If your Instagram and Facebook algorithm is anything like mine, you’ve definitely scrolled (multiple times a day) past clips of DramaShorts’ My Sexy Mentor Seduced Me, a viral lesbian romance that is dominating [pun intended] the vertical series space right now. With over 22 million views and counting; Actor, writer and director Eloise Lola Gordon has quickly become well-known for her portrayal of Vera, an ambitious young 23-year-old who finds herself caught in the thralls of an intense, but exciting new relationship with her acting mentor Birdie (Alissa Filorama). Let’s be honest though, the dialogue and limited backstory of these characters might not win any writing awards due to the rapid pace of these short-form shows, but the cast undoubtedly sells the story. Gordon manages to speak volumes in all of the moments in between the dialogue. She, along with her on-screen co-star captivate audiences across the space with lingering glances, subtle world-building and undeniable chemistry packed into a collective hour. She makes sure to save Vera from becoming just another unintelligent, wide-eyed ingénue, playing her as a self-aware, curious, and ultimately in control of her own desires.
Don’t be fooled, though–Gordon isn’t trying to just ride the viral wave of this sapphic mini series, she’s consistently building a fascinating and well-rounded career behind the camera as a writer and director, as well. Her growing resume is a mixture of vertical soap dramas (both sapphic and hetero-heavy), as well as her own creative works making their rounds in the festival-circuit and beyond. Whether she’s in front of the camera, or hunkered down behind the scenes, I can tell she approaches her work methodically, creatively, and with a clear focus on character integrity and nuances.
Fandomize was excited to sit down with Eloise to discuss the recent outpouring of enthusiasm over her sapphic debut in the widely popular vertical space, and the importance of showcasing queer romances (even if you’re not a queer person watching them) in a heavily hetero-saturated medium. We also spoke about her next steps in the entertainment industry, and her role in the nudist-comedy Disrobed, set to hit your screens in 2027.