Leslie Zemeckis

Leslie Zemeckis (born Leslie Harter on February 5, 1969) is a multifaceted American author, documentary filmmaker, actress, and producer whose career has spanned over four decades. She began her professional journey in 1984, initially taking small acting roles on television series such as Silk Stalkings and Beverly Hills, 90210, and gradually expanded her creative repertoire to include writing and directing. Her early exposure to the entertainment industry was marked by a willingness to explore unconventional subjects, a trait that would later define her documentary work. By the late 1990s she had accumulated a substantial list of on‑screen credits, ranging from genre TV movies to voice work in The Polar Express, showcasing her versatile acting talent. In the 2010s Zemeckis turned her investigative curiosity toward the hidden histories of burlesque, circus performers, and 19th‑century courtesans. Her debut documentary Behind the Burly Q (2010) combined extensive field interviews—including over fifty participants at the now‑demolished Stardust Hotel in Las Vegas—with a personal narrative voice, later evolving into a critically acclaimed book of the same title. She followed this with Bound by Flesh (2012) and Mabel Mabel Tiger Trainer (2018), each delving deeper into the lives of performers who challenged societal norms. Grandes Horizontales (2022) examined French courtesans navigating high society, cementing her reputation as a leading chronicler of marginalized women. Alongside her film work, Zemeckis authored three nonfiction books—Behind the Burly Q, Goddess of Love Incarnate (2015), and Feuding Fan Dancers (2018)—and maintains a monthly column for the Montecito Journal. Her bold approach often blurs the line between scholarship and performance; she famously staged a clothed reading of Goddess of Love Incarnate accompanied by nude women and performed as her burlesque alter‑ego Staar with the Santa Barbara Symphony. In 2023 she received the Ellis Island Medal of Honor, recognizing her contributions to cultural preservation and storytelling. Married to director Robert Zemeckis since 2001, they raise three children while continuing to influence both mainstream and niche cinematic landscapes.