Today we’d like to introduce you to Léia Jacoutot

Hi Léia, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?

My name is Leia, like the princess in “Star Wars” and I’m an actress currently based in NYC. I was born and raised in Paris and I come from a very artistic family.
I got the acting bug early because of my mother who would bring me to set a lot. I remember observing everybody there and being so fascinated.
I really decided that I wanted to work in this industry a few years later after seeing “Pulp Fiction” by Quentin Tarantino and a production of Hamlet at the Globe Theatre in London. I just got very inspired by these two.
After that my parents really pushed me to audition for acting schools and learn the “craft” of acting.
I’ve also always been very curious and wanted to travel the world. So I went to study acting in England and then here in New York City, at the Lee Strasberg Theatre & Film Institute.
My goal is to work internationally and not just in one country.
I tend to write also during my free time. I think it helps unlock creativity in general and I would love one day, when I’m a bit older, to write my own feature film.
Right now I am back in Paris for a little while to work on a short movie and other little projects.

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 not been a smooth road or ever will be but that’s what is exciting about being an actor.
I always liked to plan everything and overthink about every situation but I realized quickly that I had to let that go. I had to really learn how to follow my instincts and not my brain if I wanted to get better and freer in my acting. So basically unlearn how to be a self conscious adult and go back to being a child. Which is not a natural thing to do in our society.
I really had to allow myself to make mistakes and embrace not knowing what is gonna happen in the next few minutes while doing a scene. To be in the present moment as my teachers would say. I try to apply this in my day to day life as well.
Other challenges would be the language barrier and my accent. It was hard for me at first to feel confident and truthful in English which is not my mother tongue. Once I found my voice though I felt very empowered. My accent however will unfortunately prevent me from applying to all the roles that I want here that’s why I also want to work in France.
Finally the biggest obstacle, for myself at least, is the rejection. It’s a very competitive industry and you often get rejected and if you can’t handle it, it can really become a huge obstacle in your career. It can still be an issue for me from time to time but I learned how to deal with it.
You have to live with it. But if you love your job you’ll do it.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?

I tell stories for a living. That is truly a gift. It’s never boring, everyday is different-wether you are shooting a movie or doing a play-and you tend to meet very interesting and creactive people.
It’s not always easy and my work can be considered a bit mind wrecking because of all the uncertainty of it and the competion but you have to go pass that.
My last gig was at The Theatre for the new City in a play called Kasturba vs Gandhi about the untold story of Gandhi’s wife. It was my first play in New York and it was a very rewarding experience.
Aside from acting I like dancing a lot and telling stories with my body. I think it can sometimes be way more powerful than words. And music too.
I honestly yhink it’s the best job in the world. You literally study how people are, feel…and you can be many different persons in one life. That’s exciting.

What matters most to you? Why?

For me it was really important to learn the craft. My goal was to learn as much technique as I could to then feel free when I would be working professionally and not be scared to try things on the spot. I was very lucky to be able to study acting in France, London and New York. That really allowed me to learn the different “approaches” or “methods” of acting. This helped me to know what works for me or not, and I think will set me apart from some people. But I think what matters the most in my job is to tell the story as thruthfully as possible. That’s what the public expects from us.
Furthermore, The Monty Pythons are also a big artistic inspiration. I think they are geniuses and comedy is very important for me. I think laughter is our greatest weapon and we can convey so many emotions and messages through comedy. If I can make people, through my work, laugh and feel hopeful, I’ll consider myself very happy.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.leiajacoutot.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leia.jacoutot/

Image Credits

Headshot: Pamela Torres