Lizze Gordon is an actress/filmmaker, residing in Los Angeles California. With three thriller films set to be released in 2017, Gordon is most known for scripting #Captured, Coven, and Escape Room: Puzzle of Fear. You may also recognize her as she is the lead of #Captured, playing high school senior Ashley Duncan, or from Coven where she plays 20-something witch, Sophia who saves the world! With a colorful background of higher education, it’s shocking how much Gordon loves Keeping Up With The Kardashians.
What’s your current profession?
Writer, Filmmaker
Do you have a website?
No, but I really should.
You can see my work on youtube:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCljumv2x107t_K-Q4tnxQUQ
What are your top 3 achievements?
Getting my BA in Political Science, from Chico State University.
Then quitting my job as a paralegal to pursue my filmmaking passions.
Writing, directing and editing comedy short Cooties!!!, which has since been accepted to a few film festivals, and was a finalist in one.
Educational background:
I studied Political science, and communications at California State University, Chico where I earned a paralegal certificate. After graduating, I took the LSAT a few times and applied to Law Schools before I realized I hated the idea of any life outside the entertainment community. So I quit my job at my Beverly Hills paralegal gig and applied to UCLA professional program for comedic television screen writing, where I earned a certificate for program completion.
What are your favorite platforms or which charitable organizations you admire most?
Tia’s Hope (http://tiashope.org) A dear friend of mine started a charity with her family about four years ago in memory of her mother. Tia’s Hope is a charity organization that partners with children’s hospitals in order to provide the patients with happy, non hospital related memories. I love everything they do to bring memory moments to kids spending part of their childhood in a hospital.
A hospital visit however long or short is always unwelcome, especially with kids and it effects the whole family. Tia’s Hope makes those times a little easier by hosting inpatient parties and outing events like MLB games and NHL games for families at their ten partner hospitals.
What’s your dream job?
Making movies with a lot of other people’s money.
Who is your favorite role model?
My best friend, Dr. Jessica Lynn Duncan . She’s getting her doctorate right now, in criminal Psychology. She has dedicated her life to researching criminal patterns in an effort to bring down repeat offender rates.
She is currently working on a project in Alabama, processing rape kits that have been sitting on shelves since before I was born. Her research, and her presentations around Alabama have helped the state to realize the importance of a Special Victims Unit for criminal investigations.
Though it is a grave injustice that the kits have waited to be processed for close to thirty years, Jessica’s work will ensure that eventually every rape kit gets tested, every victim is heard, and every perpetrator is dealt with before they can strike again.
I wrote a character into my second film Coven, named Dr. Jessica Lynn (Terrie Ivens) and she saved the day.
Ten years from now where do you see yourself?
Right now I am building a the foundation of a production company, while I see myself as a creative I also have a business brain.
How do you maintain work and life balance?
When I’m working on a film, or writing assignment that is not a passion project, I will make sure that I also take time to write something just for myself, or work on something creatively that feeds my passion. When it comes down to my personal relationships, I have to be sure schedule non-work related hang outs.
My boyfriend is also in the industry and a passionate film maker, we have a scheduled walk every day where we don’t talk about work or our side gigs. It’s important to have non-industry time. As a woman who acts, writes, produces and directs – I am constantly changing how I present myself for each of those specific roles and getting to just be myself around my close friends and family keeps me sane.
To boil it down, I know my brain doesn’t think about life stuff, so I make sure to schedule it in because down time is important.
Fun stuff:
I enjoy hiking, reading, playing with my dog, drawing, painting and babysitting.
Favorite Book (s):
Harry Potter
Bird by Bird
Go Ask Alice
Favorite Musician (s):
Taylor Swift (With a healthy self awareness)
Bob Dylan
Favorite Movie (s):
Something Strange
Close Encounters of the 3rd Kind
The Invitation
Favorite Actor (s):
Reese Witherspoon
Favorite Sport (s):
I’m not a sports person, but I used to love going to Basketball games with my dad. And I love the food attached to football so I guess thats chill. Sports watching for me, is a lot like getting slipped GHB at a club. I black out, pass out, wake up 12 hours later and have no idea what I’m doing on a strange sofa covered in chill and nacho cheese.
Favorite Athlete (s):
I honestly could not name one athlete.
Favorite TV Show (s):
Transparent
Silicon Valley
Big Little Lies
Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Favorite Place (s):
Upper West Side of NYC during summer.
Favorite Website (s):
Google
Favorite Restaurant (s):
Sugar Fish Sushi (The one in the valley)
Do you have any pets?
I have a beautiful red fighting fish named Dawn Wiggles, and a self centered goddess of a bristol french bull dog named Jelly.