Today we’d like to introduce you to Natalia Leigh.
Natalia, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
As I reflected on this question, it dawned on me how many different journeys there have been. My first started on July 2nd, 1981, being born to my British legend and Hollywood movie star Suzanna Leigh. My legacy was already heavy, with family as Vivien Leigh and Joan Collins as Godparents. My course was firmly set to be an actor myself, and my formal training began at fourteen years old in London at The Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art. My next big journey was relocating from London to America at twenty-one years old, first stop being New York City to continue my formal training at The Lee Strasberg film and theater Institute in 2003. Mummy landed in Memphis because of the EPE Graceland connection from her time making “Paradise Hawaiian Style” with Elvis Presley in 1965. My teaching journey was kismet as it wasn’t a goal for me to ever be a teacher. I was invited to mentor under Broadway actress Tina Fila at Playhouse on the Square in Memphis in 2007 and quickly realized I had a gift to teach all ages, and it became my passion.
Journeys in between of getting married, divorced, moving states, the loss of said great Mother to stage four cancer in 2017, and nearly losing my small business to COVID when I was forced to close my doors due to the pandemic – developing Lupus in 2021 yet, through it all I learned a journey of resilience, perseverance, bravery, hope, and gratitude.
NL Acting Studio was founded in 2009 in Winter Garden, FL, and I discovered a loophole in the actor’s community for Method training and the One-on-One experience. Thirteen years later, NL Acting Studio continues to set actors on their paths as confident, well-rounded, experienced performers for stage and screen, and the rest is history!
We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Being a small business run by a female entrepreneur and CEO offers its own challenges. I’ve found being different and providing a service that’s a little different has its pros and cons. NL Acting Studio is unique because of the individual care, support, and investment it offers that most institutions in town aren’t able to offer due to a class size dynamic, etc. Yet, I cornered the market with the One-on-One training. It’s a proven method of quality training and, in turn, cultivates self-betterment through the work and experience. It’s very personalized, and I believe it’s because of that care I’m still standing today and have the honor to have been recognized for this article.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar, what can you tell them about what you do?
I’m the only Method based acting studio in Orlando that offers the one-on-one training experience. Alongside the regular classes, a MENTORING PROGRAM is offered for additional inner work and accountability/care.
Before we go, is there anything else you can share with us?
I have a few quotes I live by that my students enjoy: “When in doubt, be kind.
Patience is a virtue.
“Above all things, choose hope.”
Contact Info:
- Website: www.nlactingstudio.com
Image Credits
Kristia Knowles Photography
