Meet Keiko
Who is Keiko?
Well, that’s what we all want to find out. Who’s that gal behind Lane Kim. Well, here’s the dirt.
Full name: Keiko Agena
BIRTHDAY: Oct. 3
HOMETOWN: Honolulu, HI
Keiko (pronounced Kay-ko) Agena stars in Gilmore Girls as Rory’s (Alexis Bledel) brainy and somewhat eccentric best friend, Lane Kim. For her performance in Gilmore Girls, Agena recently garnered the Ammy Award for Best Female Actor in a Television Production. The Ammy Awards honor Asians and Asian-American achievement in film and television.
Born and raised in Honolulu, Hawaii, Agena began her acting career in the theatre there and continued at the performing arts school now known as Mid-Pacific School of the Arts. As a student, she was one of only four actors nationwide chosen as a Presidential Scholar in the Arts and was able to meet President Bush.
Soon after graduation, Agena relocated to Los Angeles and has been working steadily in theater, television and film ever since. Her very first professional audition resulted in a guest spot on the television series Renegade. Before landing her role on Gilmore Girls, Agena was no stranger to television. She guest-starred as the mother of a deaf boy on ER and a student reporter on Sister, Sister, as well as appearing on Beverly Hills, 90210. She has also appeared on the Kids’ WB! series The Nightmare Room and had a recurring role on The WB drama Felicity, as a college student who inspired Felicity (Keri Russell) to stage a demonstration at the student health center. Additionally, she appeared in the made-for-television movie Terror in the Shadows, as well as the independent feature Hundred Percent. Other films include the romantic lead in Red Thread. Recently, Agena took on the challenging role of a young woman struggling with anorexia nervosa in Lifetime’s Strong Medicine.
On the big screen, Agena can be seen later this year in the film Beauty Shop with Mo-Nique Imes-Jackson. Agena also starred in the independent feature film Hundred Percent, an Asian-American drama featuring the interwoven stories of three couples.
She currently resides in Los Angeles, California with her two cats, Seth and B
What makes Keiko Agena happy? Running around barefoot, chomping on exotic fruits and losing herself in front of the camera. And yeah, that’s just the beginning. Find out what else this Gilmore Girl has up her sleeve in her first WB Fills in the Blanks.
The three words that best describe me are:
Energetic, moody and conscientious.
People would be surprised to discover that I am:
A homebody. I love to decorate. Shopping for my house is my weakness. I’m a big impulse shopper. Right now I am going through a Rasta phase. Everything in my house is very bold and colorful.
The trait I admire most in my character is:
Her resilience. She and I both have this kind of bounce-back ability. Lane has a tough life, but she always tries to have a positive attitude.
The thing I love most about acting is:
That moment when I lose my self-consciousness. It doesn’t happen very often, but once in a while I get this kind of freedom that I never have in everyday life. There’s something slightly addictive about that feeling.
Right now my guiltiest pleasure is:
What we call “seed.” It’s a really popular snack in Hawaii, which is where I am from originally. I just love the stuff. Basically seed is pickled fruits like mangos or cherries or plums.
The one thing I cannot imagine living without is:
Walking barefoot. And I am not talking about on concrete or carpet. I need to feel the dirt on my feet. I grew up barefoot, and here in the city, if too much time goes by without my having the time to walk on grass or dirt, I start to feel strange.
My definition of happiness:
Keeps changing. Today I’d say it was accomplishing goals I set for myself.
I am completely obsessed with:
Coffee, specifically café mochas. I have to have them every day.
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POSTED IN: Gilmore Girls Actors
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