KiKi Layne

Kiandra "KiKi" Layne (born December 10, 1991)[1] is an American actress.[2] She is best known for her starring roles in such films as the romantic drama If Beale Street Could Talk (2018), the drama Native Son (2019),[3] the action superhero film The Old Guard (2020),[4] and the romantic comedy Coming 2 America (2021).[5]

KiKi Layne
Layne in 2019
Born
Kiandra Layne

(1991-12-10) December 10, 1991
Cincinnati, Ohio, U.S.
EducationDePaul University (BFA)
OccupationActress
Years active2015–present

Early life

Layne is from Cincinnati, Ohio.[6] She earned a BFA in acting from The Theatre School at DePaul University in 2014.

Speaking to Vanity Fair in 2018, Layne explained that she was always acting growing up and that her favorite movie as a child was The Lion King. She said, "I used to watch it every day and create these extravagant stories with my Barbies and stuffed animals."[7]

Career

Layne's first acting role was with Lena Waithe in the pilot for the drama series The Chi, filmed in 2015.[7]

She has modeled for the fashion brand, Kate Spade New York.[8]

Layne's breakout role was in Barry Jenkins' 2018 drama If Beale Street Could Talk.[9] She starred in the 2019 screen adaptation of Richard Wright’s 1940 novel Native Son,[10] then alongside Charlize Theron in 2020's The Old Guard,[11] directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood.[12]

Layne featured in the composer Max Richter's Voices, which inspired by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and features an 'upside down' orchestra, a concept he developed to reflect his dismay of post-truth politics in the 21st century. The album contains readings of the Declaration by Eleanor Roosevelt and actress Layne, with a further 70 readings crowd-sourced from around the world.

In 2021, Layne joined the cast alongside Eddie Murphy in the Amazon Prime sequel Coming 2 America.[13]

Filmography
Key
Denotes works that have not yet been released
Year Title Role Notes
2015 Veracity Olivia Short film
2016 Chicago Med Emmie Miles Episode: "Soul Care"
2018 If Beale Street Could Talk Tish Rivers Nominated—Alliance of Women Film Journalists Award for Best Breakthrough Performance[14]
Nominated—Gotham Independent Film Award for Breakthrough Actor
Nominated—Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association Award for Best Ensemble
2019 Native Son Bessie
Captive State Carrie
The Staggering Girl Adut Short film
2020 The Old Guard Nile Freeman
2021 Coming 2 America Meeka Joffer
2022 Chip 'n Dale: Rescue Rangers Ellie Whitfield Post-production
Don't Worry Darling Margaret Post-production
TBA The Old Guard 2 Nile Pre-production

Awards and nominations
Association Year Work Category Result Ref.
Black Reel Awards 2019 If Beale Street Could Talk Outstanding Actress, Motion Picture Won [15]
Outstanding Breakthrough Performance, Female Nominated
2021 The Old Guard Outstanding Supporting Actress, Motion Picture Nominated [16]
Critics' Choice Super Awards 2021 The Old Guard Best Actress in a Superhero Movie Nominated [17]
Georgia Film Critics Association 2018 If Beale Street Could Talk Breakthrough Award Nominated [18]
Gotham Awards 2018 If Beale Street Could Talk Best Breakthrough Actor Nominated [19]
NAACP Image Awards 2019 If Beale Street Could Talk Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture Nominated [20]
Outstanding Breakthrough Performance in a Motion Picture Nominated
Seattle Film Critics Society 2018 If Beale Street Could Talk Best Ensemble Cast Nominated [21]
Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association 2018 If Beale Street Could Talk Best Acting Ensemble Nominated [22]
Women Film Critics Circle 2018 If Beale Street Could Talk Breakthrough Award Nominated [23]
Best Ensemble Nominated
KiKi Layne & Stephan James Best Screen Couple Won

References
  1. "Tomorrow's Birthdays". Associated Press. December 9, 2019. Retrieved July 11, 2020.
  2. KiKi Layne, ‘Beale Street’s’ Breakout Star, Has a 4 a.m. Moment, New York Times, Sept. 11, 2018
  3. "VICE - 'Native Son' Star Kiki Layne Just Wants Black Women to Be Seen". www.vice.com. Retrieved 2020-07-07.
  4. Radloff, Jessica (13 July 2020). "KiKi Layne Swears This $20 Cleanser Is the Key to Helping With Acne". Glamour. Retrieved 2020-07-15.
  5. Roeper, Richard (26 February 2021). "Chicago stage alum KiKi Layne works with comedy royalty as prince's daughter in 'Coming 2 America'". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved 2021-03-07.
  6. "KiKi Layne on the Power of Seeing Black Love Onscreen". 2018-12-12.
  7. "KiKi Layne, Star of if Beale Street Could Talk, Knows How to Own a Room". Vanity Fair. 17 September 2018.
  8. Omar, Yasmin (2019-08-19). "Kiki Layne: "Fashion is the first way we can really express ourselves"". Harper's BAZAAR. Retrieved 2020-07-07.
  9. Smith, Krista (17 September 2018). "KiKi Layne, Star of If Beale Street Could Talk, Knows How to Own a Room". Vanities. Retrieved 7 December 2018.
  10. "The Old Guard's KiKi Layne Calls For More Black Women in Comic Book Movies". Movies. Retrieved 2020-07-07.
  11. Walsh, Katie. "'The Old Guard' review: Sci-fi action film elevated by exploring morality of immortality". chicagotribune.com. Retrieved 2020-07-07.
  12. "'The Old Guard' Director Gina Prince-Bythewood On Putting Black Women First". Bustle. Retrieved 2020-07-07.
  13. Turini, Shiona (23 February 2021). "KiKi Layne Is The Ultimate Shape Shifter". ELLE. Retrieved 6 March 2021.
  14. "'The Favourite' rules the Alliance of Women Film Journalists movie awards with 11 nominations". 2018-12-22.
  15. "'Black Panther,' 'Beale Street' lead Black Reel Awards nominations – AwardsWatch". 2018-12-29. Archived from the original on 2018-12-29. Retrieved 2021-03-31.
  16. N'Duka, Amanda (February 18, 2021). "'One Night in Miami', 'Judas and the Black Messiah' Lead Nominations For 21st Annual Black Reel Awards". Deadline. Retrieved February 19, 2021.
  17. Hammond, Pete (November 19, 2020). "'Palm Springs', 'Lovecraft Country' Top Movie And Series Nominations For Inaugural Critics Choice Super Awards; Netflix Lands 35 Nods". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved November 20, 2020.
  18. "The 2018 Georgia Film Critics Association (GFCA) Winners". Next Best Picture. Retrieved 2021-03-31.
  19. Wagmeister, Elizabeth (November 26, 2018). "Gotham Awards: A24 Sweeps With Five Wins, Including 'First Reformed,' 'Eighth Grade' (Full Winners List)". Variety. Retrieved November 27, 2018.
  20. Obenson, Tambay (2019-03-31). "50th NAACP Image Awards: 'Black Panther,' 'black-ish' Dominate". IndieWire. Retrieved 2021-03-31.
  21. "2018 Seattle Film Awards Archives". Seattle Film Critics Society. Retrieved 2021-03-31.
  22. "2018 WAFCA Award Winners - The Washington DC Area Film Critics Association (WAFCA)". www.wafca.com. Retrieved 2021-03-31.
  23. "2018 Women Film Critic Circle Award Winners – Reel Honest Reviews". Retrieved 2021-03-31.
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