Lusia Strus

1.1. Childhood and Education

Lusia Rozalia Strus (Люсія Розалія Струс_{Liusiia Rozaliia Strus}^Ukrainian) was born on December 13, 1969, in Chicago, Illinois, to a Ukrainian family. Her early life was deeply connected to her heritage; she spoke Ukrainian as her first language and regularly attended Ukrainian school on weekends, fostering a strong cultural foundation. Strus demonstrated early talent in performing arts, achieving decisive successes while still a high school student. She pursued her passion by attending Illinois State University, where she majored in theater. In 1993, as a theater major, she joined Greg Allen's Neo-Futurists ensemble, an experimental theater troupe.

1.2. Early Theater Career

Strus's involvement with the Neo-Futurists was foundational to her career, as she wrote both solo and ensemble performances for the group. Her theatrical work extended to numerous prominent Chicago theaters, including the Steppenwolf Theatre Company, the Goodman Theatre, and the Victory Gardens Theater. Beyond Chicago, she also performed with the Curious Theatre Company and the Northlight Repertory, among others. In addition to her acting and writing for the stage, Strus also engaged in commercial work, including projects for Yoplait, WBEZ, and the Chicago Jazz Festival.

2.1. Film Roles

In film, Lusia Strus is widely recognized for her portrayal of Alexa, Adam Sandler's assistant, in the 2004 romantic comedy 50 First Dates. She also appeared as Janine in the 2005 action-comedy sequel Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous. In 2011, she took on the role of Rachel in Jason Lew's and Gus Van Sant's drama Restless. Her filmography further includes roles such as McCarthy in Stir of Echoes (1999), Stern Nurse in Soul Survivors (2001), Mitzi in Kelly & Cal (2014), Beatrice in The Mend (2014), Frances in Buffaloed (2019), and Beverly in Paint (2023). She also lent her voice to the character Oksana in the 2020 animated film Soul, though uncredited. Strus is particularly noted for her ability to play eclectic characters and for sometimes incorporating unusual accents into her roles, showcasing her wide acting range.

2.2. Television Roles

On television, Strus held a recurring role as Dr. Xavier on Nickelodeon's Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide from 2005 to 2007, appearing in 11 episodes across seasons two and three. From 2016 to 2017, she was a main cast member on the series Good Behavior, portraying Estelle, the mother of the protagonist Letty, for 20 episodes. In 2015, she had a recurring voice role as Marcy in three episodes of Wayward Pines. Her extensive television appearances also include guest roles such as Slinky Woman in Cupid (1998), Patty Davlin in Early Edition (2000), Officer Blevin in Modern Family (2011), Angela Jackson in Blue Bloods (2011), Jeffers in New Amsterdam (2018), and Marguerite Renard in The Blacklist (2019). She also had recurring roles as Gloria in Jack in a Box (2010-2012) and Brenda in Claws (2018-2019). More recently, she appeared as Melissa Miracle in Search Party (2020) and Sheila in The Other Two (2023).

3.1. Film

3.2. Television