Up Close and Personal with Interdisciplinary Artist Keilani Elizabeth Rose 

Keilani Elizabeth Rose is an actor, model, writer, producer, dancer, and DJ who is very productive at present.  Her blossoming career includes appearances on several films and hit TV shows including Once Upon a Time, Lucifer, Six, A Series of Unfortunate Events & The Magicians. Flimsy, a series that she stars in, created, and produced during isolation, screened at the recent 4th Annual Female Filmmakers Fuse Film Festival and is set to feature at the Paris, Dublin, and North Europe International Film Festivals. . Her upcoming film project BREATHE, which she is also producing, begins filming in Vancouver this year. We had the opportunity to catch up with her between her busy schedule.

Thank you for agreeing to this interview with Occhi Magazine. Congratulations on your career to date. If you weren’t an actress and producer, what would you be and why? 

Dance is my first and forever love. So I’m sure it would be something in that realm, a principal in a contemporary company or a choreographer for film/tv/tours … and I have always wanted to dance with Beyonce, so there’s definitely that!

You were crowned Miss Asia in 2016. Tell us more about this experience?

It was something I never pictured myself doing, but when they approached me to participate, I was really intrigued by the unconventional aspect of the pageant where the winner chooses a charity to donate to rather than winning a cheque. When I won, I chose the Vancouver Downtown Eastside Women’s Center, which is close to my heart because of the support my mom, sister’s and I received during a difficult period in my youth. It was wonderful to be able to give back.

How did you get into the film and TV industry?

I think it was bound to find me eventually because story-telling is in my blood … from my Indigenous Hawai’ian and First Nations Lheidli T’enneh roots. But practically speaking, it came through my personal artistic evolution from dance. I had finished my first professional contract dancing with Disney and landed an agent who encouraged me to take acting classes. I instantly fell in love with this new way of exploring my voice and sharing stories and the human experience.

You’ve featured on several hit TV shows including Once Upon a Time, Lucifer, Six, A Series of Unfortunate Events & The Magicians. You have also worked on several film projects. What have been your most memorable experiences and how have they shaped your approach to acting and producing?

An outstanding contract was definitely The Magicians. I was part of the skeleton crew for the musical episode which means we worked closely with the choreographer setting the piece for the leads. When it came time to rehearse with the cast we were paired up according to the track that we set and I was working side by side with the incredible Ms. Jade Tailor who plays Kady. She is an absolute gem of talent and force to be reckoned with. We hit it off instantly and it was the beginning of an amazing sisterhood and friendship. Since then I’ve worked with her on her short film, Within The Silence as a choreographer, producer, and lead. And she’s definitely one of the unicorns that I call when I have exciting news or need a shoulder. It’s all about the relationships at the end of the day for me, and we are so lucky to be exposed to so many wonderful opportunities that nurture collaboration with creatives who share similar values. And that is beyond rewarding.

The most impactful experiences really seem to influence me with the inspiration to take the wheel and drive my own work. From writing partners to co-creators, there is this constant energy of really just taking charge of your voice, what it is you want to share, and finding a way to share it. It’s a very empowering way to work and discover innovative approaches to our craft.

Flimsy is a series you created and produced during the pandemic isolation, which screened at the 4th Annual Female Filmmakers Fuse Film Festival in November 2020. Can you tell us more about the project, its success, and how you’ve personally managed with the lockdown?

We just recently received the great news that it has been nominated for its fifth international award at the Idyllwild International Festival of Cinema. It’s so exciting to see the global recognition for something so close to our hearts. This project represents resilience in a time when it was hard to keep going, it represents strength in community, and I think really shows how adaptable we can be as artists in times when creativity is so necessary and so healing. The original soundtrack and score are some of my favorite parts, I can’t wait for it to be released! The entire sound design was done by my co-creator, the Grammy award-winning Printz Board. It is fire! We got a rockstar cast together who was just so down to play, and that’s what you see when you watch it. Very much needed laughs 🙂 From magic mushrooms to UFO’s it’s just so delightful.

This project and the lockdown taught me so much about self-sufficiency and innovation. It brought me back to even deeper gratitude for the platform we have and the ownership we get to take with our own careers and lives every day. It really brings me back to that motivation of, ‘where there’s a will, there’s a way.’

The film ‘The Sinners’  gots its European release on Feb. 18th. Please tell us more about the movie, your role, and what viewers can expect? 

The Sinners is a thriller in the vein of the cult classic, Jawbreaker. I play Katie Hamilton, one of the girls in a high school clique that calls themselves the Seven Sins. It explores themes of friendship, loyalty, bullying, and individuality. It was a great opportunity to play with this cast, and work with such a strong team of female filmmakers.

We’re looking forward to your upcoming film project titled ‘Breathe’. Can you share further details about the production and its association with a new youth mentorship program?

Breathe is a short film written and directed by Cody Kearsley. It is going to be an experimental piece merging the worlds of acting and dance, representing the challenging experience of battling addiction. We are telling this story through an Indigenous lens and in respect of this, we are teaming up with the L’uma Youth for a mentorship program where they will be invited to participate in all aspects of filmmaking. It is very important to me to make sure we pay attention to representation not only in front of camera but behind camera as well. And including these young Native voices in the creation and telling of the stories of our own narratives is where authentic representation starts.

As an ambitious and talented artist, are there any goals you’ve set yourself? 

I just want to continue surprising myself with the possibilities and realities I can create for myself, my art, my family, my community. My wish is for my artistry and my voice to be constantly evolving into realms I didn’t know existed. To reach goals I couldn’t have dreamed. With all my artistic endeavors I want to lead with higher love and deep purpose. I want to be inclusive with all my work and respectful of representation. I want to amplify the voices of stories that need to be told and hopefully contribute to greater global compassion and empathy. I want to stand for Indigenous resilience, honor my ancestors who are the original story-tellers, and all the rest, I leave to Creator.

Where can our readers find out more about you and your projects? 

You can find me on Instagram @keilanielizabethrose and youtube @ Keilani Elizabeth Rose

Thank you for having me!

Photographs by 

Teri Hofford (Main) Waldy Martens and Richie Lubaton. 

About Author