Kitana Kiki Rodriguez is an American actress.[1][2] She is best known for her role as Sin-Dee Rella in Sean Baker's 2015 film Tangerine.[3][4] The first Academy Award campaigns for openly transgender actresses supported by a film producer were launched for Rodriguez and Mya Taylor for Tangerine.[5]

Kitana Kiki Rodriguez
Born
OccupationActress
Years active2015

Life and career edit

Rodriguez, an openly transgender woman, had been sharing an apartment with her eventual Tangerine co-star Mya Taylor at the time that she was discovered by filmmaker Sean Baker at a local Los Angeles LGBT Center. She had no acting experience prior to being cast in the role.[6]

Though she had been nominated for a Best Actress category at the Independent Spirit Awards, Rodriguez was notably absent from the Awards Ceremony, among others. Her co-star Taylor commented on this, saying that Rodriguez both, had personal problems to tend to, and is a very private person who prefers to avoid the spotlight. Though Tangerine was her breakthrough hit, Rodriguez did not pursue acting after the film.[7]

Filmography edit

Film edit

Year Title Role Notes
2015 Tangerine Sin-Dee Rella Nominated – Independent Spirit Award for Best Female Lead[8]
Nominated—Gotham Independent Film Award for Breakthrough Actor

Television edit

Year Title Role Notes
2015 Made in Hollywood Herself Episode: "10.37"

References edit

  1. ^ "Kitana Kiki Rodriguez". IMDb.
  2. ^ "Tangerine's Stars Have Turned a Movie Into a Movement". 29 December 2015.
  3. ^ Gardner, Chris (2015-07-23). "'Tangerine' Stars Mya Taylor and Kitana "Kiki" Rodriguez on the Perks of Fame, Caitlyn Jenner and Donuts". Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2015-11-30.
  4. ^ "Out100: Mya Taylor & Kitana Kiki Rodriguez | Out Magazine". Out.com. 2015-11-09. Retrieved 2015-11-30.
  5. ^ "Magnolia Pictures pushes Oscars nod for trans actresses | Spectrum". Spectrum.suntimes.com. Archived from the original on 2015-10-19. Retrieved 2015-10-07.
  6. ^ Ruiz, Michelle (February 26, 2016). "Mya Taylor and the Trans Actress's Dream of Going to the Oscars". Cosmopolitan.
  7. ^ "Why Has 'Tangerine' Star Been MIA During Awards Season?". The Hollywood Reporter. 2016-02-27. Archived from the original on 2023-05-18.
  8. ^ "Nominations BEST FEMALE LEAD". Spiritawards.com. Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2015-11-30.

External links edit