The life of an actor is decidedly uneven. Few who pursue this path earn a living from it and of those who do, even fewer are recognized and praised by the public. The success of actress Elyssia Koulouris is not only grounded in her talent and skill but equally in her exploration of the eclectic opportunities afforded her in this vocation. After receiving massive attention in the 2019 Ozflix Independent Film Award-Winning Science Fiction film Quanta, Ms. Koulouris quickly began fielding offers from around the world. From Indie Comic sensibilities to a Zombie TV series to Romantic lead, Elyssia is displaying that her versatility and authenticity are eluding type casting while solidifying that there is a great deal of depth to her. At every turn, Elyssia is exhibits a range that deepens curiosity about this Australian talent.
Elyssia confesses that she wasn’t expecting to be cast in the TV series Death Squad when she went in for the audition. She recalls, “I walked into a huge building on Wilshire Boulevard to meet a whole team of people including director Dan Goldman (Daytime Emmy Award Nominee) and Producer Clayton Turnage (Daytime Emmy Award Winner). I was handed a script on the spot and told to do an American accent for the role of Emily Bennett.” Contacted later that day with confirmation she’d gotten the part, Elyssia began a two-year stint as the strong female character among an otherwise all male team featured in Death Squad. Emily Bennett is the explosives expert of the group and is married to team member Kirk Bennett (Played by Joshua Hann). Fighting off zombies as well as the unwelcomed romantic advances of commanding officer Michael Shepherd (portrayed by Michael Shwartz), Emily is a feminist who balances demanding respect for her skills and the insecurities of her marital partner. While battling the undead gave Ms. Koulouris plenty of opportunity to exhibit her formidable combat skills, the emotional conflict of a crumbling marriage is equally powerful in her performances. Though greatly pleased with the attention the show has brought her, Elyssia points to the experience off-camera with leaving the greatest imprint on her as she states, “The most rewarding part of any television show or film is meeting the people and making friends. We were all together as a cast and crew for so long that we created a lot of inside jokes and wonderful memories. For this series, I had the added bonus of shooting in Romania and getting to spend time there with the incredible people and history of the area.”
Nothing could be further from Romania (literally) and the zombie conflict of Death Squad than the SoCal adventure of a couple-in-love featured in the video “Getaway” by music artist Tewy. Director Jaqueline Monnetta, known for her work on the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Awards Winning Film Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway, sought out Elyssia due to her strong improvisational background. The premise of “Getaway” was simply that of a couple on the road seeking a change from their normal daily routine. The spontaneity which Ms. Koulouris brought is the very heart of this music video and its emotional tone. Though Tewy and Elyssia are the only two people on camera, the nature of a couple in love who thrive on entertaining each other is palpable. The actress imparts, “Tewy and I knew we had to base the relationship around his song and lyrics. But it was actually with the help of director, Jacqueline Moneta that we were able to really put in some depth to who these two people were. We created a whole backstory of the two characters at hand and figured they needed to getaway and have some fun for the sake of their relationship to continue! We figured that they needed to be 100% present and mess around with each other a little. What better way to do this than do a little Calabasas road trip?”
Elyssia’s most recent project is a starring role in an Australian film alongside Kate Mulvany (of BAFTA and Oscar Winning film Gatsby) and Damon Herriman (of Quentin Tarantino’s Oscar and BAFTA Awarded Once Upon a Time in Hollywood). Excited to return and work in her homeland after so much world travelling, Elyssia comments, “I was inspired to become an actor at a very young age after being introduced to old movies from my family such as Wizard of Oz, Calamity Jane, and The Great Race. I participated in every school play and musical I could get my hands on too! I just loved being on stage and performing in front of people. It’s going to be fun to be back in Australia making a film with such talented people. It’s a reminder that you can dream big and achieve those things.”
Writer: Coleman Haan