about leela  

Leela is a Chicago-based actor and artist. The first in her family to earn a Bachelor’s Degree, Leela graduated from Illinois State University with a B.A. in Acting. During her time at school, Leela acted under the direction of five-time Emmy Award winner Jane Lynch (Glee) in Lost in Yonkers by Neil Simon, interned with the Illinois Shakespeare Festival, performed with their educational troupe “Bard in a Box”, and directed Stop Kiss by Diana Son. She was a three-time nominee for the Kennedy Center’s Irene Ryan Acting Scholarship, recognized for her performances in Sueño by José Rivera, Roe by Lisa Loomer, and Top Girls by Carol Churchill. She was also awarded the Norman J Funk scholarship- a scholarship bestowed to a student of the Illinois State University School of Theatre and Dance who “demonstrated exceptional talent and ability in acting, and shown a true joy and passion for the theatre craft”.

Since graduation, Leela has acted with a variety of Chicago-area theatre companies, including The Factory Theater, Haven Chicago, Buffalo Theatre Ensemble, Laughing Stock Theatre, Open Space Arts, and Ego Death Theatre Collective. Leela has also acted in a diverse range of indie film and TV projects. Notable commercial credits include campaigns for Hard Mountain Dew and James Patterson.

In addition to her acting work, Leela is an artist with a growing audience on TikTok (7k+ followers), an emerging drag performer, and a dog mom.