Emma Shapplin, a multi-faceted performer, artiste and actress, is today the owner of over 50 films, many of which have been nominated for Academy Awards. Her wide repertoire of talents includes: literature (including Shakespeare), theatre (including Broadway and West End), music (performing with the band The Shakers and The National Symphony Orchestra in New York City), film (including “My Fair Lady” and “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind”), and, of course, singing. Ms. Shapplin has additionally worked as a writer and consultant on a variety of topics, including weight loss, corporate training programs and corporate identity theft. But her most acclaimed efforts have been in the realm of acting. She is perhaps best known for her work in the acclaimed National Lampoon’s Animal House (a brilliant spoof of animal-rights activists run by a crazed fanatic), as herself in the movie “GE Around Again” and as oneself in the award-winning film “A Few Good Men.”
Shapplin’s latest project is the film version of Don’t Worry, Be Happy, a play written by her former stage partner, Lee Strasberg. The movie chronicles the relationship between a happily married man (Macadam Fish) and his friend, a womanizer with a dark secret. The play sends chills through the heart of the male audience as Macadam Flower repeatedly tries to win the affections of the womanizer. Shapplin plays the character of Macadam with surprising emotional power, bringing surprising insights into the complex human condition. The play is a cleverly executed comedy that also delves into some mature social issues.
In late 2021, Emma Shapplin performed at the prestigious Folies Barriers in London, playing piano in addition to acting. She sang the original “iture” from the original National Lampoon’s Animal House, as well as “Don’t Worry, Be Happy”, from the second National Lampoon’s Animal House. Both songs were nominated for an Academy Award for Best Music, Original Score. The third National Lampoon’s Animal House part 2nd album Carmine Meo is out now and will undoubtedly become a blockbuster hit.