Haley Weber did not always know she wanted to be an actor while growing up in West Chester. But after studying nursing and Spanish at the University of Cincinnati and working as a travel nurse, Weber finds herself pursuing acting full-time. In a little more than a year, she appeared in 16 films, including 11 lead roles. Now residing in Los Angeles, Weber loves calling Ohio “home.”
“After experiencing travel nursing, working outside of this country and living in four different states, I know that I’m so grateful to have come from Ohio,” says Weber.
Weber grew up attending Lakota schools where she dipped her toes into acting, performing in Lakota West’s production of “A Christmas Carol” when she was in fifth grade and various plays at Plains Junior High. It wasn’t until travel nursing took her to Georgia that she fell head first into the world of film.
“Travel nursing is hard because you have to be comfortable being uncomfortable and getting out of your comfort zone,” Weber shares. “I tried in every city to do something new to try to meet new people and make friends and that's why I decided to take an acting class.”
Before a move to Atlanta, Weber was unaware that it was such a film hub. Between acting classes and self-tapes, Weber began to fall in love with the craft. The first role she booked was a villain, filmed in a Target parking lot. While Weber laughs that the final footage looked something like a seventh-grade film project, she fondly looks back on her introduction to the industry.
“I love that that was my first role,” says Weber. “It's a crazy adventure. You never know what you're going to get.”
Since then, Weber has appeared in many more films, playing roles ranging from the It girl in rom-coms to the killer in thrillers including titles like “The Master Chief” and “Danger on Party Island.”
While Weber’s work mostly landed her in film, she also booked a commercial and an industrial film, the latter allowing her to combine her background in nursing with her passion for acting.
“I played a bystander in the film,” she explains. “It was designed to teach people how to administer Narcan in case of an overdose.”
Besides traditional films, Weber found success competing at the 2023 San Diego 48 Hour Film Project where she took part in creating a short film titled “Autumn Leaves.” Kierron Molet, who Weber knew from another film project, invited her to be a part of the cast.
“On Friday at 7 p.m. the judges give you a genre, character, prop and line of dialogue that every team has to include,” says Weber. “Then you have 48 hours to make a film.”
“Autumn Leaves” ended up winning Best Film, Best Sound Design and Best Special Effects, leading the team to compete in the 2023 Los Angeles 48 Hour Film Project, where Weber was nominated for best actress for the project “Morning Star.”
Weber’s latest Lifetime film, “My Father’s Killer,” is one of her most rewarding projects because of the challenge it provided.
“It opened up new doors in my acting toolbox to take on these characters that are challenging and not just black and white,” Weber explains. “There's gray area in humanity and in these characters.”
Weber’s careers in travel nursing and acting have taken her across the globe, but she credits her community here at home for shaping her.
“I just took my fiancé home, so we went to all these places in Cincinnati I wanted to show him. Graeter’s, Skyline and The Cone were at the top of the list,” she shares.
See Haley Weber in action on the YouTube Channel @extrarad, including the projects from the 48-hour film festivals. Watch for her in “My Father’s Killer” on Lifetime, coming soon. HaleyLynneWeber.com