Who Is Zoe Levin? New Details On The Star Of 'Bonding' On Netflix
Embracing her new role as a dominatrix.
Who is Zoe Levin?
Levin is a 25-year-old American actress born in Chicago, Illinois. She is known for her roles in Palo Alto, Beneath the Harvest Sky and Red Band Society. According to Spotlight, Levin knew she wanted to act at an early age. “I have always been into acting,” she said. “It started getting serious when I tried out for my first professional play when I was 13, and from there on out it just sort of took off.” Levin's career first kicked off in 2010 while she was studying communications and fine arts at Loyola Marymount in LA. Though she only stayed at the school for a year, Levin enjoyed her experience. “I loved their school of communication and fine arts, and the curriculum they offered,” she said. “And it’s also right in LA, so I’ll be able to audition and work while taking classes.”
She would eventually catch her big break after she landed a role in the acclaimed film, Trust.Levin has truly enjoyed being an actress even though the job can be difficult sometimes. “It’s hard to explain why I love acting so much, but it’s very fulfilling to me," she said. "It’s very hard work, and it’s not easy being somebody that you’re not, but it’s so much fun trying to figure it out."
Here's everything you need to know about Zoe Levin, the star on Netflix's new comedy Bonding. Who is Zoe Levin?
Trailer for Netflix's new comedy.
1. She is proud to be from Chicago
Although Levin has started to make a name for herself in LA, she makes it a point to clarify that she is based out of Chicago. She told Refinery 29 that Chicago kept her grounded. “Well, for me, I always really love the fact that I’m not based in L.A. or New York. My home base is in Chicago. So, whenever I feel like I need a refresher, or I need to come down from working, I’ll book a flight home for a couple days and hang out with my high-school friends.” She continued to say that the people in Chicago are the best and allow her to be normal there. "There is just something about being in the Midwest that is calming and really great,” she said. “I was in school, but I had to take a leave of absence because I was working. I really try to just be normal and not get caught up in the whole Hollywood thing.”
2. She was typically cast as the mean girl
Levin toldt the Chicago Sun-Times that she was first cast as a "mean girl" at the age of 13 in a play by Theater Seven of Chicago. “I played the mean girl, the queen bee,” she said. When she made it to high school, Levin was once again cast as a mean girl, playing a popular high school student in the production “FML: How Carson McCullers Saved My Life.” Her role in Red Band Society was no different. Levin played the not-so-nice high school cheerleader who suffers from an enlarged heart. “I always get cast as the mean girl,” Levin said. “Maybe it’s something about my face? Maybe I have resting mean face?”
3. She has a dream role
According to Heavy, Levin's school website revealed that her favorite actors were Christian Bale and Tom Hanks. In an ideal world, she would play any part that allowed her to work beside the two actors. "That would be amazing — to be in a movie with them,” she said. “I would also love to be in a movie directed by Wes Anderson or the Cohen Brothers.”
4. It was difficult to portray a Dominatrix
The Netflix comedy Bonding premiered on April 24, 2019. The tv series follows the story of a graduate student who enlists her best friend to be her assistant. Levin plays the graduate student, who is also a dominatrix. Levin shared the difficulties she faced with Bustle: "I think the biggest thing for me was just jumping into the process so quickly and having to put on the confidence of being a dominatrix," Levin said. "I mean, suiting up in that dominatrix armor really helped me. But you know, there are all these people on the crew behind the scenes that I didn't know at all, so I had to just kind of hold my head up high and be as unintimidated as I could possibly be."
Levin continued to explain how her role in the show allowed her to explore sex work. "I'd seen the documentary Hot Girls Wanted, and sex work and the power young girls find in it was something I really wanted to explore," she said. "How confusing it can be, but also how empowering. I'm just really grateful I got to do it in a dark comedy, not like a Fifty Shades, whips-and-chains kind of way. I got to have fun with it and do it in a meaningful way."
5. You can expect to see her in a new film
The Indie drama film, The Long Home is based on a novel by William Gay. The film directed by James Franco will star Franco, Ashton Kutcher, Courtney Love and Blake Nelson, just to name a few. Zoe Levin will also appear in the film as the character Amber Rose. According to IMBD, the film is expected to be released in 2019.
Zoe Levin to star in upcoming film The Long Home directed by James Franco.
Alexis George is a writer who covers love, relationship advice, astrology, personality topics and celebrity news.