Lynne Oropeza

Lynne's a Mestiza. Yes, LatinX. Born & raised in Los Angeles, Lynne is a direct twelfth-generation descendant of Englishman William Ward of Sudbury (early American settler, founder of the Massachusetts towns of Sudbury [c. 1639] and Marlborough [c. 1660]). Her great-["times 8"]-uncle, General Artemas Ward, was the First Commander-In-Chief & Major General of the American Revolution (second in command to George Washington) [c.1775-1777]. This lineage took a distinctive twist when Lynne's mother (born to Laura Ward) married Lynne's late father, a gifted painter, who was a first-generation American of Mexican descent. At 16, Lynne was spotted by a talent scout while rehearsing a high school play, and brought to Hollywood for her first professional audition. Though she didn't land that role, this was the beginning of Lynne's life journey as a storyteller & performing artist. She went on to work in Los Angeles theatre for over 25 years, honing her skills both on the stage and behind the scenes, venturing into film & TV work along the way. Lynne earned her degree in Cinema-Television at the University of Southern California with an emphasis in writing and directing. She served as the Chair of the USC Latina/o Cinema Society and produced USC's Fourth Annual Latina/o Film Festival. She is the recipient of several scholarships and awards, including the Mary Pickford Scholarship and the Hispanics for Fairness in Media Award. While at USC, in addition to acting in numerous film projects, Lynne wrote, directed and/or produced nine short films. Shortly after graduating from USC, Lynne's life course shifted when her sister, then a California State Assemblywoman (later, Senator), was diagnosed with terminal cancer. After the 2010 passing of her beloved sister, then navigating successive family matters, Lynne has picked up where she left off at the steps of the Cinema School and is now developing her career full-time as a filmmaker-actor.