About
Meisner Institute Ireland was founded with the desire to create a space where actors of all backgrounds could experience the full breadth of traditional Meisner training in a safe, novel, and creative studio environment.
Taking an integrative approach that draws from mindfulness practices, modern psychology, and a minimalist philosophy as much as seminal schools of acting technique, the studio prides itself on providing a singular training experience that adheres to a strict set of core values:
to work from a place that is as informed, supportive and compassionate as it is challenging;
to remain attuned and responsive to the needs of each individual, rather than taking a one-size-fits-all approach ;
to work in an intimate group setting where everyone gets the time and attention they need for their development;
to nurture the sense of joy, freedom and fulfilment inherent to the creative act, in an environment that prioritises process over product;
to pursue a philosophy of less — less effort, less clutter, less acting — to make way for more — more ease, more clarity, more authenticity.
This is a studio with an approach that leaves you sitting squarely in the present — fully alive and in touch with the other person, the world around you, and the boundless inner resources you already possess.
About the Director
Leonard Buckley is an actor and musician from Dublin. After training as an actor at RADA, he made his professional debut in Kenneth Branagh’s Oscar-winning feature film Belfast. He has since gone on to work extensively on stage and screen, in productions such as the hit FX/Disney+ series Say Nothing, Apple TV’s The Velveteen Rabbit, Julian Fellowes’ Belgravia: The Next Chapter, and the world premiere of Mark O’Rowe’s Reunion.
An associate of the The Meisner Institute in Los Angeles, Leonard is part of the fifth generation of teachers trained to carry on Sanford Meisner’s legacy. As such, he is the sole provider of Meisner training in Ireland that is both in keeping with the full breadth of the original training and approved by the Meisner estate. He founded Meisner Institute Ireland in late 2023.
A strong mental health advocate, Leonard is passionate about finding new ways to help actors achieve real depth, vulnerability and truth in their work while continuing to look after themselves as they navigate a life in acting.
Leonard also holds a degree in English Studies from Trinity College Dublin, and has published illustrations, poems and literary criticism in Ireland, the UK and Europe.
