Born and raised on the island of Oahu in Hawai’i, Lanihuli spent much of her childhood in the back row of local theatres watching her mother on stage. Being brought up primarily by her Hawaiian and Japanese family, she formed a strong connection to stories, wanting nothing more than to sit with her Papa (grandfather) in his woodworking shop and simply listen to him talk. At the age of nine, Lanihuli’s father moved to Washington DC. Thereafter, she split her time between her home in the islands and her home on the East Coast. It was in DC where she first discovered a love for Shakespeare and the poetry of language. Throughout high school, she threw herself into any theatre-related project she could find, including school plays, community theatre, and four summers with the Shakespeare Theatre Company’s renowned education program. In addition, she also began writing her own stories and plays–a passion she pursued throughout University and which continues to present. Her formal training is from the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts (LAMDA) in West London, where she received a BA Hons in Professional Acting. After graduating from LAMDA in 2021, she moved to Los Angeles, California, where she spends her time working with a local children's theatre, writing, auditioning, and refurbishing vintage furniture.