I'm Melissa Jalali and I've always been interested in the little things in life. Those little moments in daily life that can knock you off your feet. A look, a gesture, a sigh that tells a whole story.
As an actress I lean into these moments. I am always drawn to challenging roles; playing women who may not have it all figured out. I am constantly inspired by the struggle of life and how people learn to cope and even transcend what life has given them.
I live for spontaneity. Which is perfect because the life of an actor is always changing and never predictable. I have played Cinderella in a theater in Kansas, done The Laramie Project Off-Off Broadway in New York, and been featured in national commercials.
I have been lucky enough to go through some of the best training in the business on both coasts. I earned my degree in Theatre from the University of Southern California. In New York I studied at the Atlantic Theater and the amazing SITI Company founded by Anne Bogart.
I actually remember the moment I fell in love with cinema. I was fifteen years old and stumbled into a screening of The Graduate. When I saw that last moment between Dustin Hoffman and Katharine Ross in the back of the bus I was blown away. I was seeing real life unfold and it is messy and complicated and beautiful. I hope to have that same impact on my audiences.
