We’re counting down the 40 days to NYWIFT’s 40th Anniversary Muse Awards with a look at some of our favorite honorees, all women of vision and achievement who have contributed to the film and television industry. Join us as we look back at #Muse40for40, and buy your tickets for the Muse Awards on Tuesday, December 10th at nywift.org/muse!
#2 Susan Sarandon
By Lisa Stahl
For an actress who said “my life has been filled with happy accidents,” it’s not surprising that Susan Sarandon got her start in the business in a serendipitous way, when she accompanied her then husband to an audition shortly after college. Landing a major part in Joe, Susan Sarandon, the former Ford model, went on to appear in cult classic Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975), Louise Malle’s Atlantic City (1980), more than 100 films and a number of well-known tv productions (Friends and others). She is perhaps best known for her powerful performance as Louise in Thelma and Louise in 1991, and her acclaimed portrayal of Sister Helen Prejean in Dead Man Walking (1995), for which she won an Academy Award.
Other accolades include a British Academy Film Award, a Screen Actor’s Guild Award, a BAFTA award, as well as numerous nominations for Golden Globe and Emmy awards. If she has often portrayed characters displaying moral complexity or conviction, compassion, and defiance of conventions, her offscreen persona is not that dissimilar: a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador since 1999, she’s an ardent activist in support of progressive political and humanitarian causes.
Lisa Stahl
Lisa Stahl has followed her own unconventional path, working in and out of the industry, behind and in front of the camera (TV and film), and as a writer, producing e-learning courses on personal style online, doing development research and writing for a UN-based TV show, extensive investigative research in politics and international affairs for a prominent political strategist, and as a lifestyle editor for a chic digital magazine interviewing prominent fascinating people in the entertainment, fashion, health, wellness, and travel industries. She has also worked recently as a technical writer covering the latest anti-terrorism technologies and developments in data science and artificial intelligence.
Related Posts
Meet the New NYWIFT Member: Kate Dolan
Welcome to NYWIFT, Kate Dolan! Kate Dolan is a New York City-based actress with a passion for storytelling. Her commitment to authenticity and restless pursuit of refining her craft is a reflection of her energetic dedication. Kate is interested in playing characters that both challenge her and resonate deeply with audiences. Having been booked for her first feature film, she is already emulating the actors that have inspired her since childhood. Her experience interning at NYWIFT and Prospect Musicals have given her an advantage as a young actress, providing her with a behind-the-curtain perspective on many aspects of the entertainment industry. In our interview, Kate discusses her experiences, inspirations, and goals.
READ MOREMeet the New NYWIFT Member: Khrystyna Komarovska
Welcome to NYWIFT, Khrystyna Komarovska! Khrystyna is a New-York based filmmaker, actress, and digital strategy leader, where her work touches on the intersection of storytelling, audience growth, and social impact. Her projects explore human connection, contemporary relationships, and mental health through narrative film and digital projects. Alongside her creative work, she leads digital strategy for brands and founders, informing how projects are positioned, distributed, and scaled. Khrystyna is the creator of the short series Nina’s Files, which has received festival recognition and media attention. She is also currently developing new narrative work focused on Gen Z audiences and intentional storytelling. In our interview, Khrystyna discusses her background, recent projects, and what she has learned from working in the media industry.
READ MOREMeet the New NYWIFT Member: Ashley Bacon
Welcome to NYWIFT, Ashley Bacon! Ashley is an actor and producer in New York. She leads the 80s thriller Something of a Monster which was released in December on AppleTV, and her claim to fame is a recurring arc on Orange is the New Black. She was nominated for Best Actor at Cindependent for her work in The Flip Side (2023). Upcoming projects include leading the film A Matchmaker’s Christmas, a star-studded community fundraiser of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and raising her small child. She lives in Brooklyn with - in her words - "two cats, one daughter, and one husband." We welcome actor and producer Ashley Bacon to NYWIFT! In her New Member Spotlight, we discussed the famous RDJ scene that inspired Ashley to become an actor, the community garden motivating her next project, and her favorite film she’s worked on so far.
READ MOREMeet the New NYWIFT Member: Ginelle Bamfo
Welcome to NYWIFT, Ginelle Bamfo! Ginelle is a talented young filmmaker and recent graduate from NYU Tisch’s Film and TV school. With a background in acting and theater, Ginelle has expanded her creative pursuits into many realms of the filmmaking industry. Having won NYU’s Best Undergraduate Film award for her project Talk Yo’ Shit, her talents and ambitions have quickly proven worthwhile. Ginelle is a staunch advocate of amplifying diverse voices. Her role as President of The Collective at NYU – a club which connects and highlights the work of Black students – is only one example of her commitment to this goal. Ginelle is a flexible and dynamic creative, drawing inspiration from ever-evolving sources. Always excited to learn and collaborate, she is an exciting addition to the entertainment industry. In our interview, Ginelle discusses what her journey to filmmaking has looked like and her current artistic ambitions.
READ MORE
Comments are closed