Anna Wilding is an American-New Zealand director, actress, producer, and photographer. In addition to a lengthy, varied, and recognised career in acting and film production, Wilding has served as a White House correspondent, broadcaster, and photographer during the Obama administration from 2015 to 2017. In 2019, Anna Wilding's national solo photography exhibit, Celebrate Hope, is touring, featuring rare still photographs of Barack Obama and his family during his Presidency. She also played the first-ever battered wife, the character of Gail, on New Zealand television screens in the well-known series Shortland Street. Wilding directed and wrote the feature documentary film Buddha Wild. Wilding also completed camera duties, produced and hosted the film. The film played in cinemas and festivals throughout the world and won an award at the American Kids Choice Awards. Wilding's work has included consultant production work on the film trilogyLord of the Rings. Additionally, Anna Wilding is the founder of the Wilding Foundation and Kalon Skincare. As grand-niece of the historic New Zealandworld tennis championAnthony Wilding, Anna Wilding participated and won in national tennis tournaments during her early teen years before moving to Australia and the United States to continue her career in acting and film.
Early life
Anna Wilding was born in South Island, New Zealand. Starting at the age of 10, Wilding was a nationally ranked tennis player and played competitive tennis. Her great-uncle, Anthony Wilding, was a world No. 1 tennis player who was killed in action during World War I. When she was a teenager, Anna began to perform professionally in theater and national television screens. Anna was a professional improvisation Theatresports player with The Court Jesters at the Court Theater in Christchurch, New Zealand. In addition to winning Player of the Season, she later went on to perform as a comedian in comedy shows, and more recently on stage at the Ice House in Pasadena, California in 2018. Wilding moved from New Zealand to Australia at the age of 16, and then to the United States when she was 19 years old to pursue an acting career, where she performed in various theaters and televised comedy shows, and owned a photographic studio at the age of 19. working in still photography and film production.
Career
Anna Wilding has directed and/or co-produced music videos for rock acts, including the Rolling Stones, UB40, Lenny Kravitz, Moana and the Moahunters, David Parker, among many others. Wilding also played the first-ever battered wife, the character of Gail, on New Zealand television screens in the well-known series Shortland Street. In 2006, Wilding directed, wrote, produced, and appeared in the documentary film Buddha Wild: Monk in a Hut, which featured the lives of Thai and Sri Lankan Buddhist monks. In addition to directing the feature documentary film Buddha Wild: Monk in a Hut, Wilding completed camera duties, produced, hosted, and wrote the film. The film played in cinemas and festivals and won an award at the American Kids Choice Awards. Wilding produced and directed the film Pop Culture Punk Art, which was played in numerous film festivals, and Faultline, a documentary about the 2011 Christchurch earthquake. Wilding has served as a White House correspondent, broadcaster, and photographer during the Obama administration from 2015 to 2017, and appeared on various nationally televised networks such as C-SPAN. She created the touring solo photo exhibition Celebrate Hope: the Obama Collection, which was displayed at the Palos Verde Art Center, the Perfect Exposure Gallery in Alhambra, California, and many other locations. In addition, Anna Wilding has also shown photography works in the group exhibit at the Leica Gallery with Nick Ut and Douglas Kirkland. Wilding spoke in the nationally covered Harvey Weinstein harassment case about unwanted harassment from Harvey Weinstein. Wilding is the founder of Moving Horse Pictures and Carpe Diem Films, an independent film company. In addition, Wilding also founded the Wilding Foundation, as well as Kalon Skincare. The Wilding Foundation assisted in relief efforts in the aftermath of the 2011 Christchurch earthquake. Anna Wilding is also known for her humanitarian work and for her work advancing women’s causes. On October 12, 2017, in a widely syndicated radio show with Rita Cosby, Anna was interviewed about being one of the first women to come out about the treatment of women in Hollywood. This followed Anna’s calls for a cessation to the casting couch as far back as 1995.
Personal life
In 2014, Wilding was married to an American restoration architect in Christchurch, New Zealand. Anna has one stepson. Anna Wilding researches and protects the legacy of Anthony Wilding, including taking a personal journey to find Anthony Wilding's lost grave in France. Wilding's research was documented for a feature story in London and Italy by Italian tennis journalist Stefano Semeraro. Anna Wilding's godmother and great aunt and Anthony Wilding's sister was Cora Wilding, . It was thanks to her godmother Cora Wilding that Anna was able to purchase her first SLR camera, a simple secondhand Olympus 35mm, as a teenager.
Selected filmography
Anna Wilding's selected filmography and media appearances are listed below. ;Films
