Rising Star Deborah Twiss On The Five Things You Need To Shine In The Entertainment Industry

An Interview With Elana Cohen

You DO NOT have to be successful by the time you’re 25! It takes whatever it takes. The first guy I was with in my twenties had me convinced that because I didn’t make it by the time I was 25, I was done. Washed up. No one would want to cast me. I don’t know if it was manipulation or he really thought that, but I thrived once I left that relationship. My best work came after thirty!

As a part of our series about pop culture’s rising stars, we had the distinct pleasure of interviewing Deborah Twiss.

Deborah went to New York City to study acting when she was 17 and quickly got involved in also writing and producing indie films. Her first feature, A Gun For Jennifer (1997), went to over 27 film festivals and is a European cult hit, about to be distributed on BlueRay by Vinegar Syndrome. She then produced and starred in the indie Molotov Samba. Shortly after, with her eighteen month old son in a stroller and her baby girl on her chest in a Bjorn, Deborah wrote, starred in and directed In-Between, a supernatural 9/11 thriller

She also wrote, starred in and directed A Cry From Within starring Eric Roberts, Cathy Moriarty and James McCaffrey to be followed by Confidence Game featuring Sean Young, James McCaffrey and Robert Clohessy.

In the last couple years, Deborah has begun the dive into the exciting world of episodics and wrote, produced and starred in the supernatural thriller pilot A Beautiful Distraction (starring Sean Young, Adrian Paul and Vivica Fox). In late summer of 2023, her first season of Crazytown (a dark comedy about the strip club world), premieres on streaming platforms globally.

During the pandemic, Deborah was engaged to write the screenplay for, produce and act in Trail Blazers, starring Antonio Sabato Jr, Michael Paré, Costas Mandylor and many others. Trail Blazers is an epic tale about the ultimate battle between good and evil, shooting in February and March 2024. Deborah is also in pre-production for Fragmented, a thriller she is starring in and producing, shooting in spring 2024.

Her Director’s Cut of Sebastien (A Cry From Within), with 20 minutes of additional footage featuring Tom Pelphrey, premiered on TubiTV December 1, 2021 and is a top performer for distributor Breaking Glass Pictures.

Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Can you tell us the story of how you grew up?

My dad works as a software developer for home building companies and his job took us all over the country. We moved 18 times in the first 17 years of my life. I would explore different parts of my personality in each place we lived, one time I would be the studious nerd, another I’d “play” the happy party girl…etc. It was fun and a great way to not be stuck just being one way. I felt bad for so many other kids who were labeled whatever they were labeled and then not able to become different because the world they were living in only knew them as one way. It was truly a fascinating experiment and series of observations.

Can you share a story with us about what brought you to this specific career path?

When I was three years old I was standing in front of the tv and it looked like so much fun. I turned to my parents and said that I would join the people inside the tv when I could. They laughed and said the only way I could do that was if I was an actress when I grew up….I held onto that word “actress” and so began my intention.

Can you tell us the most interesting story that happened to you since you began your career?

Ha! It’s been a series of interesting stories. Some are crazy, some are hilarious, others are horrifying. I wouldn’t even know where to begin. I’ve met countless A list actors, been to huge parties in Cannes, traveled the world, had movies distributed all over, I’ve been loved, hated, adored, turned against…you name it, it’s happened. It’s been such a wild ride. It’s like living a hundred lifetimes within a single one. The ONE thing I can say is that it is NOT boring. LOL

It has been said that mistakes can be our greatest teachers. Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?

I don’t know if it is funny…my first film I produced, A Gun For Jennifer, I didn’t know the proper procedure for vetting investors, I was barely twenty when that film was made, and ended up getting the financing from a guy who claimed to be a loan officer for a big Asian company but it turned out he was embezzling the money! My filmmaking partner at the time and I had to testify at the NYC District Attorney’s Office, they threatened to put us in jail and burn our negative to the film…it was insane. Luckily we proved we were just young and stupid, at the time, but what a wacky-ass lesson.

What are some of the most interesting or exciting projects you are working on now?

I have a film told in reverse, a la Memento…it’s called BROKEN. It opens with two people laying on a floor, bleeding. One appears to be dead and the other tries to recall what got them in the position they’re in. I love this film. I really cannot wait to do it.

You have been blessed with success in a career path that can be challenging. Do you have any words of advice for others who may want to embark on this career path, but seem daunted by the prospect of failure?

NEVER GIVE UP. Never STOP. This is a game of survival of the fittest. You just have to never ever stop no matter what. Things will happen that make you question it all, but just DO NOT STOP.

We are very interested in diversity in the entertainment industry. Can you share three reasons with our readers about why you think it’s important to have diversity represented in film and television? How can that potentially affect our culture.

Diversity is massively important. The world we live in is diverse and so the art should reflect that. I’ve been in the NYC area all of my adult life. Every single race, religion, sexual preference, is present here. I LOVE it here. I love the richness of the blend of so many cultures. I think the more we showcase this in art, the more the people in maybe not quite so diverse areas can be encouraged to be accepting of more than they currently know.

What are your “5 things I wish someone told me when I first started” and why? Please share a story or example for each.

1. EVERY path is different and unique. There is no “right way”. It is what it is. You just have to follow the path and see where each step leads next. Trust the process. I came to NYC to study acting but realized quickly that I had other talents that would help my acting….my writing, producing, and directing abilities.
2. I think it’s important to explore and find ways to incorporate all aspects of the artistic process. It keeps the mind fresh and helps to distract when one area isn’t going as well as another.
3. The more pure of heart you are, the more your art shines through. So meditating, journaling, all those kind of things, really bring us more into alignment with our most inner being. I find it critical.
4. The business is constantly evolving. And that is a good thing. But be ready for the rules to constantly change.
5. You DO NOT have to be successful by the time you’re 25! It takes whatever it takes. The first guy I was with in my twenties had me convinced that because I didn’t make it by the time I was 25, I was done. Washed up. No one would want to cast me. I don’t know if it was manipulation or he really thought that, but I thrived once I left that relationship. My best work came after thirty!

Which tips would you recommend to your colleagues in your industry to help them to thrive and not “burn out”?

Find ALL the ways you can explore creativity. It’ll save you. For real. I have been a writer my entire life but I didn’t realize until I wrote the first draft of A Gun For Jennifer how much that aspect of my creativity would come to save me. It led to me writing so many more scripts and then producing and directing many others which I starred in. Only by being open to the other creative parts of myself was I able to stay sane….well, somewhat sane.

You are a person of enormous influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. :-)

I would push the concept that AGE DOES NOT MATTER. I have tried in all my films to portray people over forty, even over fifty and sixty, as being capable of being sexy, adventurous, wild, fascinating. I am a big believer in the fact that people can thrive at any age. It is my utmost goal to bring more anti-ageism to the forefront of all my work. Even if I have a role of a granny in a project, I would portray her as a hot, sexy, strong chick with secret fighting skills. You know?

None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?

My husband Dean McCann who just passed away April 30, 2023. He was only 59 and had been battling some severe issues badly the last six years. He was my biggest fan, biggest supporter. He was the person who pulled me away from a very controlling relationship I was in during the 90’s. I wasn’t even “allowed” to audition in that prior circumstance.

I went to the NYC Mayor’s Office of Film to get a permit and Dean was head of production (he later was promoted to Deputy Commissioner). I had issues because I was trying to get a permit to put a body in a trunk for the film and it was in an area that filmmaking was prohibited, so the permit coordinator had me speak to Dean. When we met, I knew I was in trouble as this crazy electricity shot through my body and instantly we were both attracted to each other. Even though I was involved in that other situation, we quickly became friends. We would talk about movies and he would encourage me. Finally he convinced me to leave and be on my own, assuring me I would be safe. So I did. Shortly after, we fell in love, got married, had two incredible kids…and we have 11 rescue dogs and a bunch of cats. Dean supported me so deeply and wanted the best for me and the kids and animals. He encouraged me to make my own films and be a strong independent female filmmaker and actress. Sadly he could not overcome the long time medical issue that finally took him away. I will be picking up the pieces to all of this a long time.

Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?

Do. “Or do not. There is no TRY.”

You are either in or you’re out. That is how I live my life. I make a decision, a choice and then I ACT. I DO. I accomplish most of the time, but even when I do not achieve the thing I intended, there are massive things I can take away as something I’ve learned.

Is there a person in the world, or in the US whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might just see this, especially if we tag them. :-)

I would want to meet Morgan Freeman. He just seems like such a cool, evolved human and everything about him and every role he’s ever played just screams “Wow”….I mean, come on, he’s played GOD. Lol. And it is perfect he did.

How can our readers follow you online?

Deborah Twiss (Facebook), Deborahtwiss (IG) plus my Facebook page for my production company LucStar Productions has a lot of info and updates.

This was very meaningful, thank you so much! We wish you continued success!