Keala Settle

Biography

Keala Settle is an American actress and singer. She was nominated for the Academy Awards & won the nomination at the Golden Globe Awards. She is popular for voicing soundtracks -"The Greatest Show", "Come Alive", "This Is Me". She has acted in movies like Hall American: Forbidden, The Greatest Showman, Ricki and the Flash and other projects like TV series The Big C and the video Walmart: The Box.

Keala Joan Settle was born on 5th November 1975 in Laie, Oahu, Hawaii, United States to Maori mother Susanne Riwai & David Settle(father) a British. She has four siblings and all are younger to her.

Keala Settle Facts & Trivia

• Ancestry: Keala's mother is a maori woman from New Zealand, Her father is a British.
• Pronunciation: Keala is pronounced Ki-ya-la.
• Interest in singing: She was 2 year old when her interest in music started, her mother would put VHS on TV so that she could sing along, her mother was a singer and had a band in New Zealand for about 7-8 years.
• This Is Me: Keala Settle's song "This is Me" for the film The Greatest Showman eventually won the Grammy Awards, and was nominated for the Academy Awards. The song made Top 5 in the UK charts, Top 10 in Australia, South Korea and Malaysia. She was backed up by a large ensemble of Janet Jackson, Pink, Beyoncé, Lady Gaga's dancers. It made Keala very happy.
  
• Priscilla, Queen of the Desert: Preiscilla, a 2011 musical is the first ever musical of Keala, Keala played Shirley in the musical.
• Hands on a Hardbody: a musical based on SR Bindler's movie of the same name, it was directed by Neil Pepe and featured Keala Settle, it was among the first opportunities that made Keala popular. The musical also featued Allison Case, Hunter Foster, Jon Rua, Keith Carradine, Mary Gordon Murray.
• The Greatest Showman: Keala's greatest success came with the musical movie The Greatest Showman which starred Zac Efron, Hugh Jackman and Zendaya, Keala played Lettie Lutz. The song "This is Me" sung by Keala won her the Golden Globe Award while getting an Academy Award nomination
• Forbidden(2018): An visual album by Todrick Hall containing 15 songs, the song "Forbidden" in particular was against homophobia. Keala features in that.
• Musicals: some of the broadway, off-broadway and other musical appearances Keala has made so far include: 
  • Les Misérables(Madame Thenardier)
  • Priscilla, Queen of the Desert (as Shirley)
  • Hands on a Hardbody(as Norma)
  • Waitress (as Becky)
  • Hairspray(as Tracy Turnblad)
  • South Pacific (as Bloody Mary)
  • A Christmas Carol (as Mrs. Fezziwig)
  • Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
  • Jesus Christ Superstar
• Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS): For her role in The Greatest Showman (2017) as the bearded lady Lettie Lutz , Keala researched the about the disease, the disease has no cure yet.
• Covenant House.org: Keala supports the non-profit organization which saves the kids in homeless crisis. It focuses on the homeless teens, and supports them in every step of recovery. they also fight human trafficking and provide legal support.
• She is very critical of Donald Trump, she often retweets tweets critical of him
• Pets: She has a pet dog in Iaay, a bernedoodle.
• As a little girl she had extraordinary memory when it came to songs, she would memorize all disney songs
• The Greatest Showman Audition: Keala had been a fan of Shoshana bean and she knew Shoshana had auditioned for the role in "The Greatest Showman", Keala rejected to even audition for the role, The director and Hugh Jackman had to get her drunk on Jamo to even agree to accept the audition

Keala Settle Quotes

• [About singing] I was 2 year old and my mother could not shut me 
• I just want people to look after each other, to bring them back to base when we lose place.
• I actually love flying, I wish to fly more than I do.
• [About her life in the Island] My parents tried to make us civilized, but you know, it’s a rock in the middle of the ocean
• Music was always a part of my life, It has molded who I am and what I do today
• It takes a damn village to get a show on Broadway
• Music brings me so much joy and I am so grateful for it
• [About her Drama Desk Award nomination] I just got up, and it felt like Christmas Day….It's amazing.
• [About award nomination] I feel like I’m eight years old and Santa got me everything I asked for on my list
• We are living the human condition, and it's okay.
• Growing up I didn’t know where I fit it because I was an interracial child, so I turned to music.

Keala Settle Awards & Nominations

• Outer Critics Circle Award: She was nominated for her role of Norma Valverde in Hands on a Hardbody
• Drama Desk Award: She was nominated for her role of Norma Valverde in Hands on a Hardbody
• Tony Award: She was nominated for her role of Norma Valverde in 2013
• Theatre World Award: She was a sensation in her very first season on Broadway and off-Broadway. She was awarded Theater World Award as recognition of her talent in 2013
• Back Stage Garland Award: She was given the award for performing musical for "South Pacific" in a Lincoln Center