Talia Goodman
“Matilda”
Talia began her creative journey as a dancer, where she quickly recognized that her passion for meaningful storytelling transcended performance medium. As her creative journey progressed, she became encapsulated by theater. She was admitted into her local theater conservatory, and began to hone her craft. Talia was accepted, with a talent scholarship, into Chapman University’s B.F.A. Theater Performance program.
Throughout four transformative years, Talia sunk deeper into herself and uncovered the complexities of who she was, further understanding her aptitude for the human condition and aiding in her development as an actor. The program gifted her a profound admiration for the teachings of Shakespeare, Anne Bogart, Meisner, Checkov and more.
On Chapman’s Main Stage, Talia got opportunities to play, and would later win an award of excellence for, the role of Desdemona in Paula Vogel’s Desdemona, A Play About A Handkerchief, as well as Givola in Bertolt Brecht’s The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui. Her theatrical work landed her auditions for Chapman films, where she further fine tuned her practical skills, jumpstarting her professional acting career.
Upon graduation in 2018, Talia made the move to Los Angeles to pursue a career in film and television.Talia signed with Mavrick Artist Agency soon after graduating and has worked consistently both commercially and theatrically. She trains at Margie Haber Studio, and is a part of a long form improvisation group at Impro Theater, Girls in the Bathroom.
Working on The Aspirant as Matilda has proven to be one of her most treasured experiences on set. The entire team (writer/composer, director, actors, crew members) collaborated brilliantly, topful with mutual respect for one another, to bring alive the meaningful story.
Michael Cortez
“Jerome”
Michael’s early roots onstage as Chino in West Side Story solidified his passion and commitment to be an actor for the rest of his life. His early stage work was spent with numerous theater troupes on Chicago’s South Side. Not wasting any time to develop his craft, he began taking up independent acting studies in the evenings at ACTONE studios in downtown Chicago.
In 2001, Michael began his film career in his first leading role as Angel in the feature film On the Downlow. In this independent feature film that received prestigious awards in both New York and Los Angeles, Michael masterfully played a Southside Chicago gang member grappling with his sexuality.
In 2005, Michael moved to New York City accepting admissions to the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. He has been seen nationwide in regional theatre performing in New York’s Fringe Festival as well as off-Broadway. National theatre credits include: Lucius in Titus Andronicus, Leo Clark in Ken Ludwig’s Leading Ladies, Nicky Arnstein in Funny Girl, Palomo in Anna in the Tropics, Bertolt Brecht’s The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui, and originating the role of Sal in Phil Olson’s production of the musical Don’t Hug Me, We’re Family where he was also recorded on the original cast soundtrack.
Wanting to invest further in film and tv, Michael made his home in Los Angeles in 2013. Soon after, he was cast in the independent feature Day of the Mummy, starring Danny Glover. He is currently represented by Tiffin Creative Talent. Michael is known for his comedic and dramatic performances, as well as displaying exceptional sensitivity and depth in all his characters.