We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Liisa Lee a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Liisa, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today We’d love to hear about when you first realized that you wanted to pursue a creative path professionally.

A magic moment that happened many times, and a moment I’ll never forget.

Visiting my sister at the National Academy of Dance. A sunny summer road trip that was already a grand adventure in a Winnebago, singing along to musical theater soundtracks on the 8-track player for miles of new states and horizons.
Then getting to visit the school, the dorms, and watch dance classes with gorgeous dancers performing at their best.



Sneaking into the empty dance studio next to the bigger room where my sister’s class was in full swing.
The muffled sound of the grand piano through the wall and the kinetic collective noise of dancers landing jumps in the combination as the dance master called out corrections, counts or encouragement.
“ ANNND ONE!” It was thrilling to have snuck into this hallowed room, now shaded with the lights off, afternoon sun slanting through far windows.
My little kid feet treading on sacred blonde wood floors, and the sharp golden-pine smell of the rosin in the box, an exotic perfume that felt like magic. I softly, gingerly touched the tip of my shoe into the powder to hear it softly crunch, and I was off. To that borrowed music, I ran and jumped, and twirled ….flying through all that open space in large circles, imagining gossamer costumes, and wings and swan arms. This secret space felt like destiny and happiness.
That scent of wood, and lycra, and hairspray, and the smell of the rosin.
And it would prove to be, when I got to return for my own high school years.

Another Summer, younger this time, it’s early evening, between golden hour and blue, on Main Street in the Magic Kingdom.
We were probably waiting for a brother to end his shift, or another sister to get off work down in the animation department.
I loved that she actually got to work on creating movies there.
Dad had worked with Walt, so this was a full family affair.
The lights in the trees slowly winking on, softly glowing and creating new magic in the evening sky.
Costumed characters waking by, waving to guests, and ambient music all around.
The balmy air perfumed with popcorn, fresh waffle cones and cherry pipe tobacco that it seemed
all grandfathers used in the park, as a rule.
The immersion of theatrical space all around me, ruffles and hats, lighting, the beautiful stage craft of Main Street, performers, music, the whistle of the steam-boat gliding across the Rivers of America.
We were here often to pick up family members from work, or spend time, off-duty in the park or behind the scenes.
All of this, theater, and immersive ambiance meant familiar magic, family, comfort and safety.
Growing up with the lights twinkling across the water in DisneyWorld, so many days of my childhood, meant I was a theater kid from the very start.

Liisa, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I’m a voice actor, coach, and marketing strategist based in Los Angeles. The through-line in everything I do is storytelling.
I started in performance-ballet, theatre, national tours, singing in bands on-camera work – and found my way into voiceover, which felt like home.
Along the way, I built a parallel career in PR and marketing, producing live events and campaigns for entertainment and gaming.
Turns out, it’s all the same skillset: understanding story, audience, guest experience, and how to make a moment land.

That extends into my work as a writer and worldbuilder as well, designing narrative, character, and story across games and original projects.


Now I split my time between facets I love equally: performing, coaching, and building creative campaigns.
As a voice actor, I work across games, animation, commercials, and audiobooks.
As a coach, I help actors build real confidence, performance skills, and up to date industry knowledge.
And on the marketing side, I create story-driven experiences that bring people in.

The biggest problem I solve – especially for newer actors – is the noise. People are told to buy gear, chase demos, and be everywhere before they’ve built the foundation. I cut through that.
Acting comes first. Listening, specificity, being in the scene, learning the business, that’s the work.

What sets me apart is that I’m actively doing all of it. I’m not teaching from theory – I’m in sessions, directing, producing, and seeing what works in real time.
My coaching is honest, actor-centered, and built to get people confident with their skills in the room.

What I’m most proud of is watching someone go from afraid to speak on a mic… to booking lead roles. That’s enormously fulfilling.

If there’s one thing I want people to know: there’s no magic shortcut – but there is a clear path.
And when you focus on the right things, this work gets a lot more fun.


Currently, I’m coaching Online through my website, for private sessions, group classes, demo consultations, audition coaching, workouts and class packages.

In April, I’m a guest coach, coming back again with Voice One for an Advanced Animation 2-day class- Online.
Really looking forward to that.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

Resilience, for me, came from going through an experience that put me face-to-face with manipulation,
toxicity, and made it very clear how important boundaries, good communication, and self-trust really are.

I didn’t brush it off or minimize it. I wanted to understand it. I dug in, learned the patterns,
and built the skills to recognize it, step out of it, and never lose my footing in that kind of dynamic again.

It took real effort, time, study, and a willingness to process things like grief, that weren’t comfortable.
I wanted to understand what I was seeing and how to navigate it clearly, not just react to it.

One of the biggest shifts was learning to trust my instincts. I had them all along,
but like a lot of people, I second-guessed them or tried to over-explain, over-give,
or make something make sense that simply didn’t.

That clarity changed everything, and gave me real freedom and peace of mind.

It shows up in how I communicate, how I collaborate, and the standards I hold in both my personal and professional life.
I’m more direct, more grounded, and much more intentional about the environments and people I choose to work with.
That experience sharpened skills I use every day – clear communication, strong boundaries, the ability to stay present and steady in high-pressure or complex situations, and when to step away.

I’m proud of the fact that I turned a difficult experience into something truly useful – skills, awareness, and a
stronger, more peaceful way of moving through the world.

And if that perspective helps someone else trust themselves a little sooner, avoid a toxic teacher or relationship, and see clearer, then that’s a win.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

A big part of what drives my work is creating spaces where actors can truly learn, grow,
and feel supported while doing it.

There are a lot of talented people who get discouraged early – not because they lack ability,
but because they’ve been taught in environments that are ego-driven, overly critical,
or just not built for real growth.
I’ve seen amazing working artists get their confidence shaken by a derisive coach. That never sat right with me.

I care deeply about teamwork. It’s my favorite word for a reason. The best work
I’ve ever done – on stage, in the booth, or in production – has always come from collaborative,
supportive environments where people are allowed to explore, feel safe to take risks,
celebrate each other, and get better.

The fun of teamwork was instilled in me early – standing in a room full of dancers, cheering each other on as we moved across the floor, in class, callbacks, and rehearsals. Creating wasn’t just the outcome. It was joyful the entire way through.

That’s what I aim to build in my coaching. A space where actors are challenged, yes – but also
supported, respected, and given real tools to succeed. Where mistakes are part of the process
of making choices and finding more truth in imaginary circumstances,
not something to be punished, or labeled “wrong”.

If I can help actors avoid some of the noise, the intimidation, and the kind of teaching that shuts people down instead of building them up – and instead give them a clear path and a strong foundation – then I’m doing what I set out to do.
And honestly, supporting artists and teamwork feels so great to share.

“No one should learn from someone they have to heal from.”

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.liisaleevo.com/coaching
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/liisalee/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LiisaLee/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/liisalee
• Twitter: https://x.com/Liisabelle
• Other: Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/liisalee.bsky.social

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Image Credits

Liisa Lee or taken for me.