About
Ness Hopkins
Vanessa (Ness) Hopkins is an award-winning actor and director whose work spans theater, film, music, dance, and physical performance. She has spent over four decades performing, directing, and exploring what enables human beings to meet the moment on stage, film, and in life.
Her work is shaped by decades of practice with master teachers and her lived experience across various disciplines. Ness has directed and coached both trained and untrained actors from all walks of life, with a particular gift for recognizing raw potential and guiding people toward greater freedom and artistry.
Her work is grounded and precise, with close attention to what each student needs in order to have a breakthrough. While compassion is at the core of her approach, she believes that sometimes the most compassionate act is simply telling the truth.
Ness worked for several years as a professional actor/performer in Los Angeles, New York City, and the San Francisco Bay Area before moving into directing and teaching. She later founded Two Wolves Theater School for kids in Portland, and taught acting and yoga at PHAME Academy, working with differently-abled adults.
She has also offered coaching and mentorship to actors and artists in Los Angeles, the Bay Area, Portland, and locally in Ashland.
Her film work can be found at: www.lifeisshortfilms.com