Gabriella Leon

{{Infobox person

| name = Gabriella Leon

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=y|1996|3|29}}

| birth_place = Warrington, Cheshire, England

| education = {{Plainlist|

}}

| occupation = Actress

| television = Casualty

| yearsactive = 2014–present

}}

Gabriella Leon (born 29 March 1996) is an English actress, known for her role as Jade Lovall in the BBC medical drama series Casualty. Leon is deaf and portrayed the first regular deaf character on Casualty. For her portrayal of Jade, she was nominated for a TRIC Award for Soap Actor of the Year.

Early life

Leon was born on 29 March 1996.{{Cite tweet|number=979468207353483264|title=@GabriellaLeon_ hope you are having the best time in the balls!!! Happy 22nd Birthday angel.|user=tenaciousleon|date=29 March 2018|last=Leon|first=Rachelle}} She was born "moderately deaf", and has learnt British Sign Language.{{Cite news|url=https://www.hearinglikeme.com/all-you-need-to-know-about-2018-deaftalent/|title=All you need to know about 2018 #DeafTalent|work=Hearing Like Me|access-date=23 May 2020|last=Parfitt|first=Ellie|archive-date=25 September 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200925191247/https://www.hearinglikeme.com/all-you-need-to-know-about-2018-deaftalent/|url-status=live}} She attended Cardinal Newman High School and Priestley College, later training as an actress at East 15 Acting School.{{Cite news|url=https://www.warringtonguardian.co.uk/news/17194808.bbcs-casualty-to-feature-former-cardinal-newman-student-in-her-first-starring-role/|title=BBC's Casualty to feature former Cardinal Newman student in her first starring role|work=Warrington Guardian|date=2 November 2018|access-date=23 May 2020|last=Morgan|first=David|archive-date=20 June 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200620023737/https://www.warringtonguardian.co.uk/news/17194808.bbcs-casualty-to-feature-former-cardinal-newman-student-in-her-first-starring-role/|url-status=live}} After graduating in 2016 with a BA (Hons) from East 15,{{Cite web|url=https://www.east15.ac.uk/-/media/,-w-,east-15-acting-school-(2019)/e15-2020-prospectus-lr.pdf?la=en|title=2020 Prospectus – East 15 Acting School|website=East 15 Acting School|access-date=23 May 2020|archive-date=17 January 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210117235201/https://www.east15.ac.uk/-/media/,-w-,east-15-acting-school-%282019%29/e15-2020-prospectus-lr.pdf?la=en|url-status=live}} Leon began working with theatre company We Are Kilter.

Career

Leon made her professional debut as Julia in a show at the 2014 Commonwealth Games opening ceremony.{{Cite web|url=https://www.mandy.com/actor/profile/gabriella-leon|title=Gabriella Leon|website=Mandy.com|access-date=24 May 2020|archive-date=17 January 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210117235240/https://www.mandy.com/uk/actor/gabriella-leon|url-status=live}} In 2015, she made her screen debut as Maria Alpert in the drama film Connections: The Marcello Story.{{Cite web|url=http://www.holby.tv/tag/gabriella-leon/|title=Gabriella Leon|website=Holby.tv|access-date=24 May 2020|archive-date=20 September 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200920073245/http://www.holby.tv/tag/gabriella-leon/|url-status=live}} She then continued to make stage appearances in productions such as Little Revolution (2015), Tesla (2016), The Lesson (2017) and Close (2018). Her performance in The Others (2018), which she devised, was praised by critics, with Jeremy Mortimer of BBC Radio describing it as "brilliant and inventive".{{Cite news|url=https://www.broadwayworld.com/westend/article/Award-Winning-Theatre-Company-Bring-Unconventional-New-Clown-Show-THE-OTHERS-To-Sprint-2018-20180214|title=Award-Winning Theatre Company Bring Unconventional New Clown Show THE OTHERS To Sprint 2018|work=BroadwayWorld|date=14 February 2018|access-date=24 May 2020|archive-date=17 January 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210117235240/https://www.broadwayworld.com/westend/article/Award-Winning-Theatre-Company-Bring-Unconventional-New-Clown-Show-THE-OTHERS-To-Sprint-2018-20180214|url-status=live}}

In May 2018, Leon auditioned for the role of Jade Lovall in the BBC medical drama series Casualty; she was informed in July of that year that she had got the role, and began filming later that month. Her casting was announced on 4 October 2018,{{Cite news|url=https://www.femalefirst.co.uk/tv/news/casualty-casts-phenomenal-new-talent-play-student-nurse-1166054.html|title=Casualty casts 'phenomenal new talent' to play student nurse|work=Female First|access-date=24 May 2020|date=4 October 2018|archive-date=17 January 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210117235239/https://www.femalefirst.co.uk/tv/news/casualty-casts-phenomenal-new-talent-play-student-nurse-1166054.html|url-status=live}} and she made her debut appearance on 3 November 2018.{{Cite news|url=https://metro.co.uk/2018/11/03/casualty-spoilers-new-star-gabriella-leon-reveals-all-on-her-whirlwind-character-jade-8090382/amp/|title=Casualty spoilers: New star Gabriella Leon reveals all on her 'whirlwind' character Jade|work=Metro|date=3 November 2018|access-date=24 May 2020|last=Haasler|first=Sue|archive-date=29 June 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200629123323/https://metro.co.uk/2018/11/03/casualty-spoilers-new-star-gabriella-leon-reveals-all-on-her-whirlwind-character-jade-8090382/amp/|url-status=live}} She described her character as a "bolshie, chaotic loveable rogue, with a lot of her own flaws. She's a little work-shy and plays by her own rules. She wants to get things right when wanting to impress her mentors but is clumsy. She's cheeky, a real party girl and great fun to be around – if you're on the right side of her! I think she's funny though and also very relatable."{{Cite news|url=https://www.digitalspy.com/soaps/casualty/a869822/casualty-spoilers-gabriella-leon-jade-lovell-interview/|title=Casualty star Gabriella Leon reveals all the gossip on new nurse Jade Lovell|work=Digital Spy|date=3 November 2018|access-date=24 May 2020|last=Dainty|first=Sophie|archive-date=28 July 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190728090320/https://www.digitalspy.com/soaps/casualty/a869822/casualty-spoilers-gabriella-leon-jade-lovell-interview/|url-status=live}} Leon portrays the first regular deaf character on Casualty, and in an interview with Inside Soap, she said: "It is so lovely to play someone like me. I'm able to add such depth and understanding to Jade, having experienced most of what she has experienced regarding her disability. I feel proud to be the first disabled regular in the show's history."{{Cite news|url=https://www.insidesoap.co.uk/interviews/its-so-lovely-to-play-someone-whos-like-me-says-casualtys-gabriella-leon/|title="It's so lovely to play someone who's like me!" says Casualty's Gabriella Leon|work=Inside Soap|date=19 May 2020|access-date=24 May 2020|last=Ellis|first=Sarah|archive-date=6 August 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200806165330/https://www.insidesoap.co.uk/interviews/its-so-lovely-to-play-someone-whos-like-me-says-casualtys-gabriella-leon/|url-status=live}} In 2021, Leon received a nomination for Soap Actor of the Year for her portrayal of Jade.{{cite web |title=ERT Poll - TRIC - TRIC Awards |url=https://tric.org.uk/ert-poll-tricawards21/ |publisher=TRIC |access-date=26 March 2021 |archive-date=26 March 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210326143851/https://tric.org.uk/ert-poll-tricawards21/ |url-status=live }} In September 2021, Leon departed from the cast of Casualty.{{cite news |last1=Dainty |first1=Sophie |title=Casualty confirms exit for Jade Lovall as Gabriella Leon bows out |url=https://www.digitalspy.com/soaps/casualty/a37574628/casualty-spoilers-jade-lovall-exit-gabriella-leon/ |access-date=15 September 2021 |work=Digital Spy |publisher=(Hearst Magazines UK) |date=13 September 2021}} Then in February 2022, she portrayed the role of Pollie Grisham in an episode of the BBC series Shakespeare & Hathaway: Private Investigators.{{cite news |last1=Kilkelly |first1=Daniel |title=Shakespeare & Hathaway role for Casualty actress as new death is investigated |url=https://www.digitalspy.com/soaps/casualty/a39169800/shakespeare-and-hathaway-casualty-gabriella-leon/ |access-date=22 February 2022 |work=Digital Spy |publisher=(Hearst Communications) |date=22 February 2022}} Later that year, Leon starred in the film Maryland, as well as portraying Audrey in a production of As You Like It at the @sohoplace theatre.{{cite news |last1=Dowden |first1=Neil |title="As You Like It" – @sohoplace, London |url=https://playsinternational.org.uk/as-you-like-it-soho-place-neil-dowden/ |access-date=20 March 2023 |work=Plays International |date=19 December 2022}}

Stage

class="wikitable sortable"
Year ! Title ! Role ! Venue
2014 \| Commonwealth Games opening ceremony \| Julia \| Glasgow Athletes Village
2015 \| Myth \| Sarah \| RSC Commissioned
2016 \| Little Revolution \| Bling Girl \| East 15 Acting School
2016 \| Tesla \| JP Morgan \| The Alchemist
2016 \| A Winter's Tale \| Young Shepherd \| Propellor
2017 \| Can Can \| Ines \| Told by an Idiot
2017 \| Mondegreen \| Rudy \| Ryft Styx
2017 \| The Unko Yuutsu Women's Cabaret \| Love Poet \| The Crazy Coqs
2017 \| The Lesson \| The Pupil \| Corbett Theatre
2017 \| Mindshare Huddle \| Jezebell \| Sky Media
2018 \| Signal House \| Maddie \| The Landor Space
2018 \| The Others \| Josephine \| Camden People's Theatre
2022 \| The Red Tree \| Performer \| Red Earth Theatre
2022 \| As You Like It \| Audrey \| @sohoplace

class="wikitable sortable"

Year

! Title

! Role

! Venue

2014

| Commonwealth Games opening ceremony

| Julia

| Glasgow Athletes Village

2015

| Myth

| Sarah

| RSC Commissioned

2016

| Little Revolution

| Bling Girl

| East 15 Acting School

2016

| Tesla

| JP Morgan

| The Alchemist

2016

| A Winter's Tale

| Young Shepherd

| Propellor

2017

| Can Can

| Ines

| Told by an Idiot

2017

| Mondegreen

| Rudy

| Ryft Styx

2017

| The Unko Yuutsu Women's Cabaret

| Love Poet

| The Crazy Coqs

2017

| The Lesson

| The Pupil

| Corbett Theatre

2017

| Mindshare Huddle

| Jezebell

| Sky Media

2018

| Signal House

| Maddie

| The Landor Space

2018

| The Others

| Josephine

| Camden People's Theatre

2022

| The Red Tree

| Performer

| Red Earth Theatre

2022

| As You Like It

| Audrey

| @sohoplace

Filmography

class="wikitable sortable"
Year ! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable" \| Notes
2015 \| Connections: The Marcello Story \| Maria Alpert \| Film
2018–2021 \| Casualty \| Jade Lovall \| Series regular
2022 \| Shakespeare & Hathaway: Private Investigators \| Pollie Grisham \| Episode: "Some Cupid Kills"
2022 \| Maryland \| Fury \| Film

class="wikitable sortable"

Year

! Title

! Role

! class="unsortable" | Notes

2015

| Connections: The Marcello Story

| Maria Alpert

| Film

2018–2021

| Casualty

| Jade Lovall