Biography

Leslie Santa Cruz was born in Fort Worth, Texas on Halloween, to Johnny and Carol Santa Cruz. Her dad was a funeral director and her mom was a homemaker to her and her four younger brothers. Her dad was a cinephile and this led her to develop an appreciation, love and passion for movies, filmmaking and acting. She started from an early age, acting in plays elementary through high school. In the late nineties, she moved to Austin, Texas for its vibrant indie filmmaking scene. Leslie started studying with Juilliard trained actress Mona Lee Fultz at Brite Lites acting studio, and Mona continued to be her mentor, coach and friend until her recent passing in 2025. Leslie has stayed immersed in the acting business with countless commercial credits and many independent films. Leslie is a big believer in the importance of continual training and lifelong study as an actor. Dedicated to staying sharp and continually growing in the craft, she remains actively involved in classes and ongoing study. Leslie is currently training with Richard Robichaux at Robichaux Studio(2026) at Zach Scott Theatre in Austin, Texas. Most recently she worked with Evan Miller on Due West(2025), which has won Best Texas Film at the Lone Star Film Festival, as well as Best Feature at the Burbank and El Paso film festivals. She is now in pre-production for a feature film shooting in New Hampshire in the summer of 2026 with Chris Doubek and Jaclyn Stevens.
- IMDb mini biography by: Brela Chappell