Kamala Lopez

Kamala Lopez is an American filmmaker, actress, writer, director, and political activist. She has had starring roles in Black Jesus, Medium, 24, Alias, NYPD Blue, Hill Street Blues, Miami Vice, and 21 Jump Street. She has been a featured actress in films including Born in East L.A., Deep Cover, The Burning Season, Clear and Present Danger, Lightning Jack, and I Heart Huckabees.

As a filmmaker, her feature film debut, A Single Woman, about the life of first US Congresswoman Jeannette Rankin, won the 2009 Exceptional Merit in Media Award from the National Women's Political Caucus. In 2013, her short Spanish-language film Ese Beso won the Jury Award at the Senorita Cinema Festival and the Audience Award at the Boyle Heights Latina Film Festival. In 2016, her follow-up feature, the documentary Equal Means Equal, won Best U.S. Documentary (Audience Award) at Michael Moore’s TCF Festival, and was a New York Times Critics' Pick. The film was the catalyst behind a national civil rights movement pushing for the ratification of the 28th Amendment to the United States Constitution: the Equal Rights Amendment.

Early life Kamala Lopez born in New York City to an Indian mother and a Venezuelan father, Lopez lived with her parents in Caracas until age 14 when the family returned to the United States. Attended Yale University, graduating with a bachelor's degree in philosophy and theater studies.

Career Lopez has worked as an actor in more than thirty feature films, including I Heart Huckabees (2004), Born in East L.A. (1987), Deep Cover (1992), and The Burning Season (1994);

Lopez directed the Spanish-language short film Ese Beso in Madrid, Spain, starring Daniel Freire and Lia Chapman. She directed A Single Woman (2008), about the life of the first US congresswoman, Jeannette Rankin. The film was adapted from the play of the same name, written by Jeanmarie Simpson, a relative of Lopez.

Lopez produced the new media series Speechless Without Writers with director George Hickenlooper during the Writers Guild of America strike of 2007.

Political activism In 2009 Lopez created the ERA Education Project, a national media campaign to raise awareness about the Equal Rights Amendment in the United States.

In October 2013, she launched a Kickstarter campaign for the documentary Equal Means Equal. This project about the status of women in America also meant to revive public support for the ERA. Gloria Steinem appears in the film, along with more than 100 interviewees.

Lopez blogs for The Huffington Post.

Awards and recognition

2019 - Yale Women Impact Award for Excellence 2016 - Champion of Justice - National Civil Rights Group Equal Rights Advocates 2016 - Best U.S Documentary Audience Award - Traverse City Film Festival 2016 - Latino Spirit Award for Achievement in Advocacy and Entertainment - State of California 2015 - Woman of the Year Award - Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors and the Women's Commission 2013 - Jury Award - Senorita Cinema Festival 2013 - Audience Award - Boyle Heights Latina Film Festival 2012 - Named one of the 21 Leaders for the 21st Century by Women's eNews 2011 - Woman of Courage Award from the National Women's Political Caucus 2009 - Exceptional Merit Media Award for A "Single Woman" - National Women's Political Caucus

Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes 1987 Born in East L.A. Dolores 1989 Night Children 1990 Total Recall Additional Voices Voice 1991 Dollman Debi Alejandro Video 1992 Deep Cover Belinda Chacon Exiled in America Amy / Marla Soto Small Kill Jenny 1994 Erotique Rosie (segment "Let's Talk About Love") Lightning Jack Pilar Clear and Present Danger Venezuelan Telephonist 1996 Wedding Bell Blues Pregnant Woman 1997 Tupperware Party Katie Short film 1998 Where's Marlowe? Penny 1999 Love and Action in Chicago Anna Black and White Carmela 2000 Burglars Short film; director 2003 The $cheme Laura Filet of 4 Short film; director 2004 I Heart Huckabees Molly Corn 2005 The Circle Hilga Meet Me in Miami Marta 2007 Game of Life Nadia Permanent Vacation Iris Garcia 2008 Ese beso Short film; director A Single Woman Director, producer, editor 2009 The Intervention Rachel Mark in Argentina Maria Short film 2012 Any Day Now Agent Martinez Got Rights? Short film; director Los Tienes? Herself Short film; director, producer, writer Dark Knight Aurora Short film; co-director, editor, writer 2015 Slob90X Short film; producer 2016 Equal Means Equal Herself Director, producer, writer 2020 6 Rounds of Chloë Stella Gupta Associate producer

Television