Lani Gobaleza is a Filipino American writer, actor, and filmmaker whose work explores sapphic love and cross-cultural experiences.
In 2023, she received a William Male Foundation grant for her debut play, Every Day Vanilla. The following year, she was awarded the Rising Star Award by the Asian Culture & Media Alliance. In 2025, her solo show Nighttime Julianne premiered at the San Diego International Fringe Festival, where it earned The Critics’ Pick award.
Raised in a Navy family, Lani has lived in Guam, Spain, the Bay Area, and rural Japan, though she now calls San Diego home. She studied history and theater at UC Berkeley. Outside of creative work, Lani co-owns the specialty tea company PARU with her spouse and works as a full-time copywriter in tech. She also serves on the boards of Diversionary Theatre, America’s third-oldest LGBTQIA+ theatre, and the Urasenke Tankokai San Diego Association, dedicated to preserving the art of Japanese tea ceremony.
Lani is currently in post-production for her short film, Before the Petals Hit the Ground, following two introverts who fall in love in Hanoi.