About
Marissa Spada is a PhD candidate in the Department of Film, Television, and Media. Before arriving in Ann Arbor, she studied theatre and performance at York University in Toronto, followed by an MA in Cinema and Media Studies. Currently, she is writing a dissertation on the history of screen makeup in studio era Hollywood. She focuses on how screen makeup evolved as a medium, a trade, and an art form, and how these developments, in turn, impacted the norms and conventions associated with American beauty cultures and the then-emerging cosmetics industry.
Marissa is also a Graduate Student Instructor (GSI) in the department of Film, Television, and Media. Her class, "Laughing Matters: Comedy, Politics, Identity," considers the vital role of humor in our contemporary mediascape and will be offered in Summer 2021.