Today we’d like to introduce you to Alexandra Corin Johnston.
Hi Alexandra Corin, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I’m an actress and independent filmmaker, originally from Oregon. I’ve loved storytelling for as long as I can remember, and that passion led me to New York City where I studied acting at Marymount Manhattan College. After that, I moved to Los Angeles and have been working here for the last 10 years.
As an actor, you can see some of my work on shows like Party of Five and American Playboy: The Hugh Hefner Story. But over the years, I’ve also found myself drawn to creating my own work behind the camera. Alongside my husband Justin Shilton and his producing partner Rob Zazzali, I’ve been lucky to be a part of two indie feature films — Shark Girl and Sleep Stalker. I played the lead in Shark Girl, which was a wild, heartfelt, DIY adventure that really reignited my creative spark. Most recently, I wrote and directed my first short film, Emma & Emma, which has been a deeply personal and creatively fulfilling project.
It’s been a winding, sometimes messy, but incredibly rewarding path — and I feel like I’m just getting started in many ways.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It definitely hasn’t been a smooth road. Like a lot of actors, especially in the early years, my experience felt very “feast or famine” — some years I was booking a ton of work, and other years it felt like I couldn’t get in the room at all. That unpredictability was really tough, and for a long time, I measured my worth by how much external validation I was getting — auditions, callbacks, bookings.
But over time, I’ve learned that I don’t need the industry to constantly “prove” that I belong in it. That shift has been huge for me. I’ve learned how to anchor myself in the truth that I am an artist, period. Whether I’m on set, writing, directing, or in a quiet season — that identity doesn’t change. And ironically, the more secure I’ve become in that truth, the more creative and fulfilled I’ve felt.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I work as both an actress and a filmmaker, and I feel most at home when I’m telling stories that are a little offbeat, a little emotional, and deeply human. As an actor, I’ve had the chance to work on everything from network TV to docu-series to indie features. Most recently, I starred in a Lifetime movie called Lethal Desire that premiered this past February, which was such a wild ride and a blast to shoot.
I also played the lead in Shark Girl, an indie feature I made with my husband, Justin Shilton, and his producing partner Rob Zazzali. That project was especially meaningful because it was such a scrappy labor of love — we poured everything into it, and it reminded me why I started doing this in the first place.
As a filmmaker, I’m drawn to character-driven stories that explore identity, longing, and all the messy contradictions of being human. My latest project, Emma & Emma, which I wrote and directed, really captures that. It’s a short film that’s funny, a little existential, and deeply personal.
If there’s one thing that sets me apart, it might be my ability to just keep going. This industry can be brutal, but I’ve always found a way to stay connected to the work, whether anyone’s watching or not. I care deeply, I show up fully, and I think there’s something quietly powerful about that kind of persistence.
We all have a different way of looking at and defining success. How do you define success?
For me, success isn’t about awards or red carpets or a certain number of followers — it’s about living a life that feels aligned with who I am. And when I really step back and look at my life, I realize I’m already living the dream I had when I was 13 years old. I’m a working actress. I make art every single day. And I get to do it alongside the love of my life.
Sure, there might be flashier or more glamorous versions of this life out there — but the core of it, the part that matters, is already here. That feels like the biggest success to me: waking up each day, creating, collaborating, and staying close to what I love.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @alicorin
