Today we’d like to introduce you to Alyssa Ross.
Hi Alyssa, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
The Eastern Cape of South Africa will always be my home, but because of my father’s work, I had a very nomadic upbringing. I spent the first 18 years of my life moving across Africa. From Zambia to Nigeria, Ethiopia, and Cameroon, it was an incredible way to grow up, experiencing such a vast array of people and cultures. To create some normality in our lives, my parents sent my two sisters and me to a boarding school not far from where my extended family lived and farmed.
It was in high school that I realized my love for theatre, storytelling, and entertainment. Spending as much time as possible in the drama and art classroom and as little as possible in the math and science departments. When the time came to start thinking about what to study after school, it made perfect sense to fly to America and study film.
I attained my BFA in Film with a concentration in Screenwriting from DePaul University in the Fall of 2023. While I was studying, I had amazing experiences during my internships at Phoenix Pictures, Teton Ridge Entertainment, and ACE Entertainment. I am currently living in LA, pursuing a career in Acting and Screenwriting. At the moment, you can find me at the Will Greer Theatricum Botanicum playing Cobweb in their production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream!
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
It has most definitely not been a smooth road! Moving abroad and so far away from my family has certainly been the biggest challenge. But having done it for the past 5 years, you learn to take things in their stride, and I find myself remembering my mother’s voice saying, “You eat an elephant one bite at a time” almost every day! I’m very fortunate to have a close support system, and looking back, I can see how everything has almost always worked out for the best.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I’m currently in the early stages of my career as an actor and a screenwriter, which essentially means I’m unemployed…
But at the moment, I’m playing the role of Cobweb in A Midsummer Night’s Dream at the Will Greer Theatricum Botanicum, which will be running from June 2nd to September 23rd! When I’m not in rehearsals, I’m most likely very close to a kettle and working on a screenplay.
Right now, I’m probably most proud of myself and my friends, who are also in the early stages of their career in the entertainment industry. It’s a tough world to break into and takes a lot of tenacity. But we manage to have a great deal of fun, trying to enjoy this stage of life where we all have no money and are working relentlessly to achieve our goals. It makes a big difference to be surrounded by people in the same boat as you and who are there to support you.
Lastly, I think the thing that sets me apart from others is probably my accent/where I’m from. This can be both a good and bad thing. It’s fun to stand out, be different, and have something interesting that makes you memorable (especially to casting directors). But sometimes, people struggle to see beyond my nationality or the way I talk, which can be isolating. Sometimes I walk out my front door and speak with an American accent the whole day when I feel like being treated normally and because it’s good practice for my dialect work!
Is there anyone you’d like to thank or give credit to?
There is no doubt that I would not be living in LA today if it weren’t for my parents, who support me in every way imaginable. And my two sisters, who are always a phone call away for a crisis, big or small. My friends in LA are like a second family to me, and I’d no doubt be lost without them.
My mentors have also played a huge role in this post-grad transition period. My university professor, Kurt Lustgarten, as well as mentors from my internships like Michael Peterson from Phoenix Pictures and Joban Gill and Francesca Bertini from ACE Entertainment always have the best advice!
Contact Info:
- Instagram: alyssaeross
Image Credits
Caitlin Fisher Photographer
@ohdeardaisy
