Lusia Strus

Lusia Rozalia Strus, born December 13, 1969, in Chicago, Illinois, is an American actress and writer whose work spans theater, film, and television. Raised in a Ukrainian family, she spoke Ukrainian as her first language and attended Ukrainian school on weekends throughout her childhood. Her early aptitude for performing arts became apparent during her high school years, and she went on to study theater at Illinois State University.

While at Illinois State, Strus joined Greg Allen's Neo-Futurist ensemble in 1993, contributing both solo and collaborative writing to the company's performances. Her stage career in Chicago brought her to prominent venues including the Steppenwolf, Goodman, and Victory Gardens theaters, as well as the Curious Theatre Company and the Northlight Repertory, among others. She also worked with Yoplait, WBEZ, and the Chicago Jazz Festival during this period.

Strus made her Broadway debut in 2010, appearing in Enron. Her stage work has continued alongside a screen career that has accumulated credits across nearly two decades. On film, she is recognized for her role as Alexa, Adam Sandler's assistant, in 50 First Dates, and for playing Janine in Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous. She also appeared in Restless, directed by Gus Van Sant from a screenplay by Jason Lew, in the role of Rachel.

Her television work includes a recurring role as Dr. Xavier on Nickelodeon's Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide, a recurring part in the 2015 series Wayward Pines, and the role of Estelle, Letty's mother, on Good Behavior, which she held from 2016 to 2018.