We’re looking forward to introducing you to Allie Leonard. Check out our conversation below.
Allie, really appreciate you sharing your stories and insights with us. The world would have so much more understanding and empathy if we all were a bit more open about our stories and how they have helped shaped our journey and worldview. Let’s jump in with a fun one: What is something outside of work that is bringing you joy lately?
We’re having a bit of a fly problem in our place at the moment and it’s driving me crazy. But my dog is absolutely fixated on catching them. She’s obsessed and is having the time of her life! She spends hours a day chasing them around the house, snapping her little mouth even when they are flying 6 feet above her (she’s part corgi and very low to the ground making it even more of an uphill battle for her). It is enthralling to watch her dedication and to see how much fun she is having. It’s a great reminder to look for the reframe in a situation because sometimes the smallest things can bring the most joy. So my husband and I sit on the couch doubled over with laughter as we watch her chase these flies…I know she’ll catch one eventually.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Hey I’m Allie, I’m a writer and actor based in LA.
I’ve written, produced, and starred in three award-winning short films directed by Keith Powell (30 Rock, Shrinking) that have screened at festivals worldwide including SF IndieFest, Big Apple Film Festival, Festival de Saude Mental, and Blackbird Film Festival. My most recent short Squish co-starring Emily Hampshire (Schitt’s Creek, 12 Monkeys) won the Audience Award at the 2024 Valley Film Festival and will finish its festival circuit at the 2025 Maryland Film Festival.
My half-hour workplace comedy pilot won the Grand Jury Prize at NYU PitchFest 2025 and was selected for the 2025 Bad Pitch/Group Labs Fest Pilotpalooza where it will get a staged reading on December 7.
As an actor, I work across TV (General Hospital, Keith Vs.), film (Two Dash One One, Start Them Young), theater in both New York (Clubbed Thumb, La MaMa) and Los Angeles (Hollywood Fringe Festival), and numerous national commercials. I’ve performed improv and sketch around Los Angeles.
I love lemon sorbet, bad karaoke, and walks with my husband and dog.
Great, so let’s dive into your journey a bit more. What was your earliest memory of feeling powerful?
When I was six I was in my first play, My Father’s Dragon. One of the roles I was cast in (yes I’m bragging, I had 3 parts) was the talking Cat that the lead boy befriends. I remember watching an old Tom and Jerry cartoon and in it Tom spazzes out after getting hit in the head with something by Jerry, a classic. I remember thinking it was one of the funniest things I had ever seen so I had the idea of adding that into my performance as the Cat. It was a big swing, but my instinct was saying do it. My director however had “creative differences” and told me to tone it down. I listened and chickened out, doing something very tame that bombed. But the instinct kept gnawing at me, so in the final performance I decided to be brave and did the Tom freakout anyways…and it got the biggest laugh of the night. I felt so powerful that I could make a room full of people, including people I loved so much, laugh and enjoy themselves simply because I followed my instincts towards silliness and fun.
When did you stop hiding your pain and start using it as power?
For most of my life I have struggled with my mental health. I’m talking chronic deep depression, panic attacks, the works (yes, I’m bragging again). Unfortunately last year it got to a point where I needed more help and I entered a treatment facility. I felt like such a failure, I even felt like I was failing at treatment. But when I was really honest with myself about what wasn’t serving me anymore, I was able to start accepting the parts of myself that I deemed shameful and bring them into the light. It turns out when you share those ugly parts with other people who are also willing to be vulnerable, you can build some amazing connections. In fact, I ended up meeting my co-writer while in treatment and that great Carrie Fischer quote came true: ‘take your broken heart, turn it into art.’ We wrote a pilot based on our experiences with treatment and now that pilot has won multiple awards and is getting it’s own stage reading in December. Sharing my struggle ended up being one of the most important things I could do for my healing and my art.
Sure, so let’s go deeper into your values and how you think. What would your closest friends say really matters to you?
Hopefully they’d say being a good friend. I am so blessed with incredible friendships in my life and one of my favorite things to do is show my people how much I love them by championing them in every way.
Being kind (to others and to yourself), being compassionate and having a great sense of humor also really matter to me. Life is hard enough and everyone is carrying around their own invisible bag of rocks. You never know how heavy anyone’s bag is so being considerate and showing grace feels like a no-brainer. If we’re on this planet we might as well be having a good time with one another.
Thank you so much for all of your openness so far. Maybe we can close with a future oriented question. What will you regret not doing?
Not trying everyday to go after the life that I dream of and making the world a brighter place.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.allieleonard.com
- Instagram: @vladimir_gluten
- Twitter: @vladimir_gluten
Image Credits
Rae Gray
