Enjoy a virtual meeting with actress and circus artist, Ellowyn Stanton.
Ellowyn Stanton is a 16-year-old American actress and circus artist from Los Angeles, CA. She is known for her role as Phoenix in Cirque du Soleil’s Big Top Academy (2020 Canadian Screen Awards nomination for Best Children’s or Youth Fiction Program or Series) and spin-off Big Top Academy: School’s Out Edition.
Ellowyn began the sport of gymnastics at the age of 3 and competed from the ages of 5 to 10. With a desire to express herself creatively, she transitioned to the circus arts at the age of 10. Ellowyn soon became a member of Le PeTiT CiRqUe, a professional youth cirque troupe, performing as an aerialist and acrobat. She has performed in Montréal, Las Vegas, Detroit, and throughout the state of California. At the age of 13, Ellowyn moved to Montréal, Québec, Canada to shoot Big Top Academy playing the principal role of tomboy, skate rat Phoenix who is accepted into a circus arts boarding school. Amongst the 9 principal leads, Ellowyn was the only American. Upon completing the 52-episode shoot, life began to imitate art as Ellowyn, then 15, auditioned for and was accepted into the prestigious École Nationale de Cirque (The National Circus School) in Montréal, known as the Harvard of Circus schools.Like her character Phoenix, Ellowyn now lives in a real circus boarding school where aspiring artists from all over the world come to train. Ellowyn is currently in her 2nd year at École Nationale de Cirque and will graduate from their high school program in 2022.
In the Summer of 2021 and amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, Ellowyn shot the Big Top Academy: School’s Out Edition, 26-episode spin-off, during her short summer break. Adhering to COVID-safe protocols, Ellowyn filmed her scenes in LA while her castmates were in Mexico, Vancouver and Toronto and taking direction from the director in Montréal via Zoom.
When Ellowyn can find some free time between academics and circus training, she likes to create content for her YouTube channel. Ellowyn is open to answering questions regarding her acting and circus arts journey as well as life at school in Montréal.