SPOTLIGHT ON: BTS PANELIST RACHEL FELDMAN
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AWD Icon Member Rachel Feldman: A Life Behind the Lens, A Legacy of Justice
From Child Actor to Commanding Director: The Roots of a Storyteller
Rachel Feldman’s journey to filmmaking didn’t begin in a director’s chair — it started under studio lights. A professional child actor raised in the Bronx by a family steeped in activism and storytelling, Rachel was on set before most kids were out of elementary school. Known as “One Take Rachel,” she starred in over 100 commercials, did voiceover work (including the voice of Lucy in the first-ever Peanuts animation licensing), and even took on characters in iconic ad campaigns like the Trix Rabbit series.
But her true calling lay behind the scenes. As Rachel transitioned from the mic to the monitor, her technical instincts and storytelling passion drove her to pursue film school — attending Sarah Lawrence, Parsons, and ultimately NYU’s Graduate Film program, where she honed her eye for visual storytelling and her commitment to shaping stories that matter.
She began working as a storyboard artist for renowned directors like Brian De Palma and Peter Yates, learning the visual language of film and the often-hidden politics of Hollywood. And though she graduated with accolades and ambition, it would take seven more years—and a serendipitous “Mommy & Me” connection—for her to break into directing episodic television.
Building a Career — and Breaking Barriers — in Television
Rachel Feldman’s eventual entrée into TV came via the legendary Steven Bochco, who gave her a chance on Doogie Howser, M.D. — a critical step that launched her into the world of episodic directing. From there, she built a respected resume with credits on Picket Fences, Sisters, The Rookie, Blue Bloods, Criminal Minds, and most recently, directing the pilot and full season of Netflix’s The Baxters.
But Rachel’s impact extends far beyond her directing credits. She’s long been a vocal advocate for gender equity in the industry, decades before it became a movement. Her published essays, TED Talks, and interviews are sharp, lived-in critiques of an industry historically inhospitable to women behind the camera.
“I was oblivious,” Rachel has said of the early years. “I thought there was something wrong with me.” It wasn’t until joining the DGA Women’s Steering Committee and finding solidarity with fellow women directors that she began to fully understand — and resist — the systemic barriers around her. That resistance became a calling.
LILLY: The Feature Film That Took a Lifetime to Make
For Rachel, the culmination of a life in film, activism, and resilience is LILLY — her first narrative feature. The film tells the story of Lilly Ledbetter, the Alabama factory worker whose historic fight for equal pay became President Obama’s first legislative act in office. Starring Academy Award nominee Patricia Clarkson, Tony winner John Benjamin Hickey, and Thomas Sadoski, LILLY is not just a courtroom drama; it’s a deeply human story about marriage, motherhood, work, and the fight for dignity.
The journey to making LILLY took over a decade. After seeing Ledbetter speak at the 2004 Democratic Convention, Rachel reached out to her — then waited for Lilly to publish her memoir Grace and Grit, and ultimately secured the life rights. But the hardest part was still ahead: financing a female-led, female-centered drama starring a woman over 60.
“I had no money, no power, no clout,” Rachel says. “But I had a powerful will.”
With the help of a grassroots network — including politically engaged women in Palo Alto, and a wave of COVID-era Zoom fundraising sessions — Rachel assembled a pool of donors, the majority of them mature women. LILLY is a landmark project: directed, written, produced, and post-produced by women over 50, it is a testament to what happens when a marginalized demographic funds and tells its own stories.
The film had a triumphant premiere at the Hamptons International Film Festival and went on to win Best of the Fest at the 2025 Palm Springs International Film Festival. Now available on V.O.D., it stands as a bold, emotional political drama for our times — one that proves the personal is political, especially when told by women who’ve lived both.
A Legacy of Vision, Voice, and Activism
Rachel Feldman’s career is not just a testament to creative perseverance — it’s a model of purpose-driven storytelling. She has always aligned her work with her values, championing women’s stories, pushing for fair hiring, and refusing to accept the gatekeeping that’s long defined Hollywood. Her advocacy predates #MeToo and Time’s Up by decades, and she continues to use her voice to pave the way for the next generation of women behind the camera.
Like Lilly Ledbetter herself, Rachel didn’t set out to be a symbol — but became one through her refusal to give up. “I wanted to make a movie about a woman, not an issue,” Rachel says of LILLY. But in telling one woman’s story, she’s given voice to millions.
HEAR MORE FROM RACHEL AT BACK TO SET!
Learn more about Rachel’s work during AWD ICONS PANEL on Saturday, September 27 at 3:45pm!
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