Lea Robinson
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In Conversation with Lea Robinson & Nate Gualtieri
Photography by Jonah Reenders
Lea (pronounced Lee): I tell this story all the time, but it was a hard childhood growing up as a young trans, non-binary, little black kid growing up in Kentucky. To be queer and to be trans, and to be what folks refer to as “different.” I didn't have anybody who looked like me that I could refer to in my neighborhood, in my community, or in my family. I didn't have those types of role models. In my mind, I was a little boy trapped in a body that didn't feel like mine, so a huge driving force for getting into acting was the importance of visibility, the importance of diversity within the mainstream, and the importance of telling these narratives and stories. If I had seen someone like me when I was little, that may have been a little bit easier on me, right? To openly identify as trans and non-binary, non-gender-conforming, to be able to be on platforms and be seen moving through the world the way I am - it’s so important for young people, especially those who live in parts of the country where they don't get to encounter voices, narratives, and stories from people like themselves.
Lea: As my engine started propelling me towards acting and the love for the gift and theater and television, there was a fear of being rejected, a fear of not getting work. There weren't many roles for me. Asking casting folks to consider gender-blind casting when casting me, and having to navigate spaces in that way. But it was important to be there and continue to move, push, and audition. Until some of those roles became available where they were actually looking for you.
Nate: Right!
Lea: You don't have to try to ask us to look for you in a different way, or to fit into something. We want you. And that was the real moment where I was able to truly be myself in those stories, be a part of those narratives, be a part of that movement, be a part of something that feels so much bigger than just getting the script, doing the work. It's a movement.
Nate: There certainly is a different quality to when you're working on a project that is meant to bring visibility to a history or an identity. I've worked on commercial projects for a paycheck. And then I've worked on things where I couldn’t not be a part of it. And that's how you know it's important. As for the progress we've made in the past 20 years, it's interesting. Because at the same time, we can say we have more shows on air, and also open up who is allowed to be diverse and who's allowed to tell what story. But the strike has had a severe impact on that. Not only because there are no shows being made, but because there's inevitably gonna be a cutback, and a moment before the strike where they say, oh, well, we gotta pull back. And so, looking at your work on something like A League of Their Own, I wondered, were we shortchanged a full second season because of the strike? I made that connection very quickly. Do you feel like that's a possibility?
Lea: All things are a possibility. This doesn't have to be the end of A League of Their Own. I read something where it was mentioned that there could be more episodes. And to me, it was like this moment of, we really don't know. There isn't a way to know. Right? They cut so many amazing shows, so many LGBTQ shows that were cut, episodes that were cut, and seasons that were cut.
Nate: You know, they're not allowed the space to breathe and grow. And not only is that detrimental for writers, not just from a storytelling perspective, but also from a perspective of making this a career.
Nate: Are there issues that feel most pertinent to you personally?
Lea: Like most of the issues, the minimum earnings, the pay. It's the amount of work that goes into being an actor. I know it looks different as a writer. We all know there's a lot of work, sweat, tears, love, time, and compromise, like spending time with family. Because we love this, and this is what we're doing, you know? Anytime you're in love with what you're doing, it would be great to get paid in a way that sustains you and in a way that connects to health insurance. Being able to build a retirement and a foundation — those are some major, major keys.
Nate: Yeah. The WGA is lucky enough to have a pension plan, and I know our last negotiations made significant gains in healthcare. One thing that obviously doesn't apply to actors is that writing teams have to choose who gets healthcare. Isn't that insane? You can't split healthcare between two people. The gains are still incremental, but they do add up over the years. In my union, while very small, we're very communicative, and our size allows us to be more unified. SAG-AFTRA is massive, and there hasn't been a double strike since 1960.
Lea: I mean, this is my first strike within this industry; it's been powerful to watch. Lots of people, lots of great energy, lots of great synergy. It's also been cool to see a lot of celebrities out talking about why they're there. Whether you're fighting for now, or you're fighting for the future, it's a time to fight together. And that's been really important.
Nate: Yeah! Especially the members of the Union and WGA who've been out there and have already built careers. It's not that they don't need to be out there, but they don't need to be out there. It's not about them getting theirs, it's about making sure that this career still exists after they're gone. I see how strong a union I've joined, and you're right, it’s very moving. Especially, I was a former IATSE member, and that union is, is huge and very disparate. Moving into the WGA was a goal for a decade of mine. And it just felt like coming home - I've wanted to be here, and I wanna fight for this.
Lea: That's so good to hear. When you [WGA] all took that action, we were like, we’re gonna do it next. It was this whole conversation, like be ready, 'cause our contracts are coming. And when you all took that step, it was like, we can take this step too. We're standing in solidarity with you all. And now it's time for us to also make that move. And we're all standing together, and it's super organic.
Nate: Yeah. And even before SAG was on strike, we loved having SAG-AFTRA at our picket line. We're so grateful. They’re so energetic and keep the energy up. Now, with both unions together, it’s a very interesting feeling that it democratized parts of the industry. You can meet people face to face. As you were saying, you understand people are having the same problems as you. It's a universal issue. And it brought a lot more empathy in general to the people within our unions.
Lea: How are you doing? That's the question. How are you?
Nate: Yeah. It's funny. It’s challenging, this balance between picketing and working to earn money so that I don't totally flop and have to leave town. I have a couple of side jobs right now, so it's just piecing them together each month to get enough, which is hard. And I really didn't think I'd be in this position, especially after staffing. I was at this point where it felt like, okay, my career's gonna take off. But I knew to save money too, 'cause you know what? Everything's too expensive, and I pay a manager and an agent.
Lea: There’s also the piece with AI, which has been scary. AI is a part of things now. It's growing every single day, and putting provisions into place that protect us is important. The piece around AI and background actors is really harmful. The background actor is just as important, if not more important, than the main characters because we're creating a whole world. And if we don't have background actors, we're sitting there having a conversation by ourselves, and that's not how the world works. It's just unacceptable for background actors not to be taken care of.
Nate: Even just from a business standpoint — What if your likeness, your one background scan that they've used, is then reused in perpetuity for the future, and you’re never paid or asked for consent? It's a problem. Obviously, the issue of writing and AI is present, but having your own voice and likeness used is such a different kind of moral boundary to be crossed.
Lea: Yeah. I was joking to some colleagues and, and I had a moment, 'cause someone was like, look, they can teach the AI how to do everything that you do, and do it better than you do it. I was having a whole moment of like, but it can't be human It cannot be a human being.
Nate: What is the point? What are we trying to do here? It's also like, why can’t we automate the stuff that's not good for anybody to do? It seems like we really could be putting this technology to better use, but we don't. I don't get it.
Lea: There is a whole human being here. We have a whole history of lives, trauma, emotions, love, sadness, everything we bring to every character that we develop, and that cannot be replaced, period.
Nate: That, and also, film is a collaboration, you know? An actor is a crucial part of that collaboration. And I don't know that AI is going to collaborate because that's a human element. It's interesting that anyone who's been through developing a film, production, and post knows how much that process becomes a group effort, even just working between an actor and a director, right? Finding that character, finding the performance.
Lea: For the writers and the actors, like you wrote it, and there's something you're trying to get when you're writing it. There’s this beautiful dance between the actors and the writers and the directors — of, what is this moment? And if we do it right, it's real power.
Nate Gualtieri on the picket lines. Photo: JW Hendricks
Lea: There were two things that came up that I was like “fist pump” - the piece around access to reproductive healthcare and gender-affirming care.
Nate: I just saw that, yeah. SAG-AFTRA proposed, and the parties have tentatively agreed to the funding of a travel benefit for access to reproductive healthcare and gender-affirming care for performers working away from home in states that restrict access to such.
Lea: That's huge.
Nate: So, there was just no such policy in place before, I'm assuming, was there?
Lea: I’m not sure. But it just really resonated.
Nate: Do you know if that was a specific proposal? For example, we have subcommittees in the WGA, so I'm actually on the trans subcommittee and the LGBTQ subcommittee. Do you know if they have a specific proposal or a specific negotiator that proposed that?
Lea: When I read it, months ago, it seemed like it was something new. I didn't even realize that such things were being advocated for.
Nate: Yeah, I'm curious about who made that specific ask.
Lea: Yeah, 'cause it says here on the SAG-AFTRA, why we're striking, that the AMPTP subjected us to repeat stonewalling and delays after we agreed to their compressed bargaining schedule. It took more than four weeks of bargaining for them to agree to simple basic issues of fairness and respect. So, it sounds like one more piece that was trying to get pushed through that’s being paused.
Nate: But that is something they've tentatively agreed on.
Lea: That's something. Yes.
Nate: Yeah. The fact that, even as a proposal that was kind of on the list, especially as there are so many proposals in the WGA that we've had to leave behind, and people are inevitably unhappy about that. There's only so much we can ask for and discuss.
Lea: That's important because of what’s happening in our country, the anti-trans and reproductive issues, right? There are so many rights, identities, and lifestyles being attacked. For them to put this in here was so powerful. Because we do travel to film — I’ve shot in Pittsburgh and didn't have any issues, but I've been in other places that might be a little bit scarier for me, and I may need some additional protection.
Nate: 100 percent. It really speaks to the negotiators on the SAG-AFTRA side that they were aware of the values of being a working actor.
Lea: I talk a lot about how visibility and representation matter in this industry. Sometimes, it's really challenging, but I felt seen and heard in that moment in a way that was really validating in some strange way. That they took the time to put that in there makes me believe that there's an understanding of the struggle and an advocacy for actor needs and equity.
Nate Gualtieri on the picket lines. Photo: JW Hendricks
Nate: Yeah, It's important. Looking at the WGA, both negotiators and the elected positions — we're building a board that is more understanding of the issues at play for emerging or underrepresented writers. What do you think of your union right now?
Lea: You know, I'm so proud because it was scary initially, but there's also this feeling of A) we know it's scary. That's okay; we can feel that it's scary, and we need to do this. And B) we are together, so the solidarity, the energy at the events, the commitment, all while we’re financially struggling, it's powerful. I'm in a lot of character development classes, and many of us are taking this time to be grounded in our craft and do the things that we can do. Taking a deep breath and having conversations around, should I be doing other things right now? What should I be doing? It’s an identity shift for everybody. What I do know is that this union is strong. The unity is encouraging and inspiring, and I know we're gonna be okay. I know that I'm not the only person feeling this. I'm not the only person struggling. I'm not the only person feeling afraid, feeling angry, trying to have a future in this industry that I love with all my heart.
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