Dylan Gelula

Last updated

Dylan Gelula
Born
Dylan Nicole Gelula

(1994-05-07) May 7, 1994 (age 30)
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
OccupationActress
Years active2006–present

Dylan Nicole Gelula (born May 7, 1994) [1] is an American actress who is best known for her role of Xanthippe on Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt , as well as her work in independent film. Gelula made her film debut as the lead actress in romantic drama film First Girl I Loved (2016) and has since acted in the films Flower (2017), Support the Girls (2018), Her Smell (2018), Shithouse (2020), and Dream Scenario (2023), and Smile 2 (2024).

Contents

Early life

Gelula was born on May 7, 1994, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. [2] Her father is an Ashkenazi Jew, and she was raised in Reform Judaism. [3] 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] [4] [5] She ended up dropping out and moving to Los Angeles by herself at the age of seventeen. [5] [6]

Career

Gelula began her acting career at the age of ten 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 later, 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. [7] 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. [5] 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 . [6] Gelula has also played Gretchen Doyle on Jennifer Falls , Ford on Chasing Life , and Xanthippe on Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt .

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 she eventually received the role. She claims she does not know why the character of Xanthippe was given the name she was given. [8]

In 2016, Gelula made her film debut as the lead actress with romantic drama film First Girl I Loved, directed by Kerem Sanga. The film premiered at the 2016 Sundance Film Festival and won the audience award for Best Of NEXT. Gelula's performance in the film as Anne received rave reviews from various critics. [9] That same year she had recurring roles in shows such as the teen sitcom Filthy Preppy Teens and Hulu's comedy-drama Casual . She continued to appear in numerous independent films including Flower (2017), Support the Girls (2018), and Her Smell (2018).

In 2020, Dylan created a podcast with Broti Gupta called Lecture Hall, with guests including Ayo Edebiri and Rachel Sennott. She acted in Cooper Raiff's directorial film debut Shithouse (2020) where she played the romantic lead opposite Raiff. The film won the Grand Jury Prize for Best Narrative Feature at the SXSW Festival. In 2023 she had a supporting role as Molly, a talent agent's assistant, in Kristoffer Borgli's psychological dark comedy Dream Scenario starring Nicolas Cage.

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
2006 Lady in the Water Girl in poolUncredited extra
2010Recycle MeFiona Short film
2013Lucy, 4:57 PMLucyShort film
2016 First Girl I Loved Anne
2017 Flower Kala
BearGirlBearGirlShort film
2018 Support the Girls Jennelle
Under the Eiffel Tower Rosalind
Her Smell Dottie O.Z.
2020 Horse Girl Jane Doe
Shithouse Maggie
2022 I Want You Back Lisa
2023 Dream Scenario Molly
Helen's Dead Addie
2024 Smile 2 Gemma

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
2011 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit BeccaEpisode: "Totem"
Are We There Yet? AmyEpisode: "The Lindsay Gets High Episode"
2013 NCIS Young Marie MarkinEpisode: "Once a Crook"
2014 Jennifer Falls Gretchen DoyleMain cast
2014–2015 Chasing Life FordRecurring role
2015–2020 Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt Xanthippe Lannister VoorheesRecurring role
2016 Filthy Preppy Teens ParkerMain cast
Casual AubreyRecurring role
2019–2020 Shameless MeganRecurring role (season 10)
2020 A Teacher Hook-Up GirlEpisode: "Episode 7"
2022 Loot Hailey3 episodes
2024 Hacks Mirya3 episodes
2024 Krapopolis Sophie (voice)Episode: "Ty's Man Woman Table Chairs Food"

Music videos

YearTitleArtistRef.
2019"Can't Wait"The Akergirls [10]

Awards and nominations

YearAssociationCategoryProjectResultRef.
2016 Sarasota Film Festival Independent Visions Award First Girl I Loved Won
2016Santo Domingo OutfestJury Prize for Outstanding PerformanceWon

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References

  1. 1 2 Shearer, Clare; Dikkers, Jan-Willem. "DYLAN GELULA". Issue Magazine. Retrieved June 9, 2016.
  2. 1 2 3 Boccella, Kathy. "Getting serious". Philly.com. Archived from the original on April 3, 2015. Retrieved June 9, 2016.
  3. ↑ "Twitter". mobile.twitter.com. Retrieved October 28, 2018.
  4. ↑ Maloney, Devon (February 11, 2016). "Dylan Gelula, Ready For Her First Girl Love". Out Magazine. Retrieved June 11, 2016.
  5. 1 2 3 Malek, Nicole. "The Biograph Girl". Bright Ideas. Archived from the original on July 22, 2016. Retrieved June 11, 2016.
  6. 1 2 Peterman, Mindy (June 24, 2014). "A Conversation with Actress Dylan Gelula". Digital Journal. Retrieved June 9, 2016.
  7. ↑ "2011/12 Season : August: Osage County, by Tracy Letts". Arden Theatre Company. Retrieved July 14, 2016.
  8. ↑ Goodman, Jessica (March 13, 2015). "Dylan Gelula Explains How 'Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt' Celebrates Women Like No Other Show". The Huffington Post. Retrieved July 14, 2016.
  9. ↑ Ehrlich, David (October 18, 2016). "Review: 'First Girl I Loved' Is A Woozy And Wonderful Queer Teen Romance". IndieWire. Retrieved March 14, 2017.
  10. ↑ "Can't Wait – The Akergirls" – via YouTube.
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