Daniel Keith


Daniel Keith is an American actor, screenwriter and playwright, director, producer, and musician. He is best known for his roles as Sheriff Gary O'Reilly in Love in Kilnerry and the lead singer of the rock band, Modakai. He has taught at the American Theater of Actors in New York City.

Early life and education

Keith was born in a small ranching town in Bedford, Texas, in 1982. His father, Dan, was a Marine and an air traffic controller. His mother, Jacquelyn, worked in the mailroom at IBM. His parents amicably divorced when Keith was five. He played in rock bands while at Trinity High School and played drums in the marching band. He attended the University of North Texas before touring the country with his band, Modakai. In 2006, the band moved to New York City. When the band went on hiatus in 2009, Keith's best friend suggested he try acting and Keith enrolled at the Stella Adler Studio of Acting. In 2013 he enrolled in Circle in the Square Theatre School, followed by Atlantic Theater, Magnet Theater, and in 2021 enrolled in the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. He also studied with Sybil Lines of the Royal Shakespeare Company and Jon Shear, an MFA Grad Professor at Columbia University.

Career

Music

Modakai was formed in 2003 in Dallas, Texas, by Keith, Joel Buchanan, Daniel Rohrs, and Joseph Otto. The band's first EP, Any Place Is Better Than Here, was premiered on BBC Radio 1 by Jo Whiley in 2005. The band toured the US following their second and third singles "As Hard As You Like It" and "If You'll Stay". The band moved to New York City in 2006, headlining Arlene's Grocery, the Knitting Factory, and Mercury Lounge. They won second place in the Emergenza Battle of the Bands event in 2007. Modakai released their self titled album in 2009. Before leaving for their UK tour, the band went on hiatus and didn't release another EP for eight years, until Bedroom Recordings, featuring demo tracks, peel sessions, and raw recordings from their bedroom. In 2021, two tracks from their self-titled album, "Everything" and "It Was You", appeared on the motion picture soundtrack for Love in Kilnerry, released by Archway Pictures.

Film, TV, Stage

Keith was cast in his first theater play in New York in 2013 in Mark Hooker's Miss Longview Texas Drag Pageant as the promiscuous cowboy, Willey. As an excuse to be on as many television and movie sets as possible, to learn as much as he could, Keith worked as a background actor and as a stand-in for Mark Ruffalo, Jim Parsons, and Joe Mantello in Normal Heart, for Justin Timberlake in Runner Runner, and for Cory Michael Smith in the first two seasons of Gotham. He shot his first short film, called Rambler, in 2013. He was cast in his first television appearance in Person of Interest as a bomb maker, named Isaac. He has also appeared in shows such as The Blacklist, Blindspot, and Marvel's Luke Cage.
In 2017 he wrote, directed, produced, and starred in his directorial debut feature of Love in Kilnerry. His company, Archway Pictures, teamed up with Mutiny Pictures to expand the theatrical release nationally.

Filmography

Television

Theatre credits

Awards and nominations

YearAwardCategoryRoleWorkResult
2005WorldFest HoustonBest Original Screenplay – Silver AwardWriterWhen Hearts Run WildWon
2005WorldFest HoustonTV series – Silver AwardProducerHD UnderseaWon
2014Philadelphia Independent Film FestivalBest Short FilmProducer, writerRamblerWon
2014International Independent Film AwardsNarrative ShortProducer, writerRamblerWon
2014International Independent Film AwardsBest Actor in a Leading RoleActorRamblerWon
2014Dublin International Short Film and Music FestivalBest Actor – Jury PrizeActorRamblerWon
2014Highway 61 Film FestivalDrama ShortWriter, producer, actorRamblerNomitated
2017ScreenCraftBest Screenplay – FeatureWriterLove in KilnerryNomitated
2017Portland Comedy Film FestivalBest ScreenplayWriterLove in KilnerryNomitated
2017Hollywood Screenplay ContestBest Screenplay – Silver PrizeWriterLove in KilnerryNomitated
2017Die Laughing Film festivalBest ScreenplayWriterLove in KilnerryNomitated
2017New York Film and TV FestivalBest ScreenplayWriterLove in KilnerryNomitated
2017New York Film and TV FestivalBest ScreenplayWriterLove in KilnerryNomitated
2019Madrid International Film FestivalBest DirectorDirectorLove in KilnerryNomitated
2019Calcutta International Cult Film FestivalBest Screenplay – Golden Fox AwardWriterLove in KilnerryNomitated
2019New Hampshire Film FestivalBest NH Narrative FeatureProducer, writer, director, actorLove in KilnerryWon
2019New Hampshire Film FestivalBest Original Screenplay – Festival AwardWriterLove in KilnerryWon
2019New Hampshire Film FestivalFirst Time Director – Chris Brinker AwardDirectorLove in KilnerryNomitated
2019New Hampshire Film FestivalBest Comedy – Festival AwardProducer, writer, director, actorLove in KilnerryNomitated
2019New Hampshire Film FestivalLitecoin Film Award – Audience AwardProducer, writer, director, actorLove in KilnerryNomitated
2019New Hampshire Film FestivalAudience Choice – FeatureProducer, writer, director, actorLove in KilnerryNomitated
2019Williamsburg International Film FestivalUS Narrative Feature – Festival AwardProducer, writer, director, actorLove in KilnerryWon
2019SoHo International Film FestivalBest Feature Film – Grand Jury AwardProducer, writer, director, actorLove in KilnerryNomitated
2019Los Angeles Film AwardsBest EnsembleActorLove in KilnerryWon
2019Los Angeles Film AwardsBest Narrative FeatureProducer, writer, director, actorLove in KilnerryWon
2019Los Angeles Film AwardsBest ComedyProducer, writer, director, actorLove in KilnerryWon
2019Los Angeles Film AwardsBest Romantic ComedyProducer, writer, director, actorLove in KilnerryWon
2019Los Angeles Film AwardsBest DirectorDirectorLove in KilnerryWon
2019Los Angeles Film AwardsBest Original StoryWriterLove in KilnerryWon
2019International Independent Film AwardsNarrative Feature – Platinum AwardProducer, writer, director, actorLove in KilnerryWon
2019International Independent Film AwardsBest Actor in a Leading Role – Platinum AwardActorLove in KilnerryWon
2019International Independent Film AwardsBest Director – Platinum AwardDirectorLove in KilnerryWon
2019Jersey Shore Film FestivalBest Director – Jury AwardDirectorLove in KilnerryWon
2020Los Angeles Independent Film Festival AwardsBest Feature – Jury AwardProducer, writer, director, actorLove in KilnerryWon
2020Los Angeles Independent Film Festival AwardsBest Screenplay – Jury AwardWriterLove in KilnerryWon
2020Los Angeles Independent Film Festival AwardsBest Actor – Jury AwardActorLove in KilnerryWon
2020Los Angeles Independent Film Festival AwardsBest Director – Jury AwardDirectorLove in KilnerryNomitated
2020Los Angeles Independent Film Festival AwardsBest Producer – Jury AwardProducerLove in KilnerryNomitated
2020Los Angeles Independent Film Festival AwardsBest First Time FilmmakerDirectorLove in KilnerryNomitated
2020International Independent Film AwardsBest Original Song "Everything" – Modakai – Platinum AwardMusicianLove in KilnerryWon
2020International Independent Film AwardsBest Original Song "It Was You" – Modakai – Platinum AwardMusicianLove in KilnerryWon
2020International Filmmaker Festival of World Cinema, LondonBest ComedyProducer, writer, director, actorLove in KilnerryNomitated
2020International Filmmaker Festival of World Cinema, LondonBest Lead ActorActorLove in KilnerryNomitated
2020Around International Film FestivalBest Film – ARFF ParisProducer, writer, director, actorLove in KilnerryNomitated
2020Around International Film FestivalBest Director – ARFF Official AwardDirectorLove in KilnerryNomitated
2021Los Angeles Film AwardsBest Comedy ScreenplayWriterRebranding Henry Won
2022Berlin Independent Film FestivalBest Comedy ScreenplayWriterRebranding Henry Won