Daily Inspiration: Meet Jessica Lia Berry

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jessica Lia Berry.

Hi Jessica Lia, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I’ve always been drawn to storytelling. I started in front of the camera as an actor, but I was writing early on too, I wrote my 8th grade play and always had a deep love for creating worlds, characters, and moments that made people feel something.
Over time, I realized I was just as interested in what happened behind the camera as I was in performing. I loved visual mediums, especially film and photography, and I wanted to understand the full language of filmmaking. When I moved to Los Angeles, I was working as an actor, but I made the decision to go behind the camera because I wanted to learn how stories were built from the inside out.

I started interning at Double Feature Films, the former production company founded by Stacey Sher and Michael Shamberg which gave me an early look at the producing side of the industry. From there, I worked at Endemol Beyond and Bunim/Murray, creating, writing, and producing digital content for YouTube platforms. Those experiences taught me how to develop ideas quickly, think visually, collaborate, and produce with both creativity and structure.

All of that eventually led me back to performance, but with a much stronger sense of ownership. I didn’t just want to wait for the right role, I wanted to create my own work. That is how my one-woman show, I’m Still Not That Girl, was born. It’s a dark comedy that blends theatre, stand-up, and audience interaction, and it has allowed me to bring together everything I’ve learned as a creative. And I realized that the mere act of living in LA and being a part of the culture has become the story. In many ways, the act of just living in Los Angeles, being immersed in its culture, its ambition, its chaos, its beauty, and its absurdities became part of the story itself.

The show has gone from Hollywood Fringe to sold-out performances in New York and Los Angeles, won Best Festival Debut at United Solo Festival, and is now continuing internationally with performances in Paris and Edinburgh. Looking back, every chapter, whether I was in front of the camera, behind it, writing, producing prepared me for where I am now. And I know this is only the beginning.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
No, it has definitely not been a smooth road, but I also do not think it’s supposed to be. Any road worth taking is going to have obstacles, rejection, confusion, and moments where you question if you are even going in the right direction. But looking back, I can see that the journey itself has been really special.

A big part of my challenge was feeling like I was never quite “this enough” or “that enough.” I often felt like people did not know where to place me, which was frustrating. As an actor and creative, you can spend so much time trying to fit into someone else’s idea of what they think you should be. After a while, that became exhausting.

But eventually, I started to see that rejection differently. Maybe it was divine redirection. Maybe all of those “no’s” were pushing me back toward creating my own work and trusting my own voice.In a way, it felt like a reset back to my core. It reminded me that I have always been a storyteller, not just someone waiting to be chosen. That realization is what led me back to writing, producing, and ultimately creating I’m Still Not That Girl.

So no, the road has not been smooth, but it has brought me closer to myself and to the kind of artist I actually want to be. I always say, if you are on that yellow brick road enjoy the journey and laugh a lot along the way!

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I am a storyteller. Whether I am acting, writing, producing, performing live, or telling stories through film and photography, my work is always rooted in making people feel something. I specialize in turning lived experience into something visual, theatrical, and honest, whether that lives in drama, comedy, or somewhere in between.

Right now, I am best known for my one-woman show, I’m Still Not That Girl, a dark comedy that blends theatre, stand-up, and audience interaction into an unfiltered look at dating, modern adulthood, and who we become when life unravels.
I am most proud of creating this solo show from the ground up. I wrote it, produced it, toured it, and kept going when there was no clear roadmap. The show has gone from Hollywood Fringe to sold-out performances in New York and Los Angeles, won Best Festival Debut at United Solo Festival, and is now continuing internationally with performances in Paris and Edinburgh Fringe Festival.

What sets me apart is that I do not create from one box. I am drawn to the unexpected, and my work is bold, honest, visual, and a little unhinged in the best way:)

We love surprises, fun facts and unexpected stories. Is there something you can share that might surprise us?
Something surprising people may not know is that I am a vintage camera enthusiast. I love collecting old cameras and taking them out into the world, even if it is just to a park for the day. Photography has always been another way for me to tell stories and pay attention to the small details people sometimes miss. So even when I am not on stage or in front of the camera, I am usually always observing and collecting little pieces of life.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.jessicaliaberry.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jessica_lia/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JessicaLiaBerry