Today we’d like to introduce you to Nellie Sciutto
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
Nellie Sciutto began her acting career as a petite model in New York City (Elite Model Management) and Asia and garnered her first acting jobs on soap operas such as Another World, One Life to Live and All My Children. After completing her degree at Yale University, she began her acting studies at The Actors’ Studio and Ensemble Studio Theatre in New York City before relocating to Los Angeles.
Nellie started with standup comedy, then a one person show entitled “Denying Park Avenue” which she sold to HBO. She went on to appear and star in sitcoms like Murphy Brown, Suddenly Susan,Damon, Just Shoot Me, Ink, dramas like JAG, Eyes and Law and Order and in feature films: The Aviator (with Leonardo DiCaprio), The Departed (with Leonardo DiCaprio, Alec Baldwin and Martin Sheen), Shutter Island, (with Leonardo DiCaprio, Mark Ruffalo, Ben Kingsley and Jackie Earle Haley) and Haunted Echos (with Sean Young) Mindcage (with John Malkovich and Martin Lawrence), amongst others. She co-directed (with James Biberi) and starred in the feature Fixing Rhonda. She currently has two films in the can that will be available soon: “A Gunfighter’s Deal” and “3,” as well as a recurring role in the TV show, “Vindication.”
Throughout her career, she has been a writer and wrote her first book, “50 Moments: Faking It, Making it and Taking It in Hollywood as a Working Actor,” which chronicles her 30 year career. You can listen to Nellie on her podcast that accompanies her book where she interviews celebrities about their personal Hollywood experiences. It is available on Amazon.
Nellie came to Texas kicking and screaming and grew to love it pretty darn quickly. She started and starred in the local podcast, “The Bubble Lounge,” for the past 7 years and also can be seen all over town covering events and restaurants for her Dallas Fresh segment on CBS11.
As a producer, she has worked on TV shows and films, and has a docuseries airing on AMC and the Sundance Channel this September titled, “The Tailor of Sin City.” She also appears in this docuseries.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Moving to Dallas was not in my plans. I was raised in Manhattan, went to college in New England and promptly moved to Los Angeles to pursue my lifelong dream. When my husband announced we were moving here, I was not thrilled as I had no connections of any kind to Texas. Highland Park/University Park are not easy places to break into as everyone seems to have been raised there and come back home, but that soon changed when I met my kindergarten moms. Since we have only one child, it was really important for us to have our son fit in. Those kindergarten moms are still my friends today, and we all have sophomores in college. Most importantly, those sophomores are still friends today. The community I found in Dallas has really been almost a repeat of my upbringing in Manhattan where I was raised on the Upper East Side – which I affectionately call the suburbs of Manhattan. All the amenities of the big city with a real community feel.
Another struggle for me was that I am in the entertainment industry. Initially, it was hard to leave L.A., but I have found work in Texas and the surrounding states and all of my friends in L.A. are jealous. I never knew that I would find that here!
Our son, who is a film student at Emerson College in Boston, struggled with a pretty severe learning difference. The resources we found to support him in the Highland Park School District and then at The Shelton School made all the difference for his…differences. He is thriving in college and we are grateful to these local schools.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I am a hyphenate. Actor-TV personality-Host-Podcaster-Writer-Producer. And I am busy doing all of them all at the same time. Creativity is my soul. While my acting resume is pretty extensive, I am most proud of my writing. I’d like to do more of it, so if you’re reading this, keep that in mind. 🙂
What sets me apart from others is my enthusiasm and my dedication. I am not afraid of hard work. In fact, I truly enjoy it.
Do you have any advice for those looking to network or find a mentor?
My mentor for years has been Martin Scorsese. To have someone in the industry who looks out for you is imperative. Likewise, it is imperative to give back. I mentor many young people looking to go into the entertainment industry. As a mentee, being available is important. As a mentor, making yourself available is important. No matter what one does in life, one needs to make sure others know and see your commitment.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.nelliesblog.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nelliesciutto/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nellie.sciutto
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=nellie+sciutto
Image Credits
Jordan Fraker
