Elisabeth Ness

Elisabeth Ness is an award-winning filmmaker/performer, dedicated to socially-conscious storytelling with impact. The Yale alumna co-founded Good Porpoise Productions, which has created 65+ narrative shorts, digital series, and nonprofit mini-documentaries. She is the 2025 winner of Take the Lead's "The Maximizer" Award, and was honored with selection into their "50 Women Can Change the World in Media & Entertainment" 2018 fellowship. Her work has been deemed "especially funny" (New York Times), "razor-sharp" (Washington Post), and "hilarious" (Times Herald-Record).

Elisabeth's onscreen appearances include Sara on Bull (CBS), Stella on The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (Amazon), FBI (CBS), and Daredevil (Marvel). She recently recurred on Lady in the Lake (AppleTV+) in scenes with Natalie Portman. To play Rose in Netflix's Like Father, she shot a scene opposite Kelsey Grammer. Independent film work includes Emma and the Squares ('Best Lead Actress' win, Manhattan Rep's Stories FF), Trigger ('Best Actress' nom, SSIFFF), Going Public (Soho International FF), and En Route ('Best Lead Actress' nom, Blackbird Film Fest).

Good Porpoise's award-winning short fiction films -- both dramatic and comedic -- have received recognition in film festivals all over the country; and she produces, directs, and edits multiple mini-documentaries about non-profit organizations each year. She also created the critically-acclaimed digital comedy series Redheads Anonymous, which garnered over 13 awards and 26 nominations across 28 festivals worldwide -- including her nomination for the 'Raindance Discovery Award' (London) and win for 'Best Actress in a Sitcom' (Rome Web Awards) -- as well as features in USA Today, The Huffington Post, and Tubefilter.

Her directing credits include O, brave new world (April 'Audience Award' winner at TMFF; 'Powerful Voice Award' nomination at the Blackbird Film Festival), Emma and the Squares (Winner for 'Best of the Festival', 'Best Ensemble', 'Best Actress', and 'Best Short Film', Manhattan Rep's Stories Film Festival), And That's the Truth! with Great-Grandma Ruth (Winner for 'Outstanding Unscripted/Reality Series', NJ Web Fest), and Melody's Story (Winner for 'Best Inspirational Short', Imagine Rain Independent Film Awards). Producing credits also include Coming Down to the Wire ('Best Funny Music Video' nomination, Women's Comedy Film Fest in Atlanta), Trigger (an 'Audience Choice Award' winner at Blackbird Film Festival), and En Route (Film Shortage's 'Daily Pick').

Elisabeth has appeared onstage at Ars Nova, Signature, Olney, Atlantic Theater, Lincoln Center, Inwood Shakespeare, and the Williamstown Theatre Festival; and in voice-over from video games, to commercials, to corporate instructional videos. Her voice can also be heard singing on numerous albums, including the award-nominated Broadway Records Original Studio Cast Album of Like You Like It.

When not performing, producing, or causing redheaded mischief, Elisabeth runs a monthly gathering for women entrepreneurs in the entertainment industry. She also writes song parodies, and conducts a choir that sings them on New Year's Eve.