Summary
- Leila George, known for her personal life, is also an up-and-coming actress who studied acting and performing arts at various institutions.
- George gained recognition for playing a younger version of Ellen Barkin's character in the crime drama Animal Kingdom, expanding the character's backstory and showcasing her acting skills.
- Besides Animal Kingdom, George has appeared in other films and has upcoming projects, including a movie with Willem Dafoe, cementing her status as a rising star.
Leila George is most known for her personal life from being married to actor Sean Penn, but George is an up-and-coming actress herself. Born in Australia, George studied acting and other performing arts at a range of educational institutions including Sydney Film School and Lee Strasberg Institute. George's interest in acting makes sense, as her mother is actress Greta Scacchi and her father is famous director and Daredevil actor Vincent D'Onofrio who has also appeared in Men in Black, Jurassic World, and Hawkeye.
While both of George's parents are famous, she was primarily raised by Scacchi before she moved to New York City to take classes at the Lee Strasberg institute. George began dating Penn in 2016, and the two were married from 2020 until 2022. After she landed her debut role in 2016, George has become a recognizable working actor. Over the past few years, she has continued to appear in more films in TV shows, hinting that she is a star on the rise.
Leila George Is Best Known For Playing A Young Smurf Cody In Animal Kingdom
In 2019, Leila George joined the cast of the TNT crime drama Animal Kingdom as a younger version of Ellen Barkin's character Janine "Smurf" Cody. Animal Kingdom ran from 2016 until 2022, and the show follows the Cody family, a crime family living in California. Smurf is the leader of the Cody family until her death in Animal Kingdom season 4. George plays Smurf in flashbacks in the show's fourth season in a recurring role, and she became a main cast member for the show's final two seasons.
After Smurf's heartbreaking death in Animal Kingdom, George had big shoes to fill to keep long-time fans watching the show. George playing Smurf in flashbacks regularly throughout Animal Kingdom season 5 and season 6 expanded Smurf's backstory and showed how she became the criminal leader fans of the show saw in earlier seasons. This proved to be vital storytelling for the drama, and George showed her acting skill by starring in an established show midway through its run.
Leila George Appeared In Mortal Engines & 2 Other Movies
Outside of her main role in Animal Kingdom, George has appeared in multiple films. She made her acting debut in 2016 in the TV film Mother, May I Sleep with Danger? playing Leah, the love interest of Emily Meade's character Pearl. George also appeared in the 2019 film The Kid as Sara Cutler alongside stars Chris Pratt and Dane DeHaan. In 2018, George starred as Katherine Valentine in the post-apocalyptic film Mortal Engines, where she does a captivating job selling Katherine's coming-of-age arc as her character is pushed to confront her upbringing and what she views as right.
Leila George's Upcoming Projects Include A Movie With Willem Dafoe
While Animal Kingdom concluded its run in 2022, George has multiple projects in the works. In 2015, she filmed an independent film called The Long Home as Edna Hodges with James Franco, Josh Hutcherson, and Giancarlo Esposito. However, the film has been indefinitely delayed, and a release date is not certain. George is also cast as September McAvoy in the upcoming film Gonzo Girl, which will star Willem Dafoe and be directed by Patricia Arquette.
The actress is also cast in the Apple TV+ miniseries Disclaimer to play a young Catherine Ravenscroft while Cate Blanchett plays the older version of the character. With so many projects on the horizon, Leila George finds herself not only booking jobs but appearing in roles alongside big-name stars, making it clear she is a star in the making herself.