“Working with Marisa is a joy! She was the lead in my short film Gone alongside veteran actor Zack Norman. Her performance shines ever so brightly. I cast her because she has that rare ability to be honest and relatable, as well as dark and manipulative – both at the same time. She has a unique gift for understanding complex characters and an intuitive grasp of the human condition. If you are lucky enough to work with her you will see what I mean!”
Adam Linzey
Director, DGGB (Directors Guild of Great Britain)
“Marisa Costa was cast for a lead role in my award winning feature film Fray which opened theatrically in April to critical accolades. As many have stated, Costa’s performance brings a depth and heart to a very tense and dark film. As the character “Cheri” Costa was tasked with getting into the mind of a woman dealing with a troubled lover dealing with combat-related PTSD and for this role she went above and beyond expectations by interviewing spouses of Vietnam veterans which brought a level of depth and realism to her portrayal. The shoot was a very low budget one and was quite grueling yet Marisa was always up to the challenge jumping from one emotional scene to the next – often with limited time for prep – and delivered her best take after take. On any production an actor with talent and professionalism is key but I can say in all sincerity that for our production we could not have accomplished this film to the caliber we did without Costa’s dedication and skill.”
Geoff Ryan
Writer/Director, Spork Productions
“I spent a year working with Marisa in ensemble and it was always a pleasure. She brought insight, bravery and beauty to the story behind each role she touched. There is an honest subtlety to her work and her process. She’s not afraid to be bold or to play. She’s a generous artist both on stage and off. Marisa is truly a gift to any artistic adventure and any brave ensemble.”
Andrea Goldman
Playwright/Founding Member of Berlin's The Box Collective
“Marisa Costa is a bright, driven and talented performer, who instinctively understands the value of stillness and economy in cinema. Marisa has an easy, fluid style on camera, takes direction well and can tell lovely short stories with her eyes. In a nutshell, she has all the requisite tools of a great film actress.”
Glenn English
Writer/Director, Mystik Films
“Marisa has an openness in her work that is infectious–I can’t help but feel completely connected to her on stage. To me, she radiates. Her work is filled, magnetic, and courageous. It is clear Marisa takes great joy not only in her artistry, but in being human and sharing herself in any community she impacts. She also brings a sense of humor to her process which makes any chance to work with her delightful– I continue to look forward to working with her!”
Carrie Heitman
Artistic Director - Hook & Eye, New York City
“I directed Marisa in Jeff Hoffman’s Fishing where a father and daughter reckon with the consequences of falling in love with each other. Marisa let the notes of that daughter’s story sound with grief, humor and clarity against her soul, bringing a performance to life that enchanted and awed those who saw it. I’ve never seen an actress since whose script contained such a score of neat notes to herself, secrets that endowed her characterization with power and mystery. Marisa puts everyone at ease in a rehearsal hall through her genuine interest in others and effortless charm. Marisa is a disciplined professional who shows up on time with her lines memorized and ready to play with commitment and passion.”
Ron Kagen
Director/Founder of the Theatre Lab at Macaulay Honors College
“Marisa played the role of Louisa in Damn Your Eyes, a film I wrote and directed. After reading the script she immediately understood my intentions. She then took what was on the page and brought it to life. She was able to do this with an enormous amount of creativity and professionalism. In short, she made my job easy. Now when I watch her scenes in the film, I don’t think about what I would do differently, or what was happening that day on set. I am actually emotionally invested in the film, and in the character we created together. An actor that allows you to distance yourself from your own work and be affected as an audience member is a phenomenal gift, and I look forward to having this privilege again.”
David Guglielmo
Writer/Director, Target Pictures
“Marisa arrives with good instincts, professional conduct and with willingness to face new challenges, reflect upon and delve ever deeper into her approach. She is a serious and committed young woman, whilst still retaining playfulness in her work. She has been an excellent member of the ensemble and a consistent pleasure to work with.”
Kim Durham
Director, Bristol Old Vic
“I worked with Marisa in Chekhov’s The Seagull. She portrayed both the characters of Nina and Marsha. From first to last Marisa’s attitude was exemplary; dedicated, professional, enthusiastic and she exudes a great natural warmth that has an extremely positive influence on group dynamics. With great ease she developed Nina as a beautifully innocent character, full of passion, wanting to live a full life, whilst managing to give an extremely well observed fragility which laid the foundation for the traits that were to develop in Nina later in the plot, which ultimately take her to a rather self-obsessed life of delusion and suffering. In her portrayal of Masha, she developed a real depth and imbued her with a tremendous balance of pathos and martyrdom which was heartbreaking. In conclusion, I found Marisa to be a beautifully subtle natural performer.”
Chris Donnelly
Director
“For me, the nature of an actor’s questions reveal more than anything else about their character and abilities. Marisa’s questions were never less than excellent. Her ability to take on board complex ideas and to combine them not only helped her own understanding of Alexander Technique develop rapidly – but also contributed greatly to positive progress among her fellow actors. In a group environment, Marisa demonstrated an intelligent and emotionally mature sensitivity to interpersonal dynamics – an ability that served her very well indeed.”
Oliver Lee
Alexander Technique tutor, Bristol Old Vic Theatre School
“Marisa is an open, courageous and intuitive actress. I recently had the pleasure of not only directing Marisa but also acting with her in Othello. She bravely took up the challenge of playing the role of Cassio as a man, which was the only character that was cross-cast. She was incredibly present and created strong relationships. In the end, her performance was so strong that gender became irrelevant. One of the things I love most about Marisa is that she has no idea how good she is, but she’s courageous nonetheless. Her courage makes her a great actress and I can’t wait to see where her career takes her.”
Cece Smith
Director, The TAI Group
“Marisa is a generous actor. She has a calm, strong and gentle presence, and imbues all of her work with a sense of generosity towards her fellow cast-members, her director, the audience and the work at hand. I’ve been continually impressed with her ability to listen, observe and freely give herself and her vulnerability to the work. Always willing to take a new approach or experiment, she is instinctively insightful, funny without pretense and a truly warm, empathic actor.”
Abigail Trueblood
Director, The TAI Group
“I first met Marisa when we both worked on a production of Twelfth Night. Immediately I was impressed with her. Marisa was serious, professional, and incredibly determined. Cast in the role of Olivia, she dove into the text, and continuously sought for clarity, meaning, and hidden depth. She never ignored the text or possible moments with her scene partners. Marisa is the kind of actor that everyone wants to work with. Her process is highly intuitive, emotionally grounded, while also searching for risk. She is always present, and always looking for more. No relationship is too small, no line too insignificant, no moment taken for granted.”
Alyssa Bradac
Director/Former Associate Artistic Director of Shakespeare Orange County
“Marisa has worked with me over the years on different projects and my admiration for her grows day-by-day. Her talent and professionalism move me. Through her unflagging dedication to her craft she is always highly respected by everyone she works with. She is open to taking on new risks, and she challenges and inspires others. I know her to be a dynamic and compassionate artist.”
Virginia Venk
Actress/Director
“The smartest thing I did on Down To My Bones was hire Marisa. Her genuine kindness extends on and off set, making the work environment easy, even with too-short schedules and very hard days. She brought a new dimension to the project and defined the role with unique precision. Her intelligence gave it depth, her compassion gave it softness and her experience made it effortless. I am addicted to the nuance in her acting, things I felt on set but didn’t fully realize until sitting alone in a dark room with her performance as a whole. Her greatest trick is the ability to transcend her performance into a pure expression of a living being. I don’t question that the character was real, and that is a byproduct of her professionalism and ingenuity. There is a cadence to her acting, a quiet intensity that anchors her work. Marisa is smart. She prepares heavily and also allows herself room to live in the moment, keeping takes fresh. There is no ego, she is only about the work; a true collaborative partner, always pushing with you to find moments in the story, disarming any nerve or fear of going further. She has the rare ability to take all the gifts she’s been given as an actor – beauty, talent, intelligence – and push them through the camera and into the audience’s gut. The film is better for having her in it, I’m better for having worked with her. It was my honor to catch her on the beginning of her rise and I hope I have the pleasure to work with her again.”
Samantha Covington
Writer & Director, President of Carapace Entertainment
“Costa undeniably anchors the film with such a luminescence.” – The Inside Reel
From a review of the film 'Fray'
“As for the acting, it was top-notch…Marisa Costa as saloon prostitute Louisa, exuding equal parts vulnerability and tough-as-nails attitude.” – Fatally-Yours.com