Leila George will go back to waitressing as career starts to take off
She’s got film-star parents but success hasn’t been served to Leila George on a plate — despite a blockbuster acting debut, she’ll be on the wrong side of one when she returns to her waitressing job this week.
She’s got film-star parents but success hasn’t been served to Leila George on a plate — despite a blockbuster acting debut, she’ll be on the wrong side of one when she returns to her waitressing job this week.
The 26-year-old daughter of actors Australian Greta Scacchi and American Vincent D’Onofrio was in Sydney yesterday promoting her breakout role in Hollywood flick Mortal Engines, written and produced by Lord Of The Rings legend Peter Jackson and directed by his protege, Christian Rivers.
“I fly home on Thursday and I am working a waitressing event,” George told The Daily Telegraph. “The struggle isn’t over by all means but to get a job like this was huge.”
Her mum Scacchi has had a long career here and overseas in films such as Cosi and The Player, while dad D’Onofrio is known for his work on US TV series Law & Order and films Full Metal Jacket and Men In Black.
“I fought against it for a long time,” George said. “I was nervous because there is a lot to live up to with both of them.”
“It is such a difficult industry just to be working, not just to be good but they are working and they are good. They are boxes that are really hard to tick in this kind of work so I am still afraid.”
Mortal Engines is George’s breakthrough role, and Oscar-winning director and producer Peter Jackson believes it will soon change her life forever.
“It is only a reality until the film comes out,” he said of George working as a waitress.
“Kate Winslet was 17 when she did Heavenly Creatures with us and when we finished shooting she went back and was making sandwiches in a sandwich bar. As soon as you are seen, your career will just go up.
“As it was the film was delayed so she was making sandwiches for another year I think but as soon as the film came out, it went woomph and I am sure Leila will be the same situation too.”
As for advice her parents imparted on her, George said both warned her to be careful with nudity.
“My mum’s main words are: success is when preparation meets opportunity, that is what she says to me and also put flourescent tape on your nipples during sex scenes so that they can’t use it. My dad was like, don’t get naked.”
George is cautious when talking about her private life outside of her parents.
“The other side of personal life, relationships and everything — it is about you and someone else, it is not about the rest of the world and I think that is how it should stay,” she said, adding of fame: “I don’t know how I am going to deal with it. I get anxiety with the idea of people knowing my face.”
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