User:Yosemiteval/Vanessa Parise

Burgeoning auteur Vanessa Parise has just completed her second film, Jack and Jill vs the World, a love story for cynics. Parise directed, produced, co-wrote, and acted in the film, which enjoyed a successful limited theatrical release and premiered on television this summer. Along with Parise, the film stars Freddie Prinze, Jr., Taryn Manning, Robert Forster, and Kelly Rowen. The film cements Parise’s personal and professional success as a multi-talented star. Parise grew up the third of five children in Watch Hill, Rhode Island, where she was her class Valedictorian. She graduated from Harvard magna cum laude in Biology but turned down Harvard Medical School in order to pursue her acting career. Fueled by her studies at the Circle in the Square's professional theatre program in New York City, Parise dove into the Off-Broadway theatre scene. She was highly praised in the New York Times for her performance as Sarah in Seascape. She soon moved to Los Angeles, where she landed roles in several television pilots and independent films.

Shortly thereafter, Parise wrote, directed, produced and starred in the short film Lo and Jo, which played major prestigious film festivals and garnered numerous awards. She went on to make the much-touted and profitable film, Kiss the Bride, starring Alyssa Milano, Sean Patrick Flannery, Talia Shire, and Parise, and which sold to MGM. The film won Best Feature Film at the Hamptons, Best Feature Film at Sarasota, Best Actress for Vanessa at Cinequest, Best Actress for Talia Shire and Best Score for Jeremy Parise at Monte Carlo, the Audience Award for Best Film at Rhode Island, Best Actress for Francis Bay at Torino, and the list goes on. Vanessa is likewise stepping into the television world, where she is creating and developing several shows. Vanessa most recently appeared in the Disney sit-com I'm in the Band. She also sold her spec screenplay entitled BFF to Wind Dancer.