Q'orianka Waira Qoiana Kilcher (; born February 11, 1990) is an American actress. Her best known film roles are
Pocahontas
Pocahontas (, ; born Amonute, also known as Matoaka and Rebecca Rolfe; 1596 – March 1617) was a Native American woman belonging to the Powhatan people, notable for her association with the colonial settlement at Jamestown, Virginia. S ...
in
Terrence Malick's 2005 film ''
The New World'', and
Kaiulani in ''
Princess Kaiulani'' (2009). In 2020, she starred in a recurring role on the Paramount Network show ''
Yellowstone
Yellowstone National Park is a List of national parks of the United States, national park of the United States located in the northwest corner of Wyoming, with small portions extending into Montana and Idaho. It was established by the 42nd U ...
''.
Early life
Kilcher was born in
Schweigmatt,
Baden-Württemberg
Baden-Württemberg ( ; ), commonly shortened to BW or BaWü, is a states of Germany, German state () in Southwest Germany, east of the Rhine, which forms the southern part of Germany's western border with France. With more than 11.07 million i ...
,
West Germany
West Germany was the common English name for the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG) from its formation on 23 May 1949 until German reunification, its reunification with East Germany on 3 October 1990. It is sometimes known as the Bonn Republi ...
. Her name ''Q'orianka'' means "Golden Eagle" in
Quechua. Her father is of
Quechua–
Huachipaeri background from
Peru
Peru, officially the Republic of Peru, is a country in western South America. It is bordered in the north by Ecuador and Colombia, in the east by Brazil, in the southeast by Bolivia, in the south by Chile, and in the south and west by the Pac ...
, while her mother, Saskia Kilcher, is an American human rights activist of
Swiss German
Swiss German (Standard German: , ,Because of the many different dialects, and because there is no #Conventions, defined orthography for any of them, many different spellings can be found. and others; ) is any of the Alemannic German, Alemannic ...
origin. When Kilcher was two, 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 culture and started
hula
Hula () is a Hawaiian dance form expressing chant (''oli'') or song (Mele (Hawaiian language), ''mele''). It was developed in the Hawaiian Islands by the Native Hawaiians who settled there. The hula dramatizes or portrays the words of the oli ...
dancing at the age of five. She also trained in
Tahitian dance
Tahiti (; Tahitian , ; ) is the largest island of the Windward group of the Society Islands in French Polynesia, an overseas collectivity of France. It is located in the central part of the Pacific Ocean and the nearest major landmass is th ...
and West African, as well as ballet, hip hop and modern dance. In 1997, Kilcher won Ballet Hawaii's Young Choreographer Award at age seven.
She was selected to compete at the international Tahitian Dance Competition in
San Jose, California
San Jose, officially the City of San José ( ; ), is a cultural, commercial, and political center within Silicon Valley and the San Francisco Bay Area. With a city population of 997,368 and a metropolitan area population of 1.95 million, it is ...
, in 1996 and 1997. She performed in over fifty professional dance performances island-wide. As a 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
Gian Carlo Menotti (, ; July 7, 1911 – February 1, 2007) was an Italian-American composer, libretto, librettist, director, and playwright who is primarily known for his output of 25 operas. Although he often referred to himself as an American ...
. At the age of six years, Kilcher was the first child to study classical voice at the
University of Hawaii
A university () is an educational institution, institution of tertiary education and research which awards academic degrees in several Discipline (academia), academic disciplines. ''University'' is derived from the Latin phrase , which roughly ...
with Laurance Paxton. She also studied drama with Bill Ogilvie at the Diamond Head Theater. When she was six, her mother booked her at venues as a featured singer and opening act to some of Hawaii's greats, such as
Willie K (Kahaiali'i) among others.
In 1999, her mother moved the family to California. Kilcher started to sing and dance for tourist donations,
busking
Street performance or busking is the act of performing in public places for gratuity, gratuities. In many countries, the rewards are generally in the form of money but other gratuities such as food, drink or gifts may be given. Street performa ...
on the
Third Street Promenade
The Third Street Promenade is a pedestrian mall esplanade, shopping, dining and entertainment complex in the downtown area of Santa Monica, California which originally opened as the Santa Monica Mall on November 8, 1965. It is considered a premi ...
in
Santa Monica
Santa Monica (; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Santa Mónica'') is a city in Los Angeles County, California, Los Angeles County, situated along Santa Monica Bay on California's South Coast (California), South Coast. Santa Monica's 2020 United Sta ...
.
Career
At the age of ten, Kilcher was cast as Choire Who in
Ron Howard
Ronald William Howard (born March 1, 1954) is an American filmmaker and actor. Howard started his career as a child actor before transitioning to directing films. Over his six-decade career, Howard has received List of awards and nominations r ...
's ''
How the Grinch Stole Christmas''. She was 12 when she received a full scholarship to the Musician's Institute in Hollywood, where she studied vocal performance, music theory and songwriting.
She also studied martial arts and stunts: she is an accomplished
black belt in
Wushu
Wushu may refer to:
Martial arts
* Chinese martial arts, the various martial arts of China
* Wushu (sport)
Wushu () (), or kung fu, is a competitive Chinese martial art. It integrates concepts and forms from various traditional and modern ...
kung fu
Chinese martial arts, commonly referred to with umbrella terms Kung fu (term), kung fu (; ), kuoshu () or wushu (sport), wushu (), are Styles of Chinese martial arts, multiple fighting styles that have developed over the centuries in Greater Ch ...
and a
stunt performer
A stunt performer, often called a stuntman or stuntwoman and occasionally stuntperson or stunt-person, is a trained professional who performs daring acts, often as a career. Stunt performers usually appear in films or on television, as opposed ...
and has trained at the National Wushu Training Center and Impact Stunts.
At age 15, Kilcher portrayed Pocahontas in the
Academy Award
The Academy Awards, commonly known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit in film. They are presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) in the United States in recognition of excellence ...
-nominated motion picture ''
The New World'' (2005), directed by
Terrence Malick. Her performance was critically acclaimed and won her the
National Board of Review
The National Board of Review of Motion Pictures is a non-profit organization of New York City area film enthusiasts. Its awards, which are announced in early December, are considered the first major harbinger of the film awards season that ...
's best breakthrough performance of 2006, the 2006
Alma Award
The American Latino Media Arts Award or ALMA Award, formerly known as Latin Oscars Award, is an award highlighting the best American Latino contributions to music, television, and film. The awards promote fair and accurate portrayals of Latino ...
for best Latin American actress in a feature film, and numerous other award nominations. The film was released in December 2005.
The film was a critical success, receiving several positive reviews and award nominations, but it was shown in only 811 theatres worldwide. It yielded a relatively low box office gross.
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 2009 feature film ''
Princess Kaiulani''. The film, about the
overthrow of the Hawaiian monarchy, was released in May 2010 to negative reviews. But Kilcher received positive feedback for her role, with
Roger Ebert
Roger Joseph Ebert ( ; June 18, 1942 – April 4, 2013) was an American Film criticism, film critic, film historian, journalist, essayist, screenwriter and author. He wrote for the ''Chicago Sun-Times'' from 1967 until his death in 2013. Eber ...
writing that "she evokes great depth and sympathy in her role and seems to have created Kaiulani from the inside out."
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
Howard Zinn (August 24, 1922January 27, 2010) was an American historian and a veteran of World War II. He was chair of the history and social sciences department at Spelman College, and a political science professor at Boston University. Zinn ...
's "
A People's History of the United States".
A year later, she played Pinti in the family drama ''Shouting Secrets''. The film won Best Film at the 36th American Indian Film Festival in San Francisco, and Kilcher was nominated for Best Supporting Actress. She also portrayed Kerrianne Larkin, daughter of Chibs Telford and Fiona Larkin, in the television series ''
Sons of Anarchy
''Sons of Anarchy'' is an American Action film, action crime drama television series created by Kurt Sutter for FX (TV channel), FX. Originally aired from September 3, 2008, to December 9, 2014, ''Sons of Anarchy'' follows the lives of a close-k ...
''.
In 2011, Kilcher played
Tiger Lily in ''
Neverland
Neverland is a fictional island featured in the works of J. M. Barrie and those based on them. It is an imaginary faraway place where Peter Pan, Tinker Bell, Captain Hook, the Lost Boys, and some other imaginary beings and creatures live.
...
'', a version of the
Peter Pan
Peter Pan is a fictional character created by Scottish novelist and playwright J. M. Barrie. A free-spirited and mischievous young boy who can fly and never grows up, Peter Pan spends his never-ending childhood having adventures on the mythical ...
story that aired on the
Syfy Channel.
In 2012, Kilcher starred in
Firelight alongside
Cuba Gooding Jr. and played the role of Caroline Magabo, a young Latina inmate who finds a new lease on life by becoming a volunteer firefighter along with other female juvenile delinquents. In 2013, she portrayed Rayen in ''
Running Deer'', an award-winning short film produced and directed by
Brent Ryan Green through
Toy Gun Films.
Kilcher starred as the
Chickasaw Nation representative and actress
Te Ata in the 2017 film ''Te Ata''.
In 2018, Kilcher appeared in
TNT
Troponin T (shortened TnT or TropT) is a part of the troponin complex, which are proteins integral to the contraction of skeletal and heart muscles. They are expressed in skeletal and cardiac myocytes. Troponin T binds to tropomyosin and helps ...
's ''
The Alienist'' as Mary Palmer. Kilcher appeared in the 2019 adventure film ''
Dora and the Lost City of Gold'' as the
Inca
The Inca Empire, officially known as the Realm of the Four Parts (, ), was the largest empire in pre-Columbian America. The administrative, political, and military center of the empire was in the city of Cusco. The History of the Incas, Inca ...
princess.
In 2020, Kilcher joined ''
Yellowstone
Yellowstone National Park is a List of national parks of the United States, national park of the United States located in the northwest corner of Wyoming, with small portions extending into Montana and Idaho. It was established by the 42nd U ...
'' to play Angela Blue Thunder across the last three seasons of the show.
In 2022, Kilcher appeared in
Channing Tatum
Channing Matthew Tatum (born April 26, 1980) is an American actor and producer. He made his film debut in the drama ''Coach Carter'' (2005), and had his Breakthrough role, breakthrough with the sports comedy film ''She's the Man'' (2006) and t ...
's directorial debut, ''
Dog
The dog (''Canis familiaris'' or ''Canis lupus familiaris'') is a domesticated descendant of the gray wolf. Also called the domestic dog, it was selectively bred from a population of wolves during the Late Pleistocene by hunter-gatherers. ...
,'' as Niki, the estranged wife of Tatum's character. Kilcher will produce and star in the upcoming film ''Yesteryear'' alongside
Scott Haze,
Wes Studi
Wesley Studi (; born December 17, 1947) is a Native American (Cherokee Nation) actor and film producer. He has garnered critical acclaim and awards throughout his career, particularly for his portrayal of Native Americans in film. In 2019, he ...
and
Nick Cassavetes.
Activism
Kilcher has made a commitment to
human rights
Human rights are universally recognized Morality, moral principles or Social norm, norms that establish standards of human behavior and are often protected by both Municipal law, national and international laws. These rights are considered ...
and
environmental activism
The environmental movement (sometimes referred to as the ecology movement) is a social movement that aims to protect the natural world from harmful environmental practices in order to create sustainable living. In its recognition of humanity a ...
. She speaks on behalf of causes to achieve what she regards as
environmental justice
Environmental justice is a social movement that addresses injustice that occurs when poor or marginalized communities are harmed by hazardous waste, resource extraction, and other land uses from which they do not benefit. The movement has gene ...
and basic human rights. Traveling frequently to speak at youth events, colleges and universities, she has been a featured
keynote speaker
A keynote in public speaking is a talk that establishes a main underlying theme. In corporate or commercial settings, greater importance is attached to the delivery of a keynote speech or keynote address. The keynote establishes the framework fo ...
for organizations such as
Amnesty International
Amnesty International (also referred to as Amnesty or AI) is an international non-governmental organization focused on human rights, with its headquarters in the United Kingdom. The organization says that it has more than ten million members a ...
, the International Forum on Globalization,
Amazon Watch
Amazon Watch is a nonprofit organization founded in 1996, and based in Oakland, California, it works to protect the rainforest and advance the rights of Indigenous peoples in the Amazon Basin. It partners with indigenous and environmental organi ...
IFIP and the
United Nations
The United Nations (UN) is the Earth, global intergovernmental organization established by the signing of the Charter of the United Nations, UN Charter on 26 June 1945 with the stated purpose of maintaining international peace and internationa ...
panel discussions titled "Indigenous Peoples: Human Rights, Dignity and Development with Identity", in collaboration with the
Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples
File:2007 Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples voting map.svg , , ,
The Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP or DOTROIP) is a legally non-binding United Nations resolution passed by the United Nations in 2007 ...
.
She lends her celebrity, voice, and energy as spokeswoman, collaborator, and supporter to several international and national NGOs and organizations, such as
youth ambassador for 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
The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) is an independent agency of the United States federal government that offers support and funding for projects exhibiting artistic excellence. It was created in 1965 as an independent agency of the feder ...
on their "The Big Read" campaign, she recorded a book review. Kilcher has read
Howard Zinn
Howard Zinn (August 24, 1922January 27, 2010) was an American historian and a veteran of World War II. He was chair of the history and social sciences department at Spelman College, and a political science professor at Boston University. Zinn ...
's ''
The People Speak'' in staged readings. She joined the cast for the first ''People Speak'' film series.
In 2010, Kilcher 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
Sustainability is a social goal for people to co-exist on Earth over a long period of time. Definitions of this term are disputed and have varied with literature, context, and time. Sustainability usually has three dimensions (or pillars): env ...
,
corporate accountability
Corporate Accountability (formerly INFACT, Corporate Accountability International) is a non-profit organization, founded in 1977. Their campaign headquarters are in Boston, Massachusetts, and they have offices in Oakland, California; Seattle, Washi ...
, and basic
human rights
Human rights are universally recognized Morality, moral principles or Social norm, norms that establish standards of human behavior and are often protected by both Municipal law, national and international laws. These rights are considered ...
. Through her production company, IQ-Films, Kilcher is producing several cause-driven documentaries and youth-programming projects.
On June 11, 2009, she visited
Lima
Lima ( ; ), founded in 1535 as the Ciudad de los Reyes (, Spanish for "City of Biblical Magi, Kings"), is the capital and largest city of Peru. It is located in the valleys of the Chillón River, Chillón, Rímac River, Rímac and Lurín Rive ...
to support indigenous peoples' rights in the Amazon in
Bagua, Peru. In 2007, Kilcher won the
Brower Youth Award, an environmental award, for her work in persuading
Occidental Petroleum
Occidental Petroleum Corporation (often abbreviated Oxy in reference to its ticker symbol and logo) is an American company engaged in hydrocarbon exploration in the United States and the Middle East as well as petrochemical manufacturing in the ...
to withdraw from the Peruvian Amazon valley. She also 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
The White House is the official residence and workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue Northwest (Washington, D.C.), NW in Washington, D.C., it has served as the residence of every U.S. president ...
in Washington, D.C. while her mother poured black paint on her to signify oil. They were protesting President
Obama's meeting with Peruvian President
Alan García
Alan Gabriel Ludwig García Pérez (; 23 May 1949 – 17 April 2019) was a Peruvian politician who served as President of Peru for two non-consecutive terms from 1985 to 1990 and from 2006 to 2011. He was the second leader of the American Popula ...
, accusing the latter of selling land in the
Amazon rainforest
The Amazon rainforest, also called the Amazon jungle or Amazonia, is a Tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests, moist broadleaf tropical rainforest in the Amazon biome that covers most of the Amazon basin of South America. This basin ...
to corporations while suppressing indigenous protests. Both were charged with
disorderly conduct
Disorderly conduct is a crime in most jurisdictions, such as the United States and China. Typically, "disorderly conduct" is a term used to refer to any behavior that is considered unacceptable in a formal, civilized or controlled environment. ...
. The charges were dropped on June 6, 2011, after the two completed community service.
On September 4, 2015, Kilcher was part of a group that sang "Love Song to the Earth". The song aims at raising awareness of climate change, with all proceeds benefiting
Friends of the Earth U.S. and the
UN Foundation. She and several "Love Song" singers performed in Washington, D.C. before
Pope Francis
Pope Francis (born Jorge Mario Bergoglio; 17 December 1936 – 21 April 2025) was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 13 March 2013 until Death and funeral of Pope Francis, his death in 2025. He was the fi ...
' address to the
U.S. Congress
The United States Congress is the legislative branch of the federal government of the United States. It is a bicameral legislature, including a lower body, the U.S. House of Representatives, and an upper body, the U.S. Senate. They both ...
.
Personal life
Kilcher has two brothers, Kainoa and Xihuaru Kilcher, both of whom work as actors and stunt performers. Her first cousin once removed is the singer
Jewel.
Her mother Saskia Kilcher is the daughter of
Ray "Pirate" Genet, a Swiss
mountaineer
Mountaineering, mountain climbing, or alpinism is a set of outdoor activities that involves ascending mountains. Mountaineering-related activities include traditional outdoor climbing, skiing, and traversing via ferratas that have become sports ...
who later immigrated to the United States, and Wurtilla Dora "Wurzy" Kilcher, who was born in Alaska to Swiss immigrant parents. Kilcher's great-grandfather was
Yule F. Kilcher, a member of the
Alaska Senate
The Alaska State Senate is the upper house in the Alaska State Legislature, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Alaska. It convenes in the Alaska State Capitol in Juneau, Alaska and is responsible for making laws and confirming or reje ...
and delegate to the Alaskan constitutional conference.
Fraud charges
In 2018, Kilcher severely injured her neck and shoulder during the filming of ''Dora and the Lost City of Gold''. She received disability benefits from the insurance company after being treated for her injuries by third-party doctors. In May 2022, Kilcher was charged with alleged
workers' compensation
Workers' compensation or workers' comp is a form of insurance providing wage replacement and medical benefits to employees injured in the course of employment in exchange for mandatory relinquishment of the employee's right to sue his or her emp ...
fraud after an investigation found that she had filmed scenes for the television series ''
Yellowstone
Yellowstone National Park is a List of national parks of the United States, national park of the United States located in the northwest corner of Wyoming, with small portions extending into Montana and Idaho. It was established by the 42nd U ...
'' before receiving $96,838 in disability benefits. She pled not guilty at her arraignment in May.
''Variety'' reported that she was due to appear in court on August 7, 2022. In February 2023, all charges were dropped.
Filmography
Film
Television
Awards and nominations
References
External links
About.com interview(December 25, 2005)
*
Q'orianka Kilcher on Climate Change Activism- video report by ''
Democracy Now!
''Democracy Now!'' is an hour-long TV, radio, and Internet news program based in Manhattan and hosted by journalists Amy Goodman (who also acts as the show's executive producer), Juan González, and Nermeen Shaikh. The show, which airs live ...
''
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kilcher, Qorianka
1990 births
Living people
American street performers
American child actresses
American film actresses
American people of Peruvian descent
American people of Quechua descent
American people of Swiss-German descent
Indigenous actors of the Americas
Actresses from Hawaii
Actors from Greater Los Angeles
People from Honolulu County, Hawaii
People charged with fraud
American stunt performers
Hispanic and Latino American actresses
21st-century American actresses
21st-century American singers
21st-century American women singers