Introducing Christian Leadley, A Masterful Artist and Lover of Life

Che Holloway
5 min readOct 25, 2018

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In this article we turn our attention to Christian Leadley, a Gifted Actor making an impact within the artist community. I asked Christian a series of questions, here is what we discussed:

Tell us a little about yourself, where your from, grew up, what H.S./College you attended, etc.

I grew up in Rochester, NY where I worked my way through the parochial school system for 12 years; From St. John the Evangelist to Seton to Sienna, to Aquinas. I did plays and theater starting in 3rd grade all the way through high school , but I always thought I was going to end up in College for Applied Physics or Engineering. My father studied Electrical Engineering at Cornell back when computers took punch cards and the internet was a series of tubes, and I assumed I would follow in his footsteps. I inherited a fair amount of his aptitude for numbers and was raised on a steady diet of science fiction (Asimov, Heinlein, Bradbury, Wells, Vern, Clarke….you name it, i read it) so it seemed only natural. But… I got bitten by the theater bug HARD in High School (thanks in large part to my teachers Ted Mancini, Mary Krickmire, and Jim Shook) who encouraged my I’m-an-only-child-someone-please-pay-attention-to-me and helped cultivate it into a love of self-expression, interpersonal connection, and telling a good story. Fast-forward through several summer theater conservatories at Geva and NYSSSA and I decided to change my career trajectory to Acting and Musical Theater. I’m glad I did because I ended up studying Musical Theater at Syracuse University and got an amazing and comprehensive education from teachers that genuinely cared about my development as an artist and as a person, and along the way met some of the people I now call my closest friends.

What inspired you to be an artist? Early experiences worth sharing?

The arts were always part of my life. My mother put me in piano classes at 4 or 5 and took me to national touring shows like Miss Saigon and Stomp! at the Auditorium Theater and we had season passes to our local regional theater, Geva. My mother, who grew up the daughter of poor but hard working Colombian immigrants, insisted that I be cultured and learn to enjoy refined things. I still remember being taken to see the National Tour of Miss Saigon (I believe i was 6 at the time…) with my mother, who carefully explained everything in the show to me. Afterwards, we ran into some of her co-workers after the show. They asked “Isn’t he a little young to be seeing a show like this…?” and she said “No, he has to learn.” so they turned to me and asked “so…what did you learn from the show?” and, after a moment of careful thought I said enthusiastically, “I learned what a pimp is!”. Awkward laughs and hurried goodbyes were exchanged but it was too late for me by then….It was all downhill from there. The gleaming gate of forbidden knowledge couched in song and dance was forever opened to me.

What do you believe sets you apart from other artists?

Everyone that ever achieved fame and notoriety was in the right place, at the right time, doing the right thing. I’d like to think that my awareness, drive, and preparation for every project i’m a part of sets me apart from the approximately 45,000 working actors in the U.S. alone (according the US Bureau of Labor Statistics for 2017), but we all know that’s a lie; Everyone has drive. I would *hope* everyone has a sense of self-awareness and of the current socio-political climate. Most people that care about what they’re doing prepare.

I’m a realist and a hopeful pessimist. I know who I am and where I come from and I always prepare for the worst but hope for the best. I treat every artistic opportunity like it will be the thing that defines my career and give my effort accordingly.

Do you have any other interests or hobbies?

Rock climbing sort of took over my life 2 years ago, as far as recreation goes. I grew up across the street from a rock climbing gym in Rochester and my father and his brother climbed fairly frequently in college, so i guess it makes sense. The climbing community is one of determination, mindfulness, and acceptance and those values really resonated with me. It’s really rewarding to know that I can go to a gym filled with like-minded people that lets me push my physical and mental limits at my own pace. To me, it’s a moving meditation; a conversation between my body, my fears, and my resolve.

Any projects you have out or are currently working on?

I just finished playing Frankie Valli on the inaugural voyage of the Norwegian Bliss, being directed by the original creative team. I have two upcoming film projects, one is “The Alarm” which premiers at the Urban Action Showcase and Expo on November 10th in NYC and the second is. “Drūdly: Druids on Demand” which will be released in the winter/spring.

Where would you like to see yourself in 5 years?

In five years, ideally i’d have a series regular role on a primetime network tv show which i intersperse with roles on Broadway, a la Jeremy Jordan or Matthew Morrison. So if you have any nerdy network tv shows and/or Broadway shows for me to star in, hit me up.

What advice can you give to aspiring artists/entertainers?

I borrowed a fair number of these from John Cage, but: Be on time. Be prepared. Consider everything an experiment. Don’t try to create and analyze at the same time. Try to read and watch everything- movies, tv shows, plays, musicals, books… Knowing the past and present of your industry will help you determine a trajectory for your future. Always go to classes.

How can we follow along in your journey? Social media?

@deadlyleadley on Instagram and my website, www.christianleadley.com

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Che Holloway
Che Holloway

Written by Che Holloway

SAG-AFTRA Actor/Writer Star of Dark Justice Show now streaming on Amazon Prime www.darkjusticeshow.com /FB: Che Holloway Follow me on IG: @che_holloway5

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