Paula J. Leon (also known as Paula Leon-Gambetta) is a Peruvian, NYC-based actor, comedian, and award-winning filmmaker. Having lived in Canada and Switzerland before coming to the U.S. to study the arts at NYU, she brings a multifaceted, culturally rich perspective to everything she creates. Her stand-up blends storytelling and observational comedy with sharp character impressions drawn from her own lived experience.

Leon performs nightly across New York City, has toured with T.J. Miller, and has opened for Fabrizio Copano. She’s been featured in the New York Comedy Festival, the Knockouts Festival, and on Being Latino. She’s also the force behind Chicas You Should Know, a showcase dedicated to Latina talent, and serves as Head of Education and co-producer for Women Stand Up NYC, alongside Susan Dorf and Leorah Wood.

As a filmmaker, her comedic short film “She Knows Her Place” won three awards, including Best Comedy Short and Best First-Time Filmmaker, and screened at the Angelika Film Center in New York. Outside the stage and screen, she contributes to content series like “Latinos On Ice,” documenting community stories through her unique perspective with her work spanning live stand-up, sketch comedy, and cultural storytelling.