KEISHA CASTLE-HUGHES
Name: Keisha Castle-Hughes
Born: 24 March 1990 Donnybrook, Western Australia, Australia
Keisha Castle-Hughes (born March 24, 1990) is a New Zealand actress, best-known
for her first role, as Paikea in Whale Rider. She became the youngest female
ever nominated for an Oscar for Best Actress for this role.
Born on March 24, 1990 in Donnybrook, Western Australia to Desrae Hughes, a
Māori mother and Tim Castle, an English-Australian father, Keisha Castle-Hughes
was 18 months old when her family moved to New Zealand; her parents (who had
never married) later separated. Castle-Hughes became a New Zealand citizen in
2001. She has three younger brothers and a younger sister. Her siblings include
Rhys, Liam, Maddisyn, and Qayde. She is currently living in Papakura, Auckland
and was once a student of Penrose High School, and Rosehill College, both in
Auckland. On April 25, 2007, she gave birth to a daughter, Felicity-Amore, at
age seventeen. The baby's father is Hughes' boyfriend of four years, Bradley
Hull, 20.
On January 27, 2004, Castle-Hughes became the youngest female ever nominated for
an Oscar for Best Actress, for her portrayal of Paikea Apirana (Pai) in the
independent film Whale Rider. Despite not having had any previous acting
experience, the then 11-year-old actress went directly from her Auckland
classroom to the set when the film began shooting in New Zealand in late 2001,
and received widespread critical acclaim for her performance. She soon followed
the role by appearing in Prince's controversial music video for his song "Cinnamon
Girl" and with a shoot in Vanity Fair magazine. In 2004, Castle-Hughes was
invited to join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
Castle-Hughes' most recent film roles were as Queen Apailana in Star Wars
Episode III: Revenge of the Sith and the Virgin Mary in The Nativity Story,
released in 2006. New York Times critic A. O. Scott said that she "seems
entirely unfazed by the demands of playing Mary. She has the poise and
intelligence to play the character not as an icon of maternity, but rather as a
headstrong, thoughtful adolescent transformed by an unimaginable responsibility."
She will next be seen as Sunni in Hey, Hey, It's Esther Blueburger, which
was filmed in late 2006. She will again reunite with director Niki Caro for
the film adaption of The Vintner's Luck, which is currently in production.
Name: Keisha Castle-Hughes
Born: 24 March 1990 Donnybrook, Western Australia, Australia
Keisha Castle-Hughes (born March 24, 1990) is a New Zealand actress, best-known
for her first role, as Paikea in Whale Rider. She became the youngest female
ever nominated for an Oscar for Best Actress for this role.
Born on March 24, 1990 in Donnybrook, Western Australia to Desrae Hughes, a
Māori mother and Tim Castle, an English-Australian father, Keisha Castle-Hughes
was 18 months old when her family moved to New Zealand; her parents (who had
never married) later separated. Castle-Hughes became a New Zealand citizen in
2001. She has three younger brothers and a younger sister. Her siblings include
Rhys, Liam, Maddisyn, and Qayde. She is currently living in Papakura, Auckland
and was once a student of Penrose High School, and Rosehill College, both in
Auckland. On April 25, 2007, she gave birth to a daughter, Felicity-Amore, at
age seventeen. The baby's father is Hughes' boyfriend of four years, Bradley
Hull, 20.
On January 27, 2004, Castle-Hughes became the youngest female ever nominated for
an Oscar for Best Actress, for her portrayal of Paikea Apirana (Pai) in the
independent film Whale Rider. Despite not having had any previous acting
experience, the then 11-year-old actress went directly from her Auckland
classroom to the set when the film began shooting in New Zealand in late 2001,
and received widespread critical acclaim for her performance. She soon followed
the role by appearing in Prince's controversial music video for his song "Cinnamon
Girl" and with a shoot in Vanity Fair magazine. In 2004, Castle-Hughes was
invited to join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
Castle-Hughes' most recent film roles were as Queen Apailana in Star Wars
Episode III: Revenge of the Sith and the Virgin Mary in The Nativity Story,
released in 2006. New York Times critic A. O. Scott said that she "seems
entirely unfazed by the demands of playing Mary. She has the poise and
intelligence to play the character not as an icon of maternity, but rather as a
headstrong, thoughtful adolescent transformed by an unimaginable responsibility."
She will next be seen as Sunni in Hey, Hey, It's Esther Blueburger, which
was filmed in late 2006. She will again reunite with director Niki Caro for
the film adaption of The Vintner's Luck, which is currently in production.