{{Short description|American actress (born 1994)}} {{Use American English|date=January 2025}} {{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}} {{Infobox person | name = Dylan Gelula | image = | caption = | birth_name = Dylan Nicole Gelula | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1994|05|07}} | birth_place = Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. | occupation = Actress | years_active = 2006–present | partner = Devon Bostick (2022–present) }} '''Dylan Nicole Gelula''' (born May 7, 1994)<ref name="issue">{{cite web|last1=Shearer|first1=Clare|last2=Dikkers|first2=Jan-Willem|title=Dylan Gelula|url=http://issuemagazine.com/dylan-gelula/#/|website=Issue Magazine|access-date=June 9, 2016}}</ref> is an American actress who is best known for her role of Xanthippe on ''Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt'', as well as for her work in independent films. Gelula made her film debut as the lead actress in romantic drama film ''First Girl I Loved'' (2016) and has since acted in the films ''Flower'' (2017), ''Support the Girls'' (2018), ''Her Smell'' (2018), ''Shithouse'' (2020), ''Dream Scenario'' (2023), and ''Smile 2'' (2024).
==Early life== Gelula was born on May 7, 1994, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.<ref name="philly">{{cite web|last=Boccella|first=Kathy|title=Getting serious|url=http://articles.philly.com/2011-10-06/entertainment/30250764_1_talent-pulitzer-movie|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150403065831/http://articles.philly.com/2011-10-06/entertainment/30250764_1_talent-pulitzer-movie|url-status=dead|archive-date=April 3, 2015|website=Philly|access-date=June 9, 2016}}</ref> Her father is an Ashkenazi Jew, and she was raised in Reform Judaism.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://mobile.twitter.com/DylanGelula/status/640624085907673088|title=Twitter|website=Twitter|access-date=October 28, 2018}}</ref> She attended Lower Merion High School and recalls having a difficult time in high school, having been "very lonely, but very comfortable being alone," and showed up to school so infrequently that she was forced to either repeat her senior year or drop out.<ref name="philly" /><ref>{{cite journal|last=Maloney|first=Devon|title=Dylan Gelula, Ready For Her First Girl Love|journal=Out Magazine|date=February 11, 2016|url=http://www.out.com/entertainment/2016/2/11/dylan-gelula-ready-her-first-girl-love|access-date=June 11, 2016}}</ref><ref name="brightideas">{{cite web|last=Malek|first=Nicole|title=The Biograph Girl|url=https://www.brightideasmag.com/stories/the-biograph-girl/|website=Bright Ideas|access-date=June 11, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160722071913/http://www.brightideasmag.com/stories/the-biograph-girl/|archive-date=July 22, 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref> She ended up dropping out and moving to Los Angeles by herself at the age of seventeen.<ref name="brightideas" /><ref name="digitaljournal" />
==Career== Gelula began her acting career at the age of ten as an extra in the M. Night Shyamalan film ''Lady in the Water'', which she later revealed neither she nor her parents ever viewed. Two years later, in the sixth grade, she found a manager. Before moving to Los Angeles, her agent in New York got her an audition for the role of Jean Fordham in an Arden Theatre Company production of ''August: Osage County'', directed by Terry Nolen, which she ended up starring in.<ref name="arden">{{cite web|title=2011/12 Season : August: Osage County, by Tracy Letts|url=http://www.ardentheatre.org/2012/augustosagecounty.html|website=Arden Theatre Company|access-date=July 14, 2016}}</ref> She recalls remembering originally trying to turn down the part, but later realizing that she was very interested in it.<ref name="philly" />
After moving to Los Angeles at the age of 17, she worked as a waitress at a high-end restaurant in Santa Monica, from which she was quickly fired.<ref name="brightideas" /> She also worked as a buyer at Wasteland, a resale store.<ref name="issue" /> She has had guest roles on ''NCIS: Naval Criminal Investigative Service'', ''Are We There Yet?'', and ''Law and Order: Special Victims Unit''.<ref name="digitaljournal">{{cite web|last=Peterman|first=Mindy|title=A Conversation with Actress Dylan Gelula|url=http://www.digitaljournal.com/a-and-e/entertainment/a-conversation-with-actress-dylan-gelula/article/387595|website=Digital Journal|access-date=June 9, 2016|date=June 24, 2014}}</ref> Gelula has also played Gretchen Doyle on ''Jennifer Falls'', Ford on ''Chasing Life'', and Xanthippe on ''Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt''.
When Gelula initially auditioned for the role of Xanthippe on ''Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt'', she was in Los Angeles, but casting was only happening in New York City. She gave the crew of the show an audition tape, and received a call one month later that they were interested in her for the part. The crew asked her to do a table read with the cast before she was given the part, and she eventually received the role. She claims she does not know why the character of Xanthippe was given the name she was given.<ref name="huffpost">{{cite web|last=Goodman|first=Jessica|title=Dylan Gelula Explains How 'Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt' Celebrates Women Like No Other Show|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/xanthippe-kimmy-schmidt_n_6863014|website=The Huffington Post|access-date=July 14, 2016|date=March 13, 2015}}</ref>
In 2016, Gelula made her film debut as the lead actress with romantic drama film ''First Girl I Loved,'' directed by Kerem Sanga. The film premiered at the 2016 Sundance Film Festival and won the audience award for Best Of NEXT. Gelula's performance in the film as Anne received rave reviews from various critics.<ref>{{cite web|last=Ehrlich|first=David|title=Review: 'First Girl I Loved' Is A Woozy And Wonderful Queer Teen Romance|url=http://www.indiewire.com/2016/10/first-girl-i-loved-review-karem-sanga-dylan-gelula-brianna-hildebrand-1201737686/|date=October 18, 2016|work=IndieWire|access-date=March 14, 2017}}</ref> That same year she had recurring roles in shows such as the teen sitcom ''Filthy Preppy Teens'' and Hulu's comedy-drama ''Casual''. She continued to appear in numerous independent films including ''Flower'' (2017), ''Support the Girls'' (2018), and ''Her Smell'' (2018).
In 2020, Dylan created a podcast with Broti Gupta called ''Lecture Hall'', with guests including Ayo Edebiri and Rachel Sennott. She acted in Cooper Raiff's directorial film debut ''Shithouse'' (2020) where she played the romantic lead opposite Raiff. The film won the Grand Jury Prize for Best Narrative Feature at the SXSW Festival. In 2023 she had a supporting role as Molly, a talent agent's assistant, in Kristoffer Borgli's psychological dark comedy ''Dream Scenario'' starring Nicolas Cage.
==Filmography== ===Film=== {| class="wikitable sortable" |- ! Year ! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable"|Notes |- | 2006 | ''Lady in the Water'' | Girl in pool | Uncredited extra |- | 2016 | ''First Girl I Loved'' | Anne | |- | 2017 | ''Flower'' | Kala | |- | rowspan="3"|2018 | ''Support the Girls'' | Jennelle | |- | ''Under the Eiffel Tower'' | Rosalind | |- | ''Her Smell'' | Dottie O.Z. | |- | rowspan="2"|2020 | ''Horse Girl'' | Jane Doe | |- | ''Shithouse'' | Maggie | |- | 2022 | ''I Want You Back'' | Lisa | |- | rowspan="2"|2023 | ''Dream Scenario'' | Molly | |- | ''Helen's Dead'' | Addie | |- | 2024 | ''Smile 2'' | Gemma | |}
===Television=== {| class="wikitable sortable" |- ! Year ! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable"|Notes |- | rowspan="2"|2011 | ''Law & Order: Special Victims Unit'' | Becca | Episode: "Totem" |- | ''Are We There Yet?'' | Amy | Episode: "The Lindsay Gets High Episode" |- | 2013 | ''NCIS'' | Young Marie Markin | Episode: "Once a Crook" |- | 2014 | ''Jennifer Falls'' | Gretchen Doyle | Main cast |- | 2014–2015 | ''Chasing Life'' | Ford | Recurring role |- | 2015–2020 | ''Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt'' | Xanthippe Lannister Voorhees | Recurring role |- | rowspan="2"|2016 | ''Filthy Preppy Teens'' | Parker | Main cast |- | ''Casual'' | Aubrey | Recurring role |- | 2019–2020 | ''Shameless'' | Megan | Recurring role (season 10) |- | 2020 | ''A Teacher'' | Hook-Up Girl | Episode: "Episode 7" |- | 2022 | ''Loot'' | Hailey | 3 episodes |- | rowspan="2"|2024 | ''Hacks'' | Mirya | 3 episodes |- | ''Krapopolis'' | Sophie (voice) | Episode: "Ty's Man Woman Table Chairs Food" |}
===Music videos=== {| class="wikitable" |- ! Year ! Title ! Artist ! scope="col"| {{abbr|Ref.|Reference}} |- | 2019 | "Can't Wait" | The Akergirls | <ref>{{cite web|title=Can't Wait – The Akergirls| date=April 12, 2019 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J9jf1qdUU4Q|via=YouTube}}</ref> |- |2025 |"Bunky Pop" |Sleigh Bells |<ref>{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vc-ADBBa9Nw |title=Sleigh Bells - Bunky Pop (Official Music Video) |date=2025-02-19 |last=Sleigh Bells |access-date=2025-02-25 |via=YouTube}}</ref> |}
==Awards and nominations== {| class="wikitable" |- ! Year ! Association ! Category ! Project ! Result ! {{abbr|Ref.|Reference}} |- | rowspan="2"|2016 || Sarasota Film Festival || Independent Visions Award || rowspan="2"|''First Girl I Loved'' || {{won}} || |- | Santo Domingo Outfest || Jury Prize for Outstanding Performance || {{won}} || |- |}
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== *{{IMDB name|3871647}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Gelula, Dylan}} Category:Living people Category:21st-century American actresses Category:Actresses from Philadelphia Category:1994 births Category:American television actresses Category:American film actresses Category:American stage actresses Category:Jewish American actresses