J.A. Steel
Steel (born December 12, 1969) is an American writer, director, producer, editor, stunt person and actress best known for her role as C. Alexandra Jones in The Third Society. Her acting began at age seven when she appeared in numerous school plays (most which she had written) and continued until she received a scholarship of a summer theatre program at age 14.
J.A. Steel
RealTVfilms · J.A. Steel on Vimeo · CC BY-SA 3.0
- Born
- 12 December 1969
- Birthplace
- Greensburg, Pennsylvania, U.S.
- Birth Name
- Jacquelyn A.
- Occupation
- Film actress, screenwriter, director, producer
- Nationality
- United States
- Education
- University of Southern California · USC School of Dramatic Arts
- Languages
- English
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Documentary summary
Steel (born December 12, 1969) is an American writer, director, producer, editor, stunt person and actress best known for her role as C. Alexandra Jones in The Third Society. Her acting began at age seven when she appeared in numerous school plays (most which she had written) and continued until she received a scholarship of a summer theatre program at age 14.
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Note VALÉORINE
J.A. Steel (born 1969) is an actress, film director and film producer, among other activities, of American nationality. The actress was born in Greensburg. J.A. Steel was educated at University of Southern California and USC School of Dramatic Arts. Languages used include English.
Composed from admitted, traceable facts · 26 September 2026
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wikidata · Q6103899 · wikipedia · J.A. Steel
In this article
Key facts
Key facts
• Born — 12 December 1969 • Birthplace — Greensburg, Pennsylvania, U.S. • Birth Name — Jacquelyn A. Ruffner • Occupation — Film actress, screenwriter, director, producer • Years Active — 2000–present
Early career
Early career
Steel's career in the entertainment industry began at the age of 18 when she began managing bands and promoting rock shows, during the time she was attending the USC School of Cinematic Arts on a partial scholarship, and graduated from USC in 1992 with a degree in social science and communications. Shortly after graduating, she accepted a job as a production assistant for martial arts action star Sho Kosugi (Revenge of the Ninja, Black Eagle) Sho promoted her to vice-president development within six months. In early 1993, Steel left Sho Productions to start her own company, Warrior Entertainment. The company's main focus was on music management and in 1995, Steel negotiated the first contract ever between an American artist, Sasha Alexeev, and a Taiwanese record company, Rock Records. Alexeev's album, Wintertales, was released in 1996, as Asia's economy was on the verge of collapse, and record sales were slow.
Filmography
Filmography
• Year — Title — Role — Character — Note • 2002 — The Third Society — Director, Writer, Producer, Actress, Editor, Stunts, Soundtrack — C. Alexandra Jones — Feature Film • 2005 — Cerebral Print: The Secret Files — Actress — Sexy Bounty Hunter — Short Film • Cerebral Print: End Game — Actress — Sexy Bounty Hunter — Short Film • 2006 — Dive the Deep Blue — Director, Writer, Producer, Editor, Actress — Self — Short Documentary • 2007 — Salvation — Director, Writer, Producer, Editor, Actress, Stunts & Fight Choreographer — Gabriel — Feature Film • 2009 — A Change of Plans — Director, Editor, Story — N/A — Short Film • Denizen: Special Access JA Steel — Actress — Self — Short Documentary • 2010 — 'Denizen' — Director, Writer, Producer, Editor, Actress, Stunts & Fight Choreographer — Sierra Deacon — Feature Film • Dive the Deep Blue: Tiburon — Director, Writer, Producer, Editor, Actress — Self — Short Documentary • S.C.A.A.R. 1.5 — Director, Writer, Producer, Editor, Actress — Sierra Deacon — Short Video • 2012 — Blood Fare — Director, Writer, Producer, Editor, Actress — Charon — Feature Film
Stunts and filmmaking
Steel races motorcycles, skydives, handles swords, competes in muay Thai kickboxing, is a Master Scuba Diver, and holds 22 marksmanship awards with various weapons. She spent two years in Army ROTC. Steel went on to write, produce, direct, edit, perform stunts and star in two more action feature films: the award-winning Salvation in 2007 and Denizen. Steel also directed the short films Dive the Deep Blue and A Change of Plans. Salvation was shot using an Arriflex super 16mm camera. Steel tapped into her music roots to write the song Angel Tonight for the soundtrack of The Third Society; and direct the music videos for Doesn't Matter Anyway and It's a Beautiful Day, both by the Emily O'Neary Band for The Third Society. She also collaborated with Edith Fung to create the music for the soundtrack of Dive the Deep Blue. Her third film Denizen was released in April 2010.
The Third Society
During her two-year hiatus, Steel traveled extensively in Asia and even lived for a brief time in Singapore. Upon her return to the United States, she re-entered the entertainment industry and began planning her first feature from a screenplay that she had written in 1996. The screenplay, entitled Triad, was about an ex-motorcycle racer turned cop Cody Reynolds and his Asian partner, Michael Li. Cody's girlfriend in the film was a vice-detective by the name of Sanchez. Steel sent out the script, but development executives claimed it was "too ethnic." Sanchez became Jones. The executives were still not satisfied and wanted even more changes. In protest, Steel got rid of Cody's character completely and changed the Los Angeles Police Department captain from the 50-year-old male stereotype to an African-American woman played by Sonya Eddy. Jones became the main character, the film title changed; and The Third Society was made. She turned down several offers to buy the script, and produced 85% of the film herself. Steel found herself both in front of and behind the camera writing, directing, producing, editing and starring in the film. She adopted the name J.A. Steel to direct, write and edit under. The "Jones" character in the final cut of The Third Society went uncredited, as Steel never originally intended to play the "Jones" character. Steel was one of the first female directors who has written a nude scene for herself, as Jones spent a lot of time in the shower to wash away the grime from the fight scenes.
Notes from the source article
Cited by Wikipedia
Notes from the source article
These works are cited by the source article, in its own numbering. They are recorded as its citations, not as sources VALÉORINE has verified.
- 1.Gallager, Sirens of Cinema, pg. 34-35
- 2.Anderson-Minshall, Curve Magazine, p. 46
- 3.Watt, Femme Fatales, p. 51
- 4.Hansen, The Hollywood Reporter, p. 42
- 5.Anderson-Minshall, Curve Magazine, p. 59
- 6.Cater, Martial Arts Legends, pg. 81-82
- 7.Griggs, The Salt Lake Tribune (page E2)
- 8.Baisley, FilmSnobbery.com
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