Actress, Model, Author, Art Collector…Tarantino’s ‘find’ is nothing short of amazing
Quentin Tarantino’s rock-’em, sock-’em Western, Django Unchained, has a whole parsle of Big Stars in it, from Leonardo DeCaprio, Samuel L. Jackson, and Jamie Foxx…and one stunning up-and-coming Latina named Nichole Galicia as well.
Galicia was born in Panamá and raised in new York, where her striking looks moved her up and out of the fashion industry and into campaigns for The Gap, Pepsi, and more, as well as into the pages of GQ, Vogue and many others. That, in turn, caught the attention of Hollywood, where she appeared in Nick Cannon’s Love Don’t Cost a Thing and played opposite Oscar Award winner Cuba Gooding Jr. in DIRTY. She garnered even more notice when she showed up as Pepper in Showtime’s Emmy Award-winning drama Huff, with Hank Azaria, Oliver Platt, and Blythe Danner.
Nichole Galicia in “Django Unchained”
With amazing looks and an IQ of 183, it’s no surprise that Tarantino hand-picked her for the role of DeCaprio’s love interest. What is surprising is her wide range of interests outside of film…like her burgeoning art collection. Already the owner of dozens of engravings and serigraphs, she’s even written a book called Equipo Cronica: the Nichole Kent Collection, named in part for her mentor Kent Alessandro. Nichole owns all of the Equipo Cronica works, a group of Spanish painters active in the Sixties and Seventies that prefigure pop art. “They are hard to find,” she says, “but that’s what makes it worth it.” Nichole actually began writing the book as a wrap gift for Quentin Tartantino. “One Equipo Cronica is like a great art history lesson, packed with references to other painters, sculptors, movies, social figures etc. Hidden references and skillful nods towards other painters combined in an innovative pop art style is the hallmark of Equipo Cronica. Their style reminded me of Tarantino’s style, so I wanted to introduce one great artist to another. Tarantino, much like Equipo Cronica, often pays homage to other directors and other films that he loves and makes art about art.”
A fascinating young woman, still getting started. We’re just lucky to be along for the ride.
