Elysia Rotaru: Life as a Field Trip
If you have owned a television (and turned it on), played video games, or gone to the movie theaters at any point in the past ten years, chances are that you have enjoyed the work of West-Coast based actress, Elysia Rotaru. A seasoned actress, voice-over artist, and producer, based in Vancouver and Los Angeles (with a global reach), Rotaru finds a way to charm audiences through nearly every platform.
Photographer: Kate Whyte | Hair & Makeup: Sara Rose
The 35-year-old Elysia Rotaru began her acting career after being scouted following University. Within a few weeks of signing with her first agent, Rotaru started booking work — a feat that is, in the world of show business, incredibly impressive and unquestionably uncommon. Her television debut was on USA Network’s Psych, a detective-comedy that was the Brooklyn 99 of the early 2000s. “I’ve been working consistently since,” the actress reflected, “continuing to learn and grow as an actor.”
Learn and grow she has! After her appearance on Psych, Rotaru consistently padded her resume with more and more bookings, continuing to stun audiences with her stellar performances in Arrow, Dead Again in Tombstone, Smallville, Supernatural, Hellcats, iZombie, Eureka, Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules and more.
One of her most recent projects was the 2019 thriller, Killbird, a movie for which Rotaru was nominated for Best Actress in a Feature at the Maverick Movie Awards. The nomination was well-earned as the feature was an enormous challenge for the actress. “The project scared me when I first read it,” revealed Rotaru, “even the script sides jolted me. I think that’s why I enjoyed filming it so much. It challenged me, the subject matter pushed me out of my comfort zone, and the physical aspect of the role was really alluring,” Rotaru recalls of her performance where she actively performed her own stunts. Though the topic of the project was intense, the set was incredibly supportive and allowed her to further grow as a storyteller. “The flow on set was kept alive and really forced me to focus and learn how to create boundaries,” shared Rotaru.
These lessons are pivotal to learn as an actor in an ever-changing entertainment industry. An industry often perceived as dominated by the lucky and the beautiful, perceptions are often misleading. As a working actor for over a decade, Rotaru is refreshingly grateful for the opportunities that have come her way. “It’s been quite a blessing and an amazing journey thus far,” she muses. “I am very thankful to have landed the opportunities I have, but I also put in a lot of hard work and effort to get to where I am today.”
As a professional, Rotaru is never short of prepared. “I like to conduct a lot of research, read the scripts over and over, and let the material sit and rest in my mind and physical self until ideas and physicality start to sprout,” reveals the actress. For those aspiring to follow the uncertain career path of entertainment and storytelling, Rotaru’s advice is simple:
“Make sure you train. Go to class, keep sharp, work on those cold reads, do scene study classes, dance, sing, sword fight, clown, etc. Keep up with the work no matter what, but also in a healthy way that fits into your budget.
Make time to have a personal life. There will be periods where you book all the time and then maybe there will be periods of a lull. For me, the lulls are a great time to brush up on skills for my tool box, travel, spend more time with family and friends, and reflect on my work.
Try to avoid comparing yourself / your career to others! The ‘no comparison clause’ is huge. It’s a tough mental game to crack for sure, especially with social media shoving a highlight reel of other people’s magical and curated lives in our faces on the daily. So it’s important to realize and acknowledge that you are unique.”
Rotaru’s illustrious advice to aspiring artists is even more prevalent during the uncertainty and instability of the entertainment industry navigating COVID-19. As for ensuring that one is constantly creative during this unprecedented time, the actress recommends reflection over revving your engine 24/7. “I took it easy and didn’t force myself to do anything creative [during the mandated quarantine]. I was really happy and content to just chill and be honest,” Rotaru elaborated. “I work better as a creative when I have someone guiding me or giving me boundaries to play in, otherwise it’s too contrived and forced for me.”
For tracking down that coquettish companion — aka inspiration — Rotaru’s recommendations resonate with renewal and reflection. “Getting outside, disconnecting from social media, talking to other people (even via Zoom),” are all effective ways that the actress deems productive to find her own inspiration. “Take a class, watch documentaries, go for a drive or bike ride to nowhere, lay on a beach, swim in the ocean, drink great wine, turn on some music and dance, and meditate,” she offers. “I could go on, but I think everyone can look both inside and outside themselves for inspiration.”
An impressive discovery through our in-depth conversation is Rotaru’s ability to tackle the art of acting, voice work, and producing. Adding the role of producer to her repertoire, however, was not an immediate transition for the actress. It was not until she was recruited by some friends to act and produce a short film, The Wall, that Rotaru found a tandem artistic love. “I had a really great time producing and realized that a lot of the skills I cultivated over the years could be put to good use dealing with organized chaos and completing tasks,” she professed. After her first experience, Rotaru teamed up with award-winning producer/director and best friend, Stephen Sawchuk, to produce their international award-winning short film, FWD.”
During this unprecedented time, “back to work” for Elysia could mean a slew of various things: “a beekeeper, park ranger, ranch owner, a film agent. So many interesting paths to choose from and follow,” the actress pondered over her hypothetical careers. From all of these varying paths, the actress just cannot break herself from the path of storytelling. “I definitely plan to produce more,” she exclaims. “I can’t wait to get back on set, safely. And maybe,” Rotaru jokes, “I’ll begin beekeeping again and start selling my own honey.”
While we wait with baited breath for a taste of Elysia & The Bee’s signature honey that can only be found at the local farmer’s markets in our dreams, the actress will continue to be “passionate, driven, and generous.” With an itch for adventure and a poise for producing, Rotaru combined her artistic endeavors with her love for nature and is now vlogging for her YouTube Channel series FIELD TRIP.
Amassing quite a social media following with nearly 300k between her YouTube channel and Instagram, Rotaru does not consider herself a typical content creator where it is a “full time job with a whole team”. “Me, I’m an actor,” Rotaru emphasizes. “And yes, while I do create content, it’s done in a completely different way.” Her focus with content creation is to highlight her explorations authentically, something the actress has never struggled with. “I know who I am,” she heralds. “I do, however, have a wonderful circle of people that surround me in all aspects of my life.” Between self-assurance and external support, it is no wonder that Elysia refuses to engage in mean or hateful banter online. “I actually choose not to engage with energy like that,” she admits; “But, I send them all love from afar. I’m sure those people just need a hug, real or virtual.”
The way Rotaru treats social media as a tool to interact with fans and followers parallels her meditative mindset, yearning to extinguish pressure and engender positivity. “Meditation, for me at least, eliminates negative thoughts, worries, anxiety, and any other factors that can prevent me from carrying positivity,” the actress soothes. “I find it so important to take time to reflect.”
Taking the time to reflect on the entertainment industry today, Rotaru commends the growth the industry has made thus far, especially in terms of the amount of content available and the myriad of platforms accessible to audiences worldwide. However, its capacity for growth has not yet been exhausted. “As for showcasing women in the industry, sure there are some steps I’ve seen that are positive,” Rotaru acknowledges, “but I think the industry still has a long way to go in regards to representation, especially when it comes to women of color and LGBTQ+ women. Their voices and stories need to be heard.”
While we all wait for the coveted “green light” to allow our favorite artists to continue their creations, everyone can look forward to some of Rotaru’s upcoming voice work. “You’ll be able to hear me as SHIELD Agent Alisande Morales in the new Marvel Avengers video game that was released this September, as well as in a video game coming out later in the year called Legends of Runeterra.” Touching on her endeavors off-screen, congratulations are in order as, “My husband and I recently purchased a new home,” smiled Rotaru, “so a lot of my energy will be focusing on the move and putting together our new nest.”
