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ACTRESS | DIRECTOR | WRITER
Julie Simone is an award-winning filmmaker, writer, director, and actress. She co-wrote and directed the acclaimed music documentary FIDDLIN’, which qualified for the 2019 Academy Awards consideration list for Best Documentary Feature. The film won over 20 national and international festival awards and is now streaming on Amazon Prime, Apple TV, DOC+, Tubi, Kanopy, Plex, and YouTube. www.fiddlinmovie.com
She also directed CANNES WITHOUT A PLAN, a handheld, no-crew comedy/documentary that follows three moms (including Julie) on a spontaneous trip to France. Edited by acclaimed filmmaker Jeff Kanew, the film is now streaming on Amazon Prime, YouTube, DocGuide, and Mometu.
Julie’s behind-the-camera journey began in Los Angeles, thanks to Gregory Avellone’s Filmmaking Group, where she first explored writing, directing, and hands-on production. Without that experience, she might never have made the two films that followed.
Born and raised on a farm in the Appalachian Mountains of Virginia, Julie and her sisters spent childhood days biking country roads, fishing in creeks, and helping their dad at the family store. They even sang to the cows for fun. Throughout school, she was Head Cheerleader, won several pageants, worked as a lifeguard, and volunteered as a DJ at the local radio station, spinning country hits between homework and rehearsals.
Julie fell in love with acting in high school and credits her drama teacher as a major inspiration. After college, she moved to New York City to pursue her dreams, where she modeled, trained at HB Studio, and took diction classes to soften her Southern accent.
In Los Angeles, Julie studied with renowned coaches Harry Mastrogeorge and Candy Herman and acted in commercials, film, and TV. Her love of comedy led her to The Groundlings, where she dove into improv and comedy sketch writing.
After stepping away from the industry to raise her two children, Julie has recently returned to acting, while continuing to write with her partner at Calamity J. Her latest projects include a satirical TV pilot exploring a matriarchy run amok and a feature film blending country music, comedy, and eccentric Southern characters.
Julie lives in Los Angeles—but she’ll always be a Southern gal at heart.
