Jeremy Webb: Making His Mark

The intensity Jeremy Webb brings to what he directs is clear, each show captivating, from Merlin to Turn to Dr. Who to Mercy Street and more. All different, yet in turn the same, as each show deserves the attention it requires. How might one differentiate the episodes others direct from Webb's? He is often asked to direct more than one episode, sometimes even several seasons as was the case with Merlin in particular.

The new PBS drama Mercy Street, set in Alexandria during the Civil War, does an incredible job of asking its viewers to take sides not in terms of the Union versus the Confederacy, but rather in the types of people portrayed in the characters. It became quite clear to me during The Dead Room episode that I had an intense reaction to the main characters in Mercy Street, whether good or bad. Some are simply vile and distasteful, while others you want to root for and hope they achieve their goals despite all the obstacles.

It was during that moment when I realized I either loved or hated each and every character that I knew Mercy Street would certainly get a second season, and it did. Director Jeremy Webb caught my attention with the last three episodes of Mercy Street, and upon discovering what else Jeremy Webb has directed, I realized I was a true fan of not only such TV shows, but also of Jeremy Webb.

One-Woman Show Rehearsal

This is a rehearsal I did on Skype with director Stephen Mitchell as we are preparing my one-woman show that is destined for streaming video and DVD sales on Amazon. We are in different parts of the globe, and Skype makes this doable.

An Interview with Eliza Kelley

Q: How did you get started as an actress?

Eliza: When I was 5 years old, our neighbor down the road was filming a political commercial. I then attended a performing arts high school in Atlanta: Cobb County Center for Excellence in the Performing Arts at Pebblebrook High School where I studied with professionals in theatre, vocal and dance, and even though I didn't get to marry Michael J. Fox (long story), I did get to become an actress.

Q: What kind of roles are you best at playing?

Eliza: I'm best at portraying strong, passionate women with powerful, consuming desires.

Q: Is there a director whose work you admire and with whom you would like to work?

Eliza: Peter Weir has amazing work. Dead Poets Society still resonates in my mind as one of the most heartfelt and heart wrenching stories I watched when I was younger. When I was a teacher, I wanted to be able to stand on a desk and cry out O Captain my Captain, and I often would have my drama students yell out in a YAWP. That film brought so much talent to the screen and left such a mark on me. I love that Weir can bring such simplicity into films and yet they leave marks long into the future.

Q: Do you have a wish list of directors?

Eliza: Of course! I would love to work with the Coen Brothers, Steven Spielberg, Theodore Melfi, Richard Eyre, M. Night Shyamalan, Christopher Nolan, Kevin Smith, and Debra Granik to name a few.

Q: What is your background?

Eliza: As much as I loved acting, I also loved German (and foreign languages in general), so I had the unique opportunity to study German theatre and scripts. I was influenced greatly by Bertolt Brecht and G.E. Lessing. My Masters of German Literature thesis addresses the father-daughter relationships in three of Lessing's works.

For further information, contact: 

actresseliza@gmail.com

cell phone: 678-525-0651