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Eighteen-year-old Esabella A.K. Strickland embodies the spirit of a Gen Z neurodivergent polymath, reshaping the idea of a modern Renaissance woman. Based in Vancouver, BC, she is a multi-award-winning filmmaker, screenwriter, producer, published author, acclaimed actress, media host, artist, and Gen Z influencer. Esabella passionately champions neurodiversity and anti-bullying through her creative work.
On screen, she has appeared in local independent shorts like Enlightenment, Things You Take, and Arthur's Gift. She co-wrote, co-directed, and starred in My Red Ball and The Notebook through the Young Movie Makers Program. My Red Ball, inspired by Esabella's own experiences with bullying, has been featured in over 72 international film festivals and won 12 awards. Her other notable credits include appearances in Travelers, Goodboys, and A Series of Unfortunate Events. She also acted in a California milk commercial and starred alongside Greg Kinnear and Terry Chen in the upcoming feature film Sight, releasing in theaters on May 24, 2024, via Angel Studios, where she plays Maria, a blind girl from Moldova.
Behind the camera, Esabella has earned over 80 film festival awards as a screenwriter, filmmaker, and producer. Her film A Conversation with E has won awards at 26 festivals and screened at over 180. She teamed up with Paul Green to produce her debut independent short, A Dialogue with Pandora, which won six festival awards. Additionally, she wrote, directed, edited, and produced the acclaimed horror short MiNE as part of Cinelab. Recently, Esabella joined the Film Volt Creative Program as a Gen Z screenwriter, developing new horror feature films, including the award-winning screenplay Death Noise. She is also working on a feature film and a TV pilot adapted from her award-winning novel Then and There, Here and Where - An Orabella the Oracle Saga.
Esabella has served as Youth Ambassador and co-host for the annual VarietyBC Show of Hearts Telethon since 2019. She was the red-carpet host for the 2019 EveRIAthing event supporting the Joey Awards and an ambassador and host for Geektopia in 2019, raising funds for the Amanda Todd Legacy. In 2020, she acted as ambassador and virtual host for Meowfest, supporting the Langley and Regional Animal Protection Societies. In 2024, she participated in San Diego Comic-Con, leading her first panel with the SDICFF. In 2019, Esabella was invited to the Adobe Summit in Las Vegas as an Adobe insider and speaker, distinguishing herself as the youngest influencer and ranking in the top ten for social media engagement during the event. Her empathy, compassion, and Gen Z perspective made a strong impact. In October 2024, she is slated to speak at the TedEd Summit in New York, representing Etre and the next generation of Tedx speakers.
Esabella co-wrote her debut Young Adult novel, Then and There, Here and Where, published on March 2, 2021. The story follows Orabella, a neurodivergent heroine on a transformative journey, aiming to inspire girls to feel empowered and connected. The novel reached #1 on Amazon’s hot new release list. In fall 2024, Esabella will begin studying Classical Animation at Vancouver Film School. As an artist, she excels in painting, drawing, animation, and creating custom jean pocket art for celebrities, donating 10% of sales to local charities. She has trained herself in various techniques to manage ADHD, dyslexia, tics, and social anxiety, discovering her two superpowers: an exceptional memory and a deep sensitivity toward others, including the characters she portrays.
