Elena Schuber, a talented actress born and raised in Long Beach, California, was raised by her mother, a teacher, and father, who owned his own manufacturing business, along with her older sister, a mother of three. Their grandmother, who had Middle Eastern roots, taught Elena some words in Arabic.
After completing her high school education, Elena moved to Dallas, Texas, where she earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Art History, with minors in French and Studio Arts, and a concentration in Film at Southern Methodist University. During her college years, she had the opportunity to study abroad in Paris, France, and teach English in Poland to high school students alongside her sister.
Elena's passion for acting led her to write, direct, and star in the critically acclaimed film "Critically Acclaimed," which earned her an A grade from her professor and director, Kevin Heffernan. After college, she continued her acting training by studying the Meisner Technique at the Joanne Baron/D.W. Brown institute, booking small roles to support herself, and enrolling in the renowned Second City Improv program.
Her breakthrough role came when she starred in John Blanchard's film "Shriek, If You Know What I Did Last Friday, the 13th." Since then, Elena has appeared in numerous films, including "Driving to Zigzigland," "Phonees," "Divine Intervention," and "Metropolis II: Highway to Heaven," as well as television shows such as "Days of Our Lives," "Killer Outbreaks," "Norcal Rapist," "General Hospital Night Shift," "Men of a Certain Age," "Legit," and "American Horror Story."
In addition to her work in film and television, Elena has continued to work steadily in commercials and stage productions. Her lead role in the feature film "Escape From Tomorrow" marked a significant turning point in her career, as the film was a breakout hit at the Sundance Film Festival and one of only fourteen films personally selected by the late Roger Ebert for his annual Ebertfest. The film's international attention and buzz were largely due to its "guerilla" style filming at Disneyland and Disney World without permits or permission.
Since the release of "Escape From Tomorrow," Elena has starred in the direct-to-video film "Lily," shot five television commercials, appeared in the short film "Emptied" alongside Sundance darling Mackenzie Davis, and in the season finale of "Grey's Anatomy." She regularly performs with her Upright Citizen Brigade improv group to maintain her creative edge. In her free time, Elena enjoys yoga, hiking, and is fluent in conversational French.
