Julia Goldani Telles
A dancer's discipline shapes her intense, emotionally precise performances on screen, from ballet studios to complex psychological dramas.
Born 1995 (age 31)·American actress and ballet dancer·Birthday: March 18·Millennials
Biography
Julia Goldani Telles was born in Los Angeles in 1995, her childhood split between the rigorous world of ballet and the demands of academia. She trained at the San Francisco Ballet School and later at the School of American Ballet in New York, a path that instilled a formidable physical and mental discipline. That training became her secret weapon as an actress. Her breakout came not on stage but on television, as the sharp-tongued ballet student Sasha in Amy Sherman-Palladino's 'Bunheads.' She then pivoted dramatically, spending five seasons on Showtime's 'The Affair' as Whitney Solloway, charting a teenager's turbulent evolution into adulthood with a raw, unsettling honesty. Telles consistently chooses roles that are psychologically intricate, whether in the chilly, transactional world of 'The Girlfriend Experience' or other independent projects, bringing a ballet dancer's control over every gesture and glance to her film and television work.
Millennials
1981–1996
The first digital natives. Grew up with the internet, came of age during 9/11 and the 2008 crash. Highly educated, deeply indebted, slower to marry and buy houses. Redefined work, identity, and what it means to be an adult.
Julia was born in 1995, placing them squarely in the Millennials. The events that shaped this generation — the internet revolution, 9/11, and the 2008 financial crisis — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Julia Was Born
The biggest hits of 1995
#1 Movie
Toy Story
Best Picture
Braveheart
#1 TV Show
Seinfeld
Julia's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1995Born
Oklahoma City bombing; Windows 95 released
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $96,500Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Gangsta's Paradise" — CoolioBest Picture: Braveheart
2000Started school
Y2K passes without incident; contested Bush-Gore election
Gas: $1.51/galHome: $119,600Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Breathe" — Faith HillBest Picture: Gladiator
2008Became a teenager
Barack Obama elected first Black US president; financial crisis
Gas: $3.27/galHome: $153,100Min wage: $6.55/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Low" — Flo RidaBest Picture: Slumdog Millionaire
2011Could drive
Osama bin Laden killed; Arab Spring sweeps the Middle East
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $138,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Rolling in the Deep" — AdeleBest Picture: The Artist
2013Could vote
Edward Snowden reveals NSA surveillance programs
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $152,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Thrift Shop" — Macklemore & Ryan LewisBest Picture: 12 Years a Slave
2016Turned 21
Donald Trump elected president; Brexit vote
Gas: $2.14/galHome: $181,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Love Yourself" — Justin BieberBest Picture: Moonlight
2025Turned 30
AI agents go mainstream
Gas: $3.10/galHome: $385,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"APT." — Rose & Bruno Mars
2026Age 31 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Portrayed Whitney Solloway across five seasons of the critically acclaimed Showtime drama 'The Affair'.
- Landed her first major television role as Sasha Torres on the ABC Family series 'Bunheads' shortly after beginning her acting career.
- Starred as Iris in the third season of the anthology series 'The Girlfriend Experience', exploring themes of intimacy and power.
Did You Know?
She was a pre-med student at Columbia University before leaving to pursue acting full-time.
She is fluent in Portuguese, reflecting her Brazilian heritage.
Her ballet training included studies at the elite School of American Ballet, the official school of the New York City Ballet.
“Ballet taught me that discipline is the only shortcut.”
