Musical actress Aileen Quinn beat out 8,000 young girls for the role that would change her life. After working as an understudy on the Broadway production, Quinn was cast as the lead in the film adaptation of the musical "Annie," the story of a optimistic redheaded orphan who goes to stay with a wealthy industrialist. The movie was released in 1982 and Quinn's performances are also featured on the film's official soundtrack. Quinn also participated in the made-for-television documentary "Lights, Camera, Annie!." The role earned her a nomination for the 1983 Golden Globe Award for New Female Star of the Year.
Following "Annie," in 1986, Quinn played the role of Princess Zora in the live action film adaptation of the fairy tale "The frog Prince," opposite John Paragon as Ribbit/Prince of Freedly. Quinn appears on the soundtracks for a 1982 Japanese anime version of "The Wizard of Oz" as the voice of the title character, Dorothy Gale; 1986's "The Frog Prince," and "Addams Family Values." She continued her theater work, touring with the traveling productions of "Peter Pan" and "Fiddler on the Roof." Focusing more on the stage, she last appeared in the film "Multiple Sarcasms" in 2010 as a school secretary.