Meet Xenia LeBlanc: Actress, Director & Writer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Xenia LeBlanc and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Xenia, we’d love for you to start things off by telling us something about your industry that we and others not in the industry might be unaware of?
I’ve come to realize that a lot of people think that once you’ve appeared in something on TV or on the big screen, your career is pretty much all set. It might be true for some, but for the most part it just so happens that one day you are on top and the next without any prospects whatsoever, despite your fancy credits.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
Working in the entertainment industry is like working any other job, except it is uniquely unpredictable. Yes you get to have fun on set and experience many interesting things, but at the end of the day you have to stay motivated, organized and ready to pivot. I truly love movies. I love everything about them, even the most difficult parts. Every new project is a unique journey and you never know how it is going to end up, but you just go along with it. I’ve always thought of movies as giving birth to a child. Not that I ever had a child, but I frequently hear stories about some mothers who give birth and experience all this pain, swearing to never give birth to another. Yet, with time, they forget all the pain and decide to go through with it all over again. Moviemaking is kind of like that. You forget how exhausted you were that time at 6 am, freezing in the middle of the desert, or how your computer crashed on you several times, when you almost finished an edit and shortly after the film is released, you are itching to make another one. Sleep? What does that word even mean? Sometimes I am amazed I am still excited to make movies, because there were several times when it emptied all of my pockets, put me in severely dangerous situations and seriously jeopardized my emotional as well as physical health, nevertheless I still get excited at the prospect of making the next film or acting in someone else’s project.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
There are so many amazing places in LA so it is hard to choose the best ones. I absolutely love Huntington Library and Botanical Gardens. That place reminds me of Europe and has the most beautiful peaceful atmosphere. It is almost like you are not in LA anymore. Other than that, I would definitely get a bite at the Grand Central Market and stop by the Last Bookstore. I also love Leo Carrillo Beach in Malibu and whenever I am in that neck of the woods I try to stop by the Malibu Seafood on the PCH. Their grilled salmon is amazing, not to mention the breathtaking sunset views. Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I’ve had the privilege of working with and learning from so many creative and uniquely talented people, however my journey wouldn’t even be possible if it wasn’t for my mother. Her strong spirit and relentless positivity have always been my biggest inspiration. She is the strongest woman I know and from the moment I first told her I wanted to make movies and move to LA, she has never been even a tiny bit judgmental or skeptical. She has always supported and encouraged me in the most magical of ways. Sometimes with a truly sarcastic “tough-love” Russian attitude, for which I am most grateful.

Website: xenialeblanc.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/xenialeblanc

Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/xenia-leblanc

Twitter: https://twitter.com/thexenialeblanc?lang=en

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUURHmYlny83fDvtG_bblVA

Image Credits
Photography by: Xenia Leblanc, Nicholas Acosta, Adam McArthur