JILL AWBREY ~ ACTRESS & SCREENWRITER
Jill Awbrey’s feature debut, Held – a tense, single-location thriller that she both wrote and starred in – introduced her as a versatile talent who can deliver on the page and on the screen. The Hollywood Reporter called the film “an uncommonly thoughtful and provocative suspenser,” while The Guardian praised Awbrey’s performance as “a confident calling card of a lead role.”
Awbrey embraces a multi-hyphenate approach to her career. Her creative range as a screenwriter and actress is reflected in her increasingly diverse body of work, from her start in horror, thriller, and indie drama to her upcoming films expanding into action, comedy, and rom-com. With each role and screenplay, Awbrey continues to define herself as an emerging talent who delivers emotionally intelligent, high-stakes stories that are built to entertain.
While continuing to develop original screenplays, Awbrey is building a reputation for her collaborative script work, partnering closely with directors and producers to translate their vision to the page. Her ability to elevate screenplays while preserving the original writer’s voice has made Awbrey a valued creative partner for international filmmakers adapting material for English-speaking audiences. Her behind-the-scenes work refining English dialogue in translated scripts, enhancing character development, and shaping emotionally engaging stories has supported multiple European productions including films recently shot in Romania and Spain.
Awbrey has also stepped behind the camera for two short films – Abby Undone, filmed entirely in a studio apartment in New York’s West Village, and All We Have Left, shot in her hometown – which she wrote, directed, produced, and starred in. These early projects embody an intimate, character-driven storytelling that helped shape her creative voice.
Awbrey’s upcoming acting and screenwriting work includes collaborations with directors Iura Luncasu and Dan Liu. Awbrey is also working on an untitled action rom-com with actress-producer Neraida Bega and producer Mike Chat. Awbrey is penning the screenplay and will co-star alongside Bega in the film.
NOTABLE SCREEN CREDITS
HELD ~ “Emma Barrett” | Writer
Jill Awbrey’s debut feature Held, produced by Tremendum Pictures and distributed by Magnet Releasing, received a limited theatrical release during the COVID-19 pandemic and earned strong reviews for its tense pacing and the on-screen chemistry between Awbrey and co-star Bart Johnson, with HorrorBuzz calling them “a great team on camera” whose dynamic elevated the film’s emotional impact. Following its theatrical run, Held became a top-performing title during Hulu’s annual Huluween horror showcase and has been featured on multiple curated lists of must-watch genre films. Held is available worldwide across major digital platforms, introducing Awbrey to global audiences as a screenwriter and actress with a talent for creating compelling, emotionally-grounded characters in elevated genre storytelling.
NIGHT OF THE MISSING ~ “The Woman”
Jill Awbrey stars as the enigmatic lead known only as The Woman in the horror anthology Night of the Missing. Her emotionally layered and unsettling performance has been described as “haunting” and “tragic,” anchoring the film’s wraparound narrative with a quiet intensity that resonates long after the credits roll, further establishing Awbrey’s strength in genre roles with psychological depth and emotional weight. The film debuted on PVOD and is available on Amazon Prime and other digital platforms, where it continues to connect with fans of psychological horror and female-led genre films.
LIFELINE ~ “Claire Thomas”
In the mystery thriller Lifeline, Jill Awbrey takes on a pivotal supporting role as Claire Thomas, a woman whose tragic fate reverberates through the story’s emotional core. The film has been described as a “smart psychological thriller with an excellent cast,” blending dramatic intensity with elevated genre tension. Awbrey’s portrayal adds emotional gravity to the ensemble, echoing the intimate and vulnerable work showcased in her previous films. Released by Dark Sky Films in 2025, Lifeline is now available on Apple TV+ and Amazon Prime.
ABOUT JILL AWBREY
Jill Awbrey is an American actress and screenwriter. She grew up in Reedley, California, a small town in the heart of the San Joaquin Valley. Awbrey attended Occidental College in Los Angeles for her freshman year as a theater major before transferring to The George Washington University in Washington, D.C., where she completed her Bachelor of Arts degree.
INSTAGRAM: @JillAwbrey