Leila George lands breakout role in Disclaimer series after receiving a call from acclaimed director Alfonso Cuarón, an offer that came without an audition and marked a major pivot in her acting career. Cast as young Catherine Ravenscroft in the Apple TV+ thriller, George was selected to portray Cate Blanchett’s character in crucial flashback sequences, which would ultimately become key to unraveling the series’ central mystery.
The Apple TV+ series Disclaimer brings together a powerful lineup, including Cate Blanchett, Kevin Kline, Sacha Baron Cohen, and Lesley Manville. Originally, Cuarón’s plan was to have George serve as a body double for Blanchett, with her face replaced in post-production, but as filming progressed, her performance changed the creative direction of the show. Both critics and Cuarón recognized her impact, with the San Francisco Chronicle’s Carla Meyer noting the exceptional quality of her work:
“Leila George shines as the younger Catherine,”
—Carla Meyer, San Francisco Chronicle. Meyer continued,
“Shown in flashbacks, George nails Blanchett’s signature emotionally distant allure and exhausted yet superior speech patterns.”
—Carla Meyer, San Francisco Chronicle.
Navigating High Stakes and Sudden Demands
Cuarón’s decision to cast George without an audition put her in a high-pressure environment among renowned actors. Facing immediate challenges, she was assigned the difficult job of embodying Blanchett’s character from different perspectives, blending her own instincts with echoes of Blanchett’s established portrayal. In a conversation about the initial offer, George described the whirlwind process:
“It was nuts. I got told that Alfonso was going to call me, which in itself felt just crazy, and that there was a script, but I wasn’t allowed to have it. I didn’t know how to prepare, so I decided to read the book, because like, how do I make sure I get this job? I was so nervous for the call because I’m just someone that will generally talk people out of hiring me. I’m not good at selling myself. I always feel like maybe they’ve made a mistake. But he got on the phone with me and told me the whole story, and then asked me if I wanted to do it, which I still don’t know really how that happened. I’ve heard rumors — I feel like the casting director had a big part in it. I’m just very, very happy that it happened that way.”
—Leila George, Actor.
When Cuarón explained the story over the phone, George’s initiative to read the book instead of waiting for a script left an impression, though not necessarily the one she anticipated. Despite any nerves, the director offered her the role directly and outlined the immediate challenges ahead, including a quick relocation:
“Would you like to do this?”
—Alfonso Cuarón, Director.
“OK, well, I need you here in three days.”
—Alfonso Cuarón, Director.
Diving Headlong into Production
Arriving on set with just days to prepare, George faced the daunting task of embodying a complex character who exists both as a memory and as a reimagining. Drawing inspiration from Blanchett, she pieced together elements of Catherine Ravenscroft’s persona, striving to reflect the nuances that fans of the original novel and new viewers alike would expect. At the same time, she needed to walk the line between mimicry and originality, as much of Disclaimer’s tension rides on the duality of the character across timelines and retellings.
George and Cuarón regularly discussed maintaining the fine balance required by the role. The series plays with unreliable perspectives, as Catherine is recalled in the imagination of another character, as well as presented in her own truth.
“OK, we’re going to do the last three episodes now.”
—Alfonso Cuarón, Director. Shooting these perspectives back to back meant that George would need to instantly shift from portraying a confident seductress to processing the trauma of the character’s past, sometimes within the same day. This creative “flip-flopping” demanded an emotional agility that George described as both exhilarating and frightening.
Method and Resilience: Coping with Emotionally Charged Scenes
To ground herself each day, George developed detailed playlists to trigger the state required for each version of the character, relying on music to reset her focus. The constant ebb and flow of production demanded a mental toughness that George saw as essential to thriving in such a high-caliber project, especially under Cuarón’s uncompromising approach. The director’s confidence in her offered security, even as he maintained high standards and pushed for authenticity from his cast.
In discussing Cuarón’s directorial style, George noted that he let her find the character herself, stepping in only when necessary to adjust the intensity or shift the emotional temperature. The director empowered the cast to draw on their experiences and instincts, managing the fine line between guidance and autonomy.
On a personal level, George revealed her strategy for navigating the emotional weight of the material: she focused on detaching from the character at the end of filming each day, regarding her work as both cathartic and contained. This separation allowed her to avoid carrying the trauma into her personal life, despite the intensity of many scenes.
Integrating Blanchett’s Performance and Technical Preparations
George’s preparation included a brief but vital opportunity to observe Blanchett’s approach firsthand during block rehearsals. She took careful notes on Blanchett’s mannerisms, internalizing the physicality and speech patterns that would define the younger Catherine. Working with the same dialect coach helped solidify a consistent voice, even as the shooting schedule forced her to rely on memory and quick study: Blanchett’s scenes were provided for review just moments before George’s own performances, leaving little time to internalize or rehearse.
To adapt, George mirrored Blanchett’s movements and reactions using available technology, setting up her phone to record her imitation as a personal study tool. This allowed her to reference her own physical interpretation on demand, offering a unique internal resource in the absence of direct feedback or prolonged rehearsal.
A Creative Shift: From Body Double to Full Performance
Originally, George’s involvement in Disclaimer was more limited. She was hired to serve as Blanchett’s body for CGI face-replacement during the flashback sequences. But as filming advanced, Cuarón recognized the depth George brought to the role and made a crucial adjustment. About halfway through production, he told her:
“I think we’d like to make it so that in the first four episodes, it’s actually you, and then when we cut to the truth, we’ll put Cate’s face on your body.”
—Alfonso Cuarón, Director. Yet after viewing George’s completed performance, he decided to discard the digital replacement plan entirely.
George recalled the emotional response to this decision:
“What do you think? Do you like it?”
—Alfonso Cuarón, Director.
“I’m so, so happy I got to see it before you did all of the CGI. Thank you for letting me see that.”
—Leila George, Actor.
“Yeah, we’re not gonna do it. We’re just gonna let it be you.”
—Alfonso Cuarón, Director.
The unexpected shift gave her full ownership of the performance, a move she described as both affirming and overwhelming, bringing her to tears with gratitude.
Growth and Industry Recognition
Working with international talents like Kevin Kline, Sacha Baron Cohen, Kodi Smit-McPhee, Lesley Manville, and others, George found herself elevated by the collaborative environment and the trust instilled by Cuarón. Louis Partridge, who played Jonathan, one of the story’s pivotal characters, was present during formative early moments of production, highlighting the impact the process had on all involved.
George’s main personal takeaway was the confidence to trust herself, a transformation she attributes directly to Cuarón’s casting approach and belief in her. The director’s preference for non-actors in projects like Roma influenced her, prompting her to approach scenes with studied spontaneity, trusting both her research and the sense of belonging she grew to feel as a result. Her scripts became filled with notes, each decision an attempt to bring authenticity to her portrayal while honoring the intricacies of the character across timelines and perspectives.
The success of her work has been mirrored by ongoing praise from critics, who highlighted how convincingly she sustained Catherine’s arc, and by the way her peers have responded to her presence on set and screen. Her depiction of the subtle divides between fantasy and reality in Catherine Ravenscroft’s history gives Disclaimer its driving emotional complexity, anchoring the series amidst heightened drama and shifting perspectives.
The Broader Impact of George’s Breakout Performance
Leila George’s journey from unexpected phone call to critically acclaimed performance in Disclaimer signals a significant moment both for her career and for the Apple TV+ drama. As critics such as Carla Meyer have noted, her ability to embody a character defined by secrets, conflicts, and emotional nuance has cemented her standing as a rising talent in a competitive industry.
Her experience on set—marked by intense emotional shifts, technical challenges, and last-minute adjustments—highlights the unpredictable nature of television and film production, especially on a high-profile project led by a director like Alfonso Cuarón. As future episodes air and audience feedback grows, George’s breakout performance is expected to open further opportunities, signaling her arrival as a dynamic force in the entertainment world.