ART AND CRAFT OF

LAILA MATUK

Actor & Writer

Hi!/Hola!

I'm an actor and writer trained in film and theatre, drawn to portraying emotionally layered characters navigating high-stakes circumstances.

With a BFA in Acting for Film, and now a MFA Acting Candidate at Purdue University, I'm honing my skills in an environment that encourages professional work alongside my education.

Movement-based and currently training in Alba Emoting, I focus on creating strong, reliable and safe performances.

Special Skills

Unarmed Combat SAFD 2022

Fight Director: Horse Girls (2025), The Snow (2025), Dracula (2023)

Red-Black Belt Taekwondo

Defensive and Race Track Driving

Skilled Archer (Longbow)

Guitar (Beginner)

Jazz Dance

Golf

Voice Over

Spanish (First Language)

English (Fluent)

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Accents:

General American

Received Pronunciation

Russian

Hyphenate Artist

Bringing layered characters to life on screen and on the page.

Acting

My training in film acting, theater, movement, and stage combat informs a performance style that is both grounded and physically expressive.

A selection of my work includes:

Our Town - Emily Webb - Upcoming April 17, 2026

Get Tickets

Extreme Home Makeover - Lupe - Upcoming July 16, 2026

Get Tickets

Writing

Coming from a playwright background, I focus on narratives that explore identity, resilience, and the inner lives of complex characters.

Some of the recognitions my writing has received include:

Austin Film Festival (Finalist)

Coverfly Top 1% (Genre/Format)

American Zoetrope Screenwriting Contest (Finalist)

Final Draft's Big Break Competition (Top 5)

Goodbye, Emily! 🌾🌙

Thank you again for this experience (with ugly crying and everything). I’ve not only become a better actor after taking this role, but also a better human 🫰🏻 Excited to see what comes next!

[Our Town] by Thornton Wilder, Directed by @quetta_and_eleanor

Costume Design: @caitlin_evelyn01
Lighting Design: @lily_rekoner
Scenic Design: Devin Scheef
Sound Design: Caleb Brohlin & Nick Ponti
Technical Direction: Adam Gillette

📸 1-4: @weber.photography.media
📸 5-8: @melodieyvonne

“Do any human beings ever realize life while they live it - every, every minute?” - Emily 🌾🌙

[Our Town] by Thornton Wilder, Directed by @quetta_and_eleanor

I can’t thank enough everyone who was part of this experience. From the amazing cast, to the crew that kept an unlimited candy supply, to every single audience member that went with us in this journey ❤️ And thank you to the amazing photographers that froze those beautiful moments in time for us!!

Costume Design: @caitlin_evelyn01
Lighting Design: @lily_rekoner
Scenic Design: Devin Scheef
Sound Design: Caleb Brohlin & Nick Ponti
Technical Direction: Adam Gillette

📸 1-6: @melodieyvonne
📸 7-15-: @weber.photography.media

1/2 posts because there are just too many beautiful photos so bear with me 🫰🏻

Starting rehearsals for Our Town (Opening April 17!) has me thinking on some projects I just realized I never posted jiji.

Tbt to [Marie Antoinette] 🎀 directed by @robaronowitz!! Thank you for inviting me to be part of such a fun project. This was the first time I was back at NYFA after graduation and I was missing the stage so much! To all the cast and crew, I said it then and I say it again, I hope our paths cross again soon, thank you for everything ❤️

And two more 🤍🤍

Photo by: @the.strobist
Styled by: @jessica_makeup_sfx

Thank you thank you thank youuuuu 🥹

Throwback to a super fun photo session 🤍
Photo by: @the.strobist
Styled by: @jessica_makeup_sfx

Miss you guys! For more sessions soon 🥹

Thank you, NY and all the amazing people I’ve met these past 4 years ❤️

I’m sooo happy to announce I’ll be doing an MFA in Acting at Purdue University starting this August! I’ll miss this beautiful city and everyone here, but I also can’t wait to see what the future holds.

Note to future self: Tira más fotos (y súbelas)

Love you all ❤️

@newyorkfilmacademy at @hollyshorts ✨
I got the opportunity to watch @ziyu_luo_ beautiful and touching story on the big screen and it was AWESOME. I hope it keeps getting into festivals because you deserve to watch it in theaters ❤️

Thank you Crickett for helping me connect with the festival and for introducing me to fellow NYFA alumni! It’s so encouraging and inspiring to see them succeed ✨ Can’t wait to see what these talented filmmakers do next!!!

Thank you to the amazing team of @hollyshorts for organizing such a wonderful event ✨
More photos coming soon but I want to make a shoutout to one of the incredibly talented people I met.

@ktheuniverse had 2 (!!!!) films in the festival where she worked as DP and I can’t stress enough how talented she is! I can’t wait to see what you do next girly 🫰🏻🥳

Thank you to the amazing photographers and volunteers that made the event possible! To all the filmmakers that I met, you are amazing. Thank you for welcoming to LA ❤️ I will be coming back soon (promise).

I needed some time to process that we GRADUATED… with a BFA… in NY…✨

I had a big speech to tell everyone but I knew I was going to cry my eyes out and writing it here doesn’t have the same effect so I’m just going to say: Keep your flames alive 🔥 even if some days it’s a flicker or a roaring fire, keep it alive. You know what I’m talking about and who first said those words to us. ❤️

To my family, I literally couldn’t have done this without you and I will never stop thanking you all for your love and support, encouraging me when I needed it the most.

PTC board girlies, please take a moment to look back and see EVERYTHING that we built ❤️ from the first meeting trying to figure out what the hell we were about to jump to till the last performance ran by us. I can’t wait to see what the new board does and improves upon what we built but girls, we did the thing ❤️ we actually did it.

To EVERYONE, from those of you who chose a different path to my fellow graduates to some of you who took well-deserved vacations and are graduating in a semester or two, thank you. You made this journey possible and most of all, enjoyable. I wish you all the best and I can’t wait to see you all on set ✨

To all the staff at @nyfanewyork, thank you so much for helping us bring our crazy ideas to life.

To the amazing, inspiring and loving faculty, THANK YOU! For bringing your energy and all the wisdom you gave us.

And to every single filmmaker, producer, actor, writer, or whatever position you had on a set, thank you ❤️ I can’t wait to be back on set.

Thank you @newyorkfilmacademy, for all the past and future opportunities your community has created.

Aaaaand so it is! ❤️

[The Bookstore] 🎭📚 by @aszymkowicz
It has been the most wholesome, wholehearted, loving, fun play I’ve had the privilege to be a part of. This cast… ❤️ is everything. Thank you for all the laughter, for always having my back both offstage and onstage. I couldn’t have done it without every single one of you.

It has been an honor working alongside all of you, I can’t wait to be back on stage with everyone ❤️

And to the most awesome director, thank you a MILLION times Diana for trusting me with this character, for your guidance, patience and advise ❤️ It was been an absolute pleasure having you as a director and teacher.

Thank you @nyfanewyork @newyorkfilmacademy for producing such a beautiful play, for allowing us to play, and for helping us close our second to last semester of our BFA’s (or last one for some!) with this production.
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#play #nycactress #nycacting #acting #actor #nyfa #nyc #offbroadway #straightplay #production #thater #onstage #playproduction #stagedesign #bookstore #booklover

[Dust] 🥀🎬 directed by Micah Spayer

Thank you @nyfanewyork for bringing me into my first period film set, it was SO fun.

To my amazing scene partners, see some of you on stage in December and others wherever life takes us ❤️ I love you all. Thank you for being such a strong, supportive team. I miss being in set with you.

To the crew, you are our superheroes.

@the.strobist thank you for capturing these moments on set while also doing an amazing job as crew 💪🏻

Can’t wait to see how it turns out!

PD: sorry not sorry for the super gross last picture jajaja I loved living Mare’s whole life in 5 days.
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#shortfilm #film #bts #filmset #actingstudent #nycactor #nyc #periodfilm #onsetlife #onsetphotography

[FILTH] 🎭
Creating art out of trash bags ✨

Thank you @clinthodson for pointing your camera at us ❤️
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#theater #blackboxtheatre #acting #nyc

To THE MOST TALENTED GROUP OF ACTORS ❤️ I love and admire every single one of you. You brought back theater to my life and I can still feel it in my soul ✨

Thank you for inspiring me.
Thank you for playing by my side.
For being silly.
For having my back.

You are the most amazing team I could have dreamed of working with ❤️ I can’t wait to go back on stage with you all.

Thank you @alexis.r.montesinos for capturing these beautiful moments. You are the best.
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#cast #theater

Thank you, Dani 🔥 You were awesome to play. Thank you to everyone who played alongside us.

[FITLH] 🎭
Written and directed by @thefassa, co-directed by Soterios Kiritsis. Appreciation post to the amazing team of directors. There are no words to describe how much I admire your creativity ❤️

@alexis.r.montesinos thank you SO much for helping us keep these memories alive.
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#theater #actorslife #closingnight #offbroadway #blackboxtheatre #acting #play #playwriting #nycactor

So honored to have been part of the online information session at @newyorkfilmacademy. Thank you to every single one on the team for your hard work on making this possible for future students. It’s always a pleasure being in set with you all! ❤️

I hope we get to answer all your questions and what might seem like a daunting transitions feels more familiar after the talk ☺️

If you still have any other questions, just reach out via NYFA’s website and a kind admissions representative will guide you every step of the way ✨

Break a leg!

I can’t thank @ciff_nv enough 🧡

After a year and a half of virtual meetings, I finally met my co-writer in person. I got the opportunity to not only watch amazing films but talk to the brilliant minds behind them. I met the kindest people ever and had just a small taste of what a community of filmmakers and creatives can be.

Thank you, thank you, thank you for spoiling us for 5 days with food and child-like fun events 🧡

To all the amazing people I met, I couldn’t fit more pictures but please know I’m forever grateful we got to talk, even if it was just for a little bit (or a lot!)

To the board, you are the most amazing team. You make THE most cool film festival. Thank you so much for having us. I can’t wait to go back!

#cordillerainternationalfilmfestival #ciff #reno #nevada #filmfestival #filmmaking #filmmakers #screenwriter #screenplay

[Nothing Money Can’t Solve] 🎬

Thank you @the.strobist for such beautiful pictures of an incredible day on set with @waygmee ❤️

Can’t wait to see how the film turns out!

Thank you @nyfanewyork for teaching the filmmakers to shoot on film, it’s the most fun.

#bts #acting #lifeonset #setphotography #film #panavision #swipemix #actorslife #nyc #nyfa

My beautiful vampires ❤️

I’m beyond grateful to have been a producer and stage manager for the first time with you. You made my job easier and my life full of color every day. Thank you for telling this story with such passion and dedication. Thank you for the little family we have created @pioneerstheaterclub

You are all amazingly talented and I can’t wait to see what crazy project we do next ❤️

Thank you @terezatrieshi for your vision and bringing both the characters and the story come to life so brilliantly.

Thank you @nyfanewyork for supporting us and allowing us to create ✨

#stagemanager #producer #playproduction #theater #offbroadway

[Ouija to Hell] 🎬
Production Workshop directed by: @amyyguerrero

Thank you so much for all the fun ❤️
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#shortfilm #silentshort #production #acting #blackandwhitefilm #lifeonset #behindthescenes #film #fiction

[Fate, Weaver, and Death] 🎬🪡

Looking back to one of the first short films I did of 2022 🧡 by the amazing @goodvonly_ Thank you for your friendship, direction, and creativity. I can't wait to see your visions on the big screen.
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#shortfilm #actingforfilm #actorslife #nycartist #nyfa #fiction #film #cinematography #lifeonset #behindthescenes #bts #cameracrew #filmcrew #acting

[The Tale Of The Forest King] 🌙🎬

Thank you so much for this experience! Thank you @princessszrachel for taking so much care of everyone on set, for creating this magical world, for letting us play and have fun ❤️ I can’t wait to see how this comes out. Thank you so much to everyone on the team for making this happen and for so many laughters. Hope I see you guys soon ❤️
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#behindthescenes #shortfilm #fantasy #lifeonset #actorslife #acting #nyfa #magic #redkomodo #screenwriter #nature #thatsawrap #filmproduction

𝘊𝘰𝘭𝘰𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘭𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘴... ✨
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📸: @sarabfilms
💡: @goodvaikonly_
Thank you so much girls ❤ this was amazing!
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#photoshoot #colorlights #colorlighting #photography #studio #acting #actorslife #actor #actingforfilm #modelshoot #modeling #blue #purple #lights

Reading lines or saying lines, as long as I'm on a set, I can be here all day 🧡
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📸: @ch_1019_en thank you for your amazing #bts!!
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#film #filmmaking #actorslife #acting #filmset #nyfa #nyc #camera #onset #behindthescenes #actingforfilm #crewmember

Personitas hermosas ❤️
Gracias a ustedes (y a todos los demás que Instagram no me dejó agregar pero saben que los tengo en mi cabecita y mi corazón) estoy cumpliendo mi sueño. En estos 3 meses no he dejado de pensar en ustedes 🌻 Infinitas gracias, siempre.
Los amo mucho y los extraño más!! ❤️

🌻🌻🌻
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#sunnyday☀️ #cuarentena #yellow #blue #sky

🧡
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#lightpainting #lightroom #photography

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@lai_matuk

ART AND CRAFT OF LAILA MATUK

Hyphenate Artist

UPDATES ON SOCIAL MEDIA

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ART AND CRAFT OF

LAILA MATUK