Hey there, I’m Marisa Duran! I’m a non-binary actor based in both Dallas, TX & Pasadena, CA.
I caught the "theatre bug" at a young age. My parents will tell you that it started when I was two years-old, dancing around to the Barney theme song. I agree wholeheartedly.
I sure did love dancing, but the fact that I ended up as an actor is hilarious because I was actually a super introverted kid. I didn’t talk until I was almost two years old and when I did start speaking it was in full sentences, like, “The ducks are approaching!” The summer before second grade, my mom enrolled me in a two-week musical theatre variety camp and, well, that experience completely changed my life! I fell in love with acting and performed in show after show with Plano Children’s Theatre throughout elementary school. Little fourth grade Marisa even managed to audition for and land the role of the “Munchkin Barrister” in a local magnet high school’s production of The Wizard of Oz!
I kept learning, growing, and honing my skills as a theatre actor throughout middle and high-school. I truly couldn’t get enough and wanted to soak up as much knowledge as I could, soooo I decided I wanted to major in theatre in college. Fortunately, my parents have always been incredibly supportive of my career and gave me the all clear!
In 2016, I graduated Magna Cum Laude from Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, Texas (Go Frogs!) with my Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theatre, emphasis in Acting. After graduation, I performed (and continue to perform) with numerous professional theatre companies in the DFW area, such as Stolen Shakespeare Guild and Shakespeare Dallas, and worked on a handful of short films.
At one point, an on-camera casting director told me that I “blink too much,” and that was all it took for me to want to learn how to bring my naturally expressive reactions down to a level more suitable for film work, so I trained extensively in on-camera acting under Glenn Morshower while auditioning for various web-series, commercials, and films. A couple of my favorite gigs include a commercial where I played an executive assistant to NFL quarterback Patrick Mahomes, and the indie horror short ‘Crude Massacre,’ for which I received multiple ‘Best Actress’ laurels at film festivals across the globe.
As you can probably guess, I dreamed of growing up and starring in a Broadway play or in a movie on the silver screen. But when I stumbled upon voice acting…I was hooked.
My first official voiceover session was in 2015 for an anime series called ‘Shomin Sample’ at FUNimation. I spent the next five years recording additional voices and bit parts in various anime series but didn’t decide to dive head-first into the world of voiceover until 2018. I got my first “big break” in 2021 when I was cast as Kyoko Hori in English dub of ‘Horimiya’ and it’s been a whirlwind of a journey ever since! I continue to work consistently with studios such as Crunchyroll and BangZoom, and lend my voice to indie animation projects, video-games, IVR phone-line recordings, commercials, and more.
I love the craft of acting. I love the people I get to meet and work with. And I love being a part of stories that can change lives. Art has the power to heal, to move, and to empower. As an artist, I believe that my purpose on this earth is to tell stories, and through these stories I hope to make a positive impact and leave people better than I found them. It’s genuinely an honor and a privilege to be able to use my talents in such a profound way.
Anyway, that’s the TLDR; on my life story! Thanks for being here.
much love,
Marisa
Want to know more? Download my resumés below!
Banner photo by jordan fraker
Up Next:
Currently:
I’m a member of the Folding Chairs sketch comedy group!
I am represented by CelebWorx, Level Up Entertainment, and Chameleon Media Productions for conventions & appearances.
I am represented for voiceover by Crown North Talent Agency.
Most Recently:
I played Viola in Twelfth Night with Stolen Shakespeare Guild in the fall of 2025.
I wrapped up a five-weekend run playing Desdemona in Othello with Shakespeare Dallas in the summer of 2025.
Get in touch!
FOR CONVENTIONS and APPEARANCES, PLEASE CONTACT one of the following:
For voiceover bookings, please contact my agents at CROWN NORTH TALENT AGENCY.
For all other auditions, BOOKINGS, AND inquiries, please email me at marisa(at)marisa-duran(dot)com. I typically respond within 24-48 hours.
Additionally, you can follow me on social media for project updates and other fun announcements. Links are provided in the footer below!