Keisha's all set for a whale of a time

By JULIE MIDDLETON

You know you've hit the big time when a well-known Los Angeles stylist rings seeking your patronage, four local fashion houses want you to wear their gear, and the day's first press interview starts at 4am.

That's the world of 13-year-old Whale Rider star Keisha Castle-Hughes since her Oscar nomination yesterday for best actress, the youngest person ever nominated in the category.

Today she starts the fourth form at Penrose High School in Auckland. The last day of her holidays passed in a tiring blur of phonecalls, press interviews (the 4am call was from USA Today, circulation 2 million), friends and family dropping in, bunches of flowers - and courting fashionistas.

"It feels unreal," says Keisha, who is chatty, open and energetic. But she's also clear-headed and remarkably unaffected by the attention.

"I keep having to pinch myself to make sure I'm actually awake. The Oscars are so big - they're huge."

Uncharacteristically, Keisha runs out of steam, plucking her skirt hem and making a face while waiting for the words to come.

"I'm totally humbled and ecstatic - no words are enough to explain."

She adds later: "Even just being a potential nominee was a big enough trophy for me, but now I'm a nominee it's amazing. It's like, wow."

Real life for Keisha, who is of Ngati Porou, Tainui and Ngapuhi descent, is a modest family home in Glen Innes.

She shares it with her mum, child-carer Desrae, brothers Rhys, 11, Liam, 7, and sister Maddisyn, 2.

Neither Keisha nor Desrae will talk about Keisha's father, steel installer Tim Castle, who does not live with his family.

Keisha's room is a sleepout in the backyard. She moved into it two years ago, tired of sharing a room with one of her brothers - or rather, his scattered toys.

It looks like a typical teenager's room: photos of best friends on the wall, posters of various stars - actor Orlando Bloom is the current favourite - and soft toys scattered on the bed.

Keisha and her mother will be in Los Angeles for the nominees' luncheon on February 9. They then return home to pick up the other children, Keisha's 17-year-old boyfriend, fellow Penrose High student Bradley Hull, and an aunt and uncle for the awards ceremony in Hollywood on February 29.

Keisha has a wise head on her young shoulders, and it is clear where it comes from. Family meetings every Monday night involve the whole household in decision-making.

"There's a lot of family support [for Keisha]," says Desrae. "But everyone's very grounded and it's not one person, it's a family effort."