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Leela Samson (born 6 May 1951) is a Bharatanatyam dancer, choreographer, instructor, writer and actress from India. As a soloist, she is known for her technical virtuosity and has taught Bharatanatyam at Shriram Bhartiya Kala Kendra in Delhi for many years.

She was appointed as the director of Kalakshetra by the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance in April 2005. She was subsequently also appointed as the chairperson of the Sangeet Natak Akademi in August 2010 and as the chairperson of the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) in April 2011.

She resigned from her position as director of Kalakshetra in 2012. She resigned from her position as chairperson of the CBFC after the Film Certification Appellate Tribunal overturned her attempt to ban the film MSG: The Messenger of God featuring Dera Sacha Sauda founder Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh in a lead role and gave it clearance.

She made her film acting debut in 2015 through the Tamil film, OK Kanmani directed by Mani Ratnam. She reprised her role in the film's Hindi remake, OK Jaanu (2017). She also appeared in Adithya Varma (2019) and Putham Pudhu Kaalai (2020).

Early life and training
Samson was born on 6 May 1951 in Coonoor, Tamil Nadu, daughter of Vice Admiral Benjamin Abraham Samson and Laila Samson. Her father belonged to the Jewish Bene-Israelite community from Pune, and her mother belonged to the Gujarati Roman Catholic community from Ahmedabad. Her father joined the Royal Indian Navy in 1939 and rose to command in the Indian Fleet in 1964. He also served as Commandant of the National Defence Academy in Khadakvasla between 1959 and 1962. Leela's paternal aunt Annie was the Principal of Anjum-e-Islam Muslim school for girls in Mumbai for 31 years.

When Samson was nine years of age, her father sent her to Kalakshetra to learn Indian classical dance and music under the founder, Rukmini Devi Arundale and she studied in the Besant Theosophical High School at the same time. She completed her B.A. from Sophia College for Women and this is where she was inspired to make her career in Bharatnatyam. After completing her B.A., Samson continued to learn Bharatanatyam at Kalakshetra.