Leo Ashizawa
Leo was originally educated as an archaeologist but transitioned into acting, developing his craft in Japan's Fringe theatre scene. He appeared in numerous plays and has also worked as a featured model within the fashion industry.
After relocating to the UK, Leo collaborated with theatre companies, including Station House Opera, and continued building a diverse screen portfolio across films, television shows, and commercials. Despite his work on screen, he has maintained a deep passion for the stage productions. He took part in a Greek Tragedy trilogy at Theatro Technis, as well as a Japanese–UK theatre co-production at Charing Cross Theatre.
Through his early solo performance work, Leo met the late Eiji Kusuhara (楠原映二), who became a mentor and a lasting source of inspiration. Their collaboration helped shape Leo's approach to solo perofmrances and creative storytelling over the years.
As an actor, Leo is known for his versatile performance styles. He brings experience across a wide range of genres, including action and martial arts, as well as extreme age ranges using heavy prosthetic makeup.
He later co-founded, The Washing Machine, a London-based theatre and performance collective with fellow artists.
Leo is based in London and represented by Julianna Bautista and Femi Oguns, Identity Agency Group (IAG)
Leo is also a London-based filmmaker, writer, and director whose work is grounded in character, atmosphere, and emotional precision.
Working through Whale Ash Productions, he develops original films that use surrealism, fantasy, and the supernatural to tell grounded human stories, often focusing on identity in society, personal transformation, and unexpected losses in relationships.
He is drawn to emotional aspects that are easily belittled or ignored — the things people misread, overlook, or don’t even realise exist — and aims to bring those hidden spaces into the light.
With an acting background, Leo approaches filmmaking through a subjective awareness of performance and the embodied dialogue between characters, while paying homage as a cinephile to the beauty of cinematography.
His directorial debut came with the 2024 short film The Town with the Tower, which he wrote, directed, and produced, and which was nominated at several international film festivals.