Erana James is soon to commence production on the highly anticipated second season of Noah Hawley’s FX series ALIEN: EARTH, a prequel series to the popular film franchise.

She was last seen in Josephine Stewart Te-Whiu’s New Zealand feature WE WERE DANGEROUS which had its World Premiere at the 2024 SXSW Film Festival, and Hamish Bennett and Paul Middleditch’s feature UPROAR with Minnie Driver, Rhys Darby and Julian Dennison which premiered at the 2023 Toronto Film Festival.

Erana came to prominence starring as Toni Shalifoe in two seasons of the popular Amazon series THE WILDS, created by Sarah Streicher. She has guest starred in numerous Australian series including the Stan series BAD BEHAVIOUR, the Network 10 series MY LIFE IS MURDER alongside Lucy Lawless, and PLAYING FOR KEEPS, also for Network 10.  Erana also starred in the New Zealand comedy series GOLDEN BOY alongside James Rolleston and Lucy Knox’s short film HOT MOTHER which premiered at the 2020 Berlinale International Film Festival.

Erana made her feature film debut playing the lead role of Laura Chant in the NZ film THE CHANGEOVER, alongside Timothy Spall, Melanie Lynskey, Lucy Lawless and Nicholas Galitzine, which screened as part of the Alice nella Citta sidebar at the Rome Film Festival in 2017, the 2018 Sydney Film Festival and the 2018 Bucheon International Film Festival in South Korea. Co-directed by Miranda Harcourt and Stuart McKenzie, the film was adapted from the novel of the same name.

Erana is of Māori heritage. Her iwi are Ngāti Whātua o Ōrākei and Waikato Tainui.