Leslie's early life was shaped by her idyllic childhood in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where she spent her formative years surrounded by the gentle babbling of a creek, teeming with crawdads, and the vibrant colors of thistles in her family's backyard. Her heritage was a rich tapestry of Scott-Irish and Norwegian influences, with her mother, an impassioned English teacher, playing a significant role in instilling in Leslie a deep respect for Women's Rights.
Growing up, Leslie's parents, her mother an educator and her father a southpaw baseball pitcher and entrepreneur, provided a nurturing environment that fostered her athletic talents. As a junior Olympic gymnast in Oklahoma, Leslie's skills on the balance beam and uneven bars earned her a spot in the program until the age of 11. When her family relocated, Leslie seamlessly transitioned to a new realm of performance, exploring her passion for dance, acting, and choir.
The stage beckoned, and Leslie made her Broadway debut at the tender age of 17, starring as the ingénue lead in the iconic musical La Cage Aux Folles. This milestone was soon followed by her joining NBC's daytime drama Search For Tomorrow as a contract player at 18, marking the beginning of a long and storied career in the world of television and theater.
