Leslie hails from the New York City neighborhood of Spanish Harlem, also known as El Barrio and East Harlem. She attended the prestigious Hunter College High School where actress: Cynthia Nixon, producer/writer: Adam Horowitz, and singer: Angela Bofill were also students.
It just so happens that Leslie attended 3 colleges: Adelphi University where she was a classmate of composer/playwright/producer: Jonathan Larson, Temple University and Hunter College where she graduated. She is listed in Outstanding Young Women of America.
After college, Leslie won a NYCHA (New York City Housing Authority) acting scholarship to study at Lee Strasberg Theatre Institute. Her dedication and commitment led to further study with a scholarship from Marlo Thomas.
Upon arriving in Los Angeles, she appeared in numerous plays, most notably: The Sunshine Boys with Dick Van Patten and the late, Frank Gorshin at the Falcon Theatre. Leslie made her film debut in: What's Love Got To Do With It.
