Tia Carrere, born Althea Rae Duhinio Janairo on January 2, 1967, in Honolulu, Hawaii, is an American actress, singer, and model of Filipino, Chinese, and Spanish descent.
Raised in a vibrant Hawaiian culture, she grew up speaking Hawaiian Pidgin and was nurtured by her grandmother, with whom she lived after her parents’ divorce.
Carrere adopted her stage name from her sister’s nickname for her, “Tia,” and a variation of actress Barbara Carrera’s last name.
Discovered at 18 in a Waikiki grocery store, she landed her first acting role in the indie film Aloha Summer (1988).
Her passion for singing, sparked at a young age with voice lessons starting at 10, has been a constant thread in her multifaceted career.
Siblings
Tia is the eldest of three sisters and has two half-sisters.
Her full sisters are Alesaundra Janairo and Audra Lee Janairo, both of whom have pursued careers in the entertainment industry.
Alesaundra Janairo is an actress known for roles in films such as The Whole Ten Yards (2004) and Bordertown (2007).
Audra Lee Janairo, born on July 8, 1968, in Honolulu, Hawaii, is also an actress, recognized for her role in The Immortals (1995).
Audra has worked as a model and appeared in national television commercials, and she served as a cheerleader for the Los Angeles Raiders.
Career
Carrere’s career spans nearly four decades, encompassing acting, singing, and modeling with a strong emphasis on her Hawaiian and Filipino roots.
After her debut in Aloha Summer, she gained early television exposure with guest roles on shows like Airwolf (1985), The A-Team, and MacGyver.
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Her first major role was as Jade Soong Chung on the daytime soap opera General Hospital from 1985 to 1987, which established her as a rising talent.
Carrere’s breakthrough came with her iconic role as Cassandra Wong, a rock singer and love interest in Wayne’s World (1992) and its 1993 sequel, where she showcased her singing and acting abilities, performing her own songs on the soundtrack.
She turned down a role in Baywatch to audition for Wayne’s World, a decision that propelled her into the spotlight.
Her film career expanded with roles in major productions like True Lies (1994) as Juno Skinner, Rising Sun (1993), and High School High (1996).
From 1999 to 2002, she starred as archaeology professor Sydney Fox in the syndicated action-adventure series Relic Hunter, drawing comparisons to Indiana Jones and Tomb Raider.
Carrere also voiced Nani Pelekai in Disney’s Lilo & Stitch (2002) and its spinoffs, as well as Queen Tyr’ahnee in Duck Dodgers (2003).
Her recent work includes playing Tita Theresa in the Filipino-led film Easter Sunday (2022) and Mrs. Kekoa in the live-action Lilo & Stitch (2025).
As a singer, Carrere has released albums like Dream (1993), which went platinum in the Philippines, and Hawaiiana (2007), embracing her Hawaiian heritage.
Accolades
Carrere was nominated for a Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role in True Lies (1994) and received a ShoWest Award for Female Star of Tomorrow for Wayne’s World (1992).
Her role in Relic Hunter earned her a nomination for an ALMA Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Syndicated Drama Series.
In 1992, People magazine named her one of the “50 Most Beautiful People.”
Carrere’s music career has been particularly celebrated, with four consecutive Grammy nominations for Best Hawaiian Music Album from 2007 to 2010.
Dhe won two Grammy Awards: one in 2009 for her album ‘Ikena, and another in 2011 for Huana Ke Aloha, both produced with collaborator Daniel Ho.
She also co-hosted the pre-Grammy Awards telecast in 2009 alongside Wayne Brady.
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