We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Marine Léa Thomas. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Marine Léa below.

Marine Léa , thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. If you could go back in time do you wish you had started your creative career sooner or later?

In short, I would have been able to start my career sooner. I am an actress now, and I would never have been able to choose this path earlier. For more context, I grew up in a family that is not creative at all. The same was true for my group of friends. The desire to become an entertainer was always there, but it was always an unrealistic dream that I would fantasise about; it was never a realistic option. Not only that, but I never had the confidence to put myself out there like the job requires. I had cribbling public speaking and performance anxiety. Even though I grew up performing in front of my family and friends. My creative/entertainment side was always trying to get itself noticed, but I suppressed it because I was so very scared of everything surrounding it.

So I continue my studies in business studies at one of the best business schools. I have always wanted to create my own business, so it was a very natural path. During my studies, I had to complete several 6-month internships that allowed me to experience a real 9-5 job. I completed my internships primarily in start-ups. One internship in Singapore was the real turning point for me. It was a particularly challenging one, both emotionally and mentally. After that experience, I had to reassess what I wanted for myself, even though I knew it was just bad luck, and the next company I would probably be better. I thought, ‘Is it worth working with and for other people’s dreams/companies and not feeling fulfilled? ‘ I couldn’t handle working in such a toxic environment again.

My college years left me feeling completely out of place and trapped, and I couldn’t understand why. After these experiences, I completed my studies, but when it came to thinking about what I would do next, finding a job and doing it all over again was no longer an option for me.

So I became obsessed with finding my own path. I thought back to what I always wanted to do as a child, and acting was the answer. I decided to take a week-long summer acting workshop at a drama school, which was an incredibly transformative moment for me. I saw this path as being for me for the first time, and most importantly, as a viable option. For the first time, I didn’t feel trapped. At that moment, I was ready to jump in first, not knowing what the next years would look like, but all I wanted to do was improve at acting, the only thing that makes me feel truly alive. I auditioned for the same drama school where I had completed the workshop, and to my surprise, I was accepted. And that was the beginning of my creative journey.

Now looking back, I think I needed all these hardships and being trapped on a path that I thought was mine to ignite a fire in me, to find where I belonged. Even if it meant overcoming some of my fears, because I knew what I wanted was on the other side of that.

Marine Léa , love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

My name is Marine Léa Thomas, and I’m an actress with a deep commitment to emotionally honest, grounded storytelling. I came to acting from a less conventional path — I earned my BBA from EDHEC Business School, one of the top business schools in France — but that background gave me a solid foundation of discipline, structure, and drive, all of which I now bring to my creative life.

Acting, for me, has always been more than performance — it’s a way to explore truth. I’m fascinated by human behavior, psychology, and the emotional landscapes that live beneath the surface of everyday interactions.

I’ve trained in both stage and screen acting. My work spans drama, indie film, and theatre. I love working with directors, writers, and fellow actors to find the truth of a scene together.

One of the things I’m most proud of is having the courage to fully step into this path, despite it being less secure or conventional than the one I started on. I’ve learned to trust my instincts, take risks, and embrace the unknown, which, in many ways, is at the heart of being an actor.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

I had to unlearn the habit of pleasing people, whether it be family, friends, or those I encounter. I grew up unknowingly to be a big people pleaser. I learned that the more true to myself I am, the better I feel, and therefore the more confident I become. And you are unable to be confident in yourself if you constantly put the needs of others first. And that confidence I gained from this shift helped tremendously as an actress.

Have any books or other resources had a big impact on you?

‘Back to the body’ from Jean-Louis Rodrigue and Scott Weintraub. This incredible book is for any performer who wants to release these sometimes unconscious tensions in their bodies. These techniques are amazing to learn in order to perform at your fullest potential consistently, especially if you, like me, tend to have a bit of performance anxiety.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.marineleathomas.com
• Instagram: @marynelea

Image Credits

Headshot by Ted Ely.
Some of the bts pictures are from @justjac.