Tia Carrere

Birthday: 2 January 1967, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA

Birth Name: Althea Rae Janairo

Height: 173 cm

Tia Carrere was born Althea Rae Duhinio Janairo on January 2, 1967 in Honolulu, Hawaii. While attending Sacred Hearts Academy, Tia was discovered in a Waikiki grocery store and landed the female lead in the indie movie Aloha Summer (1988). Although her passion has always been singing (grandmother Rae took Tia to her first singing lesson at age ten), Tia would continue her ascent in the acting world with a regular stint on General Hospital (1963) as Jade Soong and a string of co-starring roles on MacGyver (1985), Quantum Leap (1989) and Friday the 13th: The Series (1987), among others. It was not until her breakthrough role as Cassandra Wong in the Wayne's World films that Tia was able to showcase, both, her singing and acting chops. Wayne's World was a worldwide phenom and set the stage for the evil Juno Skinner in True Lies (1994), opposite Arnold Schwarzenegger, computer whiz Jingo Asakuma in Rising Sun (1993), opposite Sean Connery, and her own series lead of Sydney Fox on Relic Hunter (1999).Other current television work has included appearing on the 2007 season premiere of Nip/Tuck (2003), on Kelsey Grammer's Back to You (2007), and recurring as Cha Cha on HBO's Curb Your Enthusiasm (2000). Recently, Tia returned to her Hawaiian roots with her voice work on Disney's Lilo & Stitch films and series as well as her Grammy-nominated CD "Hawaiiana". Show less «

I'm of Filipino, Spanish, and Chinese descent, and was raised on Hawaii.

When I first met my agent, I said, If something comes up and it fits my age range and personality, I...Show more »

When I first met my agent, I said, If something comes up and it fits my age range and personality, I would like you to send me up for it, even if it specifies blonde or brunette. Show less «

I was very young. I thought I knew a lot and I really didn't. I trusted the wrong people.

I play a female Indiana Jones, a professor who hunts down precious objects, like a bowl that belonge...Show more »

I play a female Indiana Jones, a professor who hunts down precious objects, like a bowl that belonged to the Buddha. They tailored the role to me: I wanted to be smart, funny, and to kick some ass. Show less «

I can't sit on grass without a blanket.

Jason Lee is the most famous actor from Hawaii I can think of.

I had been gullible, naive, soft, pliable. That's why I got taken advantage of. To survive, you have...Show more »

I had been gullible, naive, soft, pliable. That's why I got taken advantage of. To survive, you have to have a tough skin. Show less «

I'm concentrating on the positive, on all the wonderful things I'm doing now.

I love to sing, so I just figured that I was going to sing or something.

Doors open because you're beautiful, but I wouldn't cultivate beauty to the exclusion of brains.

I like theme parks. The fastest roller coaster I've ever been on is at a casino in Nevada.

The reporter claimed he was going to write the article from my point of view. Instead, he made me so...Show more »

The reporter claimed he was going to write the article from my point of view. Instead, he made me sound like a little idiot. It made me never want to do another interview again. Show less «

I'm not really this rock'n'roll chick.

When I first came here, Hollywood was very closed-minded.

The kids all knew me from Wayne's World. The grown-ups knew me after True Lies.

Having the Stitch character, the villain that becomes a hero, coming from outer space, it took a ver...Show more »

Having the Stitch character, the villain that becomes a hero, coming from outer space, it took a very difficult and complex story and put it into a simpler, kinder time. Show less «

Did you know hemp is a natural fiber?

This is a Disney animated feature; it's eternal, it's history. What's there to think about?

People want me to do the strangest things. They want me to sign their arms or chests.

I can't stand when people say, 'Don't hate me because I'm beautiful'. OK, how about I hate you becau...Show more »

I can't stand when people say, 'Don't hate me because I'm beautiful'. OK, how about I hate you because you said that. Show less «

I wanted to be a part of the Disney history.

I act and perform in hopes of getting attention and admiration.

That's always at the heart and soul of Disney's features, the feeling of a family values.

As an actress, you're already disregarded for a lot of the parts by the people who are setting up th...Show more »

As an actress, you're already disregarded for a lot of the parts by the people who are setting up those shows. You don't need your agent to be doing the same. Show less «

Beauty lasts five minutes. Maybe longer if you have a good plastic surgeon.

I slipped at a bus stop; I went one way and my hair went the other. That was the end of my wig.

I kind of fell into acting, but I have sung and trained since I was in the eighth grade.

If there's a Disney animated feature based in Hawaii, I knew I had to be part of it. I'm very proud ...Show more »

If there's a Disney animated feature based in Hawaii, I knew I had to be part of it. I'm very proud to be from Hawaii. There was no question the role was mine. Show less «