Rileigh McDonald is a stage, television, film and voice actor who began their professional career at the age of seven. In 2015, Rileigh made their Broadway debut in the title role of Matilda in The Royal Shakespeare Company’s Tony-award-winning production of Matilda the Musical. In 2018, they made their Off-Broadway debut in The New Group’s NYC premiere of the David Rabe play, Good for Otto, performing alongside industry greats Ed Harris, Amy Madigan, F. Murray Abraham, Lily Gladstone and Rhea Perlman. Rileigh has since appeared in numerous film and television roles, including a recurring role in USA Network’s, The Sinner, Marvel’s Jessica Jones, ABC’s Schooled, NBC’s Law & Order: SVU and HBO’s High Maintenance. Rileigh is a 2026 graduate of the renowned CalArts School of Theater and is a proud member of SAG and Actor’s Equity. They live in Los Angeles, California.

As a coach, Rileigh says, “ I do not tell an actor how to approach a character or a scene. Instead, I ask pointed questions to get them to think about their choices and help them arrive at their own ideas or conclusions. If it doesn’t come from within them, then it won’t be authentic. Coaching should not just prepare a student for that particular audition or scene, it should help them build their own toolkit they can use throughout their career.”

They add, “I teach students to crave feedback instead of being anxious or upset about it. Whether it’s from a coach, teacher or director, feedback is how we elevate our skills.”