Keisha Castle-Hughes (born March 24, 1990) is a New Zealand actress who played Queen Apailana in Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith, and voiced Emerie Karr in Star Wars: The Bad Batch.
While born in Australia, Castle-Hughes and her family moved to New Zealand when she was 18 months old. She became a New Zealand citizen in 2001. She has four younger siblings.
Castle-Hughes attended Waiuku Primary School, Bailey Road School, and later One Tree Hill College and Rosehill College.
Castle-Hughes received her Academy Award nomination for Best Actress in 2004 for her role in the film Whale Rider. While she did not win the award, she was at the time the youngest person nominated for the category, as well as the second Polynesian to be nominated for an Oscar. However, she won the Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best Young Actor/Actress for the role.
In the same year, Castle-Hughes appeared in Prince's controversial music video "Cinnamon Girl."
In 2006, Castle-Hughes played with Oscar Isaac in The Nativity Story, in which they portrayed the roles of Mary and Joseph. In 2009, Castle-Hughes appeared with Rena Owen (Taun We in Episode II and Nee Alavar in Episode III) in the TV movie Piece of My Heart. She played the young version of Owen's character. In 2011, Castle-Hughes also shared the screen with Rohan Nichol (Captain Raymus Antilles in Episode III) in the film Red Dog, and with Rachael Leigh Cook (voice of Jaesa Willsaam in the Star Wars: The Old Republic video game) in the film Vampire the same year.
From 2015 to 2017, she appeared in Game of Thrones alongside Jessica Henwick. In 2016, she worked on Roadies, a television series produced by J.J. Abrams, including on an episode directed by Jon Kasdan.
- Star Wars: The Bad Batch — "Tipping Point"
- Star Wars: The Bad Batch — "Plan 99"
- Star Wars: The Bad Batch — "Confined"
- Star Wars: The Bad Batch — "Shadows of Tantiss"