Actress and Philanthropist Nichole Galicia, who will soon be seen in Quentin Tarantino’s highly anticipated film "Once Upon a Time ... In Hollywood” starring Brad Pitt, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Margot Robbie is our latest guest. This is not the first time Nichole has worked with Tarantino, most notably, he hand picked Galicia for his film Django Unchained, which starred Leonardo DiCaprio and Jamie Foxx. Galicia garnered much buzz for her portrayal of “Sheba,” DiCaprio’s love interest and since, she has been extremely well received in the fashion industry
Born in Panama and raised in New York, Galicia focused on her brains, not beauty. Nevertheless by high school, with a 183 IQ, Nichole had rapidly evolved into a striking and vivacious young woman inexorably caught up in the highly competitive fashion industry. To date, Galicia’s modeling credits include ad campaigns for: The Gap, Pepsi, Neutrogena and Hanes. She has graced the pages of GQ, Vogue and Elle and oh, and who can forget the edgy shoot she did with Tarantino for W magazine.

Galicia starred as the sassy Yvonne Freedman in Nick Cannon’s film Love Don’t Cost A Thing and in DIRTY playing opposite Cuba Gooding, Jr. She was also the female lead in And She Was My Eve a short featured in Ron Howard's Project Imaginat10n Film festival and played a seductress to Oliver Platt’s character Russell on Showtime’s Emmy Award winning drama, !Huff, also starring Hank Azaria and Blythe Danner.

Even more fascinating however is Nichole’s taste for art. Her favorite artist is Diego Velazquez and favorite museum is the Prado in Madrid. In fact, she owns dozens of engravings and serigraphs, a few of which appear in a book she wrote called "Equipo Cronica: The Nichole Kent Collection."

When Galicia is not modeling or acting she devotes her time to charities focused on developing the esteem and confidence of youth. Nichole actively serves on the board of the Junior Committee of the New York Center for Children; a charity dedicated to raising awareness and fighting child abuse.

Giulia Juliet Belkin: How did you start your Hollywood career?

Nichole Galicia: I started as a model, traveling the world when my booker suggested I take acting classes. I booked the very first acting audition I went on. I wish it was always that easy. This career is rewarding but nothing about it is easy.

Giulia Juliet Belkin: You recently filmed your second Tarantino film "Once Upon a Time...in Hollywood." What is it like working with Quentin Tarantino?

Nichole Galicia: Working with Tarantino is phenomenal. He’s very cool and down to earth, passionate about his work and in love with his actors. I could not have imagined a better experience.

Giulia Juliet Belkin: You had a dream role of every female out there, playing Leonardo DiCaprio's love interest in Django Unchained. How charming is he? Share some fun moments from set.

Nichole Galicia: I’m so lucky, you should totally be jealous. I kissed Leonardo Dicaprio, twice. OK it was Calvin Candie but same difference! The man spilled wine and had to change his shirt on set and silenced a room of 150 people. It was amazing.

Giulia Juliet Belkin: What got you into arts?

Nichole Galicia: My mentor Kent introduced me to art. Introduce is such an elegant word, he forced me into art. I spent my summers in museums on guided tours, I spent my evenings watching art documentaries, I spent our vacations analyzing architecture and culture. If I dared try to change the subject, Kent was the master of redirecting by finding art in everything. I once stopped to pet a dog and Kent lectured me for 30 minutes on Goya’s ‘The Dog’ and how it’s arguably the first modern painting. Kent raised me, he gave me culture, he molded my world view, he taught me how to be a lady and a business woman.

Giulia Juliet Belkin: What's unique about Equipo Cronica?

Nichole Galicia: Equipo Cronica is art about art. It’s political, steeped in culture. It’s an amazing way to learn or teach art. I still get excited when I’m at the MOMA or Prado and discover a Picasso reference that’s embedded in one of my Equipo Cronica’s that I never recognized before.

Giulia Juliet Belkin: You've done some fashion modeling in the past. Who is your fav designer today?

Nichole Galicia: I love Olivier Rousteing from Balmain, Tom Ford, Versace, Dolce and Gabbana, Christian Louboutin, Giusppe Zanotti. I love hyper feminine, uber sexy but elegant. Michael Costello also makes my mouth water.

Giulia Juliet Belkin: Tell us more about The Orchid Foundation you founded 4 years ago? How did that come about?

Nichole Galicia: I’m fortunate to have so much and wanted to be able to give back. I didn’t grow up with a silver spoon in mouth and so I needed to go back and help some some girls that may have been dealing with similar circumstances. Equally as important as my girls is that I’m in some small way assisting their mothers. I didn’t know I was poor because my mom, like most amazing mother’s worked extra jobs to provide me with what I needed and most of what I wanted. She never complained or broke a sweat in front of me so I had no clue until I was an adult all that my mom was making the impossible look effortless on a daily basis. It is my hope that the services I provide to my Orchids is one less thing that their phenomenal mom’s have to worry about. Please check out our website: www.theorchidfdn.org We are a 501c3 nonprofit so all of your generous donations are 100% tax deductible.

Giulia Juliet Belkin: Great quote by the way, “It is better to have a $10 purse with $1000 in it, than a $1000 purse with $10 in it.” What is the goal for young Orchids?

Nichole Galicia: I was 17 years old, I did a huge modeling job and I went out and purchased $3000 worth of designer luggage. My mother asked me how much money I had in my purse? “You have $8 in a $2000 bag? You look like an idiot.” Yeah I never made that mistake again. And of course she made me return everything. My goal for my Orchids is that they are bigger and badder than me. That they go father than I ever could.

Giulia Juliet Belkin: What motivates, inspires you today?

Nichole Galicia: Kind people motivate me. People who help you just because they can without expectations.

Giulia Juliet Belkin: What would you do differently if you had the chance to turn back the time?

Nichole Galicia: A WHOLE LOT OF THINGS! I don’t know who these ‘I have no regrets because it made me the person I am today’ people are. I would change the hell out of a ton of things. Do I get to keep the knowledge but go back and make corrections? Absolutely.

Giulia Juliet Belkin: What is next for Nichole?

Nichole Galicia: This is where I should say something fun or witty but I don’t know what’s next and I’m cool with that. Steve McQueen will find me when he’s ready or maybe I will find him. Until then I will go back to raising the coolest, smartest girl squad ever through The Orchid Foundation.

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