Bio

      Mercedes LeAnza was born in the island nation of Trinidad and Tobago, just off the coast of Venezuela. She received her BFA in Theatre Arts from Loyola Marymount University (LMU) Los Angeles. She also trained at the Lee Strasburg Institute.  

       Mercedes most recently played Sue in the indie romance The Accidental Death of Joey by Sue and Sandy Lopez in the independent romantic comedy Jelly, which premiered at the (San Diego Black Film Festival 2010).

  She was the lead in A Two Woman One Act (Outfest and Fusion Film Festivals), and Young Hannlin in The Next Race, Best Science Fiction Film at (The Hollywood MiniDV Film Festival, Comic-con International Film Festival). She has also appeared in several music videos.

Both artist and entrepreneur, Mercedes co-founded an online and Melrose Boutique business, with her brother Kyle, during her junior year in college. She was interviewed and featured by Hilary Online Magazine in their issue highlighting outstanding young women entrepreneurs of 2005.

Wanting to be true to her passion for acting and producing, she went on to co-found a independent film company Stella Bella Productions, LLC  with Director/Writer/ Actor/ Producer Sarah Louise Wilson.

The company produced its first feature length film Jelly now repped by Cinetic Media , CRM and is now available on Netflix, AmazonDVD and the Sundance Channel internationally.  

  Then, Olivia, a short film starring Camille Winbush (Secret Life of a Teenager) and Andrew James Alan (The Lovely Bones) which premiered at the (Frameline Film Festival ‘10, Ann Arbor Film Festival ‘10).

  The Accidental Death of Joey by Sue marks the company’s second feature length film which premiered at (HBO Presents The New York International Latino Film Festival ‘10). Next up for Mercedes is acting/producing Scarlet Ibis, an inspired turn of the century love story set in her birthplace Trinidad and Tobago. Two-time Emmy award winning Producer/Writer Peter Murrieta (Wizards of Waverly Place, The Clique, Hope & Faith) has signed as Executive Producer on the project and Sarah Louise Wilson (Jelly, The Accidental Death of Joey by Sue) is set to Produce & Write.

  She is currently working on Ash Global TV pilot for Hogtown Productions,  Make Love Stay written & Directed by Sarah Louise Wilson and Starring: Ignacio Serricchio and just finished shooting Hecklers and Independent Horror film directed by Dutch Marich as the role of Bella Mendez.

Mercedes continues to bring all of her heart, artistic skills and business savvy to her projects.

Trivia:

  • Is of Spaniard, Sicilian Italian, Danish, Venezuelan, Blackfoot Indian and Trinidadian descent.
  •  Mother Sandra Voris, Broadway singer/actress.
  •  Member of NALIP National Association of Latino Producers and WIF Women in Film.