Q'Orianka Kilcher
Encyclopedia
Q'orianka Waira Qoiana Kilcher (born February 11, 1990) is a U.S. actress, singer and activist. She is best known for her role as Pocahontas
in the 2005 film The New World, directed by Terrence Malick
. Her second memorable film role is Princess Kaiulani in Princess Kaiulani.
, Germany. Her name Q'orianka means "Golden Eagle" in Quechua
. She speaks English and some German. She learned some words of the extinct Powhatan language
, an Algonquian speech
, for her part in the film The New World.
Her father is of Quechua-Huachipaeri
descent from Peru. Her mother, Saskia Kilcher, is a human-rights activist of Swiss descent, born in Alaska
and raised in Switzerland. Q'orianka has two brothers, Kainoa Kilcher and Xihuaru Kilcher, who both work as actors and stunt performers. Kilcher's maternal grandfather was Ray 'Pirate' Genet
, a famous Alaskan-born mountaineer
, and her mother's cousin is Grammy-nominated singer Jewel Kilcher
.
When Kilcher was two years old, she and her mother moved to Kapaa, Hawaii
, where her brother Kainoa was born. Her father, from whom she is estranged, was absent for much of her life. Growing up in Hawaii, Kilcher was inspired by the local society and started hula
dancing at the age of five years. She also trained in Tahitian dance and West African, as well as ballet, Hip Hop and Modern Dance. In 1997 Kilcher won Ballet Hawaii's Young Choreographer Award at the age of seven years.
She was selected to compete at the international Tahitian Dance Competition in San Jose, California
in 1996 and 1997. She performed in over fifty professional dance performances island wide. As member of the Waikiki Singers, she was chosen to be the Soprano Soloist, performing Schubert's Mass in G and Amahl and the Night Visitors by Gian Carlo Menotti. At the age of six years, Kilcher was the first child to study classical voice at the University of Hawaii
with Laurance Paxton. She also studied Drama with Bill Ogilvie at the Diamond Head Theater. At six years, her mother booked her at venues as featured singer and opening act to some of Hawaii's greats, such as Willie K among others.
In 1999, her mother moved the family to California. Kilcher started to showcase her talent busking
on the Third Street Promenade in Santa Monica
.
's How the Grinch Stole Christmas. At twelve years, she received a full scholarship to the Hollywood Musician Institute, where she studied vocal performance, music theory and song-writing and accomplished Blackbelt
in Wushu, Kung Fu
and Stunt performer
and has trained at the National Wushu Training Center and Impact Stunts.
At the age of fourteen years, Q'orianka emerged into the front ranks of young actors with her portrayal of Pocahontas opposite Colin Farrell
and Christian Bale
in director Terrence Malick
Academy Award
-nominated motion picture, The New World (2005). Her performance won her the National Board of Review's best breakthrough performance of 2006, the 2006 Alma Award
for best Latin American actress in a feature film, numerous other award nominations. The film was released in December 2005 to mixed reviews. The film was a critical success, garnering several positive reviews and award nominations, but it was shown in only 811 theatres worldwide. It yielded a relatively low box office gross.
The film's onscreen love affair between Colin Farrell and then fourteen-year-old Kilcher was a sensitive topic. Studio lawyers insisted that some scenes be reshot to comply with preadolescent erotica laws.
In the summer of 2006, Kilcher began filming the independent film The Power of Few, which she produced through her own production company, Entertainment On-Q. She played the title role in the feature film Princess Kaiulani. The film, about the United States' overthrow of the Hawaiian monarchy, was released in May 2010.
In 2009, Kilcher performed in The People Speak
, a documentary feature film that uses dramatic and musical performances of the letters, diaries, and speeches of common people in the U.S., based on historian Howard Zinn
's "A People's History of the United States
".
In 2010, Kilcher portrayed Kerrianne Larkin, daughter of Chibs Telford and Fiona Larkin in the television series Sons of Anarchy
.
IFIP and The United Nations
panel discussions entitled "Indigenous Peoples: Human Rights, Dignity and Development with Identity", in collaboration with the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
She also lends her celebrity, voice and energy as spokeswoman, collaborator and supporter to several international and national N.G.O.s and organizations such as Youth Ambassador Amnesty International (Global Youth Ambassador for woman's Rights) AIDESEP (Spokesperson and Voice) Interethnic Association for the Development of the Peruvian Rainforest Federations) The Community School for the Arts foundation (volunteer/spokesperson) and Thursdays Child (youth counselor) Turning The Tides ((volunteer/spokesperson) Save Americas Forests, IDEM (South Dakota Youth Project) and is a spokesperson for the American Literacy Campaign.
Working with the National Endowment For the Arts
on their "The Big Read" Campaign, she will record a book review. Kilcher has read Howard Zinn
's The People Speak
staged readings. She joined the cast for the first People Speak Film Series.
Kilcher recently launched her own youth-driven human rights and environmental organization "On-Q Initiative", to connect young Hollywood with youth activist leaders and projects from around the world, in support of environmental sustainability, corporate accountability, and basic human rights
. Through her production company, IQ-Films, Kilcher is also producing several cause-driven documentaries and youth-programming projects. In addition to public activism, Kilcher is a silent advocate for the environment, driving a Honda FCX Clarity, a hydrogen
fuel cell
zero-emissions vehicle
.
On June 11, 2009 she visited Lima
to support indigenous peoples' rights in the Amazon Bagua, Peru
. In 2007, Kilcher won the Brower Youth Award, a premier environmental award, for her work in persuading Occidental Petroleum
to withdraw from the Peruvian Amazon valley. She received the Young Hollywood Green Award.
On June 1, 2010, Kilcher and her mother were arrested after Kilcher chained herself to the gates in front of the White House in Washington, D.C. while her mother poured black paint on her to signify oil. Kilcher was protesting President Barack Obama
's meeting with Peruvian President Alan García, accusing him of selling land in the Amazon rainforest
to corporations while suppressing indigenous protests. She and her mother were charged with disorderly conduct. The charges were dropped on June 6, 2011 after they completed community service.
in the 2005 film The New World, directed by Terrence Malick
. Her second memorable film role is Princess Kaiulani in Princess Kaiulani.
, Germany. Her name Q'orianka means "Golden Eagle" in Quechua
. She speaks English and some German. She learned some words of the extinct Powhatan language
, an Algonquian speech
, for her part in the film The New World.
Her father is of Quechua-Huachipaeri
descent from Peru. Her mother, Saskia Kilcher, is a human-rights activist of Swiss descent, born in Alaska
and raised in Switzerland. Q'orianka has two brothers, Kainoa Kilcher and Xihuaru Kilcher, who both work as actors and stunt performers. Kilcher's maternal grandfather was Ray 'Pirate' Genet
, a famous Alaskan-born mountaineer
, and her mother's cousin is Grammy-nominated singer Jewel Kilcher
.
When Kilcher was two years old, she and her mother moved to Kapaa, Hawaii
, where her brother Kainoa was born. Her father, from whom she is estranged, was absent for much of her life. Growing up in Hawaii, Kilcher was inspired by the local society and started hula
dancing at the age of five years. She also trained in Tahitian dance and West African, as well as ballet, Hip Hop and Modern Dance. In 1997 Kilcher won Ballet Hawaii's Young Choreographer Award at the age of seven years.
She was selected to compete at the international Tahitian Dance Competition in San Jose, California
in 1996 and 1997. She performed in over fifty professional dance performances island wide. As member of the Waikiki Singers, she was chosen to be the Soprano Soloist, performing Schubert's Mass in G and Amahl and the Night Visitors by Gian Carlo Menotti. At the age of six years, Kilcher was the first child to study classical voice at the University of Hawaii
with Laurance Paxton. She also studied Drama with Bill Ogilvie at the Diamond Head Theater. At six years, her mother booked her at venues as featured singer and opening act to some of Hawaii's greats, such as Willie K among others.
In 1999, her mother moved the family to California. Kilcher started to showcase her talent busking
on the Third Street Promenade in Santa Monica
.
's How the Grinch Stole Christmas. At twelve years, she received a full scholarship to the Hollywood Musician Institute, where she studied vocal performance, music theory and song-writing and accomplished Blackbelt
in Wushu, Kung Fu
and Stunt performer
and has trained at the National Wushu Training Center and Impact Stunts.
At the age of fourteen years, Q'orianka emerged into the front ranks of young actors with her portrayal of Pocahontas opposite Colin Farrell
and Christian Bale
in director Terrence Malick
Academy Award
-nominated motion picture, The New World (2005). Her performance won her the National Board of Review's best breakthrough performance of 2006, the 2006 Alma Award
for best Latin American actress in a feature film, numerous other award nominations. The film was released in December 2005 to mixed reviews. The film was a critical success, garnering several positive reviews and award nominations, but it was shown in only 811 theatres worldwide. It yielded a relatively low box office gross.
The film's onscreen love affair between Colin Farrell and then fourteen-year-old Kilcher was a sensitive topic. Studio lawyers insisted that some scenes be reshot to comply with preadolescent erotica laws.
In the summer of 2006, Kilcher began filming the independent film The Power of Few, which she produced through her own production company, Entertainment On-Q. She played the title role in the feature film Princess Kaiulani. The film, about the United States' overthrow of the Hawaiian monarchy, was released in May 2010.
In 2009, Kilcher performed in The People Speak
, a documentary feature film that uses dramatic and musical performances of the letters, diaries, and speeches of common people in the U.S., based on historian Howard Zinn
's "A People's History of the United States
".
In 2010, Kilcher portrayed Kerrianne Larkin, daughter of Chibs Telford and Fiona Larkin in the television series Sons of Anarchy
.
IFIP and The United Nations
panel discussions entitled "Indigenous Peoples: Human Rights, Dignity and Development with Identity", in collaboration with the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
She also lends her celebrity, voice and energy as spokeswoman, collaborator and supporter to several international and national N.G.O.s and organizations such as Youth Ambassador Amnesty International (Global Youth Ambassador for woman's Rights) AIDESEP (Spokesperson and Voice) Interethnic Association for the Development of the Peruvian Rainforest Federations) The Community School for the Arts foundation (volunteer/spokesperson) and Thursdays Child (youth counselor) Turning The Tides ((volunteer/spokesperson) Save Americas Forests, IDEM (South Dakota Youth Project) and is a spokesperson for the American Literacy Campaign.
Working with the National Endowment For the Arts
on their "The Big Read" Campaign, she will record a book review. Kilcher has read Howard Zinn
's The People Speak
staged readings. She joined the cast for the first People Speak Film Series.
Kilcher recently launched her own youth-driven human rights and environmental organization "On-Q Initiative", to connect young Hollywood with youth activist leaders and projects from around the world, in support of environmental sustainability, corporate accountability, and basic human rights
. Through her production company, IQ-Films, Kilcher is also producing several cause-driven documentaries and youth-programming projects. In addition to public activism, Kilcher is a silent advocate for the environment, driving a Honda FCX Clarity, a hydrogen
fuel cell
zero-emissions vehicle
.
On June 11, 2009 she visited Lima
to support indigenous peoples' rights in the Amazon Bagua, Peru
. In 2007, Kilcher won the Brower Youth Award, a premier environmental award, for her work in persuading Occidental Petroleum
to withdraw from the Peruvian Amazon valley. She received the Young Hollywood Green Award.
On June 1, 2010, Kilcher and her mother were arrested after Kilcher chained herself to the gates in front of the White House in Washington, D.C. while her mother poured black paint on her to signify oil. Kilcher was protesting President Barack Obama
's meeting with Peruvian President Alan García, accusing him of selling land in the Amazon rainforest
to corporations while suppressing indigenous protests. She and her mother were charged with disorderly conduct. The charges were dropped on June 6, 2011 after they completed community service.
in the 2005 film The New World, directed by Terrence Malick
. Her second memorable film role is Princess Kaiulani in Princess Kaiulani.
, Germany. Her name Q'orianka means "Golden Eagle" in Quechua
. She speaks English and some German. She learned some words of the extinct Powhatan language
, an Algonquian speech
, for her part in the film The New World.
Her father is of Quechua-Huachipaeri
descent from Peru. Her mother, Saskia Kilcher, is a human-rights activist of Swiss descent, born in Alaska
and raised in Switzerland. Q'orianka has two brothers, Kainoa Kilcher and Xihuaru Kilcher, who both work as actors and stunt performers. Kilcher's maternal grandfather was Ray 'Pirate' Genet
, a famous Alaskan-born mountaineer
, and her mother's cousin is Grammy-nominated singer Jewel Kilcher
.
When Kilcher was two years old, she and her mother moved to Kapaa, Hawaii
, where her brother Kainoa was born. Her father, from whom she is estranged, was absent for much of her life. Growing up in Hawaii, Kilcher was inspired by the local society and started hula
dancing at the age of five years. She also trained in Tahitian dance and West African, as well as ballet, Hip Hop and Modern Dance. In 1997 Kilcher won Ballet Hawaii's Young Choreographer Award at the age of seven years.
She was selected to compete at the international Tahitian Dance Competition in San Jose, California
in 1996 and 1997. She performed in over fifty professional dance performances island wide. As member of the Waikiki Singers, she was chosen to be the Soprano Soloist, performing Schubert's Mass in G and Amahl and the Night Visitors by Gian Carlo Menotti. At the age of six years, Kilcher was the first child to study classical voice at the University of Hawaii
with Laurance Paxton. She also studied Drama with Bill Ogilvie at the Diamond Head Theater. At six years, her mother booked her at venues as featured singer and opening act to some of Hawaii's greats, such as Willie K among others.
In 1999, her mother moved the family to California. Kilcher started to showcase her talent busking
on the Third Street Promenade in Santa Monica
.
's How the Grinch Stole Christmas. At twelve years, she received a full scholarship to the Hollywood Musician Institute, where she studied vocal performance, music theory and song-writing and accomplished Blackbelt
in Wushu, Kung Fu
and Stunt performer
and has trained at the National Wushu Training Center and Impact Stunts.
At the age of fourteen years, Q'orianka emerged into the front ranks of young actors with her portrayal of Pocahontas opposite Colin Farrell
and Christian Bale
in director Terrence Malick
Academy Award
-nominated motion picture, The New World (2005). Her performance won her the National Board of Review's best breakthrough performance of 2006, the 2006 Alma Award
for best Latin American actress in a feature film, numerous other award nominations. The film was released in December 2005 to mixed reviews. The film was a critical success, garnering several positive reviews and award nominations, but it was shown in only 811 theatres worldwide. It yielded a relatively low box office gross.
The film's onscreen love affair between Colin Farrell and then fourteen-year-old Kilcher was a sensitive topic. Studio lawyers insisted that some scenes be reshot to comply with preadolescent erotica laws.
In the summer of 2006, Kilcher began filming the independent film The Power of Few, which she produced through her own production company, Entertainment On-Q. She played the title role in the feature film Princess Kaiulani. The film, about the United States' overthrow of the Hawaiian monarchy, was released in May 2010.
In 2009, Kilcher performed in The People Speak
, a documentary feature film that uses dramatic and musical performances of the letters, diaries, and speeches of common people in the U.S., based on historian Howard Zinn
's "A People's History of the United States
".
In 2010, Kilcher portrayed Kerrianne Larkin, daughter of Chibs Telford and Fiona Larkin in the television series Sons of Anarchy
.
IFIP and The United Nations
panel discussions entitled "Indigenous Peoples: Human Rights, Dignity and Development with Identity", in collaboration with the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
She also lends her celebrity, voice and energy as spokeswoman, collaborator and supporter to several international and national N.G.O.s and organizations such as Youth Ambassador Amnesty International (Global Youth Ambassador for woman's Rights) AIDESEP (Spokesperson and Voice) Interethnic Association for the Development of the Peruvian Rainforest Federations) The Community School for the Arts foundation (volunteer/spokesperson) and Thursdays Child (youth counselor) Turning The Tides ((volunteer/spokesperson) Save Americas Forests, IDEM (South Dakota Youth Project) and is a spokesperson for the American Literacy Campaign.
Working with the National Endowment For the Arts
on their "The Big Read" Campaign, she will record a book review. Kilcher has read Howard Zinn
's The People Speak
staged readings. She joined the cast for the first People Speak Film Series.
Kilcher recently launched her own youth-driven human rights and environmental organization "On-Q Initiative", to connect young Hollywood with youth activist leaders and projects from around the world, in support of environmental sustainability, corporate accountability, and basic human rights
. Through her production company, IQ-Films, Kilcher is also producing several cause-driven documentaries and youth-programming projects. In addition to public activism, Kilcher is a silent advocate for the environment, driving a Honda FCX Clarity, a hydrogen
fuel cell
zero-emissions vehicle
.
On June 11, 2009 she visited Lima
to support indigenous peoples' rights in the Amazon Bagua, Peru
. In 2007, Kilcher won the Brower Youth Award, a premier environmental award, for her work in persuading Occidental Petroleum
to withdraw from the Peruvian Amazon valley. She received the Young Hollywood Green Award.
On June 1, 2010, Kilcher and her mother were arrested after Kilcher chained herself to the gates in front of the White House in Washington, D.C. while her mother poured black paint on her to signify oil. Kilcher was protesting President Barack Obama
's meeting with Peruvian President Alan García, accusing him of selling land in the Amazon rainforest
to corporations while suppressing indigenous protests. She and her mother were charged with disorderly conduct. The charges were dropped on June 6, 2011 after they completed community service.
Pocahontas
Pocahontas was a Virginia Indian notable for her association with the colonial settlement at Jamestown, Virginia. She was the daughter of Chief Powhatan, the head of a network of tributary tribal nations in Tidewater Virginia...
in the 2005 film The New World, directed by Terrence Malick
Terrence Malick
Terrence Frederick Malick is a U.S. film director, screenwriter, and producer. In a career spanning almost four decades, Malick has directed five feature films....
. Her second memorable film role is Princess Kaiulani in Princess Kaiulani.
Early life
Kilcher was born in SchweigmattSchweigmatt
Schweigmatt is a hamlet located in the southern Black Forest of Germany at an altitude of 780 metres. It belongs to the village of Raitbach and is part of the municipality of Schopfheim in the district of Lörrach...
, Germany. Her name Q'orianka means "Golden Eagle" in Quechua
Quechua languages
Quechua is a Native South American language family and dialect cluster spoken primarily in the Andes of South America, derived from an original common ancestor language, Proto-Quechua. It is the most widely spoken language family of the indigenous peoples of the Americas, with a total of probably...
. She speaks English and some German. She learned some words of the extinct Powhatan language
Powhatan language
Powhatan or Virginia Algonquian is an extinct language belonging to the Eastern Algonquian subgroup of the Algonquian languages. It was spoken by the Powhatan people of tidewater Virginia. It became extinct around the 1790s after speakers switched to English. The sole documentary evidence for this...
, an Algonquian speech
Algonquian languages
The Algonquian languages also Algonkian) are a subfamily of Native American languages which includes most of the languages in the Algic language family. The name of the Algonquian language family is distinguished from the orthographically similar Algonquin dialect of the Ojibwe language, which is a...
, for her part in the film The New World.
Her father is of Quechua-Huachipaeri
Huachipaeri
Huachipaeri is a native language official in the area of its use in Perú. It is also known as Huachipaire, Wacipaire, and the derogatory: "Mashco".- External links :* *...
descent from Peru. Her mother, Saskia Kilcher, is a human-rights activist of Swiss descent, born in Alaska
Alaska
Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
and raised in Switzerland. Q'orianka has two brothers, Kainoa Kilcher and Xihuaru Kilcher, who both work as actors and stunt performers. Kilcher's maternal grandfather was Ray 'Pirate' Genet
Ray Genet
Ray Genet, often referred to by the nickname Pirate, was an accomplished mountaineer whose many distinctions included having been the first guide on Mount McKinley in Alaska - the highest mountain in North America....
, a famous Alaskan-born mountaineer
Mountaineer
-Sports:*Mountaineering, the sport, hobby or profession of walking, hiking, trekking and climbing up mountains, also known as alpinism-University athletic teams and mascots:*Appalachian State Mountaineers, the athletic teams of Appalachian State University...
, and her mother's cousin is Grammy-nominated singer Jewel Kilcher
Jewel (singer)
Jewel Kilcher , professionally known as Jewel, is an American singer-songwriter, guitarist, producer, actress and poet...
.
When Kilcher was two years old, she and her mother moved to Kapaa, Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
, where her brother Kainoa was born. Her father, from whom she is estranged, was absent for much of her life. Growing up in Hawaii, Kilcher was inspired by the local society and started hula
Hula
Hula is a dance form accompanied by chant or song . It was developed in the Hawaiian Islands by the Polynesians who originally settled there. The hula dramatizes or portrays the words of the oli or mele in a visual dance form....
dancing at the age of five years. She also trained in Tahitian dance and West African, as well as ballet, Hip Hop and Modern Dance. In 1997 Kilcher won Ballet Hawaii's Young Choreographer Award at the age of seven years.
She was selected to compete at the international Tahitian Dance Competition in San Jose, California
San Jose, California
San Jose is the third-largest city in California, the tenth-largest in the U.S., and the county seat of Santa Clara County which is located at the southern end of San Francisco Bay...
in 1996 and 1997. She performed in over fifty professional dance performances island wide. As member of the Waikiki Singers, she was chosen to be the Soprano Soloist, performing Schubert's Mass in G and Amahl and the Night Visitors by Gian Carlo Menotti. At the age of six years, Kilcher was the first child to study classical voice at the University of Hawaii
University of Hawaii
The University of Hawaii System, formally the University of Hawaii and popularly known as UH, is a public, co-educational college and university system that confers associate, bachelor, master, and doctoral degrees through three university campuses, seven community college campuses, an employment...
with Laurance Paxton. She also studied Drama with Bill Ogilvie at the Diamond Head Theater. At six years, her mother booked her at venues as featured singer and opening act to some of Hawaii's greats, such as Willie K among others.
In 1999, her mother moved the family to California. Kilcher started to showcase her talent busking
Busking
Street performance or busking is the practice of performing in public places, for gratuities, which are generally in the form of money and edibles...
on the Third Street Promenade in Santa Monica
Santa Mônica
Santa Mônica is a town and municipality in the state of Paraná in the Southern Region of Brazil.-References:...
.
Career
At the age of nine years, Kilcher was cast as "Choire Who" in Ron HowardRon Howard
Ronald William "Ron" Howard is an American actor, director, and producer. He came to prominence as a child actor, playing Opie Taylor in the sitcom The Andy Griffith Show for eight years, and later the teenaged Richie Cunningham in the sitcom Happy Days for six years...
's How the Grinch Stole Christmas. At twelve years, she received a full scholarship to the Hollywood Musician Institute, where she studied vocal performance, music theory and song-writing and accomplished Blackbelt
Black belt (martial arts)
In martial arts, the black belt is a way to describe a graduate of a field where a practitioner's level is often marked by the color of the belt. The black belt is commonly the highest belt color used and denotes a degree of competence. It is often associated with a teaching grade though...
in Wushu, Kung Fu
Kung fu (term)
Kung fu or gongfu or gung fu is a Chinese term often used in the West to refer to Chinese martial arts.Its original meaning is somewhat different, referring to one's expertise in any skill achieved through hard work and practice, not necessarily martial...
and Stunt performer
Stunt performer
A stuntman, or daredevil is someone who performs dangerous stunts, often as a career.These stunts are sometimes rigged so that they look dangerous while still having safety mechanisms, but often they are as dangerous as they appear to be...
and has trained at the National Wushu Training Center and Impact Stunts.
At the age of fourteen years, Q'orianka emerged into the front ranks of young actors with her portrayal of Pocahontas opposite Colin Farrell
Colin Farrell
Colin James Farrell is an Irish actor, who has appeared in such film as Tigerland, Miami Vice, Minority Report, Phone Booth, The Recruit, Alexander and S.W.A.T....
and Christian Bale
Christian Bale
Christian Charles Philip Bale is an English actor. Best known for his roles in American films, Bale has starred in both big budget Hollywood films and the smaller projects from independent producers and art houses....
in director Terrence Malick
Terrence Malick
Terrence Frederick Malick is a U.S. film director, screenwriter, and producer. In a career spanning almost four decades, Malick has directed five feature films....
Academy Award
Academy Awards
An Academy Award, also known as an Oscar, is an accolade bestowed by the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to recognize excellence of professionals in the film industry, including directors, actors, and writers...
-nominated motion picture, The New World (2005). Her performance won her the National Board of Review's best breakthrough performance of 2006, the 2006 Alma Award
Alma Award
The American Latino Media Arts Award, or ALMA Award is a distinction awarded to Latino performers who promote positive portrayals of Latinos in the entertainment field...
for best Latin American actress in a feature film, numerous other award nominations. The film was released in December 2005 to mixed reviews. The film was a critical success, garnering several positive reviews and award nominations, but it was shown in only 811 theatres worldwide. It yielded a relatively low box office gross.
The film's onscreen love affair between Colin Farrell and then fourteen-year-old Kilcher was a sensitive topic. Studio lawyers insisted that some scenes be reshot to comply with preadolescent erotica laws.
In the summer of 2006, Kilcher began filming the independent film The Power of Few, which she produced through her own production company, Entertainment On-Q. She played the title role in the feature film Princess Kaiulani. The film, about the United States' overthrow of the Hawaiian monarchy, was released in May 2010.
In 2009, Kilcher performed in The People Speak
The People Speak (film)
The People Speak is a documentary feature film that uses dramatic and musical performances of the letters, diaries, and speeches of everyday Americans. The film gives voice to those who, by insisting on equality and justice, spoke up for social change throughout U.S...
, a documentary feature film that uses dramatic and musical performances of the letters, diaries, and speeches of common people in the U.S., based on historian Howard Zinn
Howard Zinn
Howard Zinn was an American historian, academic, author, playwright, and social activist. Before and during his tenure as a political science professor at Boston University from 1964-88 he wrote more than 20 books, which included his best-selling and influential A People's History of the United...
's "A People's History of the United States
A People's History of the United States
Chapter 7, "As Long As Grass Grows or Water Runs" discusses 19th century conflicts between the U.S. government and Native Americans and Indian removal, especially during the administrations of Andrew Jackson and Martin Van Buren....
".
In 2010, Kilcher portrayed Kerrianne Larkin, daughter of Chibs Telford and Fiona Larkin in the television series Sons of Anarchy
Sons of Anarchy
Sons of Anarchy is an American television drama series created by Kurt Sutter about the lives of a close-knit outlaw motorcycle club operating in Charming, a fictional town in Northern California...
.
Activism
Kilcher has made a commitment to human rights and environmental activism. She speaks on behalf of various causes to achieve what she regards as environmental justice and basic Human Rights. Traveling frequently to speak at youth events, colleges and universities, Kilcher has been a featured keynote speaker for organizations such as Amnesty International, the I.F.G. international Forum on Globalization, Amazon WatchAmazon Watch
Founded in 1996, Amazon Watch is a nonprofit organization based in San Francisco, California. It works to protect the rainforest and advance the rights of indigenous peoples in the Amazon Basin...
IFIP and The United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
panel discussions entitled "Indigenous Peoples: Human Rights, Dignity and Development with Identity", in collaboration with the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
She also lends her celebrity, voice and energy as spokeswoman, collaborator and supporter to several international and national N.G.O.s and organizations such as Youth Ambassador Amnesty International (Global Youth Ambassador for woman's Rights) AIDESEP (Spokesperson and Voice) Interethnic Association for the Development of the Peruvian Rainforest Federations) The Community School for the Arts foundation (volunteer/spokesperson) and Thursdays Child (youth counselor) Turning The Tides ((volunteer/spokesperson) Save Americas Forests, IDEM (South Dakota Youth Project) and is a spokesperson for the American Literacy Campaign.
Working with the National Endowment For the Arts
National Endowment for the Arts
The National Endowment for the Arts is an independent agency of the United States federal government that offers support and funding for projects exhibiting artistic excellence. It was created by an act of the U.S. Congress in 1965 as an independent agency of the federal government. Its current...
on their "The Big Read" Campaign, she will record a book review. Kilcher has read Howard Zinn
Howard Zinn
Howard Zinn was an American historian, academic, author, playwright, and social activist. Before and during his tenure as a political science professor at Boston University from 1964-88 he wrote more than 20 books, which included his best-selling and influential A People's History of the United...
's The People Speak
The People Speak
The People Speak is an online community of young people who want to get involved in global issues. The community engages people of all ages and backgrounds in thoughtful discussions about the value of international cooperation for the United States and the world. From September 1 to November 30...
staged readings. She joined the cast for the first People Speak Film Series.
Kilcher recently launched her own youth-driven human rights and environmental organization "On-Q Initiative", to connect young Hollywood with youth activist leaders and projects from around the world, in support of environmental sustainability, corporate accountability, and basic human rights
Human rights
Human rights are "commonly understood as inalienable fundamental rights to which a person is inherently entitled simply because she or he is a human being." Human rights are thus conceived as universal and egalitarian . These rights may exist as natural rights or as legal rights, in both national...
. Through her production company, IQ-Films, Kilcher is also producing several cause-driven documentaries and youth-programming projects. In addition to public activism, Kilcher is a silent advocate for the environment, driving a Honda FCX Clarity, a hydrogen
Hydrogen vehicle
A hydrogen vehicle is a vehicle that uses hydrogen as its onboard fuel for motive power. Hydrogen vehicles include hydrogen fueled space rockets, as well as automobiles and other transportation vehicles...
fuel cell
Fuel cell
A fuel cell is a device that converts the chemical energy from a fuel into electricity through a chemical reaction with oxygen or another oxidizing agent. Hydrogen is the most common fuel, but hydrocarbons such as natural gas and alcohols like methanol are sometimes used...
zero-emissions vehicle
Zero-emissions vehicle
A zero-emissions vehicle, or ZEV, is a vehicle that emits no tailpipe pollutants from the onboard source of power. Harmful pollutants to the health and the environment include particulates , hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide, ozone, lead, and various oxides of nitrogen. Although not considered emission...
.
On June 11, 2009 she visited Lima
Lima
Lima is the capital and the largest city of Peru. It is located in the valleys of the Chillón, Rímac and Lurín rivers, in the central part of the country, on a desert coast overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Together with the seaport of Callao, it forms a contiguous urban area known as the Lima...
to support indigenous peoples' rights in the Amazon Bagua, Peru
Bagua, Peru
Bagua is a city in Peru located about from the city of Chachapoyas. It lies in the provincia of the same name.-External links:*...
. In 2007, Kilcher won the Brower Youth Award, a premier environmental award, for her work in persuading Occidental Petroleum
Occidental Petroleum
Occidental Petroleum Corporation is a California-based oil and gas exploration and production company with operations in the United States, the Middle East, North Africa, and South America...
to withdraw from the Peruvian Amazon valley. She received the Young Hollywood Green Award.
On June 1, 2010, Kilcher and her mother were arrested after Kilcher chained herself to the gates in front of the White House in Washington, D.C. while her mother poured black paint on her to signify oil. Kilcher was protesting President Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
's meeting with Peruvian President Alan García, accusing him of selling land in the Amazon rainforest
Amazon Rainforest
The Amazon Rainforest , also known in English as Amazonia or the Amazon Jungle, is a moist broadleaf forest that covers most of the Amazon Basin of South America...
to corporations while suppressing indigenous protests. She and her mother were charged with disorderly conduct. The charges were dropped on June 6, 2011 after they completed community service.
Filmography
Q'orianka Waira Qoiana Kilcher (born February 11, 1990) is a U.S. actress, singer and activist. She is best known for her role as PocahontasPocahontas
Pocahontas was a Virginia Indian notable for her association with the colonial settlement at Jamestown, Virginia. She was the daughter of Chief Powhatan, the head of a network of tributary tribal nations in Tidewater Virginia...
in the 2005 film The New World, directed by Terrence Malick
Terrence Malick
Terrence Frederick Malick is a U.S. film director, screenwriter, and producer. In a career spanning almost four decades, Malick has directed five feature films....
. Her second memorable film role is Princess Kaiulani in Princess Kaiulani.
Early life
Kilcher was born in SchweigmattSchweigmatt
Schweigmatt is a hamlet located in the southern Black Forest of Germany at an altitude of 780 metres. It belongs to the village of Raitbach and is part of the municipality of Schopfheim in the district of Lörrach...
, Germany. Her name Q'orianka means "Golden Eagle" in Quechua
Quechua languages
Quechua is a Native South American language family and dialect cluster spoken primarily in the Andes of South America, derived from an original common ancestor language, Proto-Quechua. It is the most widely spoken language family of the indigenous peoples of the Americas, with a total of probably...
. She speaks English and some German. She learned some words of the extinct Powhatan language
Powhatan language
Powhatan or Virginia Algonquian is an extinct language belonging to the Eastern Algonquian subgroup of the Algonquian languages. It was spoken by the Powhatan people of tidewater Virginia. It became extinct around the 1790s after speakers switched to English. The sole documentary evidence for this...
, an Algonquian speech
Algonquian languages
The Algonquian languages also Algonkian) are a subfamily of Native American languages which includes most of the languages in the Algic language family. The name of the Algonquian language family is distinguished from the orthographically similar Algonquin dialect of the Ojibwe language, which is a...
, for her part in the film The New World.
Her father is of Quechua-Huachipaeri
Huachipaeri
Huachipaeri is a native language official in the area of its use in Perú. It is also known as Huachipaire, Wacipaire, and the derogatory: "Mashco".- External links :* *...
descent from Peru. Her mother, Saskia Kilcher, is a human-rights activist of Swiss descent, born in Alaska
Alaska
Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
and raised in Switzerland. Q'orianka has two brothers, Kainoa Kilcher and Xihuaru Kilcher, who both work as actors and stunt performers. Kilcher's maternal grandfather was Ray 'Pirate' Genet
Ray Genet
Ray Genet, often referred to by the nickname Pirate, was an accomplished mountaineer whose many distinctions included having been the first guide on Mount McKinley in Alaska - the highest mountain in North America....
, a famous Alaskan-born mountaineer
Mountaineer
-Sports:*Mountaineering, the sport, hobby or profession of walking, hiking, trekking and climbing up mountains, also known as alpinism-University athletic teams and mascots:*Appalachian State Mountaineers, the athletic teams of Appalachian State University...
, and her mother's cousin is Grammy-nominated singer Jewel Kilcher
Jewel (singer)
Jewel Kilcher , professionally known as Jewel, is an American singer-songwriter, guitarist, producer, actress and poet...
.
When Kilcher was two years old, she and her mother moved to Kapaa, Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
, where her brother Kainoa was born. Her father, from whom she is estranged, was absent for much of her life. Growing up in Hawaii, Kilcher was inspired by the local society and started hula
Hula
Hula is a dance form accompanied by chant or song . It was developed in the Hawaiian Islands by the Polynesians who originally settled there. The hula dramatizes or portrays the words of the oli or mele in a visual dance form....
dancing at the age of five years. She also trained in Tahitian dance and West African, as well as ballet, Hip Hop and Modern Dance. In 1997 Kilcher won Ballet Hawaii's Young Choreographer Award at the age of seven years.
She was selected to compete at the international Tahitian Dance Competition in San Jose, California
San Jose, California
San Jose is the third-largest city in California, the tenth-largest in the U.S., and the county seat of Santa Clara County which is located at the southern end of San Francisco Bay...
in 1996 and 1997. She performed in over fifty professional dance performances island wide. As member of the Waikiki Singers, she was chosen to be the Soprano Soloist, performing Schubert's Mass in G and Amahl and the Night Visitors by Gian Carlo Menotti. At the age of six years, Kilcher was the first child to study classical voice at the University of Hawaii
University of Hawaii
The University of Hawaii System, formally the University of Hawaii and popularly known as UH, is a public, co-educational college and university system that confers associate, bachelor, master, and doctoral degrees through three university campuses, seven community college campuses, an employment...
with Laurance Paxton. She also studied Drama with Bill Ogilvie at the Diamond Head Theater. At six years, her mother booked her at venues as featured singer and opening act to some of Hawaii's greats, such as Willie K among others.
In 1999, her mother moved the family to California. Kilcher started to showcase her talent busking
Busking
Street performance or busking is the practice of performing in public places, for gratuities, which are generally in the form of money and edibles...
on the Third Street Promenade in Santa Monica
Santa Mônica
Santa Mônica is a town and municipality in the state of Paraná in the Southern Region of Brazil.-References:...
.
Career
At the age of nine years, Kilcher was cast as "Choire Who" in Ron HowardRon Howard
Ronald William "Ron" Howard is an American actor, director, and producer. He came to prominence as a child actor, playing Opie Taylor in the sitcom The Andy Griffith Show for eight years, and later the teenaged Richie Cunningham in the sitcom Happy Days for six years...
's How the Grinch Stole Christmas. At twelve years, she received a full scholarship to the Hollywood Musician Institute, where she studied vocal performance, music theory and song-writing and accomplished Blackbelt
Black belt (martial arts)
In martial arts, the black belt is a way to describe a graduate of a field where a practitioner's level is often marked by the color of the belt. The black belt is commonly the highest belt color used and denotes a degree of competence. It is often associated with a teaching grade though...
in Wushu, Kung Fu
Kung fu (term)
Kung fu or gongfu or gung fu is a Chinese term often used in the West to refer to Chinese martial arts.Its original meaning is somewhat different, referring to one's expertise in any skill achieved through hard work and practice, not necessarily martial...
and Stunt performer
Stunt performer
A stuntman, or daredevil is someone who performs dangerous stunts, often as a career.These stunts are sometimes rigged so that they look dangerous while still having safety mechanisms, but often they are as dangerous as they appear to be...
and has trained at the National Wushu Training Center and Impact Stunts.
At the age of fourteen years, Q'orianka emerged into the front ranks of young actors with her portrayal of Pocahontas opposite Colin Farrell
Colin Farrell
Colin James Farrell is an Irish actor, who has appeared in such film as Tigerland, Miami Vice, Minority Report, Phone Booth, The Recruit, Alexander and S.W.A.T....
and Christian Bale
Christian Bale
Christian Charles Philip Bale is an English actor. Best known for his roles in American films, Bale has starred in both big budget Hollywood films and the smaller projects from independent producers and art houses....
in director Terrence Malick
Terrence Malick
Terrence Frederick Malick is a U.S. film director, screenwriter, and producer. In a career spanning almost four decades, Malick has directed five feature films....
Academy Award
Academy Awards
An Academy Award, also known as an Oscar, is an accolade bestowed by the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to recognize excellence of professionals in the film industry, including directors, actors, and writers...
-nominated motion picture, The New World (2005). Her performance won her the National Board of Review's best breakthrough performance of 2006, the 2006 Alma Award
Alma Award
The American Latino Media Arts Award, or ALMA Award is a distinction awarded to Latino performers who promote positive portrayals of Latinos in the entertainment field...
for best Latin American actress in a feature film, numerous other award nominations. The film was released in December 2005 to mixed reviews. The film was a critical success, garnering several positive reviews and award nominations, but it was shown in only 811 theatres worldwide. It yielded a relatively low box office gross.
The film's onscreen love affair between Colin Farrell and then fourteen-year-old Kilcher was a sensitive topic. Studio lawyers insisted that some scenes be reshot to comply with preadolescent erotica laws.
In the summer of 2006, Kilcher began filming the independent film The Power of Few, which she produced through her own production company, Entertainment On-Q. She played the title role in the feature film Princess Kaiulani. The film, about the United States' overthrow of the Hawaiian monarchy, was released in May 2010.
In 2009, Kilcher performed in The People Speak
The People Speak (film)
The People Speak is a documentary feature film that uses dramatic and musical performances of the letters, diaries, and speeches of everyday Americans. The film gives voice to those who, by insisting on equality and justice, spoke up for social change throughout U.S...
, a documentary feature film that uses dramatic and musical performances of the letters, diaries, and speeches of common people in the U.S., based on historian Howard Zinn
Howard Zinn
Howard Zinn was an American historian, academic, author, playwright, and social activist. Before and during his tenure as a political science professor at Boston University from 1964-88 he wrote more than 20 books, which included his best-selling and influential A People's History of the United...
's "A People's History of the United States
A People's History of the United States
Chapter 7, "As Long As Grass Grows or Water Runs" discusses 19th century conflicts between the U.S. government and Native Americans and Indian removal, especially during the administrations of Andrew Jackson and Martin Van Buren....
".
In 2010, Kilcher portrayed Kerrianne Larkin, daughter of Chibs Telford and Fiona Larkin in the television series Sons of Anarchy
Sons of Anarchy
Sons of Anarchy is an American television drama series created by Kurt Sutter about the lives of a close-knit outlaw motorcycle club operating in Charming, a fictional town in Northern California...
.
Activism
Kilcher has made a commitment to human rights and environmental activism. She speaks on behalf of various causes to achieve what she regards as environmental justice and basic Human Rights. Traveling frequently to speak at youth events, colleges and universities, Kilcher has been a featured keynote speaker for organizations such as Amnesty International, the I.F.G. international Forum on Globalization, Amazon WatchAmazon Watch
Founded in 1996, Amazon Watch is a nonprofit organization based in San Francisco, California. It works to protect the rainforest and advance the rights of indigenous peoples in the Amazon Basin...
IFIP and The United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
panel discussions entitled "Indigenous Peoples: Human Rights, Dignity and Development with Identity", in collaboration with the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
She also lends her celebrity, voice and energy as spokeswoman, collaborator and supporter to several international and national N.G.O.s and organizations such as Youth Ambassador Amnesty International (Global Youth Ambassador for woman's Rights) AIDESEP (Spokesperson and Voice) Interethnic Association for the Development of the Peruvian Rainforest Federations) The Community School for the Arts foundation (volunteer/spokesperson) and Thursdays Child (youth counselor) Turning The Tides ((volunteer/spokesperson) Save Americas Forests, IDEM (South Dakota Youth Project) and is a spokesperson for the American Literacy Campaign.
Working with the National Endowment For the Arts
National Endowment for the Arts
The National Endowment for the Arts is an independent agency of the United States federal government that offers support and funding for projects exhibiting artistic excellence. It was created by an act of the U.S. Congress in 1965 as an independent agency of the federal government. Its current...
on their "The Big Read" Campaign, she will record a book review. Kilcher has read Howard Zinn
Howard Zinn
Howard Zinn was an American historian, academic, author, playwright, and social activist. Before and during his tenure as a political science professor at Boston University from 1964-88 he wrote more than 20 books, which included his best-selling and influential A People's History of the United...
's The People Speak
The People Speak
The People Speak is an online community of young people who want to get involved in global issues. The community engages people of all ages and backgrounds in thoughtful discussions about the value of international cooperation for the United States and the world. From September 1 to November 30...
staged readings. She joined the cast for the first People Speak Film Series.
Kilcher recently launched her own youth-driven human rights and environmental organization "On-Q Initiative", to connect young Hollywood with youth activist leaders and projects from around the world, in support of environmental sustainability, corporate accountability, and basic human rights
Human rights
Human rights are "commonly understood as inalienable fundamental rights to which a person is inherently entitled simply because she or he is a human being." Human rights are thus conceived as universal and egalitarian . These rights may exist as natural rights or as legal rights, in both national...
. Through her production company, IQ-Films, Kilcher is also producing several cause-driven documentaries and youth-programming projects. In addition to public activism, Kilcher is a silent advocate for the environment, driving a Honda FCX Clarity, a hydrogen
Hydrogen vehicle
A hydrogen vehicle is a vehicle that uses hydrogen as its onboard fuel for motive power. Hydrogen vehicles include hydrogen fueled space rockets, as well as automobiles and other transportation vehicles...
fuel cell
Fuel cell
A fuel cell is a device that converts the chemical energy from a fuel into electricity through a chemical reaction with oxygen or another oxidizing agent. Hydrogen is the most common fuel, but hydrocarbons such as natural gas and alcohols like methanol are sometimes used...
zero-emissions vehicle
Zero-emissions vehicle
A zero-emissions vehicle, or ZEV, is a vehicle that emits no tailpipe pollutants from the onboard source of power. Harmful pollutants to the health and the environment include particulates , hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide, ozone, lead, and various oxides of nitrogen. Although not considered emission...
.
On June 11, 2009 she visited Lima
Lima
Lima is the capital and the largest city of Peru. It is located in the valleys of the Chillón, Rímac and Lurín rivers, in the central part of the country, on a desert coast overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Together with the seaport of Callao, it forms a contiguous urban area known as the Lima...
to support indigenous peoples' rights in the Amazon Bagua, Peru
Bagua, Peru
Bagua is a city in Peru located about from the city of Chachapoyas. It lies in the provincia of the same name.-External links:*...
. In 2007, Kilcher won the Brower Youth Award, a premier environmental award, for her work in persuading Occidental Petroleum
Occidental Petroleum
Occidental Petroleum Corporation is a California-based oil and gas exploration and production company with operations in the United States, the Middle East, North Africa, and South America...
to withdraw from the Peruvian Amazon valley. She received the Young Hollywood Green Award.
On June 1, 2010, Kilcher and her mother were arrested after Kilcher chained herself to the gates in front of the White House in Washington, D.C. while her mother poured black paint on her to signify oil. Kilcher was protesting President Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
's meeting with Peruvian President Alan García, accusing him of selling land in the Amazon rainforest
Amazon Rainforest
The Amazon Rainforest , also known in English as Amazonia or the Amazon Jungle, is a moist broadleaf forest that covers most of the Amazon Basin of South America...
to corporations while suppressing indigenous protests. She and her mother were charged with disorderly conduct. The charges were dropped on June 6, 2011 after they completed community service.
Filmography
Q'orianka Waira Qoiana Kilcher (born February 11, 1990) is a U.S. actress, singer and activist. She is best known for her role as PocahontasPocahontas
Pocahontas was a Virginia Indian notable for her association with the colonial settlement at Jamestown, Virginia. She was the daughter of Chief Powhatan, the head of a network of tributary tribal nations in Tidewater Virginia...
in the 2005 film The New World, directed by Terrence Malick
Terrence Malick
Terrence Frederick Malick is a U.S. film director, screenwriter, and producer. In a career spanning almost four decades, Malick has directed five feature films....
. Her second memorable film role is Princess Kaiulani in Princess Kaiulani.
Early life
Kilcher was born in SchweigmattSchweigmatt
Schweigmatt is a hamlet located in the southern Black Forest of Germany at an altitude of 780 metres. It belongs to the village of Raitbach and is part of the municipality of Schopfheim in the district of Lörrach...
, Germany. Her name Q'orianka means "Golden Eagle" in Quechua
Quechua languages
Quechua is a Native South American language family and dialect cluster spoken primarily in the Andes of South America, derived from an original common ancestor language, Proto-Quechua. It is the most widely spoken language family of the indigenous peoples of the Americas, with a total of probably...
. She speaks English and some German. She learned some words of the extinct Powhatan language
Powhatan language
Powhatan or Virginia Algonquian is an extinct language belonging to the Eastern Algonquian subgroup of the Algonquian languages. It was spoken by the Powhatan people of tidewater Virginia. It became extinct around the 1790s after speakers switched to English. The sole documentary evidence for this...
, an Algonquian speech
Algonquian languages
The Algonquian languages also Algonkian) are a subfamily of Native American languages which includes most of the languages in the Algic language family. The name of the Algonquian language family is distinguished from the orthographically similar Algonquin dialect of the Ojibwe language, which is a...
, for her part in the film The New World.
Her father is of Quechua-Huachipaeri
Huachipaeri
Huachipaeri is a native language official in the area of its use in Perú. It is also known as Huachipaire, Wacipaire, and the derogatory: "Mashco".- External links :* *...
descent from Peru. Her mother, Saskia Kilcher, is a human-rights activist of Swiss descent, born in Alaska
Alaska
Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
and raised in Switzerland. Q'orianka has two brothers, Kainoa Kilcher and Xihuaru Kilcher, who both work as actors and stunt performers. Kilcher's maternal grandfather was Ray 'Pirate' Genet
Ray Genet
Ray Genet, often referred to by the nickname Pirate, was an accomplished mountaineer whose many distinctions included having been the first guide on Mount McKinley in Alaska - the highest mountain in North America....
, a famous Alaskan-born mountaineer
Mountaineer
-Sports:*Mountaineering, the sport, hobby or profession of walking, hiking, trekking and climbing up mountains, also known as alpinism-University athletic teams and mascots:*Appalachian State Mountaineers, the athletic teams of Appalachian State University...
, and her mother's cousin is Grammy-nominated singer Jewel Kilcher
Jewel (singer)
Jewel Kilcher , professionally known as Jewel, is an American singer-songwriter, guitarist, producer, actress and poet...
.
When Kilcher was two years old, she and her mother moved to Kapaa, Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
, where her brother Kainoa was born. Her father, from whom she is estranged, was absent for much of her life. Growing up in Hawaii, Kilcher was inspired by the local society and started hula
Hula
Hula is a dance form accompanied by chant or song . It was developed in the Hawaiian Islands by the Polynesians who originally settled there. The hula dramatizes or portrays the words of the oli or mele in a visual dance form....
dancing at the age of five years. She also trained in Tahitian dance and West African, as well as ballet, Hip Hop and Modern Dance. In 1997 Kilcher won Ballet Hawaii's Young Choreographer Award at the age of seven years.
She was selected to compete at the international Tahitian Dance Competition in San Jose, California
San Jose, California
San Jose is the third-largest city in California, the tenth-largest in the U.S., and the county seat of Santa Clara County which is located at the southern end of San Francisco Bay...
in 1996 and 1997. She performed in over fifty professional dance performances island wide. As member of the Waikiki Singers, she was chosen to be the Soprano Soloist, performing Schubert's Mass in G and Amahl and the Night Visitors by Gian Carlo Menotti. At the age of six years, Kilcher was the first child to study classical voice at the University of Hawaii
University of Hawaii
The University of Hawaii System, formally the University of Hawaii and popularly known as UH, is a public, co-educational college and university system that confers associate, bachelor, master, and doctoral degrees through three university campuses, seven community college campuses, an employment...
with Laurance Paxton. She also studied Drama with Bill Ogilvie at the Diamond Head Theater. At six years, her mother booked her at venues as featured singer and opening act to some of Hawaii's greats, such as Willie K among others.
In 1999, her mother moved the family to California. Kilcher started to showcase her talent busking
Busking
Street performance or busking is the practice of performing in public places, for gratuities, which are generally in the form of money and edibles...
on the Third Street Promenade in Santa Monica
Santa Mônica
Santa Mônica is a town and municipality in the state of Paraná in the Southern Region of Brazil.-References:...
.
Career
At the age of nine years, Kilcher was cast as "Choire Who" in Ron HowardRon Howard
Ronald William "Ron" Howard is an American actor, director, and producer. He came to prominence as a child actor, playing Opie Taylor in the sitcom The Andy Griffith Show for eight years, and later the teenaged Richie Cunningham in the sitcom Happy Days for six years...
's How the Grinch Stole Christmas. At twelve years, she received a full scholarship to the Hollywood Musician Institute, where she studied vocal performance, music theory and song-writing and accomplished Blackbelt
Black belt (martial arts)
In martial arts, the black belt is a way to describe a graduate of a field where a practitioner's level is often marked by the color of the belt. The black belt is commonly the highest belt color used and denotes a degree of competence. It is often associated with a teaching grade though...
in Wushu, Kung Fu
Kung fu (term)
Kung fu or gongfu or gung fu is a Chinese term often used in the West to refer to Chinese martial arts.Its original meaning is somewhat different, referring to one's expertise in any skill achieved through hard work and practice, not necessarily martial...
and Stunt performer
Stunt performer
A stuntman, or daredevil is someone who performs dangerous stunts, often as a career.These stunts are sometimes rigged so that they look dangerous while still having safety mechanisms, but often they are as dangerous as they appear to be...
and has trained at the National Wushu Training Center and Impact Stunts.
At the age of fourteen years, Q'orianka emerged into the front ranks of young actors with her portrayal of Pocahontas opposite Colin Farrell
Colin Farrell
Colin James Farrell is an Irish actor, who has appeared in such film as Tigerland, Miami Vice, Minority Report, Phone Booth, The Recruit, Alexander and S.W.A.T....
and Christian Bale
Christian Bale
Christian Charles Philip Bale is an English actor. Best known for his roles in American films, Bale has starred in both big budget Hollywood films and the smaller projects from independent producers and art houses....
in director Terrence Malick
Terrence Malick
Terrence Frederick Malick is a U.S. film director, screenwriter, and producer. In a career spanning almost four decades, Malick has directed five feature films....
Academy Award
Academy Awards
An Academy Award, also known as an Oscar, is an accolade bestowed by the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to recognize excellence of professionals in the film industry, including directors, actors, and writers...
-nominated motion picture, The New World (2005). Her performance won her the National Board of Review's best breakthrough performance of 2006, the 2006 Alma Award
Alma Award
The American Latino Media Arts Award, or ALMA Award is a distinction awarded to Latino performers who promote positive portrayals of Latinos in the entertainment field...
for best Latin American actress in a feature film, numerous other award nominations. The film was released in December 2005 to mixed reviews. The film was a critical success, garnering several positive reviews and award nominations, but it was shown in only 811 theatres worldwide. It yielded a relatively low box office gross.
The film's onscreen love affair between Colin Farrell and then fourteen-year-old Kilcher was a sensitive topic. Studio lawyers insisted that some scenes be reshot to comply with preadolescent erotica laws.
In the summer of 2006, Kilcher began filming the independent film The Power of Few, which she produced through her own production company, Entertainment On-Q. She played the title role in the feature film Princess Kaiulani. The film, about the United States' overthrow of the Hawaiian monarchy, was released in May 2010.
In 2009, Kilcher performed in The People Speak
The People Speak (film)
The People Speak is a documentary feature film that uses dramatic and musical performances of the letters, diaries, and speeches of everyday Americans. The film gives voice to those who, by insisting on equality and justice, spoke up for social change throughout U.S...
, a documentary feature film that uses dramatic and musical performances of the letters, diaries, and speeches of common people in the U.S., based on historian Howard Zinn
Howard Zinn
Howard Zinn was an American historian, academic, author, playwright, and social activist. Before and during his tenure as a political science professor at Boston University from 1964-88 he wrote more than 20 books, which included his best-selling and influential A People's History of the United...
's "A People's History of the United States
A People's History of the United States
Chapter 7, "As Long As Grass Grows or Water Runs" discusses 19th century conflicts between the U.S. government and Native Americans and Indian removal, especially during the administrations of Andrew Jackson and Martin Van Buren....
".
In 2010, Kilcher portrayed Kerrianne Larkin, daughter of Chibs Telford and Fiona Larkin in the television series Sons of Anarchy
Sons of Anarchy
Sons of Anarchy is an American television drama series created by Kurt Sutter about the lives of a close-knit outlaw motorcycle club operating in Charming, a fictional town in Northern California...
.
Activism
Kilcher has made a commitment to human rights and environmental activism. She speaks on behalf of various causes to achieve what she regards as environmental justice and basic Human Rights. Traveling frequently to speak at youth events, colleges and universities, Kilcher has been a featured keynote speaker for organizations such as Amnesty International, the I.F.G. international Forum on Globalization, Amazon WatchAmazon Watch
Founded in 1996, Amazon Watch is a nonprofit organization based in San Francisco, California. It works to protect the rainforest and advance the rights of indigenous peoples in the Amazon Basin...
IFIP and The United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
panel discussions entitled "Indigenous Peoples: Human Rights, Dignity and Development with Identity", in collaboration with the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
She also lends her celebrity, voice and energy as spokeswoman, collaborator and supporter to several international and national N.G.O.s and organizations such as Youth Ambassador Amnesty International (Global Youth Ambassador for woman's Rights) AIDESEP (Spokesperson and Voice) Interethnic Association for the Development of the Peruvian Rainforest Federations) The Community School for the Arts foundation (volunteer/spokesperson) and Thursdays Child (youth counselor) Turning The Tides ((volunteer/spokesperson) Save Americas Forests, IDEM (South Dakota Youth Project) and is a spokesperson for the American Literacy Campaign.
Working with the National Endowment For the Arts
National Endowment for the Arts
The National Endowment for the Arts is an independent agency of the United States federal government that offers support and funding for projects exhibiting artistic excellence. It was created by an act of the U.S. Congress in 1965 as an independent agency of the federal government. Its current...
on their "The Big Read" Campaign, she will record a book review. Kilcher has read Howard Zinn
Howard Zinn
Howard Zinn was an American historian, academic, author, playwright, and social activist. Before and during his tenure as a political science professor at Boston University from 1964-88 he wrote more than 20 books, which included his best-selling and influential A People's History of the United...
's The People Speak
The People Speak
The People Speak is an online community of young people who want to get involved in global issues. The community engages people of all ages and backgrounds in thoughtful discussions about the value of international cooperation for the United States and the world. From September 1 to November 30...
staged readings. She joined the cast for the first People Speak Film Series.
Kilcher recently launched her own youth-driven human rights and environmental organization "On-Q Initiative", to connect young Hollywood with youth activist leaders and projects from around the world, in support of environmental sustainability, corporate accountability, and basic human rights
Human rights
Human rights are "commonly understood as inalienable fundamental rights to which a person is inherently entitled simply because she or he is a human being." Human rights are thus conceived as universal and egalitarian . These rights may exist as natural rights or as legal rights, in both national...
. Through her production company, IQ-Films, Kilcher is also producing several cause-driven documentaries and youth-programming projects. In addition to public activism, Kilcher is a silent advocate for the environment, driving a Honda FCX Clarity, a hydrogen
Hydrogen vehicle
A hydrogen vehicle is a vehicle that uses hydrogen as its onboard fuel for motive power. Hydrogen vehicles include hydrogen fueled space rockets, as well as automobiles and other transportation vehicles...
fuel cell
Fuel cell
A fuel cell is a device that converts the chemical energy from a fuel into electricity through a chemical reaction with oxygen or another oxidizing agent. Hydrogen is the most common fuel, but hydrocarbons such as natural gas and alcohols like methanol are sometimes used...
zero-emissions vehicle
Zero-emissions vehicle
A zero-emissions vehicle, or ZEV, is a vehicle that emits no tailpipe pollutants from the onboard source of power. Harmful pollutants to the health and the environment include particulates , hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide, ozone, lead, and various oxides of nitrogen. Although not considered emission...
.
On June 11, 2009 she visited Lima
Lima
Lima is the capital and the largest city of Peru. It is located in the valleys of the Chillón, Rímac and Lurín rivers, in the central part of the country, on a desert coast overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Together with the seaport of Callao, it forms a contiguous urban area known as the Lima...
to support indigenous peoples' rights in the Amazon Bagua, Peru
Bagua, Peru
Bagua is a city in Peru located about from the city of Chachapoyas. It lies in the provincia of the same name.-External links:*...
. In 2007, Kilcher won the Brower Youth Award, a premier environmental award, for her work in persuading Occidental Petroleum
Occidental Petroleum
Occidental Petroleum Corporation is a California-based oil and gas exploration and production company with operations in the United States, the Middle East, North Africa, and South America...
to withdraw from the Peruvian Amazon valley. She received the Young Hollywood Green Award.
On June 1, 2010, Kilcher and her mother were arrested after Kilcher chained herself to the gates in front of the White House in Washington, D.C. while her mother poured black paint on her to signify oil. Kilcher was protesting President Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
's meeting with Peruvian President Alan García, accusing him of selling land in the Amazon rainforest
Amazon Rainforest
The Amazon Rainforest , also known in English as Amazonia or the Amazon Jungle, is a moist broadleaf forest that covers most of the Amazon Basin of South America...
to corporations while suppressing indigenous protests. She and her mother were charged with disorderly conduct. The charges were dropped on June 6, 2011 after they completed community service.
Filmography
| Year | Film | Role | Director | Other notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 2000 in film The year 2000 in film involved some significant events.The top grosser worldwide was Mission: Impossible II. Domestically in North America, Gladiator won the Academy Awards for Best Picture and Best Actor .... |
How the Grinch Stole Christmas | Little Choir Member | Ron Howard Ron Howard Ronald William "Ron" Howard is an American actor, director, and producer. He came to prominence as a child actor, playing Opie Taylor in the sitcom The Andy Griffith Show for eight years, and later the teenaged Richie Cunningham in the sitcom Happy Days for six years... |
|
| 2002 2002 in television The year 2002 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 2002.For the American TV schedule, see: 2002–03 United States network television schedule.-Events:-Debuts:-1940s:... |
Madison Heights (TV) | Maria Betancourt | Sharon Miller, Keith Shelton | Episode: "Small World" |
| 2005 2005 in film - Highest-grossing films :Please note that following the tradition of the English-language film industry, these are the top-grossing films that were first released in the United States in 2005... |
The New World | Pocahontas Pocahontas Pocahontas was a Virginia Indian notable for her association with the colonial settlement at Jamestown, Virginia. She was the daughter of Chief Powhatan, the head of a network of tributary tribal nations in Tidewater Virginia... |
Terrence Malick Terrence Malick Terrence Frederick Malick is a U.S. film director, screenwriter, and producer. In a career spanning almost four decades, Malick has directed five feature films.... |
|
| 2009 2009 in film The year 2009 saw the release of many films. Seven made the top 50 list of highest-grossing films, and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced that as of this year, their Best Picture category would consist of ten nominees, rather than five .- Highest-grossing films :Please note... |
The People Speak The People Speak (film) The People Speak is a documentary feature film that uses dramatic and musical performances of the letters, diaries, and speeches of everyday Americans. The film gives voice to those who, by insisting on equality and justice, spoke up for social change throughout U.S... |
Herself | Tony Sacco | Documentary |
| 2009 2009 in film The year 2009 saw the release of many films. Seven made the top 50 list of highest-grossing films, and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced that as of this year, their Best Picture category would consist of ten nominees, rather than five .- Highest-grossing films :Please note... |
Princess Kaiulani | Princess Ka'iulani | Marc Forby | |
| 2010 2010 in film The year 2010 saw many new films released worldwide. 2010 saw a dramatic increase and prominence in the use of 3D-technology in filmmaking and film releases after the success of Avatar in the format, with releases such as Alice in Wonderland, Clash of the Titans, Jackass 3D, all animated films and... |
A Yellow Raft in Blue Water A Yellow Raft in Blue Water A Yellow Raft in Blue Water is a novel written by Michael Dorris and published in 1987. It is written from the viewpoints of three people, Rayona, Christine, and Aunt Ida, exchanging viewpoints between different sections of the book.-Plot summary:... |
Christine Taylor | Sarah Knight | Pre-production, also producer |
| 2010 2010 in film The year 2010 saw many new films released worldwide. 2010 saw a dramatic increase and prominence in the use of 3D-technology in filmmaking and film releases after the success of Avatar in the format, with releases such as Alice in Wonderland, Clash of the Titans, Jackass 3D, all animated films and... |
The Power of Few | TBA | Leone Marucci | In production, also producer |
| 2010 2010 in film The year 2010 saw many new films released worldwide. 2010 saw a dramatic increase and prominence in the use of 3D-technology in filmmaking and film releases after the success of Avatar in the format, with releases such as Alice in Wonderland, Clash of the Titans, Jackass 3D, all animated films and... |
Untitled Q'orianka Kilcher Project | Herself | N/A | Post-production, also producer, Documentary |
| 2010 2010 in television 2010 in television may refer to:*2010 in American television*2010 in Australian television*2010 in British television*2010 in Canadian television*2010 in Japanese television... |
Sons Of Anarchy Sons of Anarchy Sons of Anarchy is an American television drama series created by Kurt Sutter about the lives of a close-knit outlaw motorcycle club operating in Charming, a fictional town in Northern California... (Television) |
Kerrianne Larkin | ||
| -- FX | ||||
| 2011 2011 in film The year 2011 is notable for containing the release of the most film sequels in a single year, at 27 sequels. The following tables list films that are in production or have completed production and will be released in the United States and Canada at some point in 2011.- Highest-grossing films :... |
Shouting Secrets | Pinti | TBA | Post production |
| 2011 | Neverland | Aaya | Nick Willing | Post production |
| 2012 2012 in film The following tables list films that are in production or have completed production and will be released in the United States and Canada at some point in 2012... |
Blaze You Out | Demi | Mateo Frazier, Diego Joaquin Lopez | Post production |
| 2013 | Tarantula | Gabby | Oley Sassone | Pre production |
Awards and nominations
| Year | Award | Category | Film | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 2005 in film - Highest-grossing films :Please note that following the tradition of the English-language film industry, these are the top-grossing films that were first released in the United States in 2005... |
NBR Award | Best Breakthrough Performance by an Actress | The New World | |
| WAFCA Award | Best Breakthrough Performance | |||
| 2006 2006 in film - Highest-grossing films :Please note that following the tradition of the English-language film industry, these are the top-grossing films that were first released in the United States in 2006... |
ALMA Award Alma Award The American Latino Media Arts Award, or ALMA Award is a distinction awarded to Latino performers who promote positive portrayals of Latinos in the entertainment field... |
Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture | ||
| Broadcast Film Critics Association Broadcast Film Critics Association The Broadcast Film Critics Association is the largest film critics organization in the United States and Canada , representing approximately 250 television, radio and online critics.... |
Best Young Actress | |||
| Critics Choice Award | Best Young Actress | |||
| CFCA Award | Most Promising Performer | |||
| Online Film Critics Society Awards | Best Breakthrough Performance | |||
| Young Artist Award Young Artist Award The Young Artist Award is an accolade bestowed by the Young Artist Foundation, a non-profit organization founded in 1978 to recognize and award excellence of youth performers, and to provide scholarships for young artists who may be physically and/or financially challenged.The Young Artist... |
Best Performance in a Feature Film (Comedy or Drama) - Leading Young Actress |
External links
- About.com interview (December 25, 2005)
- Q’orianka Kilcher on Climate Change Activism - video report by Democracy Now!Democracy Now!Democracy Now! and its staff have received several journalism awards, including the Gracie Award from American Women in Radio & Television; the George Polk Award for its 1998 radio documentary Drilling and Killing: Chevron and Nigeria's Oil Dictatorship, on the Chevron Corporation and the deaths of...