Meet me
— Who I am, what I've done...so far
Biography
Austin, Texas native Jessica Polsky grew up with her sights set on Broadway, and trained as a triple threat from the age of a toddler, culminating in a BFA (magna cum laude) from the University of Arizona’s prestigious Performing Arts Department. While at the U of A she also completed a BA in Italian (magna cum laude), and was awarded honors certification upon conclusion of her studies at an exclusive Italian language institute in Florence, Italy. Her NYC-based professional career has included years of international touring with Broadway musicals such as West Side Story, Sophisticated Ladies, and Grease, as well as numerous, successful “in town” productions including Jeffrey with Bryan Batt at Broadway's Lincoln Center, the revival of The Pirates of Penzance Off-Broadway, the title role in the world premiere of Ghost Wife Radio Off-Broadway, and much more. She can be seen starring in primetime TV projects for American networks such as Lifetime, as both the face and the voice of all mediums of advertising campaigns, and “behind the table” casting, teaching, producing, directing, and choreographing.
Jessica was discovered by Italian television when she accepted a lead role on Italy's hit sitcom of fanatical, cult-following proportions, Camera Cafe'. The portrayal of her original character, whom they left named “Jessica”, won Best New Actress of the TV Season by the Accademia dei Telefilm and launched her European television career. Following the frenzied fandom of Camera Cafe', Jessica moved on to starring roles in other multiple, long-running, network projects. Among them: Piloti, an original sitcom which takes place in an airplane, in which Jessica stars as the adorable but bumbling stewardess: “Josephine”, and many more ratings-winning primetime mini-series, sitcoms, and more. Beyond just acting, Jessica has also become a highly sought after on-screen and event host. Some of her most notable televised hosting projects include: “Festivalbar”, “Robbie Williams Live in Berlin”, “Masters of Magic”, “New Year’s Eve Live From Venice’s St.Mark’s Square”, “Volo in Diretta”, as well as the cult hit of her co-creation, “Sputnik”: a weekly “Saturday Night Live”-inspired TV sketch comedy series of which Jessica is both the permanent host and lead cast member.
In addition to her acting and hosting projects, she is often called on for even more unique engagements, such as judging televised talent competitions, and making cameos in all genres of talk, variety, and game shows. She is also one of Italy's most sought-after private event hosts, working regularly with clients such as Richard Branson, TED Talks, and multiple international brands and corporations for their industrials.
Her bi-continental entertainment industry endeavors are in constant development. In addition to her uninterrupted presence on TV, Jessica continues to command starring roles in theatrical productions in Italy (Alice in Wonderland, The Clan of the Divorcees), feature films (Ulysses with Danny Glover, Gore with Kevin Spacey), and to develop and shop projects of her own writing and creation.
In Italy Jessica has a solid place as a favorite of the press and of all corners of the industry. She can be seen constantly featured in every genre of tv project, as a special guest for tv and radio interviews, in magazines, on the red carpet, in large-scale celebrity endorsement ad campaigns, and as a participant in promotional and charity events. Jessica is also the recipient of Italy’s coveted Vincenzo Crocitti Acting Award and the Italian Parliament’s prestigious “Italy-USA Cultural Ambassadorship” appointment in recognition of her bi-continental acting career, and for the rare positive role-model celebrity she has become.
Résumé
FILM
GORE *with Kevin Spacey, “Kathy” dir.Michael Hoffman - in post production
ULYSSES A DARK ODYSSEY *with Danny Glover, “Agent Jules Delfin” dir.Federico Alotto
UNA QUESTIONE DI CORNA (Sky Cinema), Lead, short film by Alessia Di Giovanni, dir.Max Papeschi
THE WAR ON THE WAR ON DRUGS short film, “Chrissy” dirs.Cevin D. Soling, Dan Kornfeld
TV SERIES
CAMERA CAFÉ-The New World (Rai 2), “Jessica” dir.Fabrizio Gasparetto
CAMERA CAFÉ (Italia 1), “Jessica” dir.Christophe Sanchez
PILOTI (Rai 2), “Josephine” dir.Celeste Laudisio
FINALMENTE A CASA (Canale 5), “Loredana” dir.Gianfrancesco Lazotti
QUELLI DELL'INTERVALLO (Disney Channel), “Professor Jessica” dir.Gianluca Fumagalli
UN CICLONE IN FAMIGLIA 2 (Canale 5), “Maggie” dir.Carlo Vanzina
COSÍ FAN TUTTE (Italia 1), Self, dir.Gianluca Fumagalli
MY LIFE IS A LIFETIME MOVIE—MANHATTAN MADAME (Lifetime Network), “Kristen Davis” dir.Jordan Roberts
MY NAME IS PIPPO (Mediaset), Self, by and with Pippo Crotti
SNOOZE! OGNI BENEDETTA MATTINA (Italia 1), Self, dir.Elia Castangia
OPEN SPACE (Mediaset), Self, dir.Elia Castangia
DIVANO FOOTBALL CLUB (Sky Sport), “Jane” dir.Giorgio Bardelli
MITIKO (La 7), “Hera” dir.Gianni Zanasi
X-RATED (Sky), “Sofie Sofa'” dir.Laura Chiassone
TELEVISION
iCREW DANCE COMPETITION (La5), judge
ROBBIE WILLIAMS – LIVE IN BERLIN (Italia 1), host, dir.Lele Biscussi
ANTEPRIMA FESTIVALBAR (Italia 1), host, dirs.Lele Biscussi & Egidio Romio
SPUTNIK! (Italia 1), host, dirs.Jean Marc Viel & Latino Pellegrini
VOLO IN DIRETTA (Rai 3), co-host, correspondent
MASTERS OF MAGIC (Rai 2), host
HOUSE OF GAG (TV8), special guest
QUANTO MANCA (Rai 2), special guest
L'ERBA DEI VICINI (Rai 3), special guest
THE COOKING SHOW (Rai 3), special guest
DETTO FATTO (Rai 2), special guest
LOOK OF THE YEAR (Sky), host
L'ALMANACCO CON GENE GNOCCHI (Rai 3), special guest
CUORK (La7), special guest
SO YOU THINK YOU'RE SMARTER THAN A 5th GRADER? (Sky Uno), contestant for special celeb edition for charity
I SOLITI IGNOTI (Rai 1), special guest
THE SINGING OFFICE (Sky Vivo), judge, dir.Egidio Romio
NASTRI D'ARGENTO (Rai 1), special guest
GXT E JETIX (Sky), permanent network host and spokesperson
KRAUTI (Sky Sport), special guest
GLOB: L'OSCENO DEL VILLAGGIO (Rai 2), special guest
CELEBRITY SLIM DOWN (E! Channel Italia), special guest
THEATRE
IL CLAN DELLE DIVORZIATE (Italian national premiere, transfer from Paris), “Mary”, Teatro San Babila di Milano, dir.Hazis Vardar
IL CLAN DELLE DIVORZIATE (2nd Italian production), “Mary”, Teatro Leonardo di Milano, dir.Vittorio Borsari
WEST SIDE STORY “Graziella”, European Tour, director/choreographer Alan Johnson
WEST SIDE STORY “Graziella”, Musical Theatre Basel, Basel-Switzerland, director/choreographer Alan Johnson
WEST SIDE STORY “Graziella”, Tucson Arizona, director/choreographer Dennis Courtney
JEFFREY ON BROADWAY *with Bryan Batt, “Jeffrey's Lover”, Lincoln Center NYC, dir.Beth Greenberg
GHOST WIFE RADIO (world premiere) by John Krisiukenas, “Helen”, Off-Broadway NYC
SOPHISTICATED LADIES *with DeeDee Bridgewater, Swing, world tour, director/choreographer Bruce Heath
GREASE “Patty Simcox / Marty”, European Tour, dir.David Gilmore, chors.Carla Kama & Melissa Williams
THE MEMBER OF THE WEDDING “Julie”, Peccadillo Theatre Company, Off-Broadway NYC
ALICE IN WONDERLAND “Alice”, dir.Laura Cantarelli
PIRATES OF PENZANCE Ensemble, Off-Broadway NYC, dir.Michael Scheman
CABARÉ Host,Teatro Derby di Milano, dir.Domenico Liggeri
SENZA IMPEGNO Comic/Host, dir.Lucio Wilson, Bergamo Theatre
SENZA FILTRI Comic/Host, Zelig-Off, dir.Leonardo Manera
BUONA LA PRIMA Comic/Host, Teatro Zelig-Off
LA VEDOVA ALLEGRA “Fifi du Maxim”, Centennial Hall Theatre-USA, director/choreographer Melissa Lowe
ENDORSEMENT CAMPAIGNS
SAMSUNG
FERRERO
ARDO
CHRONOTECH
FESTINA
MICROSOFT X-BOX
SOTTOTONO
GIOCHI PREZIOSI
CINQUE STELLE
GOLIA
SUZI WAN
MORELLATO
EDONISM
TIM
MORICHETTI
PIKANTE
SALVATORE FERRAGAMO PERFUMES
KINDER BUENO
CORPORATE CLIENTS—INDUSTRIALS
(partial list)
ALITALIA
BACARDI / MARTINI
LAVAZZA
POSTE ITALIANE
NESTLÈ
SWATCH
SYMANTEC
MASTER FOODS
AUSTRIAN AIRLINES
SAMSUNG
BANCA UNICREDIT
LYRECO
BANCA DEL CERESIO
STONEFLY
BUITONI
FERRETTI YACHTS
DHL
VIRGIN HEALTH CLUBS
PIAGGIO
LEASEPLAN
GIOCHI PREZIOSI
DAUNENSTEP
FINPROJECT
ROBE DI KAPPA
STULZ
ARISTON
CAMPARI
FORMULA-E
OTHER ENGAGEMENTS
TED TALKS ITALY—TEDx Vicenza host
ALEX&CO. acting coach, Disney International tv series
PENNY ON MARS acting coach, Disney International tv series
SCHOOL HACKS acting coach, Disney International tv series
FALLEN acting coach, film
PERSONAL ACTING/DIALOGUE COACH Italian voiceover studio sessions for the film Ulysses
THE RIDE acting coach, film
I PROMESSI SPOSI – THE MUSICAL director, Italian national tour
ROCCO E I SUOI FRATELLI show doctor – choreography and movement, Teatro Litta Milano, dir.Antonio Syxty
NEW YEAR'S EVE LIVE FROM VENICE'S ST.MARK'S SQUARE event host, 2 consecutive years (broadcast on CNN World)
HOLIDAY CONCERT FOR THE CITY ANGELS IN PIAZZA DUOMO – MILANO host
25th ANNIVERSARY EVENT DIESEL CLOTHING choreographer, dir.Romeo Conte
RICHARD BRANSON PRIVATE CHARITY EVENT host
SALENTO FINIBUS TERRAE INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL host and jury, San Vito dei Normanni, dir.Romeo Conte
MALPENSA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT 20th ANNIVERSARY host
NC DIGITAL AWARDS host
GALANTHEA BALL host
EUBEA AWARDS host, multiple editions Europe-wide
IRMA LA DOUCE show doctor, Italian national tour, dir.Jerome Savary
MASTER CLASS TEACHER musical theatre, acting, dance, world-wide
AWARDS
VINCENZO CROCITTI ACTING AWARD 2018 Excellence in Acting-International
“USA-ITALIA” Cultural Ambassadorship, recognition from Italy's Parliament
BEST NEW ACTRESS OF THE TV SEASON from the Accademia Italiana dei Telefilm for “Jessica”in CAMERA CAFÉ
ARTIST OF THE YEAR Virginia Robinson Award –Arizona
TRAINING/EDUCATION
Performing Arts/Dance BFA—Magna Cum Laude University of Arizona
Italian BA—Magna Cum Laude University of Arizona
Honors Certification Centro Linguistico Dante Alighieri – Florence, Italy
Dance (ballet, modern, jazz, tap, musical, contemporary) – Dancer's Workshop Texas, Texas Association Teachers of Dance, University of Arizona, Steps NYC, Broadway Dance Center NYC, Alvin Ailey Dance Academy NYC, Peridance NYC
Voice – Bob Marks, Jeannie Lovetri, Steve Grey, Gordon Grody, Mark Meylan, Stephen Cheng, Karen Oster, University of Arizona
Acting – Sande Shurin Studio NYC, Zachary Scott Conservatory, University of Arizona
