Liora Kats didn’t set out to pursue acting. It was through her Latin dancing career as a child that she landed her first role in a feature film.

“I still vividly remember being 12 years old, absolutely mesmerized by the energy of a film set,” Kats says.

It was her first step into the acting world and would not be her last. In her words, “Acting kept reappearing in my life even when I wasn’t actively pursuing it.” Her drama teacher in high school encouraged her to respond to a Nickelodeon casting call. That audition was the catalyst for her future acting career.

“Acting was something that kept coming up in my life, and whenever I was involved in it, it felt natural,” Kats says.

She had many passions growing up. She loved competitive Latin dancing, cooking, baking, and Krav Maga. Born in the Netherlands to a Dutch father and Ukrainian mother, she was raised in a multicultural environment. Her worldview was further shaped by attending an international high school, which she felt further connected her to different parts of the world. It “ultimately planted the seed that led me to move across the ocean to the United States,” she says.

Overcoming battles within herself was one of her biggest challenges growing up. She struggled with her mental health. Kats felt she didn’t belong, struggled with friendships, and dealt with loneliness. She clung to the idea that after the rain comes the sun.

“Things really do get better,” she shares. “Maybe not right away, but eventually they will.”

Determined to make things happen for herself, Kats worked from a young age at various jobs, from ticket sales in an amusement park and checking coats in a club to an assistant sous chef. She became financially independent, allowing her to pursue her desire to travel when she graduated high school. Kats traveled the world, visiting 36 countries across five continents. Throughout her journey, her eyes were opened to many different perspectives by meeting other people from various cultures. Those interactions are the fuel that serves as inspiration in her acting career.

“I come from a small country far away, with a diverse background and a life filled with unique lived experiences that I’m excited to share through my work. I aim to bring everything I’ve learned to my work,” she says.

In 2021, Kats arrived in New York City and enrolled at the Lee Strasberg Theatre & Film Institute at the beginning of 2022. She chose to attend the institute because she was driven to equip herself with the tools needed to develop her acting skills. It was a completely new environment, but Kats wanted to “explore a specific technique” to deepen her craft and soon fell in love with the work. She successfully completed a two-year conservatory program and has continued to hone her craft by continuing to take classes.

Kats’ hard work has paid off. She currently lives in New York City and has recently made her stage debut in Significant Other by Joshua Harmon and directed by Ilana Stein, playing the role of Vanessa. Kats also recently wrapped up a horror-comedy film that will be released by Troma Entertainment. In the future, she wants to act in diverse, challenging roles that explore “different aspects of the human experience.” As she is fluent in three different languages, she hopes to act in roles where she can use those skills.

“The magic of storytelling, of fully immersing yourself in a role, is something I never want to stop experiencing. Whether between “action” and “cut” or from the beginning to the end of a scene, that magic is what keeps me inspired,” Liora Kats concludes.

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