Was most of your formal training in theater? Yes. Although I have gotten a lot of training lately in film, it takes doing a film to really understand how the process works.

What have you worked on that you are most proud of and why is that? "Chicks 101", a romantic comedy that was filmed three years ago in North Carolina. Since I was cast as the female lead and it was my first film, It was a huge undertaking for me. I was incredibly nervous hoped everyday that they wouldn't fire me. When i saw the film for the first time i was amazed at how I couldn't see any of that anxiety on the screen. I didn't even see ME up there. I saw the character. The film is really a beautiful piece of work.

What was it like working on Night Feeders? It was a more relaxing set than "Chicks" was. They shot on tape and pretty much kept it rolling. There was no fear of messing up and making people mad. Since most of the films noises and creatures were CGI, It was difficult to scream and react to things that weren't there. I had never done that before. I had no idea if things would come together and look right, but they really did. I had a blast making the film and can't wait to start shooting the sequel!

What parts of Terry do you see inside yourself? Terry is a strong female character. She doesn't let Donnie do everything for her. If she is going to try to survive this ordeal, she will help herself. That's me. And she kinda looks like me :)

What do you think it is about horror genre that attracts such large audiences? I think they're just so much fun to watch. You are allowed to scream and jump in front of people and not feel like a dork. Being scared and tense is such an extreme feeling, and you really don't get to have that kind of emotion in real life most of the time. It's an outlet. And a legal one!

I am sorry but I have to ask -- What was it like working on Dawson's Creek? Dawson's was great because it was my first tv show and i had my own trailer and directors chair and only had one line. I felt pretty special.

What projects are you working on right now? I am just waiting for the projects that I've done recently to get finished, so i can put my reel together for my move to Los Angeles. I do have one commercial running right now during the NASCAR races with Kevin Harvick.

Who would you consider your mentors in the industry? Meryl Streep and Anthony Hopkins are two actors who can do anything that's put in front of them and I learn so much by just watching their performances. As far as people i actually know, it has to be my fellow actors here in Charlotte. We all feed off of and learn from each other. I admire them all!

What area would you consider your favorite? Theater, film, or television? Film has always and will always be my favorite venue. It can be very challenging. When you shoot a film, you don't generally shoot in order so it takes more thought to know where your character is that day. You also get more chances to make it right. Which means that you can spend more time getting what you feel is the best performance. But not too much or the director will never want to work with you again. And yes, it pays well and I haven't been able to live off of doing plays.

Kate Leahey has been in the business for about twenty-one years and her credits include; plays, commercials, television and independent film. She started her career with Workshop Theatre in Columbia, South Carolina studying acting and performing in their summer productions. When in high school, along with starring in many plays, she was picked by South Carolina Educational Television to star in a series of short television shows and a film. She then attended the University of South Carolina in Columbia where she starred in Moiler’s The Learned Ladies and Landford Wilson’s The Rimers of Eldritch and earned her Bachelors degree in Theatre. In 1996 she moved to New York City where she studied acting with Bobbie LaPone, Ensemble Studio Theatre, Atlantic Theatre Company and starred in several plays including Uncommon Women and Others for Steppin’ Out Productions and Throwing Your Voice with Stage One Theatre Company. During her affiliation with Ensemble Studio Theatre she helped start a small theatre group called “The Monday Lab” where all members wrote, directed and acted in all their own material for EST shows. After her two year stay in New York, she moved to Key West, Florida and worked with the Red Barn Theatre in their productions of As Bees in Honey Drown and Checkhov’s The Proposal. She now lives in Charlotte, North Carolina where she has added four independent films, two television shows and two plays to her credits.