1. Overview
Paulina Singer (born September 5, 1991), also known by her stage name Zuzusilk, is an American actress, singer, music producer, writer, and dancer. She is widely recognized for her varied roles across film and television. Her prominent television appearances include Ziza in the second season of Power Book III: Raising Kanan, Jessie Tyler in the Freeform teen drama series Dead of Summer, and Grace Bledsoe in the We TV horror drama series South of Hell. In film, she has appeared as Pink in The Wilde Wedding, which featured a cast including Glenn Close and John Malkovich, and as an ATF Receptionist in The Intern alongside Robert De Niro. Singer has also taken on various guest roles in well-known television series such as Person of Interest, The Affair, Gotham, and Blue Bloods.
2. Early Life and Background
Paulina Singer's early life and educational pursuits laid the groundwork for her diverse career in the entertainment industry.
2.1. Birth and Family
Singer was born on September 5, 1991, in Exeter, New Hampshire, United States. Her family background is ethnically diverse; her father is African American, and her mother is of Ukrainian descent.
2.2. Education and Early Training
Singer attended Eugene Lang College The New School for Liberal Arts in New York City, where she studied for one year before deciding to leave to fully dedicate herself to her acting aspirations. At the age of 19, she further honed her craft by joining the Upright Citizens Brigade, a renowned improvisational theatre troupe, where she received training in improvisational theatre techniques.
3. Career
Paulina Singer's professional journey spans various facets of the entertainment industry, including acting, singing, music production, writing, and dancing. Her career began with early engagements in music and television, quickly progressing to significant roles in both film and television.
3.1. Early Activities
In 2014, Singer made an early mark in the music industry by appearing in the music video for "Gypsy" by musician Russ. This was one of her first professional engagements, setting the stage for her diverse career.
3.2. Major Roles and Projects
Singer's career gained significant momentum with several prominent roles. In 2015, she secured a main role as Grace Bledsoe in the We TV horror drama series South of Hell. This series was notably executive produced by Eli Roth and Jason Blum, and Singer starred alongside Mena Suvari and Bill Irwin. The following year, she joined the main cast of Freeform's teen drama-thriller series Dead of Summer, where she portrayed Jessie Tyler, a summer camp counselor.
In 2017, Singer took on the lead role of Kelley Winters in the Lifetime television film High School Lover, appearing alongside notable actors such as James Franco, Lana Condor, and Julia Jones. Her filmography continued to expand with a role as Pink in the 2017 feature film The Wilde Wedding, which boasted an ensemble cast including Glenn Close, John Malkovich, Patrick Stewart, and Minnie Driver. In 2018, she starred in Stella's Last Weekend, working alongside Nat Wolff and Alex Wolff. Beyond these, Singer has also made recurring and guest appearances in a variety of popular television series, demonstrating her versatility across different genres. These include her recurring role as Zisa in the second season of Power Book III: Raising Kanan, Josie Mac in Gotham, Lainie Whicker in Falling Water, Laney Reed in Tell Me a Story, Willa Brewster in NOS4A2, and Tasha Clarkson (voice) in Everybody Still Hates Chris. She has also appeared in episodes of Person of Interest, The Affair, Blue Bloods, Orange Is the New Black, The Baker and the Beauty, and Elsbeth.
4. Filmography
Paulina Singer has appeared in a wide array of cinematic and television productions throughout her career.
4.1. Film
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | Nuggets Official Movie | Corrine | |
| 2013 | The Friend Zone | - | Short film |
| 1970somethin | Mandy | Short film | |
| 2014 | The Recipe | Sasha London | |
| 2015 | The Nymphets | Madison | |
| Puerto Ricans in Paris | Lexi | ||
| The Intern | ATF Receptionist | ||
| 2016 | Uncaged | Rose | |
| 2017 | High School Lover | Kelley Winters | Television film |
| The Wilde Wedding | Pink | ||
| Darcy, This is Nowhere | Twinkle | ||
| 2018 | Print Shop | Sherrelle | Short film |
| Shrimp | Angelina | Television film | |
| Stella's Last Weekend | Violet | ||
| 2019 | oMo | Urbanoid | Short film |
| 2020 | Darcy, This is Nowhere | Twinkle | |
| 2021 | Hatched | - | Short film |
| Sk8r Grrl | Dynamic | ||
| 2022 | Broken Soldier | Nell |
4.2. Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | How to Make It in America | Nilda Dominguez | Recurring cast: season 2 |
| 2013 | Person of Interest | Amber | Episode: "Liberty" |
| 2014 | The Affair | Ruby | Episode: "Episode #1.2" |
| 2015 | Gotham | Josie Mac | Recurring cast: season 2 |
| South of Hell | Grace Bledsoe | Main cast | |
| 2016 | Blue Bloods | Maribel Rivas | Episode: "Blast from the Past" |
| Orange Is the New Black | Aliyah Jones | Episode: "Toast Can't Never Be Bread Again" | |
| Dead of Summer | Jessie Tyler | Main cast | |
| Same Same | Corey | Episode: "Scissr: Pilot" | |
| 2018 | Falling Water | Lainie Whicker | Recurring cast: season 2 |
| Tell Me a Story | Laney Reed | Recurring cast: season 1 | |
| 2019 | NOS4A2 | Willa Brewster | Recurring cast: season 1 |
| 2020 | The Baker and the Beauty | Zoe | Episode: "Pilot" |
| 2022 | Power Book III: Raising Kanan | Zisa | Recurring cast: season 2 |
| 2024 | Elsbeth | Ivy Benson | Episode: "Sweet Justice" |
| 2024 | Everybody Still Hates Chris | Tasha Clarkson (voice) | Recurring cast: season 1 |
5. Personal Life
Publicly available information regarding Paulina Singer's personal life is limited. She maintains a private profile regarding relationships, specific interests, or other life events not directly related to her professional career.
6. Assessment and Critical Reception
Paulina Singer's career has been characterized by a diverse range of roles across various genres in both film and television. While the available source materials do not provide specific critical appraisals of her individual performances, her extensive filmography and consistent work in both mainstream and independent productions highlight her versatility and commitment as an actress.
6.1. Critical Reviews of Performances
Specific detailed critical reviews of Paulina Singer's acting performances are not extensively documented in the provided sources. However, her consistent casting in various roles, from dramatic leads to recurring characters in popular series and ensemble films, suggests a generally positive reception of her acting abilities within the industry. Her ability to portray a wide range of characters, from dramatic roles like Grace Bledsoe in South of Hell to intense characters like Zisa in Power Book III: Raising Kanan, indicates her capacity to adapt to different narrative demands.
6.2. Public Image and Industry Impact
Singer's public image appears to be primarily defined by her professional output as an actress, singer, music producer, writer, and dancer. She has maintained a steady presence in the entertainment industry since the early 2010s, contributing to a variety of projects. Her involvement in productions with well-known industry figures such as Eli Roth, Jason Blum, James Franco, and ensemble casts including Glenn Close and Robert De Niro demonstrates her collaborative capacity and her position within significant industry networks. While no explicit discussions of her broader impact are available in the sources, her consistent work across different platforms suggests a recognized contribution to contemporary film and television.