Zhenya Leverett

Zhenya received classical training as an actress in Russia and worked in theatre and film in Moscow before moving to the UK in 2015. In London, she qualified as a teacher with The BASSC and now teaches sword fighting and unarmed combat at RADA, Royal Central, YATI, and IDFight. She also serves as the Course Coordinator for the BASSC certification courses at IDFight.

As a fight director, Zhenya's credits span opera, classical and modern theatre, with work on Cinderella (English Touring Opera), La Liberazione di Ruggiero (Longborough Festival Opera), Ben Hur (Abbey Theatre), Our Public House (Dash Arts), Prize Fights (RADA), and regular Shakespeare productions at RADA. Zhenya is also an Action Coordinator for film and has worked across a number of screen productions. She has taught internationally at the Summer Sling Stage Combat and Stunt Workshop in New York City, Lone Star Smash in Dallas, Mid-Atlantic Melee, and the Louisiana Stage Combat Workshop.

Zhenya is the Creative Director at Acting Action Ltd and co-coordinator of The Claymore, an annual Action Workshop that brings together leading international stunt, martial arts, movement, and film professionals. Her article, The Power of Teaching: Why Do You Want to Be a Stage Combat Teacher?, was featured in The Fight Master, the journal of the Society of American Fight Directors.

Zhenya is also an accomplished actress and is known for her appearance in the BAFTA-winning television series Killing Eve.