With over 30,000 organic views, a BIFA-qualifying short, and major industry interest from the likes of Working Title, London-based filmmaker Maëlle Leggiadro is carving out a distinct space in television and film.
We sat down with Maëlle to discuss the butterfly effect, the power of bold, personal storytelling, and what lies ahead for her expanding creative slate.
What first inspired you to create Storeys Apart, and how did that initial idea develop into a mini-series?
It really started from a place of agency – I wanted to write something for my friends and myself, creating a series we could star in without waiting for anyone’s permission. Since moving to London, my personal life, health, career, and identity have been moving at lightning speed. It felt like being caught in a constant storm.
Once I realised I wasn’t the only one navigating that chaos, I became fascinated by the butterfly effect and how deeply interconnected we all are. Every action we take ripples out to affect our own futures and the lives of those around us. That concept became the heartbeat of Storeys Apart and naturally shaped its multi-POV mini-series format, with each episode re-examining a situation through a different character’s eyes.
Was there a specific moment during production when you realised you were building something truly special?
There were so many moments on set, but what really stood out was how the project fostered deep relationships and collaborations. Seeing local coffee shops and pubs open their doors to us- and watching the business owners genuinely start to care about our team and the story – was incredible. Having an idea is one thing, but bringing it to life is an entirely different beast. Getting so many people to buy into the vision and breathe life into it as a cohesive team was, by far, the most rewarding part of the process.
The series has amassed over 30,000 views completely organically. What do you think allowed it to connect so deeply with an online audience?
Aside from my 1st AD and me creating reels and social posts to boost our online presence, we had zero budget, no PR team, no massive following, and no aggressive strategy. I truly believe its success comes down to word-of-mouth and the core of the narrative itself. Storeys Apart hooks you instantly and makes you care about the characters. It aims to be deeply relatable; audiences find a piece of themselves reflected in the roles, and that emotional recognition is the true strength of the story.
You’ve garnered interest from Working Title and have several projects in development. How do you balance making deeply personal work with the commercial realities of where it might go next?
I only make work that is personal. Looking back, anytime a project “failed” or didn’t hit the desired mark, it was because I was too caught up worrying about external opinions, polishing the ideas instead of letting them be bold and disruptive.
Writing from a personal place is the only genuine way to find your audience, because a surprising number of people will always resonate with your lived experiences. My process is to write and create first, and then find the right partners and producers later – never the other way around. I don’t sit down and think, “What do Working Title or ITV want right now?” That takes the entire joy out of the craft. I just trust that my stories will find their home, and most of the time, they do.
What was the most unexpected or enjoyable part of the Storeys Apart journey?
The people and the sheer joy of it. We had an absolute blast. Just experiencing the highs and lows of the journey alongside my team was unforgettable. Spending entire days in the edit suite was also an incredibly fun, collaborative process. By the end of those long days, we’d be exhausted and completely silly, knowing every single line of the episode entirely by heart.
As a filmmaker of French and Italian heritage working in London, how have your background and identity shaped the stories you choose to tell?
Enormously. My characters are almost always multicultural. I love working with actors who have accents, and I’m drawn to authentic, layered diversity. I want to explore themes of immigration, the profound impact of building a home away from home, and the ongoing search for identity.
If you could introduce a new element or character to stir up the world of Storeys Apart, what kind of chaos could we expect?
I don’t want to give too much away since I am actively developing Season 2 and a broader IP, but I can tease a few things. Let’s just say Theodore might have a calculating, cunning brother waiting in the wings – someone who knows exactly how to stir the pot and push Nora to betray her friends. Plus, Alex’s secret work life is poised to dangerously leak into her real world.
With a shortlisted pilot and multiple series in development, what has you most excited about this current stage of your career?
I’ve laid the groundwork, and now my focus is entirely on directing and writing for television, alongside tracking toward my first feature film. I am laser-focused on my TV slates right now. I can’t wait to get behind the camera to direct these stories, collaborate with other talented writers to shape these worlds, travel more, and work alongside exciting new talent.
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