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Shantell Yasmine Abeydeera is an Australian-born, Sri Lankan made actor, director, writer, and producer who now occupies a small slice of Los Angeles, where she is committed to amplifying diverse and female-driven narratives.

She is the founder of Thornbyrd Films, a queer, female-led production company. Thornbyrd's debut feature film, ‘HEALED’, earned the prestigious REFRAME STAMP from the Sundance Institute and Women in Film for its dedication to gender-balanced hiring.

Before establishing Thornbyrd, Shantell served as the Director of Content at OML.tv. She played a pivotal role in launching OML on Revry, the first 24/7 live TV channel dedicated to queer women and non-binary individuals. During her tenure, she created noteworthy LGBTQ+ titles like 'GIRLS LIKE MAGIC' and 'DATING IN PLACE.'

In addition to her work behind the camera, Shantell has appeared in various television shows, including ‘THE LINCOLN LAWYER’ (NETFLIX), ‘GOOD GIRLS’ (NBC) and ‘GENERAL HOSPITAL’ (ABC).