Maria Angelica Kirke was born in Manhattan’s lower east side and grew up in Hell’s Kitchen and the Bronx. She is from Cuban, Greek and Italian descent but her exotic looks are often mistaken for Brazilian, Argentinean, Russian, Eastern European, and Native American Indian; therefore the term, “ethnically ambiguous” suits her.
She studied at the School of American Ballet and danced in "THE NUTCRACKER" at the age of 11. (New York State Theatre in Lincoln Center) When she was 12, 13 and 14 she won first place in her school’s (Declamation) Monologue Contest. The first one she did was from Tennessee William’s, "THIS PROPERTY IS CONDEMNED". Maria graduated from high school six months early and traveled along the east coast with an improvisational theater company (Family Life Theatre) for teenage audiences. It was a form of theathre therapy for troubled teenagers with a Q&A after each performance. She continued studying drama at NYU, Tisch School of the Arts and spent a year abroad in a NY/Paris Student Exchange Program, where she completed an acting apprenticeship with the Theatre of the Oppressed, directed by the late Augusto Boal.
Maria modeled in NYC and in Italy and appeared in several music videos. All the while, volunteering in soup kitchens, homeless shelters and reading for underprivileged children in schools. She was recently performed in a benefit for Road Recovery, an organization to help troubled youth.
Maria’s work includes theatre, commercials, television and film. She appeared in a cameo role on the TV show, "RESCUE ME", playing opposite Denis Leary. She was also in several short films, one of them, "THE BRONX BALLETOMANE", (which won several awards) playing opposite Federico Castelluccio. In 2013 she was chosen to play one of the leads in the film, "A Strong Collected Spirit".
Maria wrote a screenplay, "MACHO'S DAUGHTER", which she hopes to film in Cuba and NYC. She will play one of the leads and co-produce it. A poem she wrote, CUBAISALONELYISLAND, for narrative in the film, was published and won the "International Who's Who Poetry Award".
In November 2019 Maria joined Theatre 68 Company (founded by Ronnie Marmo). She wrote a one act play for them called, DOOMED TO LIVE.
In January 2020, with her writing partners: Carol Morehouse and Cory Dworken, they completed a pilot and bible for a tv episodic called, SUFFRAGETTE CITY.