Biography
Denise has been an actress in Television & Feature Films for over 20 years! She can most recently be seen in the Tom Hiddleston movie "I Saw the Light", the Mel Gibson starring Feature Film "Get The Gringo" and the Morris Chestnut movie "When the Bough Breaks". In addition to her acting career, Denise founded Shriekfest film festival in 2001!
Born in Fort Bragg, North Carolina, Denise Gossett came to Los Angeles after moving from Harrisburg, Illinois, to Wassau, Wisconsin, and living for a time in Orlando, Florida, with her parents and younger brother. Although Denise has always expressed an interest in acting, it wasn't until her senior year in high school that her interest truly piqued. After performing in the "Female Odd Couple", she auditioned for a scholarship towards schooling at SCC, which she was awarded. Denise immersed herself in theater, working behind the scenes as well as onstage. After receiving her Associate's Degree, Denise transferred to Rollins College in Winter Park, Florida, also having received a scholarship towards her studies.
Such dedication to the theater not only led to the furthering of Denise's education, but to other opportunities that would build upon her interest in acting. In 1991, she played the role of Lena Luthor during the fourth season of "The Adventures of Superboy". Upon moving to Los Angeles, a year after receiving her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Theater, she immersed herself with Improv (taking classes at the famed Groundlings), acting classes and auditions, which led to working on commercials for Wal-Mart, Boeing, United Health Care, Secret Deodorant and Quicken Loans. Denise soon found herself working on Television in a variety of roles, appearing on such shows as "The Office", "The New Adventures of Old Christine", "Samantha Who?", "Veronica Mars", "The Right Stuff", and "Drake & Josh." Denise also has recurring and series regular roles on television series such as Nickelodeon's "Zoey 101" as Tipper Rivers, "HBO/Deadwood Mysteries", "The Great Imposter" (TV Pilot), "Fashion House" as well as the "M.O.W.'s: The Last Ride" (starring with Dennis Hopper) and "The Life of Tonya Harding."
After starring in the Horror Feature Film "Chain of Souls", Denise founded the Shriekfest Film Festival in Los Angeles. With over two decades of success, the festival has given Denise the opportunity to help numerous filmmakers and screenwriters who work with an ethic of hard work and dedication, one that she has held to the whole of her career. The success of Shriekfest has led to such accolades as it being called: "LA's Most Successful & Entertaining Horror Film Festival" by LA Weekly, 2021 MovieMaker Magazine top 50 best genres festivals!, 2021 Dread Central Voted 1 of the Best Horror Festivals in the World! LA WEEKLY Declared "LA's Most Successful & Entertaining Horror Film Festival" 2017 Denise Gossett was voted Most Influential Horror Film Festival Director Voted 2016's Most Influential Women In Genre! 2010 Movie Maker Magazine top 25 Film Festivals worth the entry fee, 2011 Movie Maker Magazine top 13 film festivals to die for and Denise was "Voted Number 5 out of 13 Most Influential Women In Horror History." & SyFy Wire "Voted 2016's Most Influential Woman in Genre". She has been interviewed, and is featured, in the books "Hot and Horrifying: The First Ladies of Horror", The Filmmaker's Book of the Dead", and "Horror Film Festivals and Awards", and has been hosting Shriekfest Radio for over 7 years! Additional films in the Horror genre Denise has acted in include: The Sci-Fi Film "Decaying Orbit", "La Llorona", "Carnies", "M" and "Fright Club."
