Chelsea Winstanley
Academy Award nominated producer Chelsea Winstanley fell into producing.
Her career actually began as a writer/director almost 20 years ago. Producing accidentally became a means for allowing her to direct. And then she found out she was quite good at it.
Google results also reveal that her husband is Taika Waititi. The writer/director/actor just took home the Academy Award for Best Adapted screenplay for JOJO RABBIT....which Chelsea produced. This makes Waititi the first person of Maori descent to win an Oscar. He was also the first ever indigenous person to be nominated in the category.
Backing up for a minute.
Chelsea and Taika, who are both of Maori descent, met in 2010 when she interviewed him for a documentary profiling Maori artists.
By the time their paths crossed, Chelsea had lived through more life stuff than most of us can imagine.She's spoken openly about how the lessons from childhood trauma shaped her.
At 20 years old, she found herself pregnant, abandoned by her partner, living on government aid, and surviving a car accident that left her unable to walk...all before graduating college.
Eventually, Chelsea learned to walk again...and now, dare I say it, she is soaring.
While the team did not take home the Best Picture Oscar, 2020 is Chelsea's year. With the launch of her new production company, aptly named, This Too Shall Pass, she will focus on writing/directing projects that give a voice to indigenous stories.
I can’t wait to see what she does next.
In this week’s chat, we discuss putting yourself first, self care, and the importance of letting creative ideas run their course. Case in point, JOJO RABBIT was a long labor of love that started in 2011. Imagine if they have forced a satire about boy with Hitler for his imaginary friend into existence before the world was ready.
She reminds us that it all comes and goes, so try not to hold on to anything.
We also laugh about Taika’s existential life crisis when he was a stripper on television. It left him wondering if this was it for him.
How’s that for humble beginnings? Photo evidence. You’re welcomed.
Can’t wait to hear your thoughts on this week’s episode!