Olivia Baptista
Olivia is a queer, Portuguese, and Italian-American actor and writer from working-class New Jersey. A Dartmouth graduate with additional training at LAMDA, she has taught and performed Shakespeare in Bosnia and all the Balkans. Known for sharp features and sharper comic delivery, Olivia brings humor and humanity to everything she does.
Her recent acting credits include Monster: Dahmer, The Lincoln Lawyer, Super Pumped, and Mr. Mayor. As a writer, she spent last year in the writers' room for Quinn Shephard's upcoming Netflix series The Body and has additional credits including the Paragon Collective horror podcast Akaname and her original sci-fi series Here We Wait, the highest-ranking US entry in the Web Series World Cup its year.
Her working-class New Jersey roots ground her sensibility: emotionally precise, unafraid of complexity, and genuinely interested in people.
REELS
Reel
Comedy Reel
CREDITS
WRITER RESUME
PAID SCREENWRITING AND RELATED EXPERIENCE
The Body (series) — Netflix/Felix Culpa/North Road — Quinn Shephard (showrunner)
A satirical thriller set in a small town. Revolves around dark secrets among a group of dancers at a Catholic high school in early 2000s. ((Room completed 2025))Akaname (podcast series) — Series Writer — The Paragon Collective — Alex Aldea (series creator)
Occult horror-thriller focused on a man driven to commit gruesome murders by his Akaname, or “filth demon.” Blends Japanese lore with Buddhist traditions and The Book of the Dead.Here We Wait (short form series) — Co-Creator / Writer — IFT Network
Globally award-winning sci-fi drama focused on the eclectic waitstaff of purgatory, grappling with their eternal task to provide each passing patron with a pleasant sendoff—until their world begins to unravel.
“…serves up provocative commentary on the complexities of the human condition sans the cynicism and pretentious, murky mythology plagued by similar genre dramas like Lost, The Leftovers, and The OA. Here We Wait is accessible because its diverse cast of talented young actors bring to life characters who wrestle with personal foibles and life's unending questions in a way that feels real and resonant.” - The 7th MatrixGrowing Nowhere (short form series) — Co-Creator / Writer — Streaming on Indie Film Theater
Award winning comedy series following two delusional 20-somethings as they navigate adulthood and attempt to conquer the job market...all while doing as little work as possible.
AWARDS
Acting
WINNER — Sycamore
-Best Actress in a Feature (Endless Mountain Film Fest)
NOMINEE — The Coldest Case
-Best Drama Series (Audie Awards)
NOMINEE — Growing Nowhere
-Best Actress in a Comedy (Seoul WebFest)
-Best Actress in a Comedy (New Jersey WebFest)
-Best Ensemble (Bilbao Seriesland)
NOMINEE — Here We Wait
-Best Actress in a Drama Series (International Academy of Web Television Awards)
-Best Supporting Actress (Indie Series Awards)
-Best Supporting Actress (Asia Web Awards)
NOMINEE — Sycamore
-Best Actress in a Feature (Chain Film Fest)
-Best Actress in a Feature (New Filmmakers NY)
NOMINEE — Waking Up
-Best Actress in a Comedy Short (Endless Mountain Film Festival)
Writing
NOMINEE — Here We Wait
-Outstanding Writing in a Drama Series (New Jersey WebFest)
-Best Screenplay (Bilbao Seriesland)
-Best Screenplay (Miami Webfest)
-Best Screenplay (Austin Webfest)
Veni, Vidi, Vivi. (pilot)
-Quarterfinalist, ScreenCraft Screenwriting Fellowship
-Quarterfinalist, Diverse Voices Lab
-Top 100, Launch Pad Pilot Competition
Deliver Us (pilot)
-Quarterfinalist, ScreenCraft Screenwriting Fellowship
-Quarterfinalist, Diverse Voices Lab
-Top 100 (Semi-Finalist), Emerging Screenwriters
Firebrand (pilot)
-Quarterfinalist, ScreenCraft Sci-Fi & Fantasy Screenwriting Competition
Producing
WINNER — Growing Nowhere
-Best Sitcom Series (Minnesota WebFest)
-Best Representation of Women (Minnesota WebFest)
WINNER — After
-Best Drama Series (NJ WebFest)
-Best Original Music (NJ WebFest)
WINNER — Here We Wait
-Best Sci-Fi Series (NJ WebFest)
-Best Sci-Fi Series (Austin WebFest)
-Best Sci-Fi Series (Seoul WebFest)
-Best Original Score (Indie Series Awards)
-Best Supporting Actress (Brooklyn WebFest)
WINNER — Sycamore
-Best Director (Endless Mountain Film Fest)
NOMINEE — Growing Nowhere
-Rising Star Award (Bilbao Seriesland)
-Best Actress (Santa Monica Webfest)
-Best Web Series (LA Shorts Int. Film Fest)
-Best On-Screen Chemistry (NJ Webfest)
-Best Web Series (Sicily Webfest)
-Best Sketch Comedy (Seoul Webfest)
NOMINEE — After
-Best Actor, Best Writing (Bilbao Seriesland)
-Best Drama Series, Best Director, Best Original Score, Best Actor (Minnesota WebFest)
-Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor, Best Guest Star (New Jersey WebFest)
-Best Drama Series (Toronto WebFest)
-Best Drama Series (Ozark WebFest)
-Best Original Score, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor, Best Ensemble, Best Editing, Best Production Design, Best Writing (Indie Series Awards)
NOMINEE — Here We Wait
-Best Actress (2 noms), Best Actor, Best Ensemble, Best Music (International Academy of Web Television)
-Outstanding Overall Series, Best Director, Best Ensemble, Best Editing, Best Special Effects, Original Premise (NJ WebFest)
-Best Original Score, Best Special / Visual Effects, Best Original Song: "Here" (Indie Series Awards)
-Best Sci-Fi Series, Best Supporting Actress, Best Supporting Actor, Best Ensemble, Best Costume Design (Asia Web Awards)
-Best Lead Actress, Best Supporting Actor, Best Production Design, Best Visual Effects (Indie Series Awards)
-Best Ensemble, Best Director (Seoul Webfest)
-Best Sci-Fi Series, Best Sound Design (Toronto WebFest)
-Best Series, Best Production Design, Best Original Music (Die Seriale)
-Best Series (Sicily WebFest)
-Best Sci-Fi Series (Miami WebFest)
NOMINEE — Waking Up
-Best Comic Short, Best Actress in a Short (Endless Mountain Film Festival)
