ABOUT LES CHANTERY
Les Chantery is one of the most sought-after screen acting coaches in the world today. A graduate of NIDA—the National Institute of Dramatic Art, Australia’s most prestigious training ground for actors (whose alumni include Cate Blanchett, Baz Luhrmann, and Sarah Snook)—he combines classical training with a fearless, modern approach to on-camera performance.
Les holds a Bachelor of Economics from the University of Sydney and brings a rare fusion of performance, psychology, and behavioural science to the craft of acting. His coaching draws on neuroscience, behavioural economics, and cutting-edge communication strategies, helping actors break out of old habits and deliver performances that are magnetic, undeniable, and unforgettable.
He’s the author of two #1 Amazon bestsellers:
Life in a Mid-Shot
The Dangerous Actor (released in 2025 and hit #1 across multiple categories within hours of launch)
Les’s client list includes Hollywood’s elite—he’s helped launch and reshape careers for award-winning actors starring in projects for Marvel, Netflix, Disney+, Hulu, Amazon Prime, Paramount+, HBO, and more. His work has been featured in major national magazines, media outlets, and television shows, where he’s often referred to as Hollywood’s most sought-after acting coach.
A former actor himself, Les got his start opposite Vin Diesel in the cult classic Pitch Black (2000), and has worked alongside icons such as Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, and Nicole Kidman. His clients have gone on to land roles in Euphoria, Nine Perfect Strangers, Outlander, La Brea, Thor: The Dark World, The Kissing Booth, Lion, and dozens of other acclaimed productions.
He currently teaches screen acting at NIDA and is the founder of Les Chantery Studio, a globally respected training space known for radically transforming the way actors approach auditions, self-tapes, and screen presence.
“I’m not an acting coach. I’m an actor who coaches.”
— Les Chantery
Whether you’re an emerging actor trying to break into the industry or a seasoned professional looking to evolve, Les’s approach is about one thing: making the audience—and the industry—feel like they can’t look away.
#BeBold #BeDangerous
25+
NIDA
2
#1 AMAZON BESTSELLERS
GRADUATE
YEARS COACHING
Students in
Netflix, HBO, Disney+, Marvel, Amazon, Paramount+
The Dangerous Actor®
THE FOUR FACTORS OF THE DANGEROUS ACTOR®
After graduating from NIDA and completing a Bachelor of Economics at the University of Sydney, Les became fascinated by a simple question: Why are some performances watchable while others are feelable? For more than 25 years, that question has taken him beyond traditional acting theory into the fields of neuroscience, psychology, behavioural economics, sociology, evolutionary psychology, linguistics, and communication science. Drawing on decades of scientific research, and collaborating with experts across these disciplines, Les began identifying the behavioural principles that consistently underpin memorable screen performances. The result is The Dangerous Actor®, evidence-based acting tools that integrate behavioural science with screen performance. Rather than relying solely on instinct or inspiration, the approach gives actors a practical framework for making bold, psychologically believable choices that captivate audiences, create emotional impact, and transform performances from simply watchable into truly feelable.
A Dangerous Actor must have a strong, unapologetic Point of View that informs every choice on screen. It’s not just about opinions or attitudes—it’s a deep, inner force that makes your performance stand out. Your Point of View makes you unforgettable, ensuring that you’re not just playing a role but stamping it with your own unique perspective. It gives you the edge, creating immediacy and magnetism that draws audiences in. Your Point of View is your weapon- it sets you apart and burns your DNA into every moment.
Point of View
A Dangerous Actor always Plays to Win, focusing on achieving their person’s (character’s) mission at any cost. Every choice you make should aim to achieve the character’s mission in the situation (scene). They don’t just see the conflict and express it. Instead, they seek to avoid the conflict until they can’t! Every moment their person (character) is dealing with feels like the most important thing in the world, and they’re on a mission with no room for compromise. Playing to Win makes your performance active, intentional, and driven by purpose.Originality sets a Dangerous Actor apart. It’s about making bold choices that surprise and captivate. It’s about elevating the script with a unique perspective and creating moments on screen, showing the audience something that they haven’t seen before. Dangerous actors take risks and often subvert the audience’s expectations, keeping them glued to the screen, guessing what the actor might do next. Originality is about interesting choices. That is the trademark of a Dangerous Actor. Be different, be daring, be dangerous- it’s about owning your lane.
Play to Win
Originality sets a Dangerous Actor apart. It’s about making bold choices that surprise and captivate. It’s about elevating the script with a unique perspective and creating moments on screen, showing the audience something that they haven’t seen before. Dangerous actors take risks and often subvert the audience’s expectations, keeping them glued to the screen, guessing what the actor might do next. Originality is about interesting choices. That is the trademark of a Dangerous Actor. Be different, be daring, be dangerous- it’s about owning your lane.
Originality
A Dangerous Actor creates a sense of Familiarity with the audience, the feeling that they know them. They infuse every person (character) they play with their idiosyncrasies, subtle quirks, and qualities that are unmistakably theirs. It’s about being consistently present in the part—making sure your unique energy flows through every performance. It’s about showing up unapologetically with every fiber of your own unique make-up so that they feel like they know you- even when you’re someone else on the screen!