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Ella Stiller, the 23-year-old daughter of Ben Stiller and Christine Taylor, is making her Off-Broadway debut in the new play 'Dilaria'. In an exclusive interview with PEOPLE, Stiller shared her excitement about being a part of a project that represents young women's stories in an unfiltered way.
"My whole goal in life, as an artist and a person, is to tell young women's stories in an unfiltered way, and to be a voice for young women who often don't get a voice," Stiller said.
In 'Dilaria', Stiller plays the titular character, a wealthy young woman who becomes obsessed with the online attention her late classmate receives after her sudden death. The play, written by Julia Randall, is a dark comedy that explores themes of social media, relationships, and identity.
Stiller, a recent Juilliard graduate, pulled together her role in just over a month. She recalled getting the script in early May, mere days before her audition. After her audition, she had a callback and was then notified the same day that she got the role.
The actress feels grateful to be a part of a project that resonates with her personal goals and values. "I've always only wanted to do cool, gritty plays written by women and about young women," she said.
Directed by Alex Keegan, 'Dilaria' began performances on June 13 ahead of its June 18 opening at DR2 Theatre in New York City. The show is set to run for only eight weeks.
Stiller's co-stars, Chiara Aurelia and Christopher Briney, have also received praise from the actress. "Chiara and I was like love at first sight. We got so close over the first few days. And Chris is just the sweetest, best guy. He's so funny. I think it's so underrated how comedic of an actor he is," she said.
Stiller's debut comes at a time when she was feeling down about her career. "I was definitely in a place, the week before this all happened, where I was doing a lot of auditioning, a lot of taping and feeling a little bit down," she shared.
However, getting the role in 'Dilaria' changed everything for her. "This is what we do. It's a lot of rejection. And then this came along, and it really, really changed everything. I couldn't be more grateful," she said.
Tickets for 'Dilaria' are now on sale. Don't miss the opportunity to see Ella Stiller shine in her Off-Broadway debut!