Today we’d like to introduce you to Sheena Leigh Graves.
Hi Sheena Leigh, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
Well, I’m an actor as well as a horse girl, which was confirmed on my most recent trip home. While going through old boxes of school papers I found a booklet my classmates made for me after a show and tell. Apparently I brought my entire Breyer Horse collection and talked endlessly about horses. For those of you not familiar with the Breyer Horse world, they are these ridiculously expensive horses made out of the most delicate material ever, and when their legs would break so would the hearts of both children and adults alike.
I currently live in the Los Angeles area, working professionally on and off set with horses. I spend several mornings a week training out in Acton, then I swing on over to Fillmore where we’ve got our cattle ranch and I visit my horse, Whiskey, and check on the rest of the herd that lives out there, then drive back to Glendale to LA Horses, where customers can book a ride and share an experience with their favorite movie horse in Griffith Park.
Most recently I worked as a wrangler on set for season 4 of Netflix’s Monster. That was a really fun job, we had 8 old timey wagons and carriages going on a set built for the late 1800’s. I’m looking forward to booking a speaking role on a period piece where I can hopefully also work with my wrangler team and horses I have a relationship with.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Ha! It’s been one thing after the next. I was on a roll and then Covid happened, and then I was finally in another roll when the strikes happened. And then I was in a crazy horse related accident that left me with broken bones and broken confidence that took the better part of a year to heal from. But being so broken opened up an experience to get really introspective and I came out in a version of me that I really like. I signed with the agency I had my eye on, Stone Talent, and feel supported in ways by my team I hadn’t felt before, and stepped back into wrangler life with newfound belief in my own value. I feel really, really lucky.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I think I’m incredible at living in my authenticity. And because of that, authentic experiences have a way of finding me. And then if I follow that white rabbit it leads me to a valuable lesson. The way I look at it, these lessons are what I need to fuel my practice as an actor. I like to think I specialize in being private in public. That’s what’s felt through the lens of the camera. The human condition is layered and complex. By being raw and open, that’s how the audience can connect. I think that’s what makes you a transformative actor.
Is there anyone you’d like to thank or give credit to?
My therapist, Susan, for sure deserves a lot of credit. I lost my mother early on in my adult life, my father shortly after, and I was given a box of tools to use to assist me in becoming better at feeling. I learned to sit in uncomfortable emotions and to become curious. I think this is such a gift, especially as an actor. Being able to sit in the uncomfortable rawness of feelings to understand nuance is pretty astounding. And then to be able to bring it all together to create a character, to create that character’s emotion in a riveting way, that’s art. I will forever be grateful for my life’s experiences.
Someone else who I feel has assisted me deeply is my wrangler boss, Scott Perez. He hired me about a decade ago when I knew pretty much nothing. Like I look back on old videos of me riding and just am in awe at how awful I rode lol. He invested in me and provided the space for me to get better, but he also left it up to me. I had a horse and an arena if I wanted it, but he wasn’t going to make sure I showed up to practice. He gave me info of people I should learn from, but left it up to me whether I made that call or not. And through his mentorship I’ve learned so much and have connected with so many wonderful people who have given me opportunities to grow both in and off set.
And mi amiga Ruth has been my biggest cheerleader in my journey back to my sense self. She’s been by my side through my accident, through break ups and ghostings, and all sorts of disappointments, as well as laughed with me and shared in my achievements. I’ve definitely hit the jackpot in friendship.
Pricing:
- Come ride with us at LA Horse Rentals through Griffith Park, starting at $50 an hour
- Come ride on our cattle ranch in Fillmore! Starting at $80 an hour.
- Visit lahorserentals.com
Contact Info:
- Website: [email protected]
- Instagram: @_thecowboyqueen
- Facebook: @lahorserentals
- Other: https://lahorserentals.com
Image Credits
Steph Girald
Kate Adams
