Next person biography:
Antoinette Kalaj was born and raised in the Bronx, New York, the eldest of four children to Albanian immigrant parents. At the age of 11, her family moved to Detroit, Michigan, where she discovered her passion for performing. She was classically trained in Opera and also has a strong passion for music.
As a teenager, Antoinette began modeling and landed her first modeling campaign at 17 for "The Limited" Clothing brand. She continued to model while pursuing higher education in law and medicine. However, her love for acting and performing eventually led her to trade education for a career in acting.
Antoinette's big break came when she scored the lead role in a Sci-Fi thriller in Michigan, where she also trained in Krav Maga self-defense and became a skilled marksman. Although the production shut down due to film incentives being cut, she continued her training and eventually moved to Los Angeles.
In addition to her acting career, Antoinette has a passion for custom cars and previously owned Auto Body Customs Shops in Detroit. She has modified cars for local celebrities and her designs have been featured in DUB Shows and Auto Shows across the US.
Antoinette's role as a mermaid in "Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides" caught the attention of Innovative Artists, and she subsequently signed with them and moved to Los Angeles permanently. She quickly booked her first role in the CW show "Gossip Girl" and went on to book national commercials and modeling campaigns for various brands.
In 2013, she landed roles in the films "Don Jon" and "Riddick", and in 2014, she starred in the Indie-Film "Mining for Ruby" and "Ninja Apocalypse", in which she performed her own stunts. She has also appeared in "La Migra" alongside Michael Copon and Marco Rodriguez.
Antoinette's recent projects include "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2" and "Chronically Metropolitan", starring Megan Fox, Tyler Perry, Shiloh Fernandez, Ashley Benson, and Chris Noth.
