Heather Elizabeth Morris (born February 1, 1987) is an American actress, dancer, singer and model, known for her role as Brittany S. Pierce in the Fox musical comedy-drama series Glee.
Morris was born in Thousand Oaks, California, and was raised in Scottsdale, Arizona. She began dancing when she was 9. Morris competed at a young age in a variety of styles including jazz, tap, and contemporary. Morris's father died of cancer when she was 14 years old. "It's something that is hard for me, because I'm sad about it, but I don't dwell on it," she said during an interview workshop with students in December 2009. "I know he's in a better place, instead of suffering." After graduating from Desert Mountain High School, Morris decided to enroll in a local university but realized she was in the wrong place and moved to Los Angeles instead at age 19.