Maui Film Festival Rising Star Awards Go To…

Kelly Rohrbach and Wyatt Russell. Photo provided by MFF.

Kelly Rohrbach and Wyatt Russell will each receive the 2016 Maui Film Festival Rising Star Award, Barry Rivers, MFF founder and director, announced today.

The 17th annual event will be held from June 15 to 19, 2016, at the Wailea Resort in Maui.

The Maui Film Festival Rising Star Award honors a young film artist whose every role—even in their formative years—”surprises, enthralls and delights audiences of every age.”

The awards will be presented at the Opening Night of the Celestial Cinema located at the Wailea Gold & Emerald Golf Course on Wednesday, June 15, 2016. Tickets and passes are available at www.mauifilmfestival.com.

“Each year, the Maui Film Festival makes a great effort to scan the constellation of cinema stardom to find talent in the ascendancy of their careers with an exceptional passion and drive to soar,” said Rivers. “This year, those two Rising Star honorees are Kelly Rohrbach and Wyatt Russell. We’re proud have them be a part of the Maui Film Festival ‘ohana.”

Rohrbach is a Connecticut-born actress and model. She graduated from Georgetown University in 2012, with a major in theater. From Georgetown, she was recruited to play Division One Women’s golf; she moved to Los Angeles to pursue her passion for acting. She also attended the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art.

She will have her breakout role in “Baywatch” for Paramount Pictures, which is scheduled for release in May 2017. She stars as the iconic role of CJ Parker opposite Dwayne Johnson and Zac Efron.

Rohrbach has worked with directors such as Woody Allen and Seth Gordon, and was most recently seen in Comedy Central’s Broad City.”

Rohrbach first gained acclaim in modeling in 2015 when she appeared in Sports Illustrated’s Swimsuit Issue and she was named “Rookie of the Year.”

Russell is currently starring in Richard Linklater’s critically acclaimed film Everybody Wants Some. He can also be seen starring in Jeff Grace’s film Folk Hero & Funny Guy opposite Alex Karpovsky, Melanie Lynskey, Meredith Hanger and Hannah Simone. The film premiered at Tribeca in May 2016 and received a nomination in the category of “Best Narrative Drama.”

Next year, Russell will star opposite Anna Kendrick, Lisa Kudrow and Craig Robinson in Jeffrey Blitz’s film Table 19. He will also star in Jay Baruchel’s Goon: Last of the Enforcers opposite TJ Miller and Liev Schreiber.

Russell recently wrapped production on Oren Uziel’s crime thriller Shimmer Lake. Russell’s other credits include 22 Jump Street, Cold in July, This is 40, We Are What We Are and Cowboys and Aliens.

Russell was formerly a professional hockey player before he turned to acting.

For additional information, call the MFF Headquarters at (808) 579-9244 or visit www.mauifilmfestival.com.