Leana Gardella is a New York City based Actor, Fight Director, Intimacy Director, Stunt Performer and Voice Over Artist.

Recent Acting Credits include a Co-star on Inside Amy Schumer Season 5, a Series Regular on a pilot titled Mott & Spy, a Recurring Guest Star on a soon-to-be-released audio drama Hearthbound and Lead Roles in Sinner's All and The Bargain*.

Over the years, she's performed in spaces such as The Park Avenue Armory, La MaMa, HERE Arts Center, Medicine Show Theatre, and The New Ohio, as well as touring the East Coast and receiving a NYTimes Critics Pick.
 
She's had the opportunity to Fight and Intimacy Direct in venues such as CSC, BAM, The Nederlander in Chicago, Irish Repertory Theater, and HERE Arts as well as companies like Classical Theatre of Harlem and Soho Shakespeare. Most recently she assisted Drew Leary on Romeo + Juliet at Circle in the Square.

Her craft is heavily informed by her physical training. She actively trains in multiple movement styles to round out her physical vocabulary. This includes Jeet Kune Do, Filipino Martial Arts, Freestyle Staff Spinning, Fighting for Film, and Theatrical Weaponry.
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As a Fight and Intimacy Director working in both live and digital mediums, her philosophy while choreographing is to investigate the story with movement while making the actors feel supported in the workspace and confident in the choreography!


*Official Selection at Big Apple Film Festival, Chicago Horror Film Festival, Atlanta Horror Film Festival, Telluride Horror Show, Landshut Short Film Festival. Winner of Best Performances at Horror Underground Film and Screenplay Festival.