Keilani Elizabeth Rose
Keilani Elizabeth Rose | |
|---|---|
| Born | Keilani Elizabeth Rose Lheidli (also known as Prince George, British Columbia, Canada) |
| Other names | Keilani Jung |
| Occupations | Actress, filmmaker, dancer
|
| Years active | 2016–present |
| Known for | Shoresy Within the Silence |
| Website | keilanielizabethrose |
Keilani Elizabeth Rose is a Canadian actress, filmmaker, dancer, and DJ. She is best known for her role as Miigwan in the hockey comedy series Shoresy. Rose made her film and choreography debut in Within the Silence (2021), for which she received an award for Best Choreography at the World Film Festival in Cannes.
Early life
Rose was born and raised in Lheidli, the traditional territory of the Lheidli T'enneh First Nation, Prince George, British Columbia. Through her matrilineal lineage, she belongs to the Lheidli T'enneh nation and has intersectional Indigenous heritage with the Kanaka Maoli (Native Hawaiian) diaspora.[1] She also carries British, Chinese, and Black ancestry.[2] Rose is a direct descendant of Granny Seymour, known as The Matriarch of the North, and the great-granddaughter of Captain Owen Forrester Browne.[3] Her mother was a hula dancer, which inspired her to pursue dance as an initial career with training in both traditional cultural dances and classical dance.[4] She received the Governor General's Award for academic excellence and attended the University of Northern British Columbia.
Career
Rose began her career as a dancer, performing with Disney Cruise Line and appearing in productions for Disney and ABC.[5] She later transitioned to acting, appearing in television series including Lucifer, Once Upon a Time, Six, and A Series of Unfortunate Events.[2] In 2020, Rose played Katie Hamilton in the thriller film The Sinners (also known as The Color Rose).[6] In 2021, she starred in and choreographed the short film Within the Silence, which won Best Choreography for Rose at the World Film Festival in Cannes.[7] In 2023, she won Best Actress (Short Film) at the Cine Paris Film Festival for the short film Breathe.[8]
Rose has portrayed Miigwan (nicknamed "Miig") in the Crave/Hulu comedy series Shoresy, a spinoff of Letterkenny, since 2022. Her character serves as an assistant manager for the Sudbury Bulldogs hockey team. The show was noted for its contemporary representation of Indigenous characters. Rose worked with the production team to include Indigenous elements, including beadwork by Toronto artist Jori Brennon and displaying the Lheidli T'enneh nation's logo with permission from the band council.[9] In Season 4, she choreographed a dance scene for the series.
Rose is also the founder and executive director of Two Rivers & a Rose Filmworks, a production company dedicated to amplifying messages of equity and diversity.[10]
Personal life
On July 4, 2022, Rose was shot in the chest outside her apartment in Hollywood, Los Angeles. After surgery and recovery, she returned to work on Shoresy in 2023.[11] Rose advocates for Indigenous water rights and serves as president of the Northern Indigenous Arts Council.[12]
Filmography
Film
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Woodland | Rene | |
| 2020 | All Joking Aside | Girl at Bus Stop | Uncredited |
| 2020 | The Sinners | Katie Hamilton | Also known as The Color Rose |
| 2020 | Within the Silence | Pixie | Short film |
| 2021 | Broken Diamonds | Party Onlooker | As Keilani Jung |
| 2023 | Been Better, Actually. | Anela | Short film |
| 2024 | Breathe | Short film; also producer | |
| 2024 | BC Buds | Ava | Short film |
| TBA | Ex-Hale | Linda Sparks | Short film; completed |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016–2017 | Once Upon a Time | Pirate Dancer / Dancer | 2 episodes |
| 2017 | Lucifer | Frisky Woman #1 | Episode: "Off the Record" Credited as Keilani Jung |
| 2018 | Six | Babe #1 | Episode: "Dua" Credited as Keilani Jung |
| 2018 | A Series of Unfortunate Events | Dancer | Episode: "The Carnivorous Carnival: Part One" Uncredited |
| 2020 | Flimsy | Cadence | Web series, 12 episodes; also director (3 episodes) and executive producer |
| 2022 | Two Sentence Horror Stories | Kala | Episode: "Erased" |
| 2022–present | Shoresy | Miigwan | 16 episodes |
| 2022–present | SkyMed | Tyra | 1 episode |
Choreography
| Year | Title | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Within the Silence | Short film |
| 2024 | Shoresy | Season 4 dance scene |
Awards and nominations
| Year | Award | Category | Work | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | World Film Festival in Cannes | Best Choreography | Within the Silence | Won |
| 2023 | Cine Paris Film Festival | Best Actress, Short Film | Breathe | Won |
References
- ^ "5 things to know about Keilani Elizabeth Rose". vancouversun. Archived from the original on 2021-12-01. Retrieved 2026-01-05.
- ^ a b "Keilani Elizabeth Rose". IMDb. Retrieved 2026-01-05.
- ^ "CREATION STORY". Keilani Rose. Retrieved 2026-01-05.
- ^ Stranberg, Lin (2021-03-26). "In Studio interview With Keilani Rose". 100 Mile Free Press. Retrieved 2026-01-05.
- ^ O'Brien, Conor (2020-11-18). "Keilani Elizabeth Rose on Flimsy and feature film The Sinners - Exclusive Interview". Courageous Nerd. Retrieved 2026-01-05.
- ^ Billington, Alex (2020-04-20). "Seven Girls Start a Cult in 'The Color Rose' Trailer with Kaitlyn Bernard | FirstShowing.net". www.firstshowing.net. Retrieved 2026-01-05.
- ^ Giacomo. "Awards". World Film Festival in Cannes - Remember The Future. Retrieved 2026-01-05.
- ^ "Winners – 2023 – Cine Paris Film Festival". Retrieved 2026-01-05.
- ^ Clarke, Ted (2025-02-19). "Shoresy star Keilani Rose coming home for Northern FanCon in May". Prince George Citizen. Retrieved 2026-01-05.
- ^ Tuner, Allie (2022-06-09). "Indigenous 'Letterkenny' sequel star talks representation: 'It's nice to not be put inside a box anymore'". Vancouver Is Awesome. Retrieved 2026-01-05.
- ^ Petersen, Hanna (2022-08-08). "Prince George actress recovering after being shot in Los Angeles". Prince George Citizen. Retrieved 2026-01-05.
- ^ "Lheidli T'enneh First Nation actor has not let being shot slow her down | CBC News". CBC. Archived from the original on 2024-01-07. Retrieved 2026-01-05.