Chandler Kinney

Chandler Kinney
Kinney in 2022
Born (2000-08-03) August 3, 2000 (age 24)
Sacramento, California, U.S.
Years active2012–present

Chandler Kinney (born August 3, 2000)[1][2] is an American actress and singer. She is best known for her role as Willa in Disney's Z-O-M-B-I-E-S franchise and Tabby Haworthe in Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin.

Early life and education

Kinney was born on August 3, 2000, in Sacramento, California.[3] She started dancing when she was three, and is trained in tap, jazz and hip-hop. She studied dance at the Debbie Allen Dance Academy.[4] She began acting at age nine. She also has a black belt in martial arts.[5]

Kinney and her mother founded the organization Chandler's Friends, which helps disadvantaged youths.[6] She was homeschooled, and took a gap year before she studied at UCLA.[7]

Career

Throughout her early acting career, she had guest roles on the Disney Channel shows Girl Meets World and K.C. Undercover, and the Nickelodeon show The Haunted Hathaways.[8] Her first major role was as Catherine Dillman in Gortimer Gibbon's Life on Normal Street.[9] She then went on to star as Riana Murtaugh in Lethal Weapon.[7] In 2020, she joined the Z-O-M-B-I-E-S franchise as Willa, a werewolf who first appears in Zombies 2.[10][11]

In July 2021, Kinney was announced to be starring in Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin, a 2022 spinoff of Pretty Little Liars. It was announced she would be playing Tabby, an aspiring director and horror movie buff.[12]

Dancing with the Stars

On September 4, 2024, Kinney was announced as a contestant on season 33 of Dancing with the Stars. She was partnered with professional dancer Brandon Armstrong.[13] Earning both the highest cumulative points based on judges' scores and the first perfect score of the season,[14][15] Kinney and Armstrong are the first Black partnership in Dancing with the Stars history to advance to the finale.[16] Their freestyle routine was the show's first performance to feature an ensemble cast of all-Black dancers.[17]

Kinney and Armstrong ultimately finished in third place on November 26, 2024, behind runners-up Ilona Maher and her partner Alan Bersten, and winners Joey Graziadei and his partner Jenna Johnson.[18]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
2012 Battlefield America Chantel
2013 Company Town Ally McKinley Television movie
2020 Zombies 2 Willa
2022 Zombies 3
TBD Hidden Secrets 4: Back in Time Mariah Television movie, in production
TBD Zombies 4: Dawn of the Vampires Willa

Short films

Year Title Role Notes
2020 Zombies 2: Wolf Tales Willa Voice role
Addison's Moonstone Mystery
2021 ZOMBIES: Addison's Monster Mystery
2023 Zombies: The Re-Animated Series Shorts
2024-present Zombies: The Re-Animated Series

Television

Year Title Role Notes
2013 American Horror Story Older Julia Episode: "Madness Ends"
90210 Olivia Episode: "You Can't Win Em All"
2014 The Haunted Hathaways Mirabelle 6 episodes
2014–2016 Gortimer Gibbon's Life on Normal Street Catherine Dillman Main role
2015 Girl Meets World Vanessa Episode: "Girl Meets Texas: Part 2"
2016–2019 Lethal Weapon Riana Murtaugh Main role
2017 K.C. Undercover Monique 2 episodes
2021 The Ghost and Molly McGee Tammy Myers (voice) Episode: "Howlin' Harriet/The (Un)natural"
2022 Robot Chicken Buttercup, MJ, Animal Adoption Woman (voice) Episode: "May Cause a Squeakquel"
2022–2024 Pretty Little Liars Tabitha "Tabby" Haworthe Main role
2024 Dancing with the Stars Herself 3rd Place on season 33

References

  1. ^ "Chandler Kinney News". Us Weekly.
  2. ^ Stivale, Shelby (August 3, 2023). "Who Is Chandler Kinney? What to Know About the 'ZOMBIES' Star". J-14.
  3. ^ "Chandler Kinney". TVGuide.com. Retrieved September 5, 2024.
  4. ^ justin (May 10, 2018). "Chandler Kinney, Girl Power". Black Chalk Magazine. Retrieved September 5, 2024.
  5. ^ "Interview with Chandler Kinney". upfrontNY. February 6, 2016. Retrieved September 5, 2024.
  6. ^ Mediaplanet (July 18, 2019). "How Chandler Kinney Is Prepping for Her New Role as a College Freshman". Education and Career News. Retrieved September 5, 2024.
  7. ^ a b Bowen, Sesali. "Chandler Kinney Talks Growing Up On Lethal Weapon". www.refinery29.com. Retrieved September 5, 2024.
  8. ^ Stivale, Shelby (August 3, 2023). "Who Is Chandler Kinney? What to Know About the 'ZOMBIES' Star". J-14. Retrieved September 5, 2024.
  9. ^ "Chandler Kinney Talks Season 2 of Gortimer Gibbon's Life on Normal Street – Read the Q&A!". Celeb Secrets. October 5, 2015. Retrieved September 5, 2024.
  10. ^ jmcmullen (February 11, 2020). "Awoo! Meet the Werewolves in Disney Channel's ZOMBIES 2". D23. Retrieved September 5, 2024.
  11. ^ Petski, Denise (May 21, 2019). "'Zombies 2': Pearce Joza, Chandler Kinney & Ariel Martin Join Disney Channel Movie". Deadline. Retrieved September 5, 2024.
  12. ^ Petski, Denise (July 2, 2021). "'Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin': Chandler Kinney & Maia Reficco To Star In HBO Max Reboot". Deadline. Retrieved September 4, 2024.
  13. ^ America, Good Morning. "Meet the celebrity cast of 'Dancing with the Stars' season 33". Good Morning America. Retrieved September 5, 2024.
  14. ^ Knolle, Sharon (October 23, 2024). "Dancing With the Stars Week 6: Deadpool & Wolverine Fight-Inspired Routine Steals the Show on Disney Night". TheWrap. Retrieved November 23, 2024.
  15. ^ "Chandler Kinney, Brandon Armstrong earn season's 1st perfect scores on 'Dancing with the Stars'". ABC30 Fresno. November 13, 2024. Retrieved November 29, 2024.
  16. ^ LaCapria, Kim (November 23, 2024). "Chandler And Brandon Just Made DWTS History, And We're So Excited". TheThings. Retrieved November 26, 2024.
  17. ^ Baker, Kamrin (November 27, 2024). "Dancing with the Stars finalists perform first-ever all-Black ensemble dance in show's history". Good Good Good. Retrieved December 8, 2024.
  18. ^ Campione, Katie (November 27, 2024). "'Dancing With The Stars' Season 33 Finale Recap: Who Wins The Mirrorball Trophy?". Deadline. Retrieved December 8, 2024.