Leslie Silva was born in Schenectady, New York, and spent her childhood primarily in Saratoga, New York, with additional periods in Connecticut, Iowa, and Georgia, due to her father's occupation as a nuclear engineer. This frequent moving had a significant impact on her early life.
Silva pursued her passion for the performing arts, attending the University of Connecticut at Storrs, where she earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the School of Drama. She furthered her education by obtaining a Master of Fine Arts degree from the prestigious Juilliard School in New York.
Her professional stage debut took place in 1995, when she appeared in a Shakespeare Theater production of "Macbeth" in Washington, D.C. The following year, she starred in Sam Shepard's one-act play "Chicago" at the Signature Theater in New York. Silva's impressive performances continued with Off-Broadway appearances in "Edmond" and a starring role as Helena in "A Midsummer Night's Dream" at the Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis.
Silva has also had the opportunity to work with renowned artists such as Anna Deavere Smith, Wallace Shawn, and Andre Gregory. Her feature film debut came in 1997 with a brief role as a process server in the romantic comedy "Fools Rush In."
Silva's striking features, including her wide eyes and commanding presence, have made her a standout in the entertainment industry. Her impressive work on the hit NBC drama "Providence" (1999) as Dr. Helen Reynolds earned her a regular role, less than four years after her professional stage debut. As a tough and uncompromising medico, Silva offered nuanced performances that avoided the common stereotype of the hard-nosed and ambitious African-American woman often seen on television.
Before her breakthrough role on "Providence," Silva had guest-starred on the CBS sitcom "Cosby" (1996) and appeared in a 1998 two-part episode of NBC's police drama "Homicide: Life on the Street" (1993).