"WARRIOR" FEATURE STORY OF THE MONTH - ELLEN JACOBY

Our feature story this month is on this "warrior lady," world-renowned casting director, Ellen Jacoby,  who was voted "Woman of the Millenium," by Miami Metro Magazine. Jacoby is a Miami native, who is a former professional singer and dancer, who also had the ability to travel the world as an international backgammon champion, before returning to her beloved hometown, in the 1980’s. 

When Ellen was 21 years old, she was singing at a Holiday Inn, and suffered a fall that left her paralyzed from the waist down, and in rehab for six months. During this time, a friend opened a club in the Bahamas and invited Ellen, where she became fascinated with backgammon, becoming a professional player and entering international tournaments, winning over 60 trophies.

After a while she felt it was time to move on to something different, and returned to Miami where a friend was opening up a casting company and wanted Ellen to join her. For a time, she considered whether or not to stay with the casting company or return to professional backgammon. She stayed with casting and formed her own company, Ellen Jacoby Casting International. 

In the late 90's, Jacoby, was appointed to the First Film Advisory Board, by Governor Jeb Bush, and named “Woman of the Millennium” by Miami Metro Magazine, and a former Mayor of Miami Beach proclaimed October 23rd as Ellen Jacoby Day.Jacoby is the former Chair of the Infrastructure Committee of the GMCVB and is currently the VP of the FFPC, Florida Film Production Coalition. Ellen has traveled to Tallahassee to work with legislators regarding the Florida film incentives.

Ellen Jacoby's casting credits include: Ali, Something About Mary, The Waterboy, Out of Sight, The Truman Show, Birdcage, True Lies, Wrestling Ernest Hemingway and several other TV and major motion pictures. She has received numerous awards including the CSA Artios Award for outstanding achievement in location casting for Parenthood, and nominations for The Truman Show and The Birdcage.    

Ellen has employed over 250,000 Florida actors, dancers, performers through the years. Most recently,Ellen Jacoby was appointed to the Eagle Arts Academy Board of Directors in Wellington, FL.  Eagle Arts is a tuition-free charter school for the performing and production arts that seeks to provide an arts-infused curriculum, while enhancing and cultivating a child's   imagination.                                        

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For more information, on Ellen Jacoby, please contact: The Kirk Group and/or Ellen Jacoby Casting International.  

If you would like to be featured on "Feature Story of the Month," on Mommy Warrior Lady's blog or know someone who should, please email: MommyWarriorLady@gmail.com

 PRESS RELEASE

World Renowned Casting Director Appointed to Eagle Arts Academy Board of Directors

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE    (Los Angeles-June 7th, 2015) Eagle Arts Academy is pleased to announce that one of the entertainment industry’s most prolific casting directors, Ellen Jacoby, has joined the Academy’s Board of Directors. Ms. Jacoby brings a long history of success and industry expertise to a school whose vision is to infuse practical knowledge and hands on experience in production and performance arts along with an exceptional academic environment. As Founder and President of Ellen Jacoby Casting International, Ellen has worked with a many notable Hollywood directors including Ron Howard, Tony Scott, Steven Soderbergh, Sidney Pollack, Bob Zemekis, Mike Nicols, Michael Bay, Martin Scorsese, Garry Marshall, James Cameron, Joe Roth, and Tony Scott.  Ms. Jacoby’s casting credits include “Ali”, ‘The Waterboy’, ‘Out of Sight’, ‘The Truman Show’, ‘Birdcage’, ‘True Lies’, and ‘Wrestling Ernest Hemingway’ to name a few.  A native of Miami, Ellen’s agency encompasses the global film, television and commercial arena’s, employing over 250,000 Florida actors, dancers and performers throughout her illustrious career. “Ellen Jacoby is an icon in the entertainment industry”, says Gregory James Blount, the school's Founder and Chairman, “and with her degree in education, she is a wonderful asset to help serve on the board of Eagle Arts Academy”. Named “Woman of the Millennium” by Miami Metro Magazine, Ms. Jacoby has also had the honor of being appointed to the First Film Advisory Board by Governor Jeb Bush, and is currently the VP of the Florida Film Production Coalition, working alongside local legislators on Florida film incentives. Founded in 2013, Eagle Arts Academy is a tuition-free charter school for the performing and production arts driven by the belief that an arts-infused curriculum provides opportunity for intellectual, emotional, aesthetic and social growth while cultivating essential skills and enhancing a child’s creativity and imagination. The school is for children from kindergarten through 8th grade is located in Wellington, Florida. Offering students a functioning TV production studio, digital animation studio, and dance studio, Eagle Arts Academy continues to engage industry leaders who understand the importance of technology and art in education.