About Rachel

Rachel Leyco is a queer award-winning Filipina American filmmaker, writer, actress, and activist.

Notably, she won a student Emmy at the 2013 College Television Awards, for her web series, The Sub Club. Her short films, (Maple’s Tree, Bicultural,) and web series CRAZY were official selections in film festivals around the world, including Outfest, BFI Flare: London LGBTQ+, and others. Her TV scripts have advanced as finalists in the 2018 NBC Writers on the Verge program, 2019 Sundance Episodic Lab and a finalist in the 2020 Sundance Makers Lab. Her feature film script for Violet, Violet landed her the Runner-Up award in the 2020 Script Pipeline Screenwriting Competition and more. She was named Network ISA’s Top 25 Screenwriters to Watch in 2021. Her latest rom-com feature film script, Re-Live: A Tale of an American Island Cheerleader, was selected for the 2022 GLAAD LIST x BLACK LIST, which she co-wrote with Emmy nominated actress, Rain Valdez and executive produced by Rosario Dawson. 

As an actress, Rachel started off in theatre, starring in Beauty and the Beast and A Midsummer Night's Dream, then began her TV/Film career upon moving to LA, starring in commercials (Reebok, Head & Shoulders), web series (Batman Beyond: The Series), short films (Rise, Highbrow) and indie features (Teacher of the Year). 

Rachel's TV Network credits include a Guest Star role on NBC's Chicago Fire, BET’s Games People Play as Susie Q, Netflix’s Atypical, and Peacock’s Bel-Air.

Rachel is also the founder of Empowerhouse, a digital media company that aims to elevate the culture, embrace the future, and empower storytellers through creativity and community.