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David Boreanaz, Emily Deschanel, and Leann Lei in Bones (2005)

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Leann Lei is an actor, filmmaker whose work connects audiences through stories that inspire reflection and spark change. Driven by a passion for cinema's transformative power, she crafts films that offer insight, comfort, and courage, leaving a lasting impact. Her journey began in college, captivated by a film's opening scene that zoomed from outer space to a person's cells, revealing life's fleeting yet significant nature-a moment that continues to shape her storytelling.

Raised in China by a math teacher father and an entrepreneur-homemaker mother, Leann learned precision, resilience, and creativity, honing her narrative skills with her two younger siblings. Her classical music training in opera and piano across China, Austria, and the United States, where she earned a Master of Arts, deepened her emotional storytelling. Fluent in Mandarin, English, Cantonese, and conversational German, she weaves diverse cultures into her films.

Leann's path was bold and winding. Inspired by Vienna, Austria's vibrant artistry, she left a tenured teaching job in China to explore the world. In the US, she taught again, but the call of storytelling led her to quit another tenured position to pursue acting and filmmaking in Los Angeles-a bold leap. Collaborating with acclaimed filmmakers, she has acted in diverse roles and produced independent films. Her directorial work on short films, recognized at festivals, celebrates our shared, remarkable existence.

Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings

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Leann Lei

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