Amazon Studios' Lead Creative Producer Mercedes LeAnza dies at 40

Amazon Studios just lost their popular lead producer – Mercedes LeAnza at the young age of 40. With it, the world lost another multi-talented woman to cancer on the 10th of April 2022. Her LinkedIn profile just spells out the creativity and talent this wonderful life was able to achieve while she breathed.

Acting it seems was in her veins. She is well known for the feature film “The Accidental Death of Joey by Sue” where she played the role of Sue. Apart from that “Ash Global” is another TV series that she would be remembered for producing and starring in. She had “Do What You Love” as her work-life motto, and she did exactly that with elan.

Born in Trinidad and Tobago to parents Sandra LeAnza and Glen LeAnza, Mercedes’ family relocated to Los Angeles at a tender age, after her parents' divorce. She completed her education at Aragon High School and Loyola Marymount University with a BA in Theater Arts. Later she joined as a receptionist at Encore VFX in Hollywood.


It was there she got her first-hand experience of liaising with actors, scriptwriters, producers, etc. Being a talented actress with a degree in Theater Art helped her to be in the limelight. She began her own production house called Stella Bella Productions and made many a film for Netflix, IndieFlix, and Sundance Channel Global.

After that, she became a popular actress registered with SAG-AFTRA, the Screen Actors Guild of America. Her passion for producing never ceased however and she continued to contribute as a freelancer. She was picked up by Amazon as a creative producer in December 2018 and has worked tirelessly since then. She contributed to many aspects of filmmaking from the inception to the culmination stage.

She has been rated as one of the best on-time producers who could create a film within a specified budget. “Hunters” starring Al Pacino and produced by Amazon Studios is what the world and especially Hollywood will remember Mercedes for.

Mercedes leaves behind her devoted husband Sonny Michael Olivera, and her 3 sons, Kai, CJ and Jax. A memorial is planned for the 15th of May for her friends and close relatives.