Maui Girl Makes it Big in Hollywood

Getting “that call” is a rite of passage for every rising film star. 

For Maui native Lindsay Watson, the good news came just when she hoped it would. 

“I was sitting at home, and I got that call from my manager and she was like, you might want to sit down for this one,” Watson said. 

“I did a few laps around my house running from corner to corner, the excitement was overwhelming.”

The actress/model recently landed her breakout role in the new Netflix film “Finding ʻOhana.”

The movie is about two Brooklyn-raised siblings who connect with their Hawaiian identity while spending a summer on Oʻahu. 

Watson commended the film crew for their dedication to portraying the Hawaiian culture accurately. 

“Theyʻre always, like, you know what, youʻre the Hawaiian here. We listen to you, we believe you,” Watson said. 

The Kamehameha Schools grad said she always dreamt of acting, but opportunities on Maui were limited. 

“It wasnʻt truly until about high school when I secretly auditioned for the high school play going on, and my parents had no idea that I did it, and that was my first experience getting to act,” Watson explained.

“From then on, I fell in love with it.” 

Watsonʻs acting teacher, Camille Romero, said she was the only freshman who auditioned for the schoolʻs production of “Willy Wonka.” 

“Itʻs her perseverance, her determination, her willingness to take that risk and put herself out there, that leads her to be successful,” Romero said. 

Watson credited Romero for inspiring her to pursue her passion for acting. 

“She was the first teacher that I really had any acting experience with and she really kind of set me on that path so Iʻm always going to be really grateful for her,” Watson said. 

After graduating from high school, Watson went straight to LA to launch her acting career. 

Since then, she has modeled for multiple brands, including Nike, Adidas, and Puma. She also starred in a Wienerschnitzel commercial. 

While the release date for “Finding ʻOhana” has not been set, Watson said she is grateful to be doing what she loves back home in the islands. 

“People of Hawaiʻi have a message to share,” Watson added. “I think we come from this great place that teaches us such great responsibility and it feels good to be able to take that to the world.”