Rasa Samuolyte

Born January 21, 1975, in Panevezys, she’s one of those people whose life seems glued to the stage. She wrapped up her studies at the Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theater in 1999, where Jonas Vaitkus—yeah, the legend himself—oversaw her training. That’s no small thing in Lithuania’s theater world. Right after, she jumped straight into the thick of it with the Oskaras Korsunovas / Vilnius City Theater, sticking around for years and pretty much making a name for herself as someone you absolutely couldn’t ignore. By 2011, she made the leap to the Lithuanian National Drama Theater, which, if you know anything about the scene, is kind of like getting called up to the big leagues. Not just a spot-filler either—she landed leading roles, the kind that stick with you and make audiences talk about the performance weeks after. The awards? Yeah, she’s got a shelf full. Critics and audiences both have thrown plenty of praise her way, and for good reason. She’s known for diving deep into her characters, really living in those moments onstage instead of just reciting lines. There’s a reputation for gutsy choices and an emotional range that actually makes you forget you’re watching a play. If you’ve ever caught one of her performances, you know—you just know. She’s left her mark on Lithuanian theater, no question about it, and she’s not done yet.