Dylan Gelula
| Dylan Gelula | |
|---|---|
| Born |
May 7, 1994 [1] (age 22) Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 2004–present |
| Height | 5'6" |
| Family | Karen Gelula (mother) [2] |
Dylan Gelula is an American actress who is best known for her roles as Ford on Chasing Life and Xanthippe on Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt.
Early life
Gelula was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to parents Karen Gelula, an attorney, and Jonathan Gelula, who owns a private label wine business, on May 7, 1994.[2] She attended Lower Merion High School and recalls having a difficult time in high school, having been "very lonely, but very comfortable being alone," and showed up to school so infrequently that she was forced to either repeat her senior year or drop out.[2][3][4] She ended up dropping out and moving to Los Angeles by herself at the age of 17.[4][5]
Career
Gelula began her acting career at the age of 10 as an extra in the M. Night Shyamalan film Lady in the Water, which she later revealed neither she nor her parents ever viewed. Two years after, in the sixth grade, she found a manager. Before moving to Los Angeles, her agent in New York got her an audition for the role of Jean Fordham in an Arden Theatre Company production of August: Osage County, directed by Terry Nolen, which she ended up starring in.[6] She recalls remembering originally trying to turn down the part, but later realizing that she was very interested in it.[2]
After moving to Los Angeles at the age of 17, she worked as a waitress at a high-end restaurant in Santa Monica, from which she was quickly fired.[4] She also worked as a buyer at Wasteland, a resale store.[1] She has had guest roles on NCIS: Naval Criminal Investigative Service, Are We There Yet?, and Law and Order: Special Victims Unit.[5] Gelula has also played Gretchen Doyle on Jennifer Falls, Ford on Chasing Life, and Xanthippe on Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt. Gelula has claimed that she feels it is important that the shows she is on follow the Bechdel test.[7]
When Gelula initially auditioned for the role of Xanthippe on Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, she was in Los Angeles, but casting was only happening in New York City. She gave the crew of the show an audition tape, and received a call one month later that they were interested in her for the part. The crew asked her to do a table read with the cast before she was given the part, and was eventually given the part. She claims she does not know why the character of Xanthippe was given the name she was given.[8]
Gelula contributes her acting abilities to her supposed tendency to internalize emotion.
Personal life
Gelula follows a vegetarian lifestyle, which she attributes to "asking [her mother] what turkey was made out of; the answer was revelatory." [9] In 2011, she became vegan. She has said before that she admires the work of actress Laverne Cox and the show Adventure Time.[10]Gelula resides in the Silver Lake neighborhood of Los Angeles, California. She also says that although she is usually typecast as the "bad influence", she has never been much of a drinker and did not begin smoking marijuana until age 19.[4]
Filmography
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | Lady in the Water | Girl in pool | Uncredited extra |
| 2010 | Recycle Me | Fiona | Short film |
| 2011 | Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | Becca | Episode: "Totem" |
| 2011 | Are We There Yet? | Amy | Episode: "The Lindsay Gets High Episode" |
| 2013 | NCIS: Naval Criminal Investigative Service | Young Marie Markin | Episode: "Once a Crook" |
| 2014 | Jennifer Falls | Gretchen Doyle | 10 episodes |
| 2014–2015 | Chasing Life | Ford | 13 episodes |
| 2015–present | Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt | Xanthippe Lannister Voorhees | 6 episodes |
| 2016 | First Girl I Loved | Anne | |
| 2016-present | Casual | Aubrey | 7 episodes |
| 2016 | Filthy Preppy Teen$ | Parker | 8 episodes |
References
- 1 2 Shearer, Clare; Dikkers, Jan-Willem. "DYLAN GELULA". Issue Magazine. Retrieved 9 June 2016.
- 1 2 3 4 Boccella, Kathy. "Getting serious". Philly.com. Retrieved 9 June 2016.
- ↑ Maloney, Devon (11 February 2016). "Dylan Gelula, Ready For Her First Girl Love". Out Magazine. Retrieved 11 June 2016.
- 1 2 3 4 Malek, Nicole. "The Biograph Girl". Bright Ideas. Retrieved 11 June 2016.
- 1 2 Peterman, Mindy. "A Conversation with Actress Dylan Gelula". Digital Journal. Retrieved 9 June 2016.
- ↑ "2011/12 Season : August: Osage County, by Tracy Letts". Arden Theatre Company. Retrieved 14 July 2016.
- ↑ Pleasant, Maranda. "Dylan Gelula Interview with Maranda Pleasant". Origin Magazine. Retrieved 14 July 2016.
- ↑ Goodman, Jessica (13 March 2015). "Dylan Gelula Explains How 'Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt' Celebrates Women Like No Other Show". The Huffington Post. Retrieved 14 July 2016.
- ↑ Spitalnick, Amy. "Veg Celeb: Dylan Gelula". Vegetarian Times. Retrieved 11 June 2016.
- ↑ Rose, Becca. "Dylan Gelula Chases Life with New ABC Series". Dudley Media Group. Retrieved 14 July 2016.