Alyson Gorske: The Actress Behind Netflix’s Most Unexpected Character

Introduction

Alyson Gorske is an American actress best known for playing Lana Kirkwood and Anastasia Koslov in Netflix’s action-comedy series Obliterated. She also starred in the horror film The Puppetman and appeared in Shrinking and NCIS.

Her career didn’t begin with Netflix. Far from it.

She moved to Los Angeles at 18, studied acting through scholarships, and spent years working on smaller productions. Theatre remained part of her life, too.

Then came her big opportunity.

In 2023, she landed a role that asked her to play two very different identities. That performance introduced her to a much wider audience.

Quick Facts About Alyson Gorske

Detail	Information
Full Name	Alyson Gorske
Date of Birth	November 10, 1996
Age	29 years old (October 2026)
Birthplace	Arlington, Virginia, USA
Nationality	American
Profession	Actress and artist
Known For	Obliterated, The Puppetman
Acting Schools	Stella Adler Academy of Acting; American Academy of Dramatic Arts
Theatre Association	Echo Theater Company
Professional Base	Los Angeles, California
Notable TV Shows	Obliterated, Shrinking, NCIS, Head of the Class
Notable Films	The Puppetman, Amy’s F**k It List, Devil’s Triangle
Official Website	alysongorske.com
Instagram	@alysongorske

Early Life and Background

Alyson Gorske was born on November 10, 1996, in Arlington, Virginia, according to her IMDb biography and published biographical records.

She grew up in the Washington, D.C., area.

Her early childhood remains mostly private. There is little confirmed information about her family background or school years.

Still, one decision is well documented.

At just 18, she moved from Washington, D.C., to Los Angeles. She wanted to pursue acting professionally.

That meant entering a competitive industry while still very young. She needed training, experience, and opportunities to perform.

Los Angeles gave her access to all three.

Her official website confirms that this move came before she earned scholarships at two respected acting schools.

Education and Acting Training

Professional training became an important part of her early career.

After arriving in Los Angeles, she received a full-time scholarship at the Stella Adler Academy of Acting.

That was a strong start.

She later earned a merit-based scholarship at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts.

Both institutions focus on developing professional performers. Their training involves scene work, character development, and stage performance.

For a young actress, this meant spending time studying the craft before reaching a large television audience.

Her interest in theatre continued.

According to her official biography, she has also studied and performed with the Echo Theater Company in Los Angeles.

That stage connection matters.

Film actors usually work through multiple takes. Theatre asks performers to stay focused throughout a live scene, responding to other actors without stopping the performance.

Her background includes both forms of acting.

How Her Career Started

Gorske built her screen career through independent productions and smaller acting opportunities.

Her early credits include films in science fiction, action, and horror.

These were not major Hollywood blockbusters. They gave her professional screen experience, though.

She appeared in Battle Star Wars in 2020, playing Astera Malaster.

That same year, she played Selena in Airliner Sky Battle and appeared as X-Caliber in Meteor Moon.

The following year brought more work.

Her 2021 credits included 616 Wilford Lane, Jungle Run, and Devil’s Triangle.

She also appeared in the television comedy Head of the Class as Kelsey.

Different characters. Different productions.

Each credit added another piece to her acting experience.

By the time she reached Netflix, she had already spent several years working in front of cameras.

The Role That Brought Wider Attention

A major change came in 2023.

Gorske joined the cast of Netflix’s Obliterated, an action-comedy series created by Josh Heald, Jon Hurwitz, and Hayden Schlossberg.

The show premiered on November 30, 2023.

It follows a special operations team trying to stop a nuclear threat in Las Vegas.

The mission becomes a lot harder after the group celebrates what they believe is a successful operation.

But Gorske’s character has another secret.

She first appears as Lana Kirkwood, a party-loving woman who becomes involved with the team.

Later, viewers discover her real identity.

She is Anastasia Koslov, the presumed-dead sister of Russian arms dealer Ivan Koslov.

That revelation changes how audiences understand her character.

And playing her wasn’t simple.

Playing Two Very Different Personalities

Lana and Anastasia behave differently.

Lana initially appears carefree. Anastasia is calculated, dangerous, and far more threatening.

Gorske had to make both believable.

In a Netflix Tudum interview, co-creator Jon Hurwitz discussed the casting process.

He explained that the production team prepared audition scenes representing both identities.

Gorske impressed them during her first audition.

The team invited her back several times to see what else she could do.

She also had to learn Russian dialogue, sometimes with limited preparation time.

That’s a demanding assignment.

The performance required her to change how she spoke, moved, and reacted while keeping the characters connected to the same story.

She was credited across all eight episodes.

For viewers, Lana’s real identity became one of the show’s major surprises.

What the Creators Thought

Hurwitz spoke positively about her casting and performance in Netflix’s official interview.

He described how the actress handled the demands of portraying both identities.

Netflix also identified Obliterated as one of her first major Hollywood roles.

That makes the series an important career milestone.

After several years of smaller productions, she was now appearing in an internationally distributed Netflix show.

Her Leading Performance in The Puppetman

Another important project arrived in 2023.

Gorske starred in The Puppetman, a supernatural horror film directed by Brandon Christensen.

The film was released through Shudder and AMC+ on October 13, 2023.

She played Michal, a young woman whose father has been convicted of murder.

Her father claims an evil force controlled his body and made him commit the killings.

Michal initially has to deal with the disturbing history surrounding her family.

Then people close to her begin dying.

She starts to question whether her father’s claims might contain some truth.

The story becomes increasingly dangerous.

For Gorske, this was a different acting challenge from Obliterated.

There were fewer opportunities for light comedy. Her character faced fear, uncertainty, and a disturbing mystery.

She carried a central part of the film’s story.

The production also received recognition at horror festivals, including a Best Feature Film jury prize at Popcorn Frights.

That was recognition for the film rather than an individual acting award.

Other Movies and Television Roles

Her acting history includes more than two major projects.

She has worked across several genres, with credits in independent films, television comedies, thrillers, and horror stories.

Here are her principal documented screen credits.

Year	Film or TV Series	Role
2020	Battle Star Wars	Astera Malaster
2020	Airliner Sky Battle	Selena
2020	Meteor Moon	X-Caliber
2021	616 Wilford Lane	Staci
2021	Jungle Run	Amanda
2021	Devil’s Triangle	Sam Taylor
2021	Head of the Class	Kelsey
2023	Shrinking	Rachel
2023	Amy’s F**k It List	Amy Taylor
2023	The Puppetman	Michal
2023	Obliterated	Lana Kirkwood / Anastasia Koslov
2024	NCIS	Ashley Winslow
2025	Clementine	Alicia

The credits above are recorded in entertainment databases, including IMDb. They cover her better-documented work rather than every minor production.

Her Appearance in Shrinking

Gorske appeared in Shrinking, the Apple TV comedy-drama starring Jason Segel and Harrison Ford.

She played Rachel in two episodes during the show’s first season.

The series follows a therapist whose personal struggles begin affecting his professional relationships and decisions.

It gave Gorske experience on a well-known television production with an established cast.

Her Role in NCIS

In 2024, she appeared in NCIS as Ashley Winslow.

The long-running crime drama follows investigators working on cases involving the United States Navy and Marine Corps.

Her appearance added a police-procedural credit to her growing television work.

Recent Acting Work in 2025 and 2026

Gorske continued appearing in independent productions after her Netflix breakthrough.

Her IMDb credits include the 2025 short film Clementine, in which she played Alicia.

Another recent project is Artichoke, a horror short directed by Amir Moini.

She stars alongside Thomas Dekker.

The story follows a woman trapped in an abusive relationship who discovers an unusual optical device connected to another world.

The film draws inspiration from Italian giallo horror.

In April 2026, entertainment publication Bloody Disgusting released an early look at the production and reported that filming had been completed.

IMDb lists the film under 2026.

Other projects listed on her professional filmography include Archie Banks, in which she plays Phoebe, and All of You Will Die, where she is credited as Peyton Murphy.

These listings show her involvement in further productions. They do not establish that every project has received a general public release.

What Makes Her Acting Background Different?

There is something interesting about her career history.

She didn’t begin with one familiar type of role.

Her early films included science fiction and action. Later work included comedy, supernatural horror, and television drama.

Her theatre training is another part of that story.

The actress continued working with the Echo Theater Company while pursuing screen opportunities.

Then Obliterated asked her to handle a character with two identities.

Her professional history suggests a willingness to accept roles with very different demands.

Some require physical action. Others depend on fear, dialogue, or emotional tension.

The variety is clear from her credits.

Her Age and Birthday

Alyson Gorske was born on November 10, 1996.

She is 29 years old as of October 8, 2026.

She will celebrate her 30th birthday on November 10, 2026.

Her zodiac sign is Scorpio.

Her birthday is listed on IMDb, though her personal website focuses more on her career than biographical details.

Family and Parents

Gorske keeps much of her family life away from public interviews.

There is no reliable information identifying her parents or detailing their professional backgrounds.

Information about siblings is also limited.

Her official biography discusses her move to Los Angeles, education, and acting career without providing a detailed family history.

So, claims about her parents’ names, siblings, or family wealth should not be published without dependable evidence.

Is Alyson Gorske Married?

Her marital status has not been publicly established through reliable sources.

She has not provided a confirmed husband or marriage announcement in the main professional sources reviewed for this article.

There is also no dependable information confirming a current boyfriend.

That doesn’t tell us everything about her personal life.

It simply means her relationship status should remain private unless she chooses to discuss it publicly.

For now, her verified public story centres on her acting career.

Height and Physical Appearance

Her professional photographs show her with blonde hair and light-coloured eyes.

However, an exact height measurement has not been independently confirmed through her official biography.

The same applies to her weight and body measurements.

Rather than repeat uncertain figures, it is better to rely on her published headshots and professional casting information.

Net Worth and Acting Income

There is no verified public estimate of Alyson Gorske’s net worth in 2026.

Her television and film work forms part of her professional acting career.

However, her salaries for Obliterated, The Puppetman, and other productions have not been reliably disclosed.

Without financial records or a direct statement, assigning her a specific net-worth figure would be speculation.

Her confirmed achievements provide a better picture of her career than unsupported financial estimates.

Awards and Professional Recognition

IMDb lists one award win on Gorske’s profile, but the precise individual award details need stronger confirmation.

Her association with award-recognised productions should also be considered separately from personal acting awards.

For example, The Puppetman received a jury prize at the Popcorn Frights Film Festival.

That recognition belongs to the film.

Her acting scholarships are another documented achievement from her early career.

They show that she earned financial support for professional training before taking on major television roles.

Social Media and Public Presence

Gorske maintains an online presence connected to her acting career.

Her official website provides a biography, professional photographs, and information about selected projects.

Readers can find her at:

• Official website: https://alysongorske.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alysongorske/
• IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm8425817/

Her professional profiles are useful places to check for new screen credits, photographs, and public announcements.

Final Thought

Alyson Gorske spent years building her career before Obliterated reached Netflix.

She moved to Los Angeles at 18. She earned acting scholarships. She worked in theatre and accepted roles in smaller film productions.

Her breakthrough came later.

The role of Lana and Anastasia gave her a chance to play two contrasting identities in a major streaming series.

At the same time, The Puppetman showed her ability to carry a horror story.

Her recent independent film credits suggest that acting remains her main professional focus.

The next major role is not yet clear. But her work so far tells an interesting story of training, persistence, and growing screen experience.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Who is Alyson Gorske?

Alyson Gorske is an American actress known for Netflix’s Obliterated and the 2023 horror film The Puppetman. She has also appeared in Shrinking and NCIS.

2. How old is Alyson Gorske?

She is 29 years old as of October 2026. Her reported birth date is November 10, 1996.

3. Where is Alyson Gorske from?

She was born in Arlington, Virginia. She later moved from the Washington, D.C., area to Los Angeles to pursue acting.

4. What character did she play in Obliterated?

She played Lana Kirkwood, who is revealed to be Anastasia Koslov. The character appears throughout the Netflix series.

5. Which acting schools did she attend?

She trained at the Stella Adler Academy of Acting and the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. She received scholarships at both.

6. Is Alyson Gorske married?

Her marriage or relationship status has not been reliably confirmed through public sources.

7. What is Alyson Gorske’s net worth?

Her net worth is not publicly verified. No dependable financial figure is available for 2026.

8. What are her recent movies?

Her recent listed projects include Clementine and the 2026 horror short Artichoke. Other projects appear in film databases, but their distribution status varies.