Life & Work with Nicole G. Leier of Filmmaking

Today we’d like to introduce you to Nicole G. Leier.

Hi Nicole G. , we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I’ve always been drawn to a good story. The kind that stays with you long after the credits roll.

I’m an actor, writer, and director living in Los Angeles, and somehow I’ve managed to build a life around the three things I love most: interesting people, complicated characters, and making movies.

I started out acting, which is still my first love. There’s something pretty wonderful about stepping into someone else’s life for a while. Over the years, I’ve had the chance to work opposite Nicolas Cage in A Score to Settle, and more recently, with Eric Bana on the second season of Netflix’s Untamed, coming out in 2027. I’ve also picked up two Leo Award nominations along the way, which was a lovely surprise.

Eventually, I started writing and directing because I had stories of my own that I wanted to tell. One thing led to another, and this year, I found myself nominated for an NAACP Image Award for directing Trapped in the Spotlight. I also won a Telly Award for Best Director. Both were pretty surreal moments.

These days, I’m developing a couple of feature films, including a psychological thriller called BODIES. I love dark stories, strange people, beautiful places, and characters who are just a little bit of a mess.

Outside of film, I’m usually reading, writing, wandering around a city I’ve never been to, or sitting in a café watching people and inventing entire lives for them.

I don’t think there’s one perfect way to build a creative life. Mine has involved a lot of curiosity, some spectacular detours, and a willingness to keep starting something new.

And the best part is, I still feel like I’m just getting started.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Oh, absolutely not. And I think anyone who tells you they’ve had a smooth ride in this industry is either incredibly lucky or leaving out the interesting parts.

I’ve heard “no” more times than I could possibly count. I’ve lost jobs I thought were mine, questioned my talent, worried about money, and had moments when I genuinely wondered what on earth I was doing with my life.

There have been some pretty lonely stretches, too. The strange thing about this business is that you can be winning awards one minute and wondering where your next job is coming from the next.

I’ve had to learn to believe in myself when absolutely nothing around me suggested I should.

But I love what I do. I really, really love it. And somewhere along the way, I stopped waiting for someone to give me permission to make things. I started writing my own stories, directing my own films, and creating opportunities where I could.

I still have difficult days. I still get rejected. I still occasionally have a little cry and then get on with it.

I think that’s the whole thing, really. You keep going. Not because you’re fearless, but because there’s still so much you want to do.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I’m an actor first. Always have been. But I love every part of making a film, from the first scribbled idea to sitting in a dark theater watching it come to life.

I’m fascinated by people. What makes them tick, what they’re hiding, what they’re willing to do for love, and what happens when everything falls apart. Those are the stories I want to tell.

I’ve been lucky enough to receive recognition for my acting and directing, and I’m incredibly grateful for it. But I still feel like a student. I want to work with the greats, learn from people who have spent their lives making extraordinary films, and eventually make a few of my own that really mean something.

I’m currently developing two features, BODIES and IRISH TWIST, and I have very big plans for both.

What I’m most proud of is that I still love this business as much as I did when I started. Maybe even more.

Give me a great script, a brilliant director, a room full of interesting actors, and a long day on set. Honestly, there’s nowhere else I’d rather be.

Is there any advice you’d like to share with our readers who might just be starting out?
Don’t wait for permission. Don’t wait until you’re ready. Start now, be brave, make mistakes, and be kind to people along the way.

The biggest thing I’ve learned is that nobody gets anywhere entirely on their own. I love people. I love watching them succeed, and I genuinely believe there’s room for all of us.

Ask for help. Offer help. Celebrate someone else’s win as loudly as your own. And when you finally get through a door, hold it open for the next person.

I’m always happy to help someone find their way, because I know how much it means when someone does the same for you.

Be ambitious. Work incredibly hard. But never lose your heart.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @nicolegleier

Image Credits
Farrah Aviva | Studio Aviva
Instagram: @farrahaviva
Studio Instagram: @studioaviva