“Lisa Datz is a dynamic force in the entertainment industry, seamlessly transitioning between roles as a critically acclaimed actor, director, writer, producer, and voiceover artist.” – American Film Market, Just Cinema International Magazine
“Undeniable stage appeal” – The New York Times
“Datz is winning and sympathetic.” – The Los Angeles Times
Originally from Highland Park, IL, Lisa graduated with a B.F.A. from the University of Michigan’s School of Music, Theatre and Dance. She quickly made her Broadway debut in standout roles in the Tony Award winning Original Cast of TITANIC (Madeleine Astor) and the Original Cast THE FULL MONTY (Pam Lukowski) opposite Patrick Wilson. Lisa then switched gears, bringing her powerful presence Off-Broadway in HEDWIG AND THE ANGRY INCH as ‘Yitzhak,’ opposite both John Cameron Mitchell and Michael Cerveris. Her regional theatre credits include nuanced and celebrated performances in THE TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA (Julia), THE PAVILION (Kari), CRIMES OF THE HEART (Meg), and THREE DAYS OF RAIN (Nan/Lina). Lisa earned a Jeff Award nomination for her portrayal of the title role in VIOLET.
On screen, audiences know Lisa from her tv work on CBS’s FBI: MOST WANTED as Detective Carmen Schmidt, as well as roles on ELEMENTARY, BONES, CASTLE, LAW & ORDER and films including SPONGE BOB 2 and THE PERFECT HOLIDAY. She played the pivotal role of “Olga” in the developmental reading of WANDA AND SHENENEH, directed by Jamie Foxx at Sony Pictures.
Her vocal and motion capture talents are showcased in her portrayal of ‘Jessica LeClerk’ in Rockstar’s massively successful video game RED DEAD REDEMPTION 2.
Lisa also starred in the groundbreaking For the Record series at the SXSW Film Festival and in Los Angeles, where she portrayed the iconic characters Beatrix “The Bride” Kiddo (Kill Bill) and Mia Wallace (Pulp Fiction) in FTR: TARANTINO and “Amber Waves” (Boogie Nights) and “Linda Partridge” (Magnolia) in “FTR: PAUL THOMAS ANDERSON.
Lisa’s directing and writing debut, the short film LIFE OF RILEY, won the Jury Prize for Best Short Film at the 2023 Los Angeles International Film Festival and Best International Short at the 2024 London Independent Film Festival. She also received a Best Actress nomination as “Riley” at the Idyllwild Festival of Cinema and the Austin International Film Festival.
She was recognized by the American Film Market as one of their coveted ‘Rising Female Directors to Discover‘ and was listed among the ’10 Filmmakers to Watch’ at the Los Angeles International Film Festival.
Away from the limelight, she’s an avid equestrian, hip-hop dancer, and former competitive figure skater with a passion for Spanish language and world travel. Loves olive oil, hates olives. Go figure.
For more about Lisa, please visit: www.lisadatz.com and on IMDB HERE
Film: Life of Riley (Lisa Datz, Dir.), Time Out of Mind (w. Richard Gere; dir. Oren Moverman), Sponge Bob 2: Sponge Out of Water (w. Antonio Banderas), Sheneneh and Wanda (written by Jamie Foxx: developmental), Stumptown (dir. Rebecca Goldstein), The Perfect Holiday (prod. Queen Latifah), Ghost Town (dir. David Koepp), Fractured (Ruggio Productions), Spectropia (Lincoln Center Film Festival)
Television: FBI: Most Wanted, Elementary, Bones, Castle, VH-1 Do Something Awards, Law & Order, Hope & Faith, The West Wing, As The World Turns, All My Children, Guiding Light, One Life To Live, Blues Clues.
Broadway: Pam Lukowski in The Full Monty (Original Cast), Madeleine Astor in Titanic (Original Cast); Madeleine Astor in Titanic (Lincoln Center).
Off-Broadway: Yitzak in Hedwig and the Angry Inch (Jane St Theatre), Melinda in In The Wings (Promenade Theatre), Rebecca in Weird Romance (York), Celeste/Helen u/s in Saturday Night (Second Stage)
Los Angeles Theatre: Mia/Black Mamba in For the Record: Tarantino (SXSW Fest/Rockwell Stage), Linda/Amber Waves in For the Record: Paul T. Anderson (Rockwell Stage)
Regional Theatre: M’Lynn in Steel Magnolias (Casa Manana Theatre), Nan/Lina in Three Days of Rain (Portland Center Stage), Meg in Crimes of the Heart (Theatre Aspen), Elizabeth in Ace (Old Globe), Kari in The Pavilion (Penguin Repertory), Julia in The Two Gentlemen of Verona (Center Stage), Sam/Samantha in Empire (Stamford Center), Mattie in Heartland (Madison Rep), Pam Lukowski in The Full Monty (Old Globe), Violet in Violet (JEFF Award Nom, Apple Tree Theatre)
Workshops: Kate in Ballad of Little Joe (Public Theatre), Alma in Death Takes a Holiday, Paradise Found (Directed by Hal Prince/Susan Stroman)
Training/Education: BFA The University of Michigan, Boston University Theatre Institute; On Camera w Risa Bramon Garcia, Corey Parker, Bob Krakower, John Rosenfeld, Margie Haber; Meisner w Chris Fields; Viewpoints with Alexandra Billings/Steppenwolf West; Scene Study/Shakespeare w Austin Pendleton/H.B. Studios
Lisa Datz is best known to NY audiences for her work on Broadway and Off in the original companies of TITANIC and THE FULL MONTY; HEDWIG AND THE ANGRY INCH, IN THE WINGS at the Promenade, WEIRD ROMANCE at the York Theatre Company, and Sondheim’s SATURDAY NIGHT at Second Stage. Lisa has been seen on screen in the feature films, The Perfect Holiday (produced by Queen Latifah), Ghost Town (dir. David Koepp), and Spectropia which appeared at the Lincoln Center Film Festival, as well as the featured role of sexy Russian spy “Olga” in a reading of the upcoming feature film, Wanda and Sheneneh, written by and starring Jamie Foxx. Lisa has also been seen on television in Law & Order, Hope & Faith, Law & Order: Trial By Jury, The West Wing, Guiding Light, As The World Turns, All My Children, One Life To Live, Blues Clues, as well as live announcing the VH-1 Do Something Awards in Los Angeles. She performed with rock legends Joe Jackson and Todd Rundgren in the anniversary concert of UP AGAINST IT at Joe’s Pub, wrote and produced DATZ LIFE with her older brother, musician Mike Datz at Ars Nova in NYC, as well as numerous projects with legendary composer Maury Yeston, composer of the feature film, NINE. She has performed in many regional theater plays including the roles of Meg in CRIMES OF THE HEART (dir. Michael Unger), Julia in TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA (dir. Irene Lewis), Kari in THE PAVILION (dir. Stewart Schulman), Elizabeth in Ace at the Old Globe (dir. Stafford Arima), Empire (dir. Clayton Phillips), Heartland (dir. Susan H. Schulman) and Violet for which she received a Jeff Award nomination for the title role. She currently divides her time between New York and Los Angeles working as an actress in film, television, and theatre, as well as her work as a Hip Hop/Jazz dancer in concerts and videos, voice overs and screenwriting.