Vanessa Matsui is a multi-talented individual, boasting a remarkable range of skills and accomplishments in the realm of acting, writing, and filmmaking. Based in both Toronto and Los Angeles, this CSA-nominated artist has made a significant impact in the industry through her critically acclaimed work.
As a writer, director, and star of the hit web series Ghost BFF, Vanessa has garnered widespread recognition and accolades. This critically acclaimed series, which she created, wrote, directed, and starred in, has won and been nominated for numerous awards, including Best Web Series at the LA Femme International Film Festival and the Austin Film Festival. Ghost BFF has also screened at festivals globally and can be found on Shaftesbury's KindaTV, having originally streamed on Elizabeth Bank's Whohaha.com.
In addition to her work on Ghost BFF, Vanessa co-created the interactive website Crankytown.ca, an innovative platform focused on getting one's first period, where she wrote and directed award-winning short films. This project received a Gemini nomination for Best Digital Non-Fiction Program.
As an advisor with Sundance Co//ab, Vanessa continues to be a driving force in the industry, utilizing her expertise to shape the future of storytelling. Her passion for storytelling can be attributed to her extensive training in acting and improvisation, having studied the Meisner technique with the late Jaqueline McClintock and honing her skills as an improviser for 10 years in Montreal, most notably at the Just For Laughs Festival with The Bitter End, a serialized, improvised sitcom.
Vanessa's impressive acting credits include roles on notable television shows such as Letterkenny (Hulu),Shadowhunters (Freeform),Schitt's Creek (CBC),and The Handmaid's Tale (Hulu).
