Bree Elrod ’00 has built a career working with some of the most recognizable names in film and theatre. She appeared in Shutter Island opposite Leonardo DiCaprio and  under the direction of Martin Scorsese. Her off-Broadway debut in My Name is Rachel Corrie was helmed by Alan Rickman. And in 2021, her breakout role in Sean Baker’s Red Rocket took her to the Cannes Film Festival.

Her latest role in the post-apocalyptic series Odessa—now streaming on Hulu—is just the latest chapter in a career defined by daring, emotionally grounded performances.

But before her name appeared in Playbill or Variety, Elrod was a political science major at Knox College, considering law school. “But I was always running across campus to audition for shows,” she says. “Theatre kept pulling me in.”

Knox’s Repertory Theatre Term became a pivotal experience, showing her how actors, designers, and technicians collaborate to tell powerful stories. “It opened my eyes in such a beautiful way,” she says.

Equally influential were faculty mentors Ivan Davidson, Doc Bob Whitlatch, and Liz Carlin Metz. “They opened me up to something within myself that I didn’t even know was there,” she says. Metz, in particular, helped her connect physically and emotionally with her work. “I am forever grateful to her for that.”

Elrod graduated with College Honors in Theatre and earned her MFA at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts. Over the years, she built a career across cities and stages—from New York to LA to Kansas City, building community and seeking meaningful roles along the way.

Now, whether on stage or screen, Elrod continues to pursue bold stories and authentic characters—driven by a creative foundation first nurtured at Knox.