# Leslie Zemeckis

Leslie Zemeckis (born 5 February 1969) is an author, documentary filmmaker and actress. She has directed four documentary films including Behind the Burly Q, Bound by Flesh, Mabel Mabel Tiger Trainer, and Grandes Horizontales. She has also written three non-fiction books. Her work focuses on women involved in burlesque, sex work and the circus. She is married to filmmaker Robert Zemeckis.
She also created and starred in her own burlesque show called "Staar: She'd Rather Be A Mistress", which she adapted into a short mockumentary "Staar: She’s Back and Mistresser Than Ever!” with Carrie Fisher and Fabio.
She has a monthly book column in the Montecito Journal.

## Career

Behind the Burly Q was first begun as a documentary that Zemeckis later adapted into a book.
For Burly Q, Zemeckis went across the country to interview men and women from burlesque shows of the past for her book and documentary. This included gathering over 50 people to interview at the Stardust Hotel in Las Vegas before it was demolished.
Zemeckis has written several articles about burlesque and has participated in burlesque shows, including a clothed reading of her book Goddess of Love Incarnate: The Life of Stripteuse Lili St. Cyr accompanied by naked women. She has also performed as her burlesque alter-ego Staar with the Santa Barbara Symphony.
Zemeckis most recent documentary, Grandes Horizontales, concerns the lives of French courtesans navigating upper-class society in the 19th century.

## Awards

In 2023 she was awarded the Ellis Island Medal of Honor.

## Books

* Behind the Burly Q (2013)
* Goddess of Love Incarnate: The Life of Stripteuse Lili St. Cyr (2015)
* Feuding Fan Dancers: Faith Bacon, Sally Rand, and the Golden Age of the Showgirl (2018)

## Filmography
### As Director

Source:
* Behind the Burly Q (2010)
* Bound by Flesh (2012)
* Mabel Mabel Tiger Trainor (2018)
* Grandes Horizontales (2022)

### As Actress

Source:
She has appeared in movies such as Beowulf, Polar Express, Welcome to Marwen, and Here.
* 1992: Silk Stalkings (TV series): Cynthia Ashmore
* 1993: Beverly Hills, 90210 (TV series): Party Girl
* 1993: Ground Zero Texas (video game): DiSalvo
* 1993: Jailbait : Roman's Girlfriend
* 1996: Damien's Seed : Jane Janzen
* 1996: Encounters : Diane
* 1997: Women: Stories of Passion (TV series): Emily
* 1998: Beverly Hills Bordello (TV series): Melissa / Amanda
* 1998: Confessions of a Call Girl : Reese
* 1998: I Married a Monster (TV movie): Bridesmaid #2
* 1998: Intimate Sessions (TV series)
* 1998: Life of a Gigolo : Rhonda
* 1998: Sex Files: Pleasure World : Sara
* 1998: Sex Files: Restless Souls : Heather
* 1998: The Sexperiment : Audrey / Marcie
* 1999: Caroline in the City (TV series): Kelly
* 1999: Dark Nova : Nova
* 1999: Deterrence : Sylvia Charles
* 2019: From Zero to I Love You : Pamela Finley-Logsdon
* 2000: Blowback : Sandra Carlow
* 2000: Sacrifice (TV movie) : Officer Mercedes Calderon
* 2000: Spiders : Emma
* 2004: The Polar Express : Sarah / Mother
* 2005: Terrible Children : Finnie
* 2007: The Legend of Beowulf (Beowulf) : Yrsa
* 2008: Prego (short film) : Lisa
* 2009: A Christmas Carol : Fred 's wife
* 2018: Welcome to Marwen : Suzette
* 2024: Here by Robert Zemeckis : Elizabeth Franklin