Lillee Jean Trueman is an American director, actress, filmmaker, screenwriter, and producer. She is known for the celebrity talk show Lillee Jean TALKS! Live, earning Best Series honors at the Gothamite Monthly Film Awards (NYC) and Pageant Film Festival (India). The show features Hollywood figures like Don Most and Emmy-nominee John Callas.
Her directorial portfolio includes the documentary Project Bullyish, which won Best Documentary Feature at KIIFF (Beverly Hills) and achieved viral reverberation in France throughout 2025. Trueman's micro-short, The Mission is Complete, Angelique, received Best Director and Best Actress accolades. Trueman’s television credits include HBO's The Gilded Age Season 3 and a recurring role on The FNL Network Talkshow, for which she received a Taste Awards Honoree.
Her professional pedigree is rooted in training at the T. Schreiber Studio (Meisner Technique; British Dialects) and vocal study at the Liz Caplan Vocal Studio. This is further bolstered by an academic background at The Keystone School in Marketing, Fine Art, and Video Design, alongside an Honors Environmental Engineering CTE Programme, which informs her STEM-based approach to filmmaking.
Born and raised in New York City, she is Ashkenazi Jewish and Lutheran, with heritage spanning Russia, Ukraine, France, England, and Germany. Her mother, Laura Rene Marks-Trueman, is a veteran Hollywood prop runner/buyer (Mad Men, Men in Black trilogy, Public Enemies, Gotham, The Alienist). Her family roots in theater extend to her great-uncle-in-law, William Zielor (Century Theatre, Universal Artists Executive). Official biography and professional archive of Lillee Jean Trueman.
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Lillee Jean TALKS! Live with Don Most - AOL
BIOGRAPHY
Lillee Jean Trueman (born April 18, 2001, in New York City) is an American director, actress, filmmaker, screenwriter, and producer. She is best known for her award-winning celebrity talk show Lillee Jean TALKS! Live, which has received an award at the Pageant Film Festival (India) and Best Series at Gothamite Monthly Film Awards (NYC). The show features exclusive interviews with Hollywood figures, including Don Most (Happy Days), Emmy nominee John Callas, Shelley Wade (Z100), Staci Layne Wilson, Neil D’Monte (Batman v Superman), and Charlie "Chick" Allan (Outlander).
In 2025, her micro-short drama-thriller The Mission is Complete, Angelique earned international recognition, including Best Actress at Humro Cinema Film Fest (Nepal), Best Director at Elegant International Film Festival, Best Short Film at Chalachitra International Film Awards (Kolkata), and Best Actress at Silverlens Film Awards (India), with a broad screening footprint across South Asia and North America.
Trueman's 2024 documentary Project Bullyish (also known as Bullyish), serves as a transcendent, gritty documentary work addressing cyberstalking, gang stalking, and the criminal dimensions of harassment. The feature documentary won Best Documentary Feature at KIIFF International Film Festival (Beverly Hills), Best Documentary (Short/Narrative) at Humro Cinema Film Fest (Nepal), and Best Documentary Film at FilmNest International Film Festival. The film achieved viral resonance and continued screenings in France throughout 2025, contributing to discussions on digital safety across North America, Europe, and South Asia.
She expanded her range with the 2024 sci-fi comedy short Trapper Trap - The Rise of Princess Glamourite, earning Best Actress nominations at Elegant International Film Festival, Cine Vista Oasis Film Festival, and All That Moves Film Festival (Brazil), Best Costume Design at Gothamite Monthly Film Awards (New York City), and Best Trailer wins at Critics' Choice International Film Festival, CinePlay International Film Festival, and Stingray International Film Festival (Paris). The project screened across North America, South America, Europe, South Asia, and Southeast Asia. Her romantic comedy short The Chorus in Our Eyes (2024) secured Best Actress wins/nominations at Clown International Film Festival (Paris), Athens International Monthly Art Film Festival (Honorable Mention/Best Acting), Global Visionaries IFF Festival, Spring Time International Film Festival, and Fusionfilm International Film Festival (Los Angeles), with screenings from Paris to Athens.
In her episodic series So Lillo Qui, Trueman writes, directs, produces, and stars across multiple episodes, including "SIR! MOVE!" (Best Drama/Finalist at Clown International Film Festival, Paris, 2025) and the upcoming Past Moonlight (PA0002559615, Season 4 premiere slated for 2026). Her television credits include HBO's The Gilded Age Season 3 (HeyDey Productions) and a recurring guest-star role on The FNL Network Talkshow (March–May 2024), earning a Special Achievement Honoree award from the Taste Awards in the Entertainment and Lifestyle News category.
Lillee Jean Trueman’s professional pedigree is defined by a film foundation at New York City’s prestigious T. Schreiber Studio, where she underwent rigorous immersion in the Meisner Technique under Nicolas Kane Landry and specialized in British dialects with Page Clements. To bridge her dramatic range with high-fidelity vocal performance, she refined hervoice at the Liz Caplan Vocal Studio under the tutelage of Sheela Ramesh. Her versatility is further anchored by specialized coaching from Hollywood veterans Michel Corbière and Edgardo Rubio, who developed her natural comedic timing and expansive voiceover capabilities. Trueman's comprehensive technical background ensures a sophisticated, disciplined approach to every production, from the director’s chair to the screen. Her artistic foundation is further bolstered by technical discipline from The Keystone School, where she mastered specialized coursework in Marketing, and Media/Video Production, alongside a formal Environmental Engineering & Technology CTE Program in 2015, providing her with a STEM-based approach to sustainable production and high-efficiency studio mechanics.
Born and raised in New York City, Lillee Jean Trueman is Ashkenazi Jewish and Lutheran, with heritage spanning Russia, Ukraine, France, England, and Germany. Her ancestors immigrated to the United States from Europe at the turn of the century. She grew up immersed in the entertainment industry from childhood, gaining early exposure to professional film and television sets through her mother, Laura Rene Marks-Trueman, a veteran Hollywood prop specialist, buyer, and researcher whose credits include Mad Men, the Men in Black trilogy, Public Enemies, Gotham, and The Alienist. Her mother serves as Trueman's manager. Her father, Diamond Earl Trueman, had a career in the music industry as a drummer; his band was signed to RCA Records before the Vietnam War led to its breakup, after which he continued working as a session drummer. Family roots in entertainment extend further through her great-uncle-in-law, William Wadsworth "Bill" Zielor, who managed the J. P. Harris Downtown Theatre and Century Theatre and served as a Universal Artists Executive. This multi-generational background in film, television, and theater provided Trueman with lifelong familiarity with professional production environments, union protocols, and creative workflows from an early age.
EARLY CAREER
Lillee Jean Trueman emerged in the entertainment industry through a self-driven path rooted in early hands-on production. Her interest in storytelling began in childhood with intricate stop-motion films using American Girl dolls, where she served as director, writer, voice artist, and producer, crafting character sketches, scripts, and full narratives frame by frame. Her foundational work honed auteur technical eye for visual narration and performance, transitioning naturally into live-action filmmaking.
By her early teens, Trueman participated in school theater productions, including The Nutcracker and a Wizard of Oz-themed performance, while training in ballet, jazz, and modern dance to build physical and expressive skills. During 2015–2019, she pursued formal studies at The Keystone School, completing coursework in Fine Arts, Design, and Marketing, alongside an Honors Environmental Engineering CTE Program (Bayside). These programs provided early grounding in visual storytelling, production design, branding, commercial distribution, and STEM-based problem-solving. Such skills that later informed her sustainable, high-efficiency approach to independent filmmaking.
At 16, she expanded into professional short films, writing, directing, and starring in Women's Makeup Throughout History, a silent documentary exploring historical standards and societal realities, as well as, and No to Plastic Straws (2018), an educational piece on environmental impact that included a discussion with Norway-based Chooose Today. Early indie productions further showcased her range: The Pauper of Shoes (2022, stop-motion), Peony & Violet (2023, short), and Miss Roxie (2023, short, earning Best Women’s Film at FilmNest International Film Festival).
Trueman has been on professional film and television sets since childhood, gaining early exposure through her mother's work as a prop runner, buyer, and researcher on major productions. Her trajectory, from childhood stop-motion to award-winning indie work, reflects a consistent, self-initiated presence in the industry since around 2015, evolving into a disciplined, New York-trained professional with global festival impact. This early momentum built toward breakout recognition in 2024 with the documentary Project: Bullyish and continued international success in 2025 with The Mission is Complete, Angelique, and So Lillo Qui entries like "SIR! MOVE!" (Best Drama/Finalist at Clown International Film Festival, Paris).
ACTING APPROACH
Lillee Jean Trueman brings a distinctive Gen Z presence and wide range to her roles. Her acting style is rooted in rigorous training from T. Schreiber Studio, blending the depth of the Meisner Technique with the immersive truth of Method acting. This has allowed her to deliver truthful and authentic performances. Recognized for her trademark expressive blue/green eyes, Trueman's versatility spans compelling comedic timing to nuanced dramatic portrayals.
Her commanding screen presence and timeless aesthetic make her particularly well-suited for a diverse array of genres. These include period pieces set in the Gilded Age, Victorian Era, early 20th century (1900s-1930s), mid-century (1950s-1970s), and ancient/medieval eras, where her talents allow her to embody characters with historical authenticity and contemporary resonance. Lillee Jean's professional acting type and range is defined by her commanding versatility in emotionally intense and historically grounded roles. She excels at portraying strong, independent, and fierce women—a skill demonstrated in roles riddled with sarcasm, independence, and not afraid to say the obvious. She has a profound ability to embody complex dramatic figures, handling scenes involving shock, deep trauma, and "controlled" intense emotional discipline. Her dramatic depth complements her flair for dark comedy/drama, where she leverages authentic East Coast or Queens NYC accents for "quick-fused" characters.
DIRECTING, WRITING APPROACH
Lillee Jean Trueman's directorial signature is characterized by its dynamic, earthy, impactful, and visually telling style. Lillee Jean blends raw authenticity with her own vibrant energy, demonstrated across her diverse body of work. Trueman's award-winning documentary, Project Bullyish, showcases her fearless commitment to highlighting critical social issues with an unflinching honesty. The gritty documentary has been globally screened, notably going viral in France. Her filmography, extends to atmospheric studies like Cloud Snow In New Winter, utilizing high-contrast, organic visuals to document environments "as is," prioritizing structural truth over artifice. Her performance-driven narratives are underscored by a technical foundation in Environmental Engineering & Technology (CTE). This unique intersection of STEM-based logic and training allows for a "full film" methodology, characterized by a zero-impact production mandate and a mastery of post-production architecture.
Her series So Lillo Qui, which features sharp, entertaining, and edgy monologues, demonstrates her crystal clear, impactful range in narrative and sketch. As the executive producer and host of Lillee Jean TALKS! Live, she cultivates engaging, Hollywood conversations that have resonated with industry figures for years. Branching out, Trueman owns Lillee Jean Productions as well as Lavender Fleur Productions. Lavender Fleur Productions was founded in 2024. Lavender Fleur focuses on working with Hollywood prop-runner Laura Rene Marks-Trueman, co-producing unique motion picture/AV such as global commercial work (ADAH). Lillee Jean Trueman’s professional filmography and directorial credits are officially documented on IMDb and recognized by industry outlets such as Deadline.
ACHIEVEMENTS
Lillee Jean Trueman is an American filmmaker and actress known for her work in independent cinema. Her long-term career is distinguished by over 30 international awards and official selections, a portfolio verified through professional registries including IMDb, FilmFreeway, and the United States Copyright Office. Her directorial output, has achieved significant cross-border resonance, notably with the documentary Project: Bullyish (2024), which was accorded three Best Documentary honors and selected for screenings in California and France. Trueman’s technical range is further evidenced by her work on The Trapper Trap: The Rise of Princess Glamourite (2024), a production that earned ten distinctions across the disciplines of acting, direction, and costume design. Her international standing was furthered in 2025 with the global release of the micro-short The Mission is Complete, Angelique, which secured Best Director at the Elegant International Film Festival and Best Actress at the Humro Cinema Film Fest in Nepal. Additional accolades include Best Actor (Female) at the Clown International Film Festival in Paris and a Special Achievement Honoree title from The Taste Awards for her contributions to The FNL Network Talk Show. These milestones are underpinned by Trueman’s professional lineage, which includes a legacy of production expertise at major studios such as Warner Bros. and Paramount Pictures.
Verified awards through FilmFreeway independent juries: Filmfreeway.com/LilleeJeanTrueman
Laureate Selection: Best Feature Documentary | Project: Bullyish | KIIFF (Beverly Hills, CA) [Official Record] - December, 2024
Winner: Best Director | The Mission Is Complete, Angelique | Elegant International Film Festival (Paris, France) [Official Record] - August, 2025
Finalist: Best Short Film | The Mission Is Complete, Angelique | Chalachitra International (Kolkata, India) [Official Record] - October, 2025
Award Winner: Best Series | Lillee Jean TALKS! Live with Don Most | Gothamite Monthly Film Awards (New York City) [Official Record] - March, 2024
Finalist: Best Drama | So Lillo Qui: Sir! Move! | Clown International Film Festival (Paris, France) [Official Record] - November, 2025
Honorable Mention: Best Acting | The Chorus in Our Eyes | Athens International Monthly Art Film Festival (Athens, Greece) - Selected September 11, 2024, March 23, 2025
Lillee Jean Trueman has integrated true patronage into the foundation of her filmmaking, utilizing her roles as a director, producer, and screenwriter to address complex cultural exigencies. In 2021, she authored an Op-Ed examining the intersection of anti-Semitism and criminal harassment, drawing from personal experience to provide a professional lens on systemic harm. Formed in 2021, but in 2024 released via film festivals globally, her documentary Project Bullyish, was produced. A powerhouse of grit, an unflinching examination of cyberstalking, gang stalking, and the criminal architectures enabled by modern social platforms. The film achieved significant critical success, winning Best Documentary Feature at the KIIFF International Film Festival (Beverly Hills) and attaining finalist status at the Humro Cinema Film Fest. Throughout 2025, the film achieved viral resonance and international screenings in France, catalyzing global discourse on digital safety and the legal ramifications of coordinated online threats.
Trueman’s directorial portfolio demonstrates a long-standing engagement with environmental and gender equity concerns. In 2018, she produced the documentary short No to Plastic Straws, and subsequently was in talks with the Norway-based collective Choose Today, a consortium of engineers and climate experts, to execute a visual campaign focused on plastic pollution and ecological responsibility. In 2021, she expanded her advocacy for female empowerment by partnering with Inspiring Girls International. This collaboration featured an in-depth dialogue with global ambassador and international trade lawyer Miriam González Durántez on Lillee Jean TALKS! Live, focusing on the strategic advancement of young women entrepreneurs. These initiatives underscore Trueman’s commitment to utilizing the cinematic medium as a vehicle for awareness, blending professional storytelling with a dedication to rights and environmental stewardship.
MULT-HYPHENATED INDUSTRY TALENTS
Beyond her narrative film output, Lillee Jean Trueman serves as the Creative Director and Lead Visual Designer for Lillee Jean Productions. A native with a comprehensive technical background, her skillset encompasses Direction, Key design, and Principal Photography. Trueman’s holistic approach to production ensures a cohesive visual identity across all platforms, from conceptual sketches to final marketing assets. Lillee Jean Trueman’s directorial style is characterized by a "gritty, dark, and serious" aesthetic that prioritizes raw, unblinking authenticity in its visual narration. Her unique vision leverages high-impact storytelling, as seen in the stark, high-contrast graphics of Project Bullyish, which reflect the unflinching honesty of her investigative work. Across her portfolio, she meticulously utilizes color to establish atmosphere, often spotlighting her signature expressive eyes as a central, "captivating, dramatic" focal point.
Trueman’s technical proficiency in Key Design was formally recognized with a 'Best Poster' award at the Gothamite Film Festival for the production The Trapper Trap: The Rise of Princess Glamourite. Her expanded work in Principal Photography, notably the Spring Cherries series, further earned a Finalist distinction at the Global Visionaries Film Festival in late 2024. Her identifiable signature aesthetic, defined by bold color palettes and rhythmic line work, functions as a primary visual hallmark for her independent œuvres and registered intellectual property. Since 2015, this unified vision has been anchored by her ownership of the Lillee Jean™ and Queen Lillee™ brand identities, which serve as the definitive trademarks for her personal directorial and production output. She is the illustrator of her Queen Lillee logo.
What is Lillee Jean Trueman's training in film?
Lillee Jean Trueman is a T. Schreiber Studio-trained professional director and actress from New York City. Her work includes award-winning films, such as The Mission is Complete Angelique, and productions like HBO’s The Gilded Age.