Rising Stars: Meet Leah Haile

Today we’d like to introduce you to Leah Haile.

Hi Leah, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself. 
I started out doing minor roles in my elementary school plays. By force, at the time. All students were required to participate. I still remember the first play. I had one line. There was excitement in the air, a palpable energy that I wasn’t yet familiar with but I would grow to love. I was an extremely shy and introverted child, yet when I stepped onstage and said my one line, I felt so comfortable and at home. There were times we would be mid-song, and another child would projectile vomit, and that’s when I knew the feeling that I had was special, and I should pursue it. 

My parents, being immigrants from Ethiopia, were adamant that I obtain a degree and at least attempt a “real” job before pursuing acting full-time. So, I graduated high school early to attend The University of North Texas and, to my parent’s dismay, received my BA in English with a concentration in creative writing. I attended acting workshops in Dallas while working in human resources post-college. I did numerous short films and plays, gaining experience driving all over Dallas for auditions. I remember sometimes driving to the middle of nowhere, nearly two hours out for just an opportunity to audition. 

After conducting a handful of layoffs as a human resources representative, I realized what mattered to me the most was pursuing a career that would bring me joy instead of miserably grabbing any paycheck to sustain myself. I proceeded to move to Los Angeles on a whim with a friend from college. Since I arrived 9 years ago, I’ve taken acting classes at numerous studios, kept auditioning, and working on projects to build my resume and materials. My goal has morphed into constantly elevating my skill and unlocking facets of myself I was not previously aware of. 

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?
It has been a very interesting and, at times, turbulent ride. Finding the balance of sustaining myself while simultaneously pursuing my dream has been a difficult tightrope. I have noticed, as time goes on and I surround myself among people who have the same or adjacent pursuits, my struggles have slowly eroded away. I’m also very much a believer in it’s not the story of what happened to you, but how you can interpret struggles as redirects or a challenging game. Thomas Edison failed thousands of times prior to the invention of the light bulb, Oprah Winfrey was fired from her first news reporting job, Michael Jordan didn’t make his high school basketball team the first time he tried out. I think it can be very tempting to hyper-focus on a setback, but what sets apart those who progress versus continue to struggle is the drive to attain your vision of your future, whatever that may be. 

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I’ve done numerous short films, feature films, and a few tv shows and pilots over the course of my pursuit. But what I am most proud of is returning to the theatre. I am currently a member of Loft Ensemble and have done a few plays recently that I am proud of. The first, Monster (written by April Littlejohn), where I played Micha and was a dancer, revitalized my love of dance that laid dormant since my days in my high school drill and step team. Shortly after, I did A Very Fuzzy Christmas 2: A Christmas Rhapsody (also written by April Littlejohn) with Fuzzy Bottoms Theatre. It was a fun mess of debauchery and playful chaos, filled with stunts and lots of blood! I am most proud of my performance in La Cocina (written by Tony Meneses) this past January, where I played Head Chef Monique. I felt very close to that role, and the rehearsal and show process ended up being very cathartic. 

What was your favorite childhood memory?
I remember I would get so happy whenever the Scholastic Book Fair happened or stepping off the school bus on an afternoon, signaling the start of a holiday weekend. The smell of my mom’s cooking and long road trips through winding Texas roads with my parents and older brother. My favorite childhood memory is a conglomeration of simple moments in life where I’ve experienced bliss. 

Contact Info:

• Website: https://resumes.actorsaccess.com/leahhaile
• Instagram: @theleahhaile
• Other: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5661174/?ref_=pro_nm_visitcons

Image Credits
Zulma Lopez
Paul Smith