JESSICA LYNN WALLACE

Jessica was born in Australia and traveled back and forth to America for six years before settling in California. She graduated from high school in Los Angeles after spending years doing what she loved doing the most: performing.

Jessica went on to graduate from The Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts in England with a degree in acting. While she was at LIPA Jessica co-created a theatre company with Beth Stevens called Out The Attic. Out The Attic focuses on women’s stories and people unrepresented throughout history

SAM ROBARDS

Sam Robards was born on December 16, 1961, in New York City, New York, USA. He is an actor and producer, known for American Beauty (1999), A.I. Artificial Intelligence (2001), and Casualties of War (1989). He has been married to Sidsel Jensen since November 8, 1997. They have two children. He was previously married to Suzy Amis.

ANDREW MCCARTHY

Andrew McCarthy has directed some of today’s most popular television shows, including Orange Is the New Black, The Blacklist, and the second season of Awkwafina is Nora from Queens. He gained fame as an actor in the 1980’s appearing in such iconic films such as Pretty in Pink, St. Elmo’s Fire, and Less Than Zero, as well as cult favorites Weekend At Bernie’s and Mannequin. He has starred on Broadway and made numerous television appearances, most recently in the ABC drama THE FAMILY.

He can currently be seen starring as a Series Regular on the FOX Series, THE RESIDENT. He is also one of today’s leading travel writers. Andrew was an editor-at-large at National Geographic Traveler magazine and has written for numerous other publications including The New York Times and the Wall Street Journal. His travel memoir, THE LONGEST WAY HOME, became a New York Times best seller in 2012. Algonquin recently published his fiction debut, a young adult novel, JUST FLY AWAY, which is also a New York Times best seller.

Andrew released his latest book, BRAT: AN 80’S STORY in April 2021. The book is a revealing look at coming of age in a maelstrom, reckoning with conflicted ambition, innocence, addiction, and masculinity. The paperback was released on May 10 th. He lives in New York with wife and three kids.

MARY STUART MASTERSON

Born in Los Angeles, Mary Stuart Masterson grew up in New York City. Her parents, Peter Masterson (dir.) and Carlin Glynn, (actress) are both known for their quality work in both theater and film.

Mary Stuart Masterson’s film, TV and theater career, includes roles in At Close Range, Some Kind of Wonderful, Immediate Family [National Board of Review Award] Fried Green Tomatoes, Benny and Joon, and the Broadway musical, Nine [Tony Award nomination]. Mary Stuart directed, The Cake Eaters, starring Kristen Stewart, which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival in 2007 and was released in 2009. It was awarded audience and jury prizes at numerous film festivals. She also produced, Tickling Leo, released in 2009.

After a hiatus to “produce” her family (4 small children), Mary Stuart launched Stockade Works a net zero co-working production and tech facility in Kingston, New York, attracting TV production, connecting local talent, and training diverse underemployed Hudson Valley residents in motion picture and new media production.

With her husband, Jeremy Davidson, she is co-founder of Storyhorse Documentary Theater: a collection of multi-media theater pieces based on transcribed interviews focusing on topical issues in the Hudson Valley.

DIANE LADD

Diane Ladd, actress/writer/director/author, is a winner of over 57 international awards including The British Academy Award, Golden Globe Award®, Independent Spirit Film Award and the Cannes’ Palme d’or Award. She has been nominated for three Emmy Awards® and three Academy Awards® for the films Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore, Wild at Heart and Rambling Rose. In Rambling Rose, she and her daughter, Laura Dern, in tandem, made show business history as the first mother/daughter duo to earn nominations for the same film.

Ladd’s soon-to-be-released film is Todd Robinson’s The Last Full Measure opposite Chris Plummer, William Hurt, Alison Sudol and Sebastian Stan. She can currently be seen every Sunday night in season two of “Chesapeake Shores” as Nell O’Brien – the matriarch of the family; catapulting Hallmark Channel to the top rated and most watched network! She was recently seen in 20th Century Fox’s JOY portraying the real Joy Mangano’s grandmother, Mimi, and narrating the entire film; with Jennifer Lawrence, Robert DeNiro and Bradley Cooper, from Director David O. Russell (Silver Linings Playbook, The Fighter, etc). Other recent films: I Dream Too Much (Executive producer – Richard Linklater) premiered at Austin’s SXSW and Sophie and the Rising Sun with Margo Martindale and Julianne Nicholson. Ladd has been in over 200 films and TV shows including the “Alice” TV series for which she won the Golden Globe, Stephen King’s “Kingdom Hospital” and co-starred in the hit TV series, “Enlightened” with her daughter, Laura Dern, for HBO. She also won kudos and 3 Best Director/Writer awards for her film, Mrs. Munck, where she was the first woman to direct an ex-husband, Bruce Dern.

Diane has authored the books SPIRALING THROUGH the SCHOOL of LIFE – A Mental Physical and Spiritual Discovery, (Find Your Miracles) endorsed by Marianne Williamson, Stephen King, Whoopi Goldberg, Dr. Dean Ornish and Dr. Wayne Dwyer, among others. Winner of the 2014 Tennessee Williams Literary Award, she was honored at their festival in New Orleans for her newest book, A BAD AFTERNOON for a PIECE of CAKE; a collection of 10 short stories. Aside from seminars on acting; with a Masters in Esoteric Psychology and a certificate in Nutrition, she lectures across the nation on spiritual and health matters for the medical and lay community at large when time permits. A member of the National Board of Directors of the Screen Actors Guild, Ladd is President of the Art and Culture Taskforce, a 501(c) 3 that promotes culture and arts in schools across America. She is the proud grandmother of ten loving grandchildren.