REBECCA STREET is a mother, grandmother, working actor, and social activist based in New York City. She took her first acting class at the age of 30 in Washington, D.C.and received her Equity card from the Arena Stage. Several years later, she moved to Los Angeles where she lived for twenty-four years, raising her children and working in TV and film. Though she has performed in many TV episodics, films, and commercials, she is best known for her 2 year portrayal of a woman with AIDS on “The Young & Restless." NY credits include the 2024 film "Plan B," "Lyle," the Hallmark movie, "Christmas at the Plaza," HBO’s “Mildred Pierce,” "House of Cards," "Orange is The New Black," Blacklist," and playing Mary Tyrone in "Long Day’s Journey into Night" Off Broadway. She was also featured in Gore Verbinski's film, "A Cure for Wellness" which she travelled to Berlin to shoot. Recently, she co-starred in “Happy Hour” with Katie Holmes and Joshua Jackson. As an extension of her acting, Rebecca has directed eighteen plays — both modern and classical — in programs designed to bring theatre to underserved communities and to people in hospice care. She has also performed in charity benefits across the country. Her full TV & film resume can be viewed on IMDB.com.
Rebecca holds a BA in English from the University of Maryland. Prior to becoming an actor, she was a public school teacher for three years, teaching both special education and high school English, garnering a Rotary Club Award for "Most Outstanding Teacher”. This interest in teaching has continued through the years. While living in LA, she taught acting to professionals and also created a seminar for artists based on the work of mythology scholar Joseph Campbell, presented at Loyola Marymount University and the Skirball Cultural Center. In both Los Angeles and Manhattan, she has taught poetry to marginalized communities. In NYC, she hosts a Poetry Salon at her home.
Unlike her acting career, her involvement in social activism started early. At age 11, she was a weekly helper at the Little Sisters of the Poor Home for the aged in Waashington, D.C. Since then, she has volunteered for numerous non-profit humanitarrian and political organizations. In 1993, she conceived and chaired an event in Los Angeles to rebuild the libraries after the civil unrest, ART FROM ASHES. She has served on the Boards of the Neighborhood Youth Association, Shanti, and PATH (People Assisting the Homeless,) and was also a panelist in a UCLA forum, titled “Real to Reel: The Media’s Response to Women with HIV/AIDS.” In September, 2025, she spearheaded a rally with local community, faith, and political leaders in front of Gov. Hochul’s office to pass the the much needed N.Y. Health Act, which would provide single payer healthcare to all New Yorkers.
Rebecca is an incest survivor, having experienced extended sexual and emotional abuse by her biological father. She is very grateful that her long journey to recovery has finally brought her to a place where she can be a public advocate for the many others whose lives have been shattered by sexual trauma. Hence, You Can Help: A Guide for Family and Friends of Survivors of Sexual Abuse and Assault and her free online program for survivors, You Are Not Alone .
Since the publication of her book, Rebecca has addressed lay people, professionals, and students at a variety of venues on the ramifications of sexual trauma and methods for facilitating recovery ~ including the Juilliard School of Music, Drama & Dance, the University of California, Santa Barbarathe, two speeches at Fordham University Graduate School, the New School, the NY State Office of Mental Health Grand Rounds at Rockland Psychiatric Center, the Mid-Hudson Forensic Psychiatric Center affiliated with Columbia University, and Take Back The Night.