We’re looking forward to introducing you to Elizabeth von Isser. Check out our conversation below.
Elizabeth, it’s always a pleasure to learn from you and your journey. Let’s start with a bit of a warmup: What do the first 90 minutes of your day look like?
I seem to have become a bit of a bird lady recently. I keep adding hummingbird feeders in our front courtyard, which currently supply nectar not only to our resident hummingbirds, but also the bats that are migrating through our area (oh, and the bees too). I have to fill them every morning! I spend the first 90 minutes of my day exercising, retrieving feeders, washing them, filling them, replacing them, cooking up more nectar, etc. Then I take my breakfast out to the courtyard and enjoy watching the birds and using my free app from Cornell University (Merlin Bird ID, in case anyone else wants to download it) identifying all the different birds that come to visit. One morning, within a 30-minute period of time, the app identified 13 different birds in my yard using the sound recording function it has. By 7:30 or 8 I’m ready to get to work!
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Well, I guess you could say that I’m:
– A wife and mom (which will always be at the top of my list).
– An introvert who forces herself to be an uncomfortable extrovert in social situations.
– Equally left and right brained.
– A person who’s had a number of different careers over my lifetime including as an engineer in the defense industry.
– A fine artist that had a painting travel the country in a national museum tour.
– A self-taught copper and silversmith jewel.
– An actor.
– A screenwriter.
– A producer.
Since I have a number of film projects in various stages of development, I recently created an umbrella LLC called New Trick Productions. (NewTrickProductions.com).
“Kate Hugo: Murder After Mayhem” is a feature film that I wrote, portray the lead character and executive produce. (KateHugo.com) It is at the tail end of post-production, and we look forward to a Tucson premiere sometime in early 2026. My director/producing partner and I will travel to the American Film Market this November to pitch and hopefully acquire a distribution deal.
“Angelman Rising” is a spec screenplay that I have adapted from the novel of the same title. It is about a severely disabled teenage boy who is able to save the world from an alien invasion, not in spite of his disabilities, but because of them. It offers a fresh and deeply human perspective on the superhero genre. It is both a story of resilience and a reimagining of what true heroism can look like.
“Bella” is a 40-minute supernatural thriller I wrote and act in that is in post-production. It is about a novelist who, due to writer’s block, takes her first solo writer’s retreat in a remote rented cabin. She struggles between the desire to finish her novel and the danger that lurks outside and in.
Great, so let’s dive into your journey a bit more. What relationship most shaped how you see yourself?
I am currently in the 37th year of my second marriage. While my first marriage was relatively brief, it only served to confirm what I believed about myself at the time; that I was unworthy of respect, love and affection. Thank God I had friends who encouraged me to put an end to that relationship. My world changed completely when I met my husband, Tony. He and his family saw me as someone who was capable, intelligent, kind and most definitely lovable. I thank God every day for ushering me into the life I live now. Tony retired after 32 years in the defense industry and is now able to enjoy his lifelong hobby of creating found object metal sculptures. He is my biggest cheerleader and best friend. We have raised two incredible adult sons, and we enjoy watching them both make a positive impact in the world.
What fear has held you back the most in your life?
I am definitely an introvert, and I am socially awkward, which I’m afraid is often misinterpreted as being aloof, or disinterested. I get tongue-tied and sometimes have difficulty expressing my thoughts, which only compounds my anxiety. Most people who know me casually would never suspect, because I’m usually able to put on my extrovert mask when needed, but boy does it drain me. I’m much more comfortable on a stage or in front of a camera where I portray a character other than myself and my lines are written for me. For whatever reason, this fear of social situations only seems to be getting worse, not better as I get older. I’m very fortunate that even though my husband is an introvert too, he encourages me (and usually accompanies me) to attend parties, mixers and premieres.
So a lot of these questions go deep, but if you are open to it, we’ve got a few more questions that we’d love to get your take on. What are the biggest lies your industry tells itself?
Sexism and Ageism are two of the biggest obstacles a female performer has to overcome. To a certain extent I think we all have bought into the lie that a male performer can still be a vital, interesting and even sexy asset to a film, television show or play, But, once you hit 40, opportunities for women start to dry up, and after 50?…that’s why I’ve started writing my own content.
The unrealistic paradigms of beauty and weight of women in general are unfair to everyone. Whether it’s Ozempic, plastic surgery, or bizarre diets, women can die trying to achieve what “Hollywood” or “influencers” say is beautiful. I highly respect women like Jamie Lee Curtis, Helen Mirren, Brooke Shields, Kathy Bates and Pamela Anderson for being willing to show that growing older is a gift, and every wrinkle and gray hair is hard earned.
The industry is slowly catching on, but it’s a very slow process.
Okay, we’ve made it essentially to the end. One last question before you go. What false labels are you still carrying?
I constantly battle imposter syndrome. Since my degree was in engineering, every creative field I’ve entered has felt in many ways like I don’t belong, like I’m faking it. In the back of my mind, I always fear that at some point, someone will call me out as a fraud. It hasn’t stopped me, but it certainly makes things more difficult. It also makes it hard to enjoy my successes.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://elizabethvonisser.com https://newtrickproductions.com https://creativereflectionsart.com
- Instagram: @actress.elizabeth.vonisser @katehugomam @izabitjewelry @creativereflectionsart
- Linkedin: @elizabethvonisser
- Facebook: @elizabethvonisseractress @katehugomam @izabitjewelry @creativereflectionsart
- Youtube: @elizabethvonisseractress @katehugomam @izabitjewelry1294
- Soundcloud: @elizabeth-von-isser
- Other: https://IMDb.me/elizabethvonisser
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