Analū Cruze was born on March 23, 1973, in Honolulu, Hawaii, to Marie Aulani Cruze, a retired baker and certified nursing assistant, and Andreas Demetriou Josephides (1934-2024), an accountant. His mother is of Hawaiian, Portuguese, English, and Scottish descent, and his father, a Greek-Cypriot, emigrated to America via Ellis Island as a British subject in 1955. His journey into theatre began at a young age, inspired by the Hawaii Army Community Theatre’s 1986 production of The Diary of Anne Frank.
Foundation & Training Analū’s formal training spans decades and continents. He studied acting at Kapiolani and Leeward Community Colleges and refined his craft through method acting workshops with Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa. After moving to California, he transitioned to film and television under the guidance of Cody Dorkin (Studio 24) and Lynette McNeill. Most recently, he completed intensive Shakespearean studies at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) in London, performing as Malcolm and the Porter in Macbeth at the Jerwood Vanbrugh Theatre. He continues to hone his acting, improv, and playwriting skills at the Santa Monica Playhouse under Evelyn Rudie and Chris DeCarlo.
Stage & Screen Credits Early in his career, Analū was introduced by former Miss Universe Brook Lee and signed with the ADR Agency, leading to work on One West Waikiki and a role as a cultural liaison for the Baywatch Hawaii writing team. His film work includes the Sacramento Film Festival showcase Morpheum and a notable performance as Nic in the short film Nic, which earned a nomination at the Central American International Film Festival, where director Daryl Greene Callejas won the Audience Choice Award for Best Director - Honduras. On stage, he has performed with the Hawaii Army Community Theatre and Folsom Lake Theatre, and most recently in the 2025 production of Thanks For Sharing at the Santa Monica Playhouse.
Scholarship & Authorship When not on stage, Analū is a PhD Candidate in Information Science at SUNY–University at Buffalo, researching Kanaka Maoli Information Practices. A tenured faculty member at El Camino College, he is a published scholar and the author of two children's books, The Legend of the Three Pu'u and The Story of Mama and Pele. His current literary projects include a historical nonfiction book, a political satire titled The Quacking Donald, and his new play, The Porter of Hell-Gate.
