About Me

I have been insanely, ridiculously, embarassingly passionate about the entertainment industry since birth. Yes, I am one of those annoying actors who claims there was never anything else on my mind and that I was always meant to do this. It’s true! I went on my first audition at age 7 (which I felt had been a long time coming) and was swiftly rejected, so naturally, I’ve never stopped. Acting is my core, but I’m also a podcast host and producer, singer, dancer, professional improvisor, standardized patient actor, character performer, and small business owner.

Most recently, I have become represented by Tammy Green at The Green Agency (NYC/Miami) and and reached my goal of becoming SAG-Eligible (!!!!!!!!!!!!). Now that things are moving in a more normal direction post-pandemic, I plan on finally getting that elusive SAG card shortly.

Catch me in the new short film 100 Words, directed by Brendan O’Brien. We have been playing at a bunch of amazing film festivals; most notably the Hamilton International Film Festival, Hudson Valley Film Festival, Newark Film Festival, and Garden State Film Festival.

I had a guest spot on the true crime series Dead of Winter, a walk on role in the recently released Randall Batinkoff film Inside Game, and a supporting role in the mockumentary film Beware the Horn, directed by Brendan O’Brien and Jordan Fried.

If you’re looking for ear candy, I host, edit, and produce a pop culture podcast called The Ashlee and Jessicast where I cover pop culture, particularly the 90’s and early 2000’s greats of my childhood.

On stage, I achieved my dream of starring in one of my all-time favorite musicals when I accepted the starring role of Whatsername in Green Day's groundbreaking rock musical American Idiot during the Cherry Blossom Players' 13th season. I was awarded Best Female Vocalist and Best Actress of the 2017-2018 season at the Cherry on Top Awards in August 2018. I also had a supporting part in the classic Ibsen play An Enemy of the People, performing the role of Petra for Bergen Stages.

I was also fortunate to film my second appearance on the hit Investigation Discovery show A Crime To Remember, playing the supporting role of a 1970s go-go dancer named Honey, inspired by Jodie Foster’s role in Taxi Driver. I was so honored they had me back for such a great scene after my smaller part on the show the previous year.

I have starred as the iconic comic book character Harley Quinn in YouTube titan Rachel Levin's Marvel/DC parodies Superhero Carpool Ride, Superheroes Go Back To School, and Superhero Pool Party, which have a combined 300 million+ views. This lead to some fun modeling gigs with Conde Nast Entertainment, Mehron Makeup, and Make Up For Ever.

I am a Small Business Owner specializing in character performance. My company, Once Upon A Princess Parties NJ, provides beloved fairytale characters for children’s parties and events across New Jersey, New York, and Connecticut.

For the two years leading into the pandemic, I was a company member at Rhino Comedy in Suffern, NY where I performed improv and sketch comedy.

One thing I can’t wait to get back to post-pandemic: my role as a Standardized Patient Actor at Seton Hall University and Bergen Community College in New Jersey. I love pushing myself as a performer while contributing to help others learn in their chosen medical field. 

Thank you so much for checking out my site! Feel free to contact me any time at liarussonyc@gmail.com. I'd love to hear from you!

-Lia