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.Gonzalez, Luis Manuel (January 29, 1995). "Kamala Lopez-Dawson", La Opinión 69 (136): 1D.

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); and more than seventy television shows, including 21 Jump Street, Lie To Me, Alias, Star Trek: Voyager, NYPD Blue, and It's Garry Shandling's Show.

In 2007 Lopez hosted Wired Science on PBS, a production of KCET Los Angeles in association with Wired, along with comedian Chris Hardwick.Torres, Vicglamar (October 4, 2007). "La Ciencia al Alcance de Todos", Hoy Nueva York.(October, 2007). "Latina Plugs In For Wired Science" Latino Perspectives Magazine "LP Journal".

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. She interviewed women nationwide about how civil rights issues such as equal pay and domestic violence affect their daily lives.Profile , more.com; accessed April 18, 2015.

In October 2013, she launched a Kickstarter campaign for the documentary Equal Means Equal.Lopez, Kamala,"How They Did It: Documentary Equal Means Equal Made 158 Percent of its Goal on Kickstarter", moviemaker.com, February 4, 2014. Retrieved April 18, 2015. This project about the status of women in America also meant to revive public support for the ERA.Equal Means Equal (film), un.org. Retrieved April 18, 2015. 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 - Retrospective for Work as an Actor and Director - Museum of Latin American Art 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 Year Title Role Notes1986 Miami Vice Maria Rojas Episode: "Definitely Miami" Spenser: For Hire Episode: "In a Safe Place"1987 It's Garry Shandling's Show Maria Herrera Episode: "Garry Met a Girl Named Maria" Police Story: The Freeway Killings Lydia Chacon TV movie Hill Street Blues Lola Martinez Episode: "A Pound of Flesh"1988 Stones for Ibarra Manuela Reyes TV movie CBS Schoolbreak Special Alicia Rojas Episode: "Gangs" Break of Dawn Linda TV movie1989 Protect and Surf Ramona Diaz TV movie Hunter Maria Gonsalves Episode: "The Nightmare" 1989-1990 Tour of Duty Susanna Lozada 3 episodes 1990 Equal Justice Brenda Episode: "Cop's Story" 1989-1990 21 Jump Street Marta 2 episodes1991 Shoot First: A Cop's Vengeance TV movie Crazy from the Heart Alcira Zavala TV movie1992 Murder, She Wrote Rosa García Episode: "Day of the Dead" Beverly Hills, 90210 Beth Nielsen Episode: "The Back Story" Wild Card TV movie 1993 Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Carmen Alvarado Episode: "Pilot"1994 Walker, Texas Ranger Mary Wells Episode: "The Legend of Running Bear" Lifestories: Families in Crisis Jeannie Episode: "A Body to Die For: The Aaron Henry Story" The Burning Season: The Chico Mendes Story Ilzamar TV movie 1995 NYPD Blue Maria Galvan Episode: "Vishy-Vashy-Vinny" 1998 Vengeance Unlimited Elena Amayo Episode: "Security" 2000 Star Trek: Voyager Tincoo Episode: "Virtuoso" 1995-2000 The Eddie Files Aunt Rosa 16 episodes 2000 JAG Princess Fatima 'Fannie' al-Amatula Episode: "The Princess and the Petty Officer" 2000-2001 Resurrection Blvd. Sulinda Serrano 5 episodes 2001 Ice TV movie2002 Alias Dr. Lemon Episode: "Rendezvous" The Division Connie Episode: "Secrets, Lies and Weddings" 2003 The Handler Carlita Episode: "Hardcore"2004 24 Theresa Ortega Episode: "Day 3: 12:00 p.m.-1:00 p.m." Judging Amy Ms. Nunez Episode: "Accountability" 2005-2007 Medium Walter Paxton's Attorney / Paxton's Attorney / Miss Romney 3 episodes 2006 Sideliners TV movie; director 2009 Lie to Me Inez Episode: "Control Factor" 2013 The Mentalist Woman in Chapel Episode: "Red John" 2014 Perception Kenny's Foster Mom Episode: "Brotherhood" 2019 Black Jesus Judge Episode: "The Compton Carter"

See also List of female film and television directors

References

External links