in her pocket if she could.)

At the end of the interview, it was revelealed that Rose is also releasing her first children's book, Tiana's Perfect Plan. Set in the world of Disney's The Princess and the Frog, the book sees Tiana preparing for Marti Gras at her restaurant ahead of the arrival of her royal in-laws and must find the "secret ingredient" to complete the perfect meal. 

The book will be released on October 22, 2024 and is available to pre-order HERE. Rose will also be reprising her role as the character in the upcoming Disney+ series Tiana.

Lincoln Center Theater's production of Anton Chekhov’s classic UNCLE VANYA is from a new version by Heidi Schreck, and is directed by Lila Neugebauer.

The cast features Steve Carell as Vanya, Jonathan Hadary as Waffles, William Jackson Harper as Astrov, Jayne Houdyshell as Maria, Spencer Donovan Jones as Neighbor, Mia Katigbak as Marina, Alfred Molina as Alexander, Alison Pill as Sonia, and Anika Noni Rose as Elena.

Sonya (Alison Pill) and her uncle Vanya (Steve Carell) have devoted their lives to managing the family farm in isolation, but when her celebrated, ailing father (Alfred Molina) and his charismatic wife (Anika Noni Rose) move in, their lives are upended. In the heat of the summer, the wrong people fall in love, desires and resentments erupt, and the family is forced to reckon with the ghosts of their unlived lives. Director Lila Neugebauer and playwright Heidi Schreck collaborate on the premiere of this Lincoln Center Theater production of UNCLE VANYA, which pairs Chekhov's enduring masterpiece with one of America's most celebrated contemporary playwrights in a strikingly immediate new translation.

Uncle Vanya plays at Lincoln Center's Vivian Beaumont Theater until June 16, 2024.

Photo Credit: Alex J. Berliner/ABImages