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ACTRESS | DIRECTOR | WRITER
Julie Simone, an Actress, Director, and Writer, is a multi-award-winning filmmaker who directed and co-wrote the 2019 documentary FIDDLIN’. (Amazon Prime, Apple TV, DOC+, Curiosity Stream, Kanopy) The winner of 20+ Awards on the national and international film festival circuits, FIDDLIN’ also qualified for the 2019 Academy Consideration List for Best Documentary Feature.
Julie grew up in the Appalachian Mountains of Virginia where she filmed the celebrated documentary. She spent childhood summers fishing, swimming and riding bikes on country roads. Julie drove tractors on the farm and helped her dad in the family store. Though growing up on the farm had its perks, Julie was involved in doing numerous theater productions in high school and aspired to see the world and get involved in the theater, film and television industry.
After attending the University of South Carolina, Julie moved to NYC and never looked back. She studied acting at HB Studios, modeled, and like many aspiring actors before her worked nights at the restaurant on top of the World Trade Center.
Though Julie was being cast in commercials and rock videos, her first agent insisted she study diction to lose her southern accent. Toning down her accent became key for more speaking roles in film and television but Julie still enjoys doing roles with her natural accent when the occasion presents itself.
Eventually moving to Los Angeles, Julie continued acting while doing improvisation and sketch writing with the Groundlings. She also studied with Candy Herman and Harry Mastrogeorge. After joining an LA Filmmaking Group, Julie began taking on a multitude of roles behind the camera as well as in front of it. In this collaborative group, Julie was writing, filming, directing, and acting in short films.
From this creative inspiration, Julie found herself behind the camera directing the comedy “Cannes Without A Plan”, a reality film about three divorcees (including herself) spontaneously taking off to the Cannes Film Festival. Deciding to shoot the film was as impromptu as the trip itself. With no crew, Julie used only her handheld camera to film the rollicking romp.
After a hiatus of raising her two children, Julie returned to direct and co-write the music documentary FIDDLIN’. Julie has resumed acting while also developing and writing projects with her partner at Calamity J Productions. They have recently finished a comedic TV pilot about “a matriarchy run amok.”. Julie is excited to be creating again, lives in Los Angeles, but will always be a southern gal at heart.