11-year-old Akeelah Anderson has a way with words. After winning her schoolwide spelling bee, she decides to enter the competition, despite her classmates' derision and the antipathy of her mother Tanya. Thanks to the efforts of her teacher Dr. Larabee, she reaches the finala. As she gets to know her fellow competitors, Akeelah realizes that coming first isn't everything in life.
Keke Palmer
as Akeelah Anderson
Laurence Fishburne
as Dr. Larabee
Angela Bassett
as Tanya Anderson
Curtis Armstrong
as Mr. Welch
J.R. Villarreal
as Javier
Sean Michael Afable
as Dylan Chiu
Sahara Garey
as Georgia
Lee Thompson Young
as Devon
Julito McCullum
as Terrence
Erica Hubbard
as Kiana
Eddie Steeples
as Derrick-T
Dalia Phillips
as Ms. Cross
