{guestbooks_dataset::firstname} {guestbooks_dataset::lastname}
{guestbooks_dataset::businesstitle} FROM {guestbooks_dataset::origin}
{guestbooks_dataset::time}
Some people have natural talent. When I was young I wanted to be a footballer and like the vast majority of young kids, it slowly dawned on me that I simply didn’t have what it takes. Young girls who don’t fancy being the new Britney Spears or Emirates Cabin Crew, often dream of being models. The requirements are often simplified to ‘you have to be pretty’. You don’t. Lots of girls are pretty, so being pretty is simply not good enough. You need to be stunningly attractive; enough to naturally turn heads and hold the hypnotic attention of those you encounter. You also need to be articulate and intelligent and able to hold your own, in a notoriously cut throat and aggressive world that is synonymous with vicious catfights and survival of the fittest.
It’s also not enough for the camera to like you, you need a photogenic ease that elevates you above the fierce feline competition. Leanne Lee achieves this with a natural ease that is complemented by her ability to immediately address the lie that all models are bimbos “Don’t worry I get that all of the time.” She smiles, at what is obviously the thousandth time her profession has been disrespected. For the modelling for which she is recognised is only one string to her bow. “I started out wanting to be a TV presenter, which is really hard to get in to, but I gave it a fair crack and ended up getting asked to do lots of TV work in the UK.” A flick through her impressive CV shows countless recognisable appearances in TV and film work, ranging from all of the UK’s favourite soaps, to some break through movie roles, which could pave the way to her future. “Acting is always great fun but it can be so boring! Hours of hanging round waiting for something to happen but you actually get to spend some time with some really interesting people so it’s not all bad.”
“ Dubai is great for lots of reasons but I need to regularly commute to London to get some of the top quality work that I get approached about,” she continues, “… there are a couple of agencies here but the bigger, more established ones are naturally in the bigger, more established cities.”
The move to Dubai wasn’t merely a career choice - it was simpler than that. “I’m really close to my family and they moved here last year and so it was the natural thing for me to come with them, and I love it here: the climate and the tranquility that you get living on the fronds - It’s so different from the hustle and bustle of London. I have to say it’s hard for me to motivate myself to work sometimes here. I love the beach, boats and brunch type lifestyle that it’s so easy to slip into, and when I do go back to London for work, it’s becoming a bit of a culture shock now - plus I have no winter clothes these days, and I certainly don’t own an umbrella!”
There are a couple of agencies that Leanne works for here and there is something unerring about seeing a 20 foot picture of yourself against the side of another Dubai shopping mall, but she takes it in her stride - in the same way that she handles the recent UK press paparazzi shots of her and a couple of her model friends, taken as they relaxed at one of Dubai’s hotels. “You don’t get much of that sort of stuff here. That’s why a lot of friends of mine feel so comfortable coming over for a break, but it comes with the turf so it’s best to just take it in your stride.”
The life of a model is a short one and retirement beacons by the age of 28 or 29, so when most people’s careers are just taking off Leanne’s’ will be winding down. “ There is always the possibility of getting more involved behind the camera, there’s a need for more professional agencies here and things develop so fast in Dubai that who knows what the future will hold, for now I am doing plenty of catwalk stuff which I really enjoy. I get asked to do some modelling and events appearances, but I love the idea of getting a bit more involved with TV work, so who knows?”
