Julia Leigh is an Australian novelist, film director, and screenwriter. Born in 1970, she is the eldest of three daughters of a doctor and a maths teacher. Initially studying law, Julia transitioned to writing and has made significant contributions to literature and film.

Her debut feature film, Sleeping Beauty, was selected to screen in official competition at the 2011 Cannes Film Festival. Julia is renowned for her two award-winning novels, The Hunter (1999) and Disquiet (2008). She has been described as a "sorceress who casts a spell of serene control while the earth quakes underfoot."

Her novel The Hunter was adapted into a 2011 feature film starring Willem Dafoe, Sam Neill, and Frances O'Connor. Additionally, she wrote the screenplay for Sleeping Beauty, marking her directorial debut in 2011.