Today we’d like to introduce you to Lisa Butala.
Hi Lisa, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
My story starts as a small-town country girl with big dreams and ambitions. I always knew I wanted to make movies ever since being in awe of films like “Indiana Jones,” “Jurassic Park,” and “Mission Impossible.” Bringing characters like that to life was a dream that whispered constantly. I started performing at the age of 5, singing at the local fairgrounds and putting on countless skits for my parents and grandparents. I had a special love for acting and I was captivated by the screen. While in Los Angeles for college, I decided to listen to that whisper and pursue acting professionally, originally earning a degree in Criminology to go into the FBI. I fell in love with storytelling and knew I had to follow that passion. Alongside training in acting, I trained in skills including stage combat, horseback riding, and weapons handling to prepare for the action roles I knew I wanted to work towards.
The majority of my acting experience thus far has come from working on independent films, where I have been able to not only grow as an actor, but also learn a lot on the production side: the lens, framing, blocking, lighting, sound, SFX, and editing. Essentially, it was my film school and continues to be! I feel very grateful to have been able to work with some incredible people and I am very much looking forward to what’s ahead! I work as an EMT in addition to acting and I am always looking for new skills to train in, to do and learn as much as I can!
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Being a jeep girl, I know the smoothest roads aren’t always the exciting the ones! This career is unlike many. It has its unique ups and downs, but I will never take it for granted, I feel very privileged and grateful to have a career where I can help bring stories to life that can impact people. Being an actor comes with a lot of the unknown. You never know what is around the corner, yet that is also what makes it exciting! Continuing to grow in order to be ready for when those opportunities come is one of the best ways to keep yourself feeling creative and in motion during the down times between projects. You can also create your own opportunities and films! I will be directing my first film this upcoming year and I cannot wait! One of my favorite quotes is said by Tom Cruise and that is “will it into existence.” If you believe in yourself and work hard to make steps towards your dreams, you can do more than you think.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am an actor and storyteller. I absolutely love the action, adventure, and western genres and feel very fortunate to have been able to work in them a lot thus far! I hope to be able to work in them more as well as many different genres throughout my career. One of the films I am most proud of is a western titled “Lady Outlaw.” It was written and directed by the incredibly talented Brett Mauser who gave me a shot at my first leading role in a feature film. I had played the same character of Rose Dunn in a previous western directed by him titled “The Oldest Posse.” It was a smaller part, but he saw something in how I portrayed her. I will forever be grateful to him in trusting me with such an amazing character. It truly did feel like I was meant to play her. “Lady Outlaw” was the film that showed me that I could do this and wanted to do this for the rest of my life. It will always hold a special place in my heart for that and the amazing memories created from making it. The entire cast and crew, including the insanely talented Nicole Mattox and Christopher Henry, worked hard in the summer Texas heat to bring it to life. One of the most special memories from the film was being able to share the screen with my dad and have my parents visiting the set. They are my biggest supporters and I want to continue to share this journey with them.
In looking to the future, I am very excited for an upcoming spy thriller shooting this spring and the release of my most recent project, “Red Days 2: Cecilia,” where I got to tell the origin story of Kim, another character I was able to reprise.
What sets me apart from others? Nothing specific. I’m a girl with big dreams and a strong determination to make them come true and to do as much as I can in this life. I have had a list of goals ever since I was little that continues to grow. Working with the likes of Steven Spielberg, Tom Cruise, and Harrison Ford, among many others, has always been at the top of that list, I live by the saying “you can do anything you put your mind to.” So I made the decision to always work hard to give myself the best chance that I can to achieve those goals and the new ones that arise.
How do you think about happiness?
I try to find and enjoy the little moments in life as much as the big ones. I love being in service to others whether it is helping someone as an EMT, entertaining them as an actor, or being that stranger that pays them a compliment that makes their day a little better. I also find joy in being a good friend, daughter, granddaughter, and colleague. And nothing beats coming home to my German Shepard dog, Nala.
I find happiness in working hard at whatever I set my mind to and all the adventures I get to experience and share with those I love.
I love acting and being a part of creating stories. I love the entire process of making movies and daydreaming of new stories to tell.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://m.imdb.com/name/nm13856463/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lisa_butala?igsh=NjVydmNuNTF6YTh2&utm_source=qr
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lisa.butala.5?mibextid=wwXIfr
- Other: https://tubitv.com/movies/100031527/lady-outlaw
