Kela (like “hella”) Parker is an accomplished actor, musician, writer, model, and producer with a commanding presence and magnetic depth. Known for portraying powerful, complex women—from high-powered professionals and detectives to emotionally layered romantic leads and morally intricate villains—Parker brings both strength and depth to every role. With a captivating blend of sophistication, bohemian flair, and deadpan wit, she navigates a diverse range of characters with ease – plus, she’s got musical virtuosity to boot. Whether playing her distinct “art folk” at live venues across the United States or portraying complex female characters, Kela inhabits every role with distinction.
Originally from Berkeley, California, as a singer-songwriter, Parker has performed her “art folk” across the US from the Aladdin Theatre in Portland, Oregon to Rockwood Music Hall in New York to Los Angeles’ storied Viper Room. She has a Masters of Fine Arts in Music Composition from Vermont College of Fine Arts and has worked as a Teaching Artist for Urban Voices Project, facilitating the partnership between UVP and Safe Place for Youth to advance the accessibility of music for youth experiencing homelessness and for artists on Skid Row. Equally comfortable performing as she is behind the scenes as a composer, writer, and producer, Kela brings her visions to life across multiple forms of media. Her work in music compliments her acting, bringing a unique sensibility and depth to her performances.
Kela’s versatility makes her a natural fit for drama, mystery, and prestige television, where she seamlessly transitions from portraying strong, authoritative roles to more intimate, emotionally layered characters. Having made inroads playing mystical villains and morally ambiguous power players in vertical dramas, in film, Parker has played politician Rebecca Cyprus in ‘American Guilt,’ a day trader whose life is turned upside down after a crypto crash (‘Kryptos’ – dir. Andrew Yanni), put her dialect skills to work in the witch trials of 17th century Scotland (‘The Witch Pricker and the Hare’ – dir. Brynn Mitchell, American Film Institute), and brandished a gun on a serial killer as an FBI agent in the latest true crime documentary from director Skye Borgman (streaming on Netflix Jan 2025).
Whether playing a commanding lawyer, a romantic lead, a cunning villain, or a detective with a sharp mind, she conveys emotion with grounded authenticity and effortless charm. Parker has also voiced multiple characters for animated films (‘North’ – dir. Bente Lohne), live theatre, and commercials. In television, Parker worked as location manager on American Horror Story (Season 6) and as a radio producer for much-beloved Apple Music radio hosts including Bootsy Collins (The Bootsy Collins Show), Jenn Marino (Rock Classics with Jenn), and Kelly McCartney (Record Bin Radio). In her screenplays and nonfiction, Parker explores themes that often touch on magic realism, gender politics, and crime.
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