Portia Chellelynn
- Actress
- Producer
- Director
Actress, producer, director, writer and filmmaker, Portia Chellelynn, was born November 30, 1981 in Birmingham (Pinson), Alabama, as Michelle Lynn Frederick. She was mainly raised by her Mother, Lesilie. Her biological Father's name is Russell Kaad. Her Mom had her last name legally changed to Morris in 1987 when she 6 years old, after Lesilie married Michelle's step-Father, Tony Morris. Her Mom then gave birth to her only sibling in 1988, sister Stephanie Morris.
Michelle was an honors student in school, and was in the National Jr. Honors Society, lead anchor on a school TV news program, and an editor on the school newspaper staff. She obtained her black belt in Japanese martial arts and is an AAU National Karate Champion. At 13 she started learning to play guitar, and writing quite often. She wrote her first script in 5th grade, and in 8th grade won a career project on Modeling.
She moved to Illinois in 1998, when she was only 16. She was married by 17, to Jerry Johnson Jr., divorced by 19, and had three daughters by the age of 24. She had her first child, Aleah, in 1999 when she was 17. Being a young Mother, she had to put her acting dreams on the back burner for a while. Michelle acquired her GED shortly after Aleah's birth, then worked as a caregiver, taking care of the elderly, for a couple of years. She had several part-time jobs over the following years, while being a stay-at-home Mom.
She had her second child, Ashlyn in 2001, with Chad Miller. Shortly after, she became licensed in Life, Health, Property & Casualty as an Insurance Producer, and worked for a Fortune 500 Company. Michelle began seeing her third child's Father, Robert Balensiefen in 2003. They had their daughter, Kalista (Kali) in 2006, and were together 15 years before they split up in 2018. During that time, she juggled other jobs like tending bar, waiting tables, selling antiques & collectibles online, and various projects she volunteers to work, over the years, while finally pursuing her modeling and acting endeavors.
She picked up the stage name Portia when she was a dancer from 2003-2007. Chellelynn (pronounced Shell-Lin) is a combination of her real first and middle names, Michelle + Lynn. Chellelynn, a nickname her Mother gave her early on, as a child. It came about again later on when she started getting into acting in 2014.
Freelance model since 2003, Portia has worked with a handful of outstanding photographers over the years. It began as a hobby, while taking care of her kids and working. Then it progressed slowly from there. She was in a music video for former metal band, Man Made Man in 2009. The song is called a Favored Son, and it was recorded by Turkey Vulture Records, in Fond Du Lac, WI., at Full Spectrum Studios. In 2014, she walked the runway twice for Chicago RAW Underground Artists events. Once, modeling for designer, Amber Vokt, with AV Clothing Design. Then once for make-up artist, Andie Peirce, with body painting.
Portia's debut into acting was the lead role as Candace England (Candie), in Faux Pax Films feature length film, Candie's Harem. She "liked" on a Facebook post by Faux Pas Films, in a film group, and the director asked if she'd like to audition for the main role. Having absolutely no acting experience, other than the couple of weeks she had worked at a haunted house, a few weeks prior. She still managed to land the spot, despite all odds against her. She enjoys all aspects of the film industry, often helping with makeup, soundtrack coordination, special effects, location scouting, etc.. anything she can do to help with production, she will.
While filming on the set of Candie's Harem in Oct/Nov 2014, she also worked on Leaf Blower Massacre 2, with T-Nasty Production, as a college student. Both that acting gig and her next one (Cafe Kremlin Season 2 Episode 1), were totally on a whim. Both times, people that were supposed to show up, didn't, so she filled in for them. Then she worked with Faux Pas Films again in August 2015, in a feature length film called, Cellar Secret, which she claims: "if I hadn't already worked with the director and actors before, I wouldn't have done it, it's that disturbing, of a movie".
She worked for Rob Zombies Great American Nightmare haunt in Villa Park, IL for the 2014 & 2015 seasons. During the 2014 season she was Vortex Girl in the El Superbeasto 3D house. She landed a main role in the 2015 season of the haunt portraying Sheri Moon Zombie's character, "Baby" from the films, House of 1000 Corpses and The Devil's Rejects, in the 2015 season of the haunt, in The Devil's Rejects house. She was mentioned by the Haunted House Chicago Review team in their official 2015 review of the haunt, highlighting her performance. Plus she received an actor award each season that she worked. She also got to take part in the commercial for Rob Zombie's Great American Nightmare 2015.
Portia volunteers at events like the Celebrity Charity Golf Outing, and Rumble for the Kids Pro-wrestling show in Princeton, Illinois, annually. She was their ring girl & acted as the Pro-wrestler, Frankie the Chi-Town Hitman's personal assistant, in the 2013-2019 shows. All proceeds from the shows go to help local children.
She has also volunteered at Days of the Dead horror festivals. Her debut film, Candie's Harem, was an Official Selection for Days of the Dead and had it's World premiere at Chicago's Days of the Dead 48 hour Independent Film Festival, presented by Jabb Pictures, in November 2015. It then screened in all Days of the Dead convention locations, including: Atlanta 2016, Burbank 2016, Indianapolis 2016, and was the first film played in the very first Louisville show, 2016. Portia can often be found behind a table at a Days of the Dead convention, taking pictures with fans, selling her photos and movies with personalization and her autograph. She was hostess for the 2016 Chicago Hardcore Horror Festival, where Candie's Harem was screened and Portia received her second, Best Actress nomination, for her lead role in Candie's Harem.
Her works include a trailer called, The Avenger, with award-winning independent filmmaker, John Borowski.
As of 2016, Michelle made her name, Portia Chellelynn, an official business by obtaining an assumed name certificate, in Bureau County, Illinois. She also hand-customized her own website. She founded her business, Portia Chellelynn Films in 2017 while shooting her debut short (mid-length) film, Second Chances : New Beginnings in Princeton and Walnut, IL., which won Best Mid-Length Film in the Chicago Reels of the Dead film festival in 2018. She co-wrote, directed, produced and acted in the film as a lead character.
Portia decided to go by her real name, Michelle Morris, in her first film, the multi-award winning horror film, H.P. Lovecraft's Witch House, in which she was nominated Best Actress for her lead role in movie by The North Film Festival out of Stockholm Sweden in Feb. 2022. It's set to be released Summer of 2022.
She continued to use her real name in the film, The Ultimate Throwdown, where she plays the role of Donna Cooper, Matt Cooper's wife. Matt is the lead character, played by Rob Davidson, President/CEO of American Muscle Entertainment, LLC. and filmmaker of the movie. Portia and Rob became very close and as of March 23, 2022, they got engaged to be married. Release date of the film has yet TBD.
Michelle was an honors student in school, and was in the National Jr. Honors Society, lead anchor on a school TV news program, and an editor on the school newspaper staff. She obtained her black belt in Japanese martial arts and is an AAU National Karate Champion. At 13 she started learning to play guitar, and writing quite often. She wrote her first script in 5th grade, and in 8th grade won a career project on Modeling.
She moved to Illinois in 1998, when she was only 16. She was married by 17, to Jerry Johnson Jr., divorced by 19, and had three daughters by the age of 24. She had her first child, Aleah, in 1999 when she was 17. Being a young Mother, she had to put her acting dreams on the back burner for a while. Michelle acquired her GED shortly after Aleah's birth, then worked as a caregiver, taking care of the elderly, for a couple of years. She had several part-time jobs over the following years, while being a stay-at-home Mom.
She had her second child, Ashlyn in 2001, with Chad Miller. Shortly after, she became licensed in Life, Health, Property & Casualty as an Insurance Producer, and worked for a Fortune 500 Company. Michelle began seeing her third child's Father, Robert Balensiefen in 2003. They had their daughter, Kalista (Kali) in 2006, and were together 15 years before they split up in 2018. During that time, she juggled other jobs like tending bar, waiting tables, selling antiques & collectibles online, and various projects she volunteers to work, over the years, while finally pursuing her modeling and acting endeavors.
She picked up the stage name Portia when she was a dancer from 2003-2007. Chellelynn (pronounced Shell-Lin) is a combination of her real first and middle names, Michelle + Lynn. Chellelynn, a nickname her Mother gave her early on, as a child. It came about again later on when she started getting into acting in 2014.
Freelance model since 2003, Portia has worked with a handful of outstanding photographers over the years. It began as a hobby, while taking care of her kids and working. Then it progressed slowly from there. She was in a music video for former metal band, Man Made Man in 2009. The song is called a Favored Son, and it was recorded by Turkey Vulture Records, in Fond Du Lac, WI., at Full Spectrum Studios. In 2014, she walked the runway twice for Chicago RAW Underground Artists events. Once, modeling for designer, Amber Vokt, with AV Clothing Design. Then once for make-up artist, Andie Peirce, with body painting.
Portia's debut into acting was the lead role as Candace England (Candie), in Faux Pax Films feature length film, Candie's Harem. She "liked" on a Facebook post by Faux Pas Films, in a film group, and the director asked if she'd like to audition for the main role. Having absolutely no acting experience, other than the couple of weeks she had worked at a haunted house, a few weeks prior. She still managed to land the spot, despite all odds against her. She enjoys all aspects of the film industry, often helping with makeup, soundtrack coordination, special effects, location scouting, etc.. anything she can do to help with production, she will.
While filming on the set of Candie's Harem in Oct/Nov 2014, she also worked on Leaf Blower Massacre 2, with T-Nasty Production, as a college student. Both that acting gig and her next one (Cafe Kremlin Season 2 Episode 1), were totally on a whim. Both times, people that were supposed to show up, didn't, so she filled in for them. Then she worked with Faux Pas Films again in August 2015, in a feature length film called, Cellar Secret, which she claims: "if I hadn't already worked with the director and actors before, I wouldn't have done it, it's that disturbing, of a movie".
She worked for Rob Zombies Great American Nightmare haunt in Villa Park, IL for the 2014 & 2015 seasons. During the 2014 season she was Vortex Girl in the El Superbeasto 3D house. She landed a main role in the 2015 season of the haunt portraying Sheri Moon Zombie's character, "Baby" from the films, House of 1000 Corpses and The Devil's Rejects, in the 2015 season of the haunt, in The Devil's Rejects house. She was mentioned by the Haunted House Chicago Review team in their official 2015 review of the haunt, highlighting her performance. Plus she received an actor award each season that she worked. She also got to take part in the commercial for Rob Zombie's Great American Nightmare 2015.
Portia volunteers at events like the Celebrity Charity Golf Outing, and Rumble for the Kids Pro-wrestling show in Princeton, Illinois, annually. She was their ring girl & acted as the Pro-wrestler, Frankie the Chi-Town Hitman's personal assistant, in the 2013-2019 shows. All proceeds from the shows go to help local children.
She has also volunteered at Days of the Dead horror festivals. Her debut film, Candie's Harem, was an Official Selection for Days of the Dead and had it's World premiere at Chicago's Days of the Dead 48 hour Independent Film Festival, presented by Jabb Pictures, in November 2015. It then screened in all Days of the Dead convention locations, including: Atlanta 2016, Burbank 2016, Indianapolis 2016, and was the first film played in the very first Louisville show, 2016. Portia can often be found behind a table at a Days of the Dead convention, taking pictures with fans, selling her photos and movies with personalization and her autograph. She was hostess for the 2016 Chicago Hardcore Horror Festival, where Candie's Harem was screened and Portia received her second, Best Actress nomination, for her lead role in Candie's Harem.
Her works include a trailer called, The Avenger, with award-winning independent filmmaker, John Borowski.
As of 2016, Michelle made her name, Portia Chellelynn, an official business by obtaining an assumed name certificate, in Bureau County, Illinois. She also hand-customized her own website. She founded her business, Portia Chellelynn Films in 2017 while shooting her debut short (mid-length) film, Second Chances : New Beginnings in Princeton and Walnut, IL., which won Best Mid-Length Film in the Chicago Reels of the Dead film festival in 2018. She co-wrote, directed, produced and acted in the film as a lead character.
Portia decided to go by her real name, Michelle Morris, in her first film, the multi-award winning horror film, H.P. Lovecraft's Witch House, in which she was nominated Best Actress for her lead role in movie by The North Film Festival out of Stockholm Sweden in Feb. 2022. It's set to be released Summer of 2022.
She continued to use her real name in the film, The Ultimate Throwdown, where she plays the role of Donna Cooper, Matt Cooper's wife. Matt is the lead character, played by Rob Davidson, President/CEO of American Muscle Entertainment, LLC. and filmmaker of the movie. Portia and Rob became very close and as of March 23, 2022, they got engaged to be married. Release date of the film has yet TBD.
