Ellen Gerstein is an American actress, comedian, writer, producer, and director. She is known for her roles in television series such as The Whole Truth, Shameless, and Seinfeld, and films such as Venom and James Dean. She is also known for directing the award-winning short film Come Away with Me.

Education Gerstein has a graduate degree in Psychology, from Antioch University.

Career Gerstein spent six years working as a social worker in Manhattan.

One of Gerstein’s first roles was in the comedy film Coast to Coast, which was released in 1980.

Gerstein appeared in an episode of Seinfeld, titled “The Stake Out,” which first aired in 1990. Her other credits in the 1990s include Friends, the HBO television film Witch Hunt, Phyllis Nagy’s Girl Bar (play) in 1994, and the musical television film Annie in 1999.

Gerstein made her directorial debut with the short film Waiting for Ronald, which was released in 2003. The film went on to win the Award of Merit at the 2015 Best Shorts Competition and the Audience Choice Best Short Film award at the Method Fest Film Festival.

Gerstein starred in the play “A Tragedy on West Utica,” which was performed at the LA LUPA Fest One-Act Festival in 2011.

Gerstein’s credits in the 2010s include Liza on Demand, Shameless, Fresh Off the Boat, and The Morning Show.

Gerstein was set to star as one of the leads in the Pulitzer Prize-winning play ‘night, Mother in 2014, but was forced to drop out for medical reasons. She remained on the project as a producer.

At the 2015 Spotlight Short Film Awards, Gerstein received the Platinum Award for her short film Come Away with Me. She produced, directed, starred in, and wrote an original song for the project. She produced, directed, starred in, and wrote an original song for the project. She won the Best Director award at the 2015 Atlanta Shortsfest, the Platinum Remi award at Worldfest Houston, and the Best Short Film award at the 2016 Imagine This Women’s International Film Festival for her work on the film. The film was also nominated for Best Drama at the 2015 LAIFF Awards. It was also one of the short films shown at the 2016 Sonoma International Film Festival.

At the 2016 Cape May Film Festival, Gerstein received the Robert Prosky Character Actor Award.

Gerstein starred in the short film Passage, which was released in 2018. For her role in the film, she won the Best Supporting Actress award in the Featurette category at the 2018 Idyllwild International Festival of Cinema.

Gerstein appeared as Mrs. Manfredi in the 2018 film Venom, based on the Marvel Comics character of the same name. She also starred in the independent film Turnover, which was released in 2019.

Personal life In her spare time, Gerstein enjoys fostering and taking care of dogs. She is a member of the Alliance of Women Directors.

Filmography Film YearTitleDirectorWriterProducerActressNotesRef.1977The Billion Dollar HoboNoNoNoYesAs Waitress1978Jokes My Folks Never Told MeNoNoNoYes1978CarlaNoNoNoYesAs Waitress; short film1980Coast to CoastNoNoNoYesNurse #11981Going Ape!NoNoNoYesAs Sister1983I’m Going to Be FamousNoNoNoYes1984Joy of SexNoNoNoYesAs Nurse #21984Body RockNoNoNoYesAs Secretary1986The Education of Allison TateNoNoNoYesAs Secretary1987My Demon LoverNoNoNoYesAs Policewoman1987EmanonNoNoNoYesAs Lynn1988Daddy’s BoysNoNoNoYesAs Madame Wang/Henrietta1996Inside OutNoNoNoYesAs Lawyer; short film1998Murder of CrowsNoNoNoYesAs Landlady2000Boys Life 3NoNoNoYesAs Lawyer2003Waiting for RonaldYesYesNoNo2004You Are So Going to Hell!NoNoNoYesAs Thelma2005Break a LegNoNoNoYesAs “Secret Scruples” Casting Director2010Treasure of the Black JaguarNoNoNoYesAs Ms. Shaneberg2011Autumn and GeorgeNoNoNoYesAs Waitress Ellen; short film2013Sylvia Rents a KidYesYesNoYesAs Sylvia: short film2014SwelterNoNoNoYesAs Harriet2015Come Away with MeYesYesYesYesAs Ann Chambers; short film2016Come Away with Me: The Documentary ShortYesYesYesYesAs self2016Interior NightNoNoNoYesAs Mavis2016Auto-CowreckedNoNoNoYesAs Rita2017The Golden AgeNoNoNoYesAs Kathryn O’ Malley2017Firm with PurposeNoNoNoYesAs Kathy; short film2017After the HutchNoNoNoYesAs Bunny Mother; short film2018The InterviewNoNoNoYesAs Margaret; short film2018PassageNoNoNoYesAs June; short film2018VenomNoNoNoYesAs Hospital Lady with Dog/Mrs. Manfredi2019TurnoverNoNoNoYesAs Cherub2019Speed of LifeNoNoNoYesAs Older Woman/Jean2019The PlantersNoNoNoYesAs Judy Fine/Lady with a Lisp; voice role2021The Dead of NightNoNoNoYesAs Nana2022God Save the QueensNoNoNoYesAs Eloise2023Proof SheetNoNoNoYesAs Waitress2024Bad GenerationNoNoNoYesAs Patty the Customer2024Aloha Means I Love YouNoNoNoYesBertie Television YearTitleRoleNotesRef.1983Likely Stories, Vol. 4Turtle Head Story LadyIn “A Lovely Way to Spend an Evening” segment1984It Came Upon a Midnight ClearNurseTV movie1985CheersMo McSweeney1986L.A. LawBailiff Woman1989DuetInstructor1990SeinfeldCarol1990I’m Dangerous TonightServerTV movie1991VidiotsBerthaTV movie1992Quantum LeapWoman1993There Was a Little BoyTinaTV movie1994Witch HuntSydney’s wifeTV movie1995California DreamsEsther1996Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of SupermanFortune Teller1999It’s Like, You Know…Woman #1/Daughter1999AnnieSophieTV movie; part of The Wonderful World of Disney2001James DeanJane DeacyTV movie2002FriendsAunt Lisa2010–2011The Whole TruthTina2011Baby Boomer BunniesBunny MotherTV movie2012SouthlandCrazy Carol2012–2013ShamelessAunt Rande2016Twin TurboNonna2016–2017Broke A$$ Rich KidKatia2017Fresh Off the BoatLillian2017Law & Order True CrimeJudge Judith Stein2018Liza on DemandSeymour’s Wife2018Hotel Du LooneMrs. Moorehouse2019The Morning ShowWoman2020Better ThingsManager2020Smartphone TheaterLorraine/Janice/WomanAlso produced segment “A Conversation with Mark Rydell”2020BonedBarbara Silvers2022SmotheredGoldie2024Nobody Wants ThisBessie2024The Lincoln LawyerJudge Mary Elizabeth Mercer2025MonsterClerk20269-1-1Dessie

References

External links https://m.imdb.com/name/nm0314910