Filipino American and Hawaii-born actor Kimee Balmilero has captivated audiences with her standout role as Medical Examiner Dr. Noelani Cunha on CBS’s Hawaii Five-0 and Magnum P.I. In 2022, Kimee was cast in ABC’s pilot Josep, where she shines as comedian Jo Koy’s sister, Geraldine. Other credits include, Disney+’s Doogie Kamealoha, M.D., Hallmark Channel’s Two Tickets to Paradise, and the Daytime Emmy-nominated children’s musical series Hi-5.
On stage, Kimee’s resume is equally impressive, including performances with the original Broadway cast of Mamma Mia! and the 2nd National Touring Company of Miss Saigon. She sharpened her comedic skills at Hollywood’s Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre, performing sketch and improv, and plays with the popular shows Asian AF and Filipino AF whenever she returns to Los Angeles.
Since coming back to Hawaii in 2012, Kimee has become a creative force in her home state. As the self-proclaimed “Head Sillypino” of Improv Hawaii (aka improvhi), she has championed sketch and improv comedy in Honolulu. In 2015, she created and produced the inaugural Hawaii Comedy Festival at the Honolulu Museum of Art’s Doris Duke Theater. The festival has flourished, expanding with a junior version in 2020 and debuting the original comedy variety show Polynesian AF in 2021, celebrating Hawaii-based Polynesian creatives, and the original comedy variety show AAPI AF in 2024 in honor of Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month.
In addition to her comedy ventures, Kimee is a dedicated theater producer and director. In May 2018, she helmed The Last Five Years, the debut production of her Honolulu-based theater company, Stage Fish. In March 2020, she and her husband, John, co-founded Tiny Stage Hawaii, a small but mighty creative hub in Kakaʻako.
When she’s not lighting up the stage or screen, Kimee enjoys karaoke, garage sales, eating diner spaghetti, pretending she’s on Top Chef, and daydreaming about sinigang. Above all, she loves staring at her husband’s face—because why not?