Biography
Ellen Gerstein is an accomplished actress, writer, producer, and director.
With many years of acting experience, Ellen received the Robert Prosky Character Actor Award. She recently appeared in the feature film Venom and will soon be seen in the upcoming Dead of Night. Her credits include Treasure of The Black Jaguar and Swelter, as well as television appearances in Law & Order True Crime: The Menendez Brothers, Fresh Off the Boat, and recurring roles on Shameless, Southland, Friends, and Seinfeld, among others. She has won best actress awards for the short films Passage and Firm with Purpose on the festival circuit and starred in the feature The Golden Age. Ellen has worked on numerous films alongside notable talents such as Danny DeVito, Lainie Kazan, Robert DeNiro, Kathy Bates, Cuba Gooding Jr., Jason Bateman, Ted Danson, Martin Scorsese, Paul Schrader, Rob Marshall, and Mimi Leder.
Ellen directed and starred in the internationally acclaimed short film Come Away with Me, which garnered over 30 festival awards worldwide. She also wrote and produced the original song "Come Away with Me Tonight" for the film. Additionally, she wrote, produced, and directed the award-winning short film Waiting for Ronald, about a 34-year-old man with mental challenges leaving an institution to start a new life. The film featured actors with disabilities alongside non-disabled actors and achieved significant success. It is currently in development as a TV series titled Just South of Normal. Ellen also created and stars in the popular comedic web series Sylvia's Just Sayin'.
In Los Angeles theater, Ellen has acted, produced, and directed numerous productions. She co-wrote and co-produced the interactive play Club Disco at the Lillian Theater, creating the character Angie. Her award-winning one-woman show, My Psychotherapy Comeback Tour, was a semi-finalist in the Samuel French Short Play Festival and performed in both LA and New York. She originated roles such as Ruthie in Potroast at the Actors Gang; Shirley in Sit and Shiver by Steven Berkoff at the Odyssey; and Rosalie in Angel Share at the Tiffany Theater alongside Paula Prentiss. Ellen also co-wrote, co-produced, and originated Angie in the long-running interactive play Club Disco.
Ellen is a member of Women in Film and The Alliance of Women Directors, as well as a lifetime member and audition committee member of the Actors Studio, where she also serves as an audition judge. She holds a graduate degree in psychology, allowing her to understand herself deeply without the need for therapy.
