I had a blast sitting down with Actor/Writer/Producer, Leah Pinsent. She doesn’t pull any punches, seems to say exactly what is on her mind, and has an infectious laugh. At times, I feel like we sound like two witches concocting a spell as we laugh in delight while we take in one another’s sentiments about the sometimes absurd journey and life as an artist.
Those moments of levity were contrasted with Leah opening up about being somewhat shy as a person and how that has impacted her as an artist and in her career. When I ask her what it was that drew her to want to be an artist, even though she is on the shyer side, she said, “ That’s a question that I ask myself a lot. If my parents weren’t actors what would I have been?”
Leah spent her childhood on sets yelling “action” from director’s chairs and hanging at The Celebrity Club with her parents, Gordon Pinsent and Charmion King, surrounded by artists. She expressed how the work of acting feels natural to her but that she does not embrace the “schmoozing” aspect of the industry as easily. She notes that her representation is sometimes less than pleased with her because of her readiness to recommend other actors for a role if she feels they are more suitable for the part. This sentiment of recommending others is one that sounds counter-productive but I believe will make the industry and community stronger and allow us to be more open with one another as artists.
“It’s better to enjoy my life and to be able to give compassionately to others and help others more than just sitting there constantly thinking about me, me, me and when is the phone going to ring.”
-Leah Pinsent
In this episode:
- what advice she would give young artists who just starting out.
- what changes she would like to see in the Canadian film and television industry
- What she would create if she had unlimited
- what her most challenging role to date has been
Leah Pinsent: "Nothing Is A Waste, As Far As A Moment, Even If It Feels Like It."
A little about Leah:
Leah Pinsent is a multi nominated, three time Gemini award winner, along with other nomination nods for the Canadian Comedy Awards and the Genies. Among her most recent credits are: the TIFF premiered film Wet Bum as a struggling Mom; the comedic movie Big News From Grand Rock as an entitled and villainous mayor of a small town (a tribute to a certain journalist and a local mayor); Best Laid Plans (mini series) as a political campaign manager/dominatrix; Flashpoint as a brave woman who struggles with the kidnapping of her Senator husband; Sunshine Sketches Of A Small Town as a shy spinster looking for love; 18 to Life as a lesbian biker chick; Murdoch Mysteries as a stern school headmistress; and Republic of Doyle as an RCMP officer; Eating Buccaneers, playing a new-age graphic artist and The Bend as an alcoholic mother who lost her son to suicide. Leah had also a recurring role on ReGenesis, starred as Veronica in the five year run of Rick Mercer’s Made In Canada and the vacuous reporter Diane in various Ken Finkleman productions.
Leah studied at NYC’s Circle in the Square and LA’s Playhouse West where she also performed in and directed various stage productions. Most recently she starred as Nana in Michel Tremblay’s For The Pleasure of Seeing Her Again and performed in the season finale of Nora Ephron’s Love, Loss and What I Wore at Toronto’s Panasonic Theatre. As a producer Leah co-created, starred in and executive produced the CBC special, Love Letters. A tribute to Gurney’s play along side some of Canada’s top actors.
Follow Leah!
Twitter: @leahpinsent3
Leah In: For The Pleasure Of Seeing Her Again
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