THE CAST

Lisa Datz (Riley)

With a diverse career spanning film, television, and theatre, Lisa Datz made her Broadway debut in the Tony winning original cast of TITANIC, THE FULL MONTY opposite Patrick Wilson, Off-Broadway as Yitzak opposite John Cameron Mitchell and Michael Cerveris in HEDWIG & THE ANGRY INCH and received rave reviews and a Jeff Award nomination for VIOLET in the title role. Most recently, she starred in the Pulitzer Prize nominated play, THREE DAYS OF RAIN opposite Silas Weir Mitchell and Sasha Roiz from Grimm (NBC), and played leading roles in the critically acclaimed FOR THE RECORD series in both Los Angeles and at the SXSW Film Festival in FTR: TARANTINO and FTR: PAUL THOMAS ANDERSON.

Her television and film work highlights include FBI: MOST WANTED (CBS) opposite Dylan McDermott, ELEMENTARY (CBS) opposite Lucy Liu, BONES (FOX), CASTLE (ABC), TIME OUT OF MIND directed by Oscar nominee Oren Moverman, starring Richard Gere, the live action feature SPONGE BOB 2 (Paramount), THE PERFECT HOLIDAY opposite Gabrielle Union, and creating the role of ‘Olga’ in the developmental reading of WANDA & SHENENEH written by Oscar winner Jamie Foxx at Sony Pictures. Currently, she can be seen as one of the female leads, Jessica LeClerk, in the massively successful video game, RED DEAD REDEMPTION 2.

As a director, she made her debut behind the camera for FASHIONXT, named by Time Magazine as “the #1 production in the U.S. outside New York Fashion Week” featuring Project Runway winners Seth Aaron and Michelle Lesniak, actor Sasha Roiz (Suits, Grimm) and the World Champion Portland Timbers soccer team.

Lisa is immensely grateful and thrilled to be working with this gifted cast, crew and producing team in helping to bring her vision of LIFE OF RILEY to the screen.

Sergio Carlo (Juan Carlos)

Sergio Carlo is a Dominican actor and political activist best known for his role as Carbo, in Andy García's movie THE LOST CITY, as Manolo Tavarez, opposite Michelle Rodriguez in the film TRÓPICO DE SANGRE, the film CUBAN BLOOD with Mexican actor Gael García Bernal, and LA MALDICIÓN DEL PADRE CARDONA (The Curse of Father Cardona) in which he plays opposite acclaimed Hollywood actress Zoe Saldana (Avatar, Star Trek).

He was born Sergio Carlo in Santiago, Dominican Republic to Octavio Carlo and Laura de Carlo, the youngest child with five sisters and three brothers. At the age of 16 he moved to Boston, Massachusetts to pursue his studies in television and radio broadcasting.

He is also known for his work co-hosting CHEVERE NIGHTS, a television entertainment news show in the Dominican Republic, and is currently the host of 12 y 2, a nationally syndicated top 40, independent music and talk radio show.

Silas Weir Mitchell (Simon)

Silas Weir Mitchell has appeared in hundreds of episodes of TV., and is perhaps best known for his 6 seasons on NBC’s GRIMM, and 2 seasons on FOX’s PRISON BREAK, among many others. (MY NAME IS EARL, THE MENTALIST, SIX FEET UNDER, DEXTER, COLD CASE, BURN NOTICE, THE CLOSER, THE SHIELD, 24, LAW & ORDER, CSI, NYPD BLUE, ER.

Silas has appeared on stage in New York (Playwrights’ Horizons, The Harold Clurman Theatre, HERE Theatre); in Los Angeles (The Actors’ Gang, Circle X, The Stella Adler Theatre); and regionally in California (La Jolla Playhouse), Ohio (The Porthouse Theatre) and Oregon (Portland Center Stage).

Dionne Gipson (Danielle)

Dionne Gipson hails from Peoria, Illinois. She is an original company member of the long-running hit live show, FOR THE RECORD. She has sung professionally for Rick Springfield, Wayne Brady and Public Enemy, has written songs for and played roles in the films, JOSIE AND THE PUSSY CATS, TROIS and BLACK DYNAMITE and has co-written alongside greats like Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds, Raphael Saadiq and Chris Collingwood. She has worked abroad in Australia with the revered and legendary director, actress and producer, Debbie Allen in the musical FREEZE FRAME as well as THE HOT CHOCOLATE NUTCRACKER.

Her film credits include SWEET HOME ALABAMA, SQUATTERS and PEE WEE'S BIG HOLIDAY (Netflix. She’s guest starred on the hit television shows, CRIMINAL MINDS, THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS and GREENLEAF (OWN) and currently appearing as a reccurring guest star on the CBS long-running hit NCIS. Follow her in the brand new series, THE WILDS, coming soon on Amazon.

Akende Munalula (Jeremy)

With Akende Munalula has acted opposite Stephen Dorff in DEPUTY on FOX, JK Simmons in COUNTERPART on STARZ Network, Tyler Perry in Tyler Perry’s Boo2; A Madea Halloween, and in other independent productions such as the Emmy nominated digital series, THE NEW 30, about a group of friends navigating life in their 40’s. He can also be seen in THE SALON released in 2020.

Akende has been a professional actor since 2015 when rejoined the Screen Actors Guild SAG-AFTRA. In 2015, he wrote and starred in CITY OF DREAMS, which premiered at the Action On Film Festival. He also appeared in shorts like TEAR JERKER, THE INCISION and others. Before that, Akende spent two years from 2012 to 2014 at the Stella Adler Academy of Acting.

Akende uses his writing passion to develop scripts for television and film. Using his connections Africa, he wants to bring African stories to a worldwide audience and show a different side of the continent that is missing script shows today.

WIth his experience in acting and writing, Akende dedicates his spare time to coaching youths in his home country of Zambia who wish to pursue acting and writing dreams. He started thinkPURPOSE as a means to give back to those in need.