Biography

Photo by Michael Dambrosia

Gianna LePera (born May 21, 1999) is an American actress and singer best known for her film work in Vamperifica and Play House and television roles on Law and Order SVU, Modern Family, Trophy Wife and About a Boy. Gianna began her career in musical theater, and at the age of 10, landed the lead role of Susan in a musical adaptation of Miracle on 34th Street in New York’s John Engeman Theater. Gianna’s performance earned her critical acclaim including this review from the NY Times: “Gianna LePera, the 10-year-old who plays Susan, is equally beguiling, displaying a delicate somberness similar to the haunting performance the young Natalie Wood gave in the film.” (Miracle on 34th Street Review, NY Times, Nov 29th 2009)

LePera was born in New York City on May 21,1999 and is the only child of Lisa McLaughlin and Frank LePera. LePera’s mother, former Buyer at Bergdorf Goodman and owner of Metropolitan Design Group, is now an interior designer at her own company, State Street Design. LePera’s father is a real estate investor and developer in NYC. In Manhattan Gianna attended the Professional Children’s School. During high school Gianna and her parents lived bi-coastally between NYC and LA, spending much of the school year in LA where she attended a private High School.

After performing in Miracle on 34th Street, LePera went on to play another lead role, also named Susan, in the National Tour of Irving Berlin’s White Christmas. LePera continued to work in NYC appearing in television commercials and episodics. She appeared in live concerts at the famed Joe’s Pub in NYC as well as with the Brooklyn Youth Chorus. In 2012 Gianna played young Tracey in the film, Vamperifica, the younger version of the lead role played by Dreema Walker. It was when LePera was in LA attending the premier screening of Vamperifica that she signed with her current LA agent at Coast to Coast and manager at Primary Wave. While auditioning in 2012 during her first pilot season in LA, LePera secured the role of Hillary in ABC’s pilot Trophy Wife starring Malin Akerman, Bradley Whitford and Marcia Gay Harden. In October of 2013 she booked a lead role in the Amazon pilot Maker Shack Agency. She has guest starred on several Network television shows and currently recurs as Tracy Loach on AMC’s Preacher.