10 Things to Know About FILAM Producer & Designer Leslie Espinosa 

From the beautiful streets of San Diego, California to the tropics of Manila, Philippines, Leslie has made her mark in a number of places. Whether she is behind the scenes empowering others through her work as a hair and makeup artist, in the classroom as an educator, or rocking the dance floor, she continuously shows up and shows out in everything that she does. We’ve put together a few fun facts about this fearless Filipina for you to get to know her better. Happy reading! 


1. She grew up in San Diego, California 

Leslie was born to two loving parents, who moved to San Diego in the 70’s. Her mom worked as a nurse while her dad was in the navy. 

2. She made an active effort to immerse herself in Filipino culture 

As with many Fil-Am households in the United States, Filipino culture held a strong presence in Leslie’s earlier years of home life. Through the years, as curiosity built, she found herself more and more intrigued with discovering the intricacies of tradition and culture. Leslie decided to take action and immerse herself, as much as she could, in learning about being Filipino at a deeper level. 

“So to understand where it all came from, in high school and in college, I joined the Filipino clubs and the Asian clubs that were available. It was nice because there were other people who wanted to know the same thing; and wanted to understand and know her roots, which was really exciting, especially for college because I really got involved with extracurricular activities while I was in college,” she shared. 


3. She is a theater major

Leslie attended a performing arts high school. Initially, she wanted to continue her passion for dance in college but later decided to pursue her studies as a theater major. As she started out, she wanted to be a clothing or costume designer. She visited the costume shop in hopes of volunteering, but the space was simply too small to accommodate more people in it. Leslie offered to work for free but they had to decline due to not having enough stations. Instead, they directed her to hair and makeup which was just down the hall. This redirection put Leslie on a path that ultimately would take her on a journey of a lifetime. 

4. Hair and Makeup styling makes her feel alive 

Leslie’s natural knack for helping others feel good about themselves through her hair and makeup skills have brought her to great heights. Throughout her career, she’s worked with remarkable game changers from all walks of life. Her work has been seen in editorials, music videos, weddings, shows, and more across the globe. With over 20 years of experience, Leslie enjoys bringing out the uniqueness and beauty of those that she collaborates with.

“Growing up with a dance background, I think it became very natural that I learned how to do hair and makeup and it was really fun. I would just start collecting images of fashion and makeup and didn’t realize that I had a natural talent for it until college, where I started under my mentor Peter Herman. I went to go volunteer for him and he said, ‘If you give me one hour a week, I will teach you everything I know’. That one hour became every break between classes and eventually for the next three years, helping him design shows at school and learning how to do wig-making for theater and for opera. He gave me my first gig so I’m super grateful for that.”


5. She worked on set for Here Lies Love 

In 2023, Leslie’s career took a major leap forward as she joined production for the hit Broadway musical, Here Lies Love as their Hair and Makeup Supervisor. After years of hard work, empowering individuals in the theater community and beyond, Leslie was offered the opportunity of a lifetime and the chance to work alongside fellow fearless Filipinos to spread awareness of our rich history through their shared love for the arts. 

“My craziest story to date has to be my journey with Here Lies Love. I was offered the Hair and Makeup Supervisor position. How that all came to be, I worked with some of the cast maybe 10 years ago in another Imelda show. Also, while I was in the Philippines I was able to work with creatives out there who were part of the producing team so it really came full circle and showed me how important connections and hard work and doing your best will always show through. I just felt really fortunate to have been offered the position and to be part of a show that was history making in so many ways. It’s art, it’s divisive, and I got to be part of it in my own little hair world.” 

6. She moved to the Philippines for volunteer work 

Leslie spent 7 years paving her path in the Philippines doing multiple things. She started out with doing fellowships, teaching programs and doing volunteer work. For some time, she lived on a farm in the province, outside of the city. Leslie eventually went on to build her own studio in Poblacion, the heart of Makati, where she got acquainted yet again with her passion for the arts and her love for empowering others through her craft. 


7. She is an educator 

Despite having a lineup of gigs in 2020, she returned to the United States. What was initially supposed to be a three week trip turned into the start of a new chapter in her life, bunkering down again in America. Leslie was hired as a remote educator in her old cosmetology school.

“I have learned from so many talented people and artists, knowing that I can share what I learned from great people feels good. Leaving a legacy,” she shared. 

8. She co-founded Burlesque PH

While Leslie was in the Philippines, she co-founded Burlesque PH, the country’s premiere brand for burlesque shows, education, merchandise and community. Here, she put on shows, conducted classes, and spread awareness of the unique art form that is burlesque and all of the beautiful aspects of it. 

“Being co-founder of Burlesque PH is amazing. They are holding down the fort over there and I miss them so much. They are growing it. They are doing it. They are putting the Philippines on the map for burlesque,” shared Leslie. 

9. She produced and directed “Tagalogue”

After college, Leslie tried her hand at producing and put her own twist on incorporating Filipino culture into what she did. Together, her and her friends created “Tagalogue”, a monologue or dialogue of them sharing stories based on the theme of being Filipino.

“To be Filipino is to be connected to the motherland no matter where I am in the world, carrying the culture with me and adapting it to wherever I am,” she shared. 

10. She has overcome discrimination 

“The earliest memory that I have of being reminded that I was different. I was at the airport with my best friend at the time and I was waiting for my mom. We were just having a conversation and these two guys next to us just said really loudly, “Oh! They speak english”. I was just so confused because I was born and raised in San Diego, California. Why wouldn’t I? I was just very confused at the time,” shared Leslie. 

Filipino Americans are no strangers to micro-aggressions, but that does not in any case make it okay. Despite this, Leslie continued to rise and thrive in her passion. 


Written By Nico Belasco

Photographer, Writer, Speaker, Podcast Host, Creative


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