Lusia Strus

Last updated
Lusia Strus
Born (1969-12-13) December 13, 1969 (age 53)
Occupation(s)Actress, writer
Years active1998–present

Lusia Strus (born December 13, 1969) is an American writer and stage and film actress with Neo-Futurists.

Contents

Childhood and work as a theater actress

Strus was born in Chicago, Illinois, to a Ukrainian family. She spoke Ukrainian as her first language [1] and attended Ukrainian school, at weekends, regularly. She had first decisive successes at performing arts, while a high school student, and attended Illinois State University. [2] As a theater major, she joined Greg Allen'sNeo-Futurist ensemble, in 1993, which she wrote solo and ensemble performances for. She has played for the Chicago Steppenwolf, Goodman, and Victory Gardens theaters as well as for the Curious Theatre Company, the Northlight Repertory, and others, and has also worked for Yoplait, WBEZ, and the Chicago Jazz Festival. [2]

Film and TV actress

Strus is noted for her role as Adam Sandler's assistant (Alexa) in 50 First Dates , as well as for playing eclectic characters and sometimes incorporating unusual accents in her roles. Her career has spanned theatre and stage for nearly two decades. She had a recurring role on Nickelodeon's Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide as Dr. Xavier. Strus played Janine in Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous , and plays Rachel in Jason Lew's and Gus Van Sant's Restless . She had a recurring role in Wayward Pines (2015), and played Letty's mother Estelle on Good Behavior from 2016 to 2018. [1]

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
1999 Stir of Echoes McCarthy
2001 Soul Survivors Stern Nurse
2004 50 First Dates Alexa
2005 Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous Janine
2019 Buffaloed Frances
2023 Paint Beverly

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
2005–2007 Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide Dr. Xavier
2011 Modern Family Officer Blevin
2015 Wayward Pines Marcy
2016–2017 Good Behavior Estelle
2018 New Amsterdam Jeffers
2018-2018 Claws Brenda
2019 The Blacklist Marguerite Renard
2020 Search Party Melissa Miracle

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References

  1. 1 2 Louis Coetzee, Ruchel (January 26, 2017). "Good Behavior's Estelle, Lusia Strus, Says She Was Basically Letty as a Teenager". NewYou. Retrieved December 12, 2017.
  2. 1 2 "e-poets: Lusia Strus". E-poets.network. Retrieved February 13, 2011.