NEW ORLEANS — Rising actress, director and Louisiana native Danielle LaRoach is set to appear at the upcoming ESSENCE Festival of Culture.

LaRoach is known for playing Belinda in the No. 1 BET+ series "Tyler Perry's Zatima," her performance in the Emmy-nominated series "A House Divided," and her role in "Girl in the Closet."

She was born in New Orleans and raised in Baton Rouge, where she performed as a child at the Baton Rouge Little Theater and attended Baton Rouge High. 

LaRoach has also appeared in "Django Unchained" and "Keys to the City."