Alicia Langley is making her mark on the American film industry. Picture supplied

An Oatley resident is taking the American entertainment industry by storm, transforming years of competitive dance and Sydney training into a burgeoning acting career in New York City.

Subscribe now for unlimited access.

or signup to continue reading

Alicia Langley, a former student of Oatley West Public School and Marist Catholic College Penshurst, made the move to the United States at just 20 years old. After two years of rigorous saving, she relocated to study at the New York Conservatory for Dramatic Arts after earning a talent scholarship. Now, nearly four years later, she has graduated with a degree in Acting for Film and Television and is securing roles on the small and silver screens.

American audiences will likely recognise Ms Langley as the face of a nationwide Chase Bank commercial, which has amassed over 18 million views on YouTube. She also recently starred in a major campaign for AXE body spray in collaboration with the FIFA World Cup, appearing alongside social media sensations The Pointer Brothers. Back home, eagle-eyed Aussies might still spot her during a few seconds of screen time in a popular concert-themed KFC commercial, which has been broadcasting on Australian televisions for the past three years - a project she filmed right before packing her bags for New York.

Ms Langley's momentum is only growing as she branches into new mediums and prepares for her first major feature film. She recently wrapped production on an upcoming series for DramaBox, marking her entry into the rapidly growing world of vertical mobile dramas filmed across New York and New Jersey. These opportunities have been fueled by her representation with Arise Artist Agency, an elite agency that also represents industry legends such as Jason Alexander (Seinfeld) and Maggie Wheeler (Friends).

Looking ahead, Ms Langley is set to begin filming a feature film this July in New York. The project is an adaptation of Chandler the Handler, a book and short film by Kem Frasier that tackles the timely issue of cyberbullying. The story champions the role of the arts and community in helping high school students overcome modern struggles. The film will be helmed by Maya Lourdes Burke, a distinguished theatre and film director who was recently named a Directing Fellow at the Metropolitan Opera for its 2026-27 season.

For Ms Langley, who was raised on the stage as a competitive dancer, the pivot to screen acting came after the pandemic disrupted live performances. Her early instincts clearly paid off; before moving abroad, she was already turning heads in the Australian film industry as a Short+Sweet Festival Sydney Finalist and the recipient of the UNSW School of Arts and Media Screen Production Audience Choice Award.