 Photo: Jeff Vespa © WireImage.com |
Born in Donnybrook, Western Australia; she has one Maori parent and one Pakeha [New Zealand European] parent. Discovered by the same agent who discovered Anna Paquin, she was a fortunate discovery for WHALE RIDER (2002). The casting director and casting assistant went to her primary school in Mt. Wellington, New Zealand and went through a few hundred children to choose their Paikea. They found her, only because she was playing up and being smart to them: she stood out. During an interview with Jay Leno, she confessed she didn't know how to swim when she was cast in WHALE RIDER.
Subsequent screen credits include STAR WARS: EPISODE III - REVENGE OF THE SITH (2005), THE NATIVITY STORY (2006), HEY HEY IT'S ESTHER BLUEBURGER (2008), and THE VINTNER'S LUCK (scheduled for release in 2009). In 2004, at 13 Castel-Hughes became the youngest actress ever to be nominated for a Best Actress Academy Award®.
1 nomination |
Nominated for Actress in a Leading Role