Matthew Kayser
In comedy, timing is everything. Yet the craft rarely begins on a stage or in front of a camera. For many performers, it starts at home: around dinner tables, in living rooms, and anywhere laughter becomes a shared language.
For actress and comedian Romy Teperson, that first stage was her own family. Long before professional film or television roles, she entertained relatives with puppet shows, impressions, and punchlines. Those early moments sparked a lasting instinct for comedic acting and a deep desire to make audiences laugh.
“Making my family laugh gave me so much joy,” Teperson says. “From that moment on, all I wanted to do was make them, and audiences everywhere, laugh.”
A Global Upbringing Shaped by Performance
Born in South Africa and raised between Australia and the United States, Teperson grew up surrounded by different cultures. American television made a particularly strong impression.
Watching the sitcom Friends as a teenager proved transformative. The rhythm of the dialogue and the pace of the comedy revealed a new kind of storytelling. I remember thinking I was witnessing something magical,” Teperson recalls. Comedic Acting, to her, felt like the most natural language to master.
During high school in Australia, Teperson traveled frequently to Los Angeles to attend studio tapings and live television productions. Sitting in the audience for several episodes of Friends reinforced her determination to work in the industry.
“To be able to do that, act in front of a live studio audience, that became the dream”.
Drama classes soon followed. Teperson competed in National Eisteddfods, placing first in the competitive performance competitions. One of her most meaningful early performances was a monologue from The Diary of Anne Frank, a moment her grandfather still remembers.
The Highest Level Training for the Craft of Acting
After graduating from the Australian Academy of Dramatic Art, Teperson received the William H. Macy Scholarship to study at the Atlantic Theatre Company in New York.
Her training includes programs at Juilliard and the Yale Conservatory for Actors, two of the most selective acting institutions in the United States, as well as sketch comedy training and performances at The Groundlings, Upright Citizens Brigade, and Second City.
“Telling stories through the lens of a character has always felt so instinctive,” Teperson says. “As an actress, I always aspire for the same result; make an audience laugh until it hurts, and then you hit them with heart.”
A Stellar Career on Screen
Teperson’s work expanded through television and film, including appearances in Friends: The Reunion on HBO Max, Busy Tonight on E!, and the Australian comedy series Swift and Shift Couriers. Her film credits include Wild Girls Gone, in which she starred opposite Amy Poehler, as well as Cannes Film Festival’s Next Door To The Velinskys and The Turned, in which she starred in the leading role. It was her leading role as the devious Prisca in The Turned that distinguished the actress as the only non-local hire, and the only cast member for whom a part was specifically written.
Earlier in her career, Teperson was personally selected by Cuba Gooding Jr., an Academy Award-winning actor, to appear in his nationally released Apple iPhone campaign, which he both starred in and directed. She has additionally performed in scenes and shares an impressive roster of credits alongside many other established actors, including Jennifer Aniston, Amy Poehler, Melissa McCarthy, Busy Phillips, Wilmer Valderrama, Jason Clarke, and Matt Walsh.
Along the way, Teperson has collaborated with performers who once inspired her own ambitions. Her work has appeared on major international platforms, including Netflix, Paramount+, HBO Max, Amazon, E!, and AMC.
Acting Rooted in Identity and Resilience
Family remains central to Teperson’s creative voice. She often draws on her Jewish identity and upbringing when shaping characters and comedic acting moments.
Personal losses, including the passing of her father and grandmothers, remind her of who this is all for. Her mother, her rock and biggest inspiration, continues to be the motivational force behind Teperson’s drive for excellence in her work. “I do this all for them,” Teperson explains.
Blending Laughter and Connection
Continuing on her skyrocketing career, Teperson’s next step is to lead a television sitcom, in between regular appearances on Saturday Night Live, or her own sketch series, which is currently in development. In her time off?… That’s where character-driven comedic films come in. After all, with momentum like this, there’s simply no stopping her.
For the highly sought-after actress, the goal remains simple: connect with audiences through the gift of laughter.
“To make someone laugh after a tough day? That’s the privilege of this work,” Teperson says. “If audiences invite you into their homes week after week, you never take that for granted.” That’s the benchmark for knowing you’ve achieved reach.