Lauren Schacher

Lauren Schacher (August 2, 1985) is an American actor and screenwriter most known for her role in Paul Schrader's The Canyons and as a co-founder of podcast Chicks Who Script.

Schacher was born in Seattle, Washington and raised in Athens, Georgia, where she attended Athens Academy. She studied biochemistry and Italian Literature at McGill University and theater acting at the Neighborhood Playhouse. Schacher has one sister.

Schacher moved to New York City where she attended The Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theatre to pursue an acting career, appearing in a handful of plays and independent films, including a production of Alan Ball's Five Women Wearing Dresses. In 2013, after an online search through Mobli, Schacher was cast as Caitlin in Paul Schrader's film The Canyons starring Lindsey Lohan and James Deen as well at HBO's TV Movie Phil Spector, directed by David Mamet and starring Al Pacino, Helen Mirren and Jeffrey Tambor. In 2013 Schacher was included in Backstage's 2nd annual "30 Actors to Watch" list.

Writing

Schacher, alongside writers Jenna Laurenzo and Amy Staats, won the inaugural Big Vision Empty Wallet Fellowship for her feature film script Dream Catcher, a psychological thriller that "centers around a young college student who predicts a mass shooting with her dreams and seeks the help of a bitter radio personality before her premonitions hit too close to home.". Schacher appeared on the Marilu Henner show in 2013 to discuss her second feature screenplay, Daily's, which focuses on "slutshaming in America and female sexuality."

She also wrote short film The Day the AC Went Out in 2012 and short film Mother's Day in 2014, and stars in both. Schacher's writing influences include Diablo Cody, Mindy Kaling, Nia Vardalos, Amy Schumer, Emma Thompson, Ava DuVernay, Lucille Ball, Lauren Bacall and Lexi Alexander.

Chicks Who Script

In 2014, Schacher co-founded the Chicks Who Script podcast with writers Emily Blake and Maggie Levin discuss women filmmakers and the films, web series, and TV shows they make. Recording 22 episodes in 2014, guests of the podcast have included Rose McGowan, Nicole Perlman, Franklin Leonard, writer Keto Shimizu and film director Lexi Alexander.