Today we’d like to introduce you to Liz Vassey.
Liz, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I began acting at the age of nine, performing in over fifty musicals and plays. I started because I’d been a gregarious kid – until I spent a long time in the hospital when I was two. It’s a complicated story but it all basically comes down to some bad apple juice and subsequent E Coli poisoning. I came out nursing some PTSD and became very shy. Onstage, I felt like I found my voice again. My first role was “Oliver” in OLIVER. They needed a girl to hit the high notes.
I moved to New York at the age of sixteen to join the cast of ALL MY CHILDREN. For my work on that show (and for crying a lot over the fact that my TV father was a pimp and my TV mother was a prostitute!), I received my first of two Daytime Emmy nominations. I’ve since been fortunate enough to appear as a regular or recurring character on twelve television shows including ER, MAXIMUM BOB, NECESSARY ROUGHNESS, BROTHERLY LOVE, PUSH NEVADA, TWO AND A HALF MEN, FOX’s live action version of THE TICK, and, most recently, Season Two of THE TICK reboot on Amazon – where I played a giant, but ultimately friendly, lobster.
If I’m recognized, it’s usually for my five year run on CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION as DNA technician “Wendy Simms.” The producers on CSI let me co-write an episode in my final season, and I got hooked. I’ve since sold six television pilots and a TV movie, developing for places like NBC, Freeform, Universal, Netflix, and CW.
I’m also an avid runner and recently made my directorial debut with the documentary feature, THE HUMAN RACE, which focuses on runners over the age of fifty. It was released globally on January 8, 2019.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
I don’t know anyone in this industry who would say they’ve had a smooth road; it’s just not the nature of the business. I have been extremely fortunate in that I have worked consistently since the age of 16, and I’m now 47. I’m grateful for that every single day.
That said, of course there have been struggles. One pilot season, I screen tested fifteen times before I got a pilot – and I was thrilled to get that one even though I didn’t really like it! Each time I was the wrong age, the wrong look, the wrong…something. Sometimes it just wasn’t my role. And look, I’m highly aware that none of this is digging ditches, but sometimes the asteroid field of rejection can take its toll. The secret becomes learning how to navigate it as best you can.
With writing, you can’t control what the marketplace is buying. Sometimes people sell pilots and have huge penalties attached – meaning they will be paid a lot of money as a “consolation” if the pilot isn’t shot. If my pilot is up against one with a large penalty, and they’re both equally good in the eyes of the network, guess which one they’ll pick to shoot? This business is highly competitive, and certainly not for the faint of heart. You have to pick your true north, stay focused, not listen to the outside noise from the arena, and keep getting back up again.
Please tell us about The Human Race: A Documentary.
I’ve spent the last couple of years directing my first film, and I’m very proud of how it turned out. THE HUMAN RACE is an inspirational full-length documentary about six runners, all over the age of 50, as they each train for the biggest race of their lives. These six athletes cover quite the spectrum: from a father attempting his very first 5K – with his autistic son by his side, to beloved running icon Kathrine Switzer who, in 1967, became the first woman to officially run the Boston Marathon as a numbered entry, to an 80-year-old running a half-marathon in celebration of her birthday, to a cancer survivor’s attempt to run across all fifty states. We find out what motivates them to keep going, we delve deeply into their various training programs, and we follow them all the way to the finish line – while getting to know their colorful personalities and gaining insight on how running has helped them through various struggles. But make no mistake, this documentary is not “cute.” These runners are dedicated, fierce, competitive…and they could probably outrun you.
I made this film because my mother passed away in 2012, and I firmly believe running was a big reason why I could keep going. It centered me and provided me with an outlet for my many emotions. I had just turned 40 at the time, and I wondered if I’d ever have to stop running and take up slightly calmer activities instead. I did a lot of research and found the answer is simply: no. I found many stories about runners participating in marathons in their 50’S, 60’S, 70’S 80’s, and 90’s. I decided to travel around the country and meet some senior runners. I was blown away by their tenacity, their energy, and their heart.
If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
I’m always hesitant to answer questions like these because by changing anything I wouldn’t be where I am, and I’m happy. I try to live with as little regret as possible, and I try to run toward the things I find challenging.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.the-human-race.net
- Email: [email protected]
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheHumanRaceDoc/
- Twitter: @humanracedoc
Image Credit:
Florian Schneider (personal photo of Liz Vassey), David Emmerichs (all other photos), Karl Tate (THE HUMAN RACE poster)
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