Hollywood, CA – Actress NINA DANIELS brings a rare glimpse into the life of a ‘butch’ lesbian in the highly anticipated film “PARIAH,” making its World Premiere in Competition at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival on January 20th, 2011.
The coming-of-age story follows Alike (Adepero Oduye), a lesbian teenager in Brooklyn, as she juggles multiple identities to avoid rejection from friends and family, while pressure from home, school, and within corrodes the line between her dual personas with explosive consequences. At one point, Alike’s father (Charles Parnell) gets a glance into his daughter’s world and the homophobic hatred that exists when he watches a young ‘butch’ lesbian (Daniels) suffer verbal taunting because of her masculine appearance.
Daniels likes to take risks, jumping at the chance to portray characters that cut across social, economic and class boundaries, and the aggressive lesbian woman Gina was no exception. Daniels explains, “Gina is an interesting character because she gave me insight into what lesbian females who are perceived as ‘butch’ have to endure. Once I read the script I knew that this movie was going to open many eyes to a world that is honest, touching, and complex. I just had to be a part of it.”
Executive Produced by Spike Lee, PARIAH also stars Kim Wayans (IN LIVING COLOR) and is helmed by up-and-coming black filmmaker Dee Rees. It’s a Sundance Lab, IFP, and Cinereach supported project, and an extension of Rees’ short which was featured at Sundance in 2008.
Daniels has been building her career by taking supporting roles to a whole new level. Most recently, she appeared in the FOX Searchlight film “Notorious,” which details the life and death of rap icon Notorious B.I.G., directed by George Tillman Jr. and starring Angela Bassett, Anthony Mackie, and Derek Luke. After that, she starred as an eager to learn but content college student in William Arntz’s follow up to “What the Bleep Do We Know!?,” called “GhettoPhysics: Will the Real Pimps and Ho’s Please Stand Up?,” co-directed by E. Raymond Brown.
Before arriving in Hollywood, the Long Island, New York native earned a Masters in Fine Arts from Brown University and started her career on stage performing Off-Broadway, NY Fringe Festival, The Public Theatre, and numerous shows at Trinity Repertory Theatre. Daniels continues to perform on stage in Los Angeles and recently received accolades for her role in the West Coast premiere of Lydia R. Diamond’s “The Gift Horse,” where she put her real-life cello skills to work to portray Jordan who sat 2nd chair in the New York Philharmonic.
Nina Daniels is represented by Jay Simmons of The J. Arts Group.
For additional information about Nina Daniels visit: www.NinaDaniels.com
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The coming-of-age story follows Alike (Adepero Oduye), a lesbian teenager in Brooklyn, as she juggles multiple identities to avoid rejection from friends and family, while pressure from home, school, and within corrodes the line between her dual personas with explosive consequences. At one point, Alike’s father (Charles Parnell) gets a glance into his daughter’s world and the homophobic hatred that exists when he watches a young ‘butch’ lesbian (Daniels) suffer verbal taunting because of her masculine appearance.
Daniels likes to take risks, jumping at the chance to portray characters that cut across social, economic and class boundaries, and the aggressive lesbian woman Gina was no exception. Daniels explains, “Gina is an interesting character because she gave me insight into what lesbian females who are perceived as ‘butch’ have to endure. Once I read the script I knew that this movie was going to open many eyes to a world that is honest, touching, and complex. I just had to be a part of it.”
Executive Produced by Spike Lee, PARIAH also stars Kim Wayans (IN LIVING COLOR) and is helmed by up-and-coming black filmmaker Dee Rees. It’s a Sundance Lab, IFP, and Cinereach supported project, and an extension of Rees’ short which was featured at Sundance in 2008.
Daniels has been building her career by taking supporting roles to a whole new level. Most recently, she appeared in the FOX Searchlight film “Notorious,” which details the life and death of rap icon Notorious B.I.G., directed by George Tillman Jr. and starring Angela Bassett, Anthony Mackie, and Derek Luke. After that, she starred as an eager to learn but content college student in William Arntz’s follow up to “What the Bleep Do We Know!?,” called “GhettoPhysics: Will the Real Pimps and Ho’s Please Stand Up?,” co-directed by E. Raymond Brown.
Before arriving in Hollywood, the Long Island, New York native earned a Masters in Fine Arts from Brown University and started her career on stage performing Off-Broadway, NY Fringe Festival, The Public Theatre, and numerous shows at Trinity Repertory Theatre. Daniels continues to perform on stage in Los Angeles and recently received accolades for her role in the West Coast premiere of Lydia R. Diamond’s “The Gift Horse,” where she put her real-life cello skills to work to portray Jordan who sat 2nd chair in the New York Philharmonic.
Nina Daniels is represented by Jay Simmons of The J. Arts Group.
For additional information about Nina Daniels visit: www.NinaDaniels.com
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