Keisha Castle-Hughes was born on March 24, 1990, in Donnybrook, Western Australia. Her mother, Desrae Hughes, is of Māori descent, while her father is Anglo-Australian. Although her parents never married and later separated, Castle-Hughes moved with her family to New Zealand when she was 18 months old. She became a New Zealand citizen in 2001 and was raised alongside four siblings.
She attended several schools in Auckland, including Waiuku Primary School, Penrose High School, and Rosehill College. Growing up in New Zealand played a significant role in shaping both her cultural identity and future career in the arts.
Keisha Castle-Hughes rose to international fame for her lead role as Paikea "Pai" Apirana in the 2002 film Whale Rider, an adaptation of Witi Ihimaera’s novel. Remarkably, she had no professional acting experience prior to this role, having transitioned directly from the classroom to the film set. Her performance was widely acclaimed, praised for its emotional depth and maturity well beyond her years.
For her role in Whale Rider, Castle-Hughes received an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress in 2004, making her the youngest actress ever nominated in that category at the time, at age 13. She also received a nomination from the Broadcast Film Critics Association for Best Young Actress.
Following her success in Whale Rider, Castle-Hughes appeared in a variety of film and television projects. In 2005, she had a cameo as Queen Apailana in Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith. She later starred in Piece of My Heart (2008) and Hey Hey It’s Esther Blueburger (2008).
In 2006, she portrayed the Virgin Mary in the biblical drama The Nativity Story. Her performance in this film further demonstrated her versatility as an actress. In 2015, she joined the cast of HBO’s popular series Game of Thrones in Season 5, playing the role of Obara Sand, one of the Sand Snakes of Dorne.
Outside of her acting career, Castle-Hughes has been active in environmental advocacy. She campaigned with Greenpeace and participated in the 2009 Sign On campaign, aimed at encouraging New Zealand's commitment to reducing carbon emissions. Her outspoken support drew public attention, leading then-Prime Minister John Key to initially criticize her involvement. However, shortly thereafter, Castle-Hughes was invited to discuss the cause further with government officials.
Beyond her screen roles, Castle-Hughes has also appeared in other media. She featured in the music video for “Cinnamon Girl” by Prince and participated in a photo shoot for Vanity Fair. Her contributions to the arts were acknowledged when she received an invitation to join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
| Birth Date: | 24 Mar, 1990 |
| Age: | 30 yrs |
| Occupations: | Actor Film actor |
| Citizenship: | New Zealand |
| Birth Place: | Donnybrook |
| Education: | Rosehill College |
| Gender: | Female |
| Description: | New Zealand actress |
| Twitter Id: | YoItsKeisha |
| Net Worth 2021: | 300 thousand |
