Bio: Leana Lewis is an American actress and model born on October 31, in Ashland, Kentucky, but raised in Pine Bluffs, Wyoming by her mother, Dane McFall and stepfather, Kent Sanders. In high school, she began her modeling career and had quick success, winning the title of Miss Wyoming American Teen 1993. Modeling soon led her to acting, and eventually to landing supporting and leading roles on stage. However, after high school Lewis obtained her degree in nursing and began working as a Registered Nurse to support herself and her family.
In 2012, Lewis moved to Colorado Springs, CO and is focused on film acting. Along with her work behind the scenes as a script supervisor, she also models and enjoys playing the piano and guitar.
Hanging out with @MrJoshCharles while filming #Amateur pic.twitter.com/fTj76bVAaR
— Leana Lewis (@LeanaLewisModel) August 15, 2016
Autobio: The first acting experience I have memories of is when I was in kindergarten I was in The Little Engine that Could. I acted in plays all through school, in drama and in local productions. I took piano lessons, I competed in state drama competitions and even wrote my first screenplay in high school. I grew up in Wyoming, so there weren’t a lot of acting opportunities. My parents drove me several hours to Colorado every week to take acting classes. It was difficult to maintain that long-term, so I changed my focus to pageants and modeling.
I had my first child at a young age, so I changed my college major from theater to nursing and upon graduation worked as a Registered Nurse to support my family. I was on the dance team for the Cheyenne Warriors arena football team, but didn’t do any acting during that time. It wasn’t until a little over a year ago that I decided I needed to find myself creatively again. That’s when I started taking acting workshops, script supervising, modeling, doing photography, practicing piano, and even learning guitar. Since that time I’ve been in many films and have really fallen in love with acting again. The more I do, the more I want to do.
Leana Lewis as the Bartender
Did you study acting
I have always loved acting, but had to put my own passion aside for a while to take care of my family. At some point, though, I decided I needed to do something for me that made me happy. As soon as I walked onto a film set again, I knew I had found what I had been missing.
I took acting classes for a long time at Donna Baldwin in Denver, CO. Most recently, I have gone to the Film Acting Academy of Denver and studied with Patrick Sheridan. I would like to audit some other classes just to see what they teach. I try to learn something with each audition I do, as well. I will often ask a director for a critique when I submit an audition whether I get the part or not. When they do that, it gives me the opportunity to make changes and do better the next time.
What acting technique do you use
I use different acting techniques depending on what the particular scene calls for. When it comes to crying, I use sense memory, but I have to practice it prior. Method acting is helpful when I get to perform in fantasy roles. I like to just use my imagination and be the character. The Film Acting Academy of Denver teaches things a little differently. They focus more on being yourself and being in the moment, without planning or rehearsing how you’ll react or what you will do next. Of course, you still need to prepare by knowing your lines, etc., but once you’re there, it’s about a genuine connection to your scene partner.
Catherine Davis, the park ranger in Bear Creek
Do you take courses to improve your craft
I take acting workshops with Patrick Sheridan at the Film Acting Academy of Denver and plan to take more with him. I will also be auditing The Actors Voice Workshops taught by Steve Austin in Colorado Springs next month. Auditioning allows me to use and practice what I learn in class, and of course, nothing beats actually working.
What acting books do you read
There are a lot of great books on acting. I actually haven’t read any for a long time, but I think it’s a good time to revisit them. I’ll probably start with To the Actor on the Technique of Acting by Michael Chekhov. I like reading because I enjoy studying on my own.
How do you keep fit as an actor
Watching movies is a great way to stay mentally fit. It’s interesting to study the actors. Reading scripts and auditioning is helpful, too. Going to workshops and reviewing notes from previous classes keeps what I’ve learned in them fresh. Just being on a film set usually turns into a learning experience. There is a lot going on and you can gather information by just observing.
As far as keeping physically fit, I like to do yoga, run, and lift weights. I just had surgery recently, so it’s been hard waiting to recover before I can get back into a routine.
How do you prepare for a role
I will read through the entire script prior to accepting a new role. Once I have accepted it, I just highlight my lines and focus on memorizing them. My imagination tends to take care of the rest.
How do you create a character from a script into a person
When I’m excited about a part, I can’t help but to think about it. It’s like when you read a book and you subconsciously form a picture in your head. If the script is well-written, I feel like I already know the character by the time I finish reading it. From there I just become the character as I see them.
How do you stay fresh on set
Making sure I start the day prepared, well-rested and hydrated helps make everything that comes up while on set easier. I also drink a lot of water throughout the day. If the next scene is intense, I will take some time to myself to think about it and prepare. If we are doing a retake or the scene is light, I will visit with other actors, the director or the crew. It’s always different.
Describe a memorable character you played
In Bear Creek I played a park ranger by the name of Catherine Davis who finds herself in the middle of a crime scene and is investigating what is going on while trying to stay alive. We just finished filming in August and the film is in post-production. It should be out next year.
Explain one creative choice you took on set
In horror films, there is usually a lot of death and dying. In one role in particular, I feel like I spent the majority of the time actively “dying”. For those scenes, the director, my scene partners and I worked very closely on how each of us envisioned them. The director was open to suggestions, which allowed us to try a few different things and decide which one worked out the best.
What do you want most from a director
I like to work with directors who want to do things differently, their own way. I enjoy films that are artistic and dark. What I want most from a director is to know what is important to him or her for me to do, and then to be given the freedom to do it. I want to know from them what they envision, but I also appreciate when they ask me what I think so we can collaborate.
What actors do you long to work with
There are so many greats, but I would be lying if I said anyone other than Johnny Depp.
Why
It is well-known that the roles he has chosen have made him possibly the most versatile actor today. I would like to work with him primarily because the films he is in, Tim Burton films and others, have fantastic characters that encourage imagination. I just don’t think you can go wrong when working with an actor, and/or director, whose characters are strange, eccentric, and odd.
What advice would you give to actors
Learn everything you can from anyone willing to teach you. Work hard, be consistent, and offer to help even if it doesn’t involve you landing an acting role at that time. Be confident, but humble. You’re not the worst, but you’re not the best, either. And, just keep moving forward. After I finish something, I try to immediately move on to the next thing.
Briefly write about your career
Speaking only about recent film productions, I have been in a few horror/slasher feature films, including Terror Tales, Bear Creek, and Rage of the Mummy. I also did some voice over work in IMTK and had small roles in Amateur, Granite Mountain, Our Souls at Night, Rose, and Be My Baby. Next year is going to be a busy one! I have already been cast in Octoroon and Tykarindom, and am talking to directors about additional features. I’m always looking for my next project!
One interesting role was playing the nurse on Be My Baby. Outside of acting, I work as a Registered Nurse, so it was a lot of fun to play one in a movie, too. I enjoy playing strong female roles and I’ve discovered having knowledge in nursing helps a lot with not only medical scenes, but in horror, as well.
INTERVIEWS
In Conversation with Michael Oblowitz Director of Confidential Informant
Confidential Informant stars Mel Gibson, Dominic Purcell, and Kate Bosworth
