Biographie
Susan Vanita Diol, of Scandinavian and East Indian heritage, was born in Marquette, Michigan, and raised in Palatine, Illinois, and Worthington, Ohio. Her parents, Christine and Peter Balwant Singh Diol, owned C & P Coffee, where Susan honed her acting skills and accents while working in the office. The Diol household was lively, often hosting foreign exchange students and guests who stayed in their basement or on their couch. She earned her BFA from Otterbein College and interned during her senior year at Pat McCorkle Casting in New York. This connection led her to relocate to NYC, where she worked as a reader for Pat, a perfume spritzer at Macy's, and cleaned apartments. Pat cast her in her first Equity role, portraying Viola in "Twelfth Night" at The Alaska Repertory Theatre, directed by her close friend Roy Brocksmith.
Her breakthrough came with "You Never Can Tell" on Broadway at Circle in the Square, performing alongside Uta Hagen, Victor Garber, John and JD Cullum. She also appeared in "Opera Comique" at the Kennedy Center with Eli Wallach, Anne Jackson, Charlotte Moore, and Brian Bedford. On television, she was a series regular in ABC's "Hothouse" in New York, acting with Michael Learned, Michael Jeter, Art Malik, Katherine Borowitz, and Josef Sommer.
Her recent film credits include "Rhythm is A Dancer" with Amy Aquino and Tate Donovan, "Your Own Road," "Reality," "Loqueesha," and "Basement." TV movies include "Hacker" with Haylie Duff, "The Wrong Mother" with Vanessa Marcil, and "Bad Twin." Recent television appearances include "Notorious," "Perception," "Murder in the First," and "Hart of Dixie." Some of her favorite TV roles are Beth, Dean Stockwell's wife on "Quantum Leap"; Dr. Denara Pel with Bob Picardo on "Star Trek: Voyager"; John Larroquette's baby sister on "Night Court"; and Audrey in the "Nose Job" episode of "Seinfeld." She played a hooker on "Wings" with Tony Shalhoub, Steven Weber, and Tim Daly; Margaret, Tyne Daly's daughter on "Christy"; a nun on "Murphy Brown"; and a killer on "Touched by an Angel" and "CSI: Grissom vs. the Volcano." She also portrayed a mother of a killer on "CSI" with Ted Danson, a doctor on "NCIS," and a hypnotist/therapist with Hank Azaria on "Herman's Head." On soaps, she played the lovelorn Emmy Borden on "Days of Our Lives" and the crafty, phony preacher/con artist Angela Holliday alongside Chris Cousins and John Loprieno on "One Life to Live."
Susan is a member of the Road Theatre Company in NOHO, where she acts, writes, and directs. She is also a writer, director, filmmaker, and producer at her company, ZenGleam Filmz.
Passionate about senior citizens and brain health and wellness, she teaches Zen Move & Groove for Seniors privately via Zoom. She is also very proud of her talented daughter, filmmaker and actress Juliet Cassidy.
