Q'Orianka

First of all, how do you pronounce it? Well, if Paul Anka had a sister named Cori, that would be close enough.

Q'Orianka Kilcher was only 14 when "The New World" was made, but she carries the movie. As Pocahontas she kisses Colin Farrell (Captain John Smith with an Irish accent) and Christian Bale, plants tobacco, communes with the natural world, hobbles about in British shoes, has a baby, swims under water, combs her father's long hair, and betrays her tribe...not in that order.

I've heard "The New World described as a love-it-or-hate-it movie. I neither loved it nor hated it. I found it boring a good part of the time (two-and-a-half hours, and almost nothing happens--and almost no one talks about anything), and confusing in spots. Several couples walked out. I saw no need to do that, but I looked at my watch a lot. I would have liked a lot more historical accuracy. I would have liked Colin Farrell to lose the accent. I would have liked about an hour chopped off the movie.

But I really really liked Q'Orianka Kilcher. I did some research after the movie, and this is what I learned:

Her mother is Alaskan/Swiss, and her father is a Peruvian Indian. Q'Orianka has been earning $3,000 a night as a singer (huh?). Her second cousin is Jewel (Kilcher), the singer, but they've never met. (I'm sure that'll be remedied soon.) She fell in love with Colin Farrell during the making of the movie. (Well, duh...)

She really was wonderful. I'm not sure I'd want my 14-year-old daughter doing scenes that sensual (if not sexual), but that's almost a moot point. She really was wonderful.