John Leguizamo Biography

A multi-faceted performer and Emmy Award winner, John Leguizamo has established a career that defies categorization. With boundless energy and creativity, his work in film, theatre, television, and literature covers a variety of genres, continually threatening to create a few of its own.

Leguizamo will next be seen reprising the voice of Sid in "Ice Age 3: Dawn of the Dinosaurs". Leguizamo has consistently added depth and character to the "Ice Age" francise, in which he has starred opposite the voices of Ray Romano, Denis Leary and Queen Latifah. The first two films have grossed over $371 million dollars domestically. "Ice Age 3: Dawn of the Dinosaurs" will be released nationwide on July 1, 2009.

Leguizamo most recently starred in Overture Films' "Nothing Like the Holidays," opposite Debra Messing and Alfred Molina. The film is a heartwarming family dramedy about three siblings that return to their parent's home for the holidays in Humboldt Park on Chicago's northwest side. In addition to this, Leguizamo recently starred in the independent film "Where God Left His Shoes", in which he plays a struggling boxer desperately seeking a home for his family during the holidays.

Leguizamo's other recent film credits include "Love in the Time of Cholera" opposite Javier Bardem and Benjamin Bratt, "The Happening" opposite Mark Wahlberg, "Righteous Kill" opposite Robert Deniro and Al Pacino, "The Babysitters" opposite Cynthia Nixon, and "The Take" opposite Rosie Perez. In addition, Leguizamo has led his talents to a slew of other films including "Miracle at St. Anna," "Land of the Dead," "The Groomsmen," "Lies & Alibis," "Assault on Precinct 13," "Sueno," "Spin," "Moulin Rouge," "Summer of Sam," "King of the Jungle," "Spawn," “William Shakespeare's Romeo + Juliet,” "Dr. Doolittle", "Carlito's Way," and "Casualties of War".

For his performance as a sensitive drag queen in “Too Wong Foo: Thanks For Everything, Julie Newmar,” Leguizamo garnered a Golden Globe nomination for Best Supporting Actor. Leguizamo also picked up ALMA Award nominations for his roles in "Moulin Rouge" (Best Supporting Actor) and "King of the Jungle" (Best Lead Actor).

In the summer of 2007, Leguizamo returned to television in Spike TV's limited series "The Kill Point", in which he played the leader of a gang of bank robbers who had recently returned from serving in Iraq. Additionally, the ever versatile Leguizamo appeared as a guest star in twelve episodes of NBC's cornerstone drama "ER" during the 2005/2006 season, and in 2006 did a guest star arc on the NBC hit "My Name is Earl."

Going back to his theatrical roots, Leguizamo recently returned to Broadway in a revival of David Mamet's "American Buffalo," which centers around the twisted plot of three men attempting to steal a rare coin. Haley Joel Osment and Cedric the Entertainer co-starred alongside Leguizamo.

In 1991, Leguizamo created an off-Broadway sensation as the writer and performer of his one-man show “Mambo Mouth,” in which he portrayed seven different characters. He received Obie, Outer Critics Circle and Vanguardia awards for his performance. The play's HBO special led to his first television comedy special, Comedy Central's “The Talent Pool,” for which he received a CableACE Award.

Leguizamo's second one-man show, “Spic-O-Rama,” had an extended sold-out run in Chicago at the Goodman and Briar Street theaters before opening in New York. The play received numerous accolades including the Dramatists' Guild Hull-Warriner Award for Best American Play and the Lucille Lortel Outstanding Achievement Award for Best Broadway Performance. Leguizamo received the Theatre World Award for Outstanding New Talent, as well as a Drama Desk Award for Best Solo Performance. “Spic-O-Rama” also aired on HBO, receiving four CableACE Awards.

"Freak,” Leguizamo's third one-man show, ended a successful run on Broadway in 1998. Billed as a “Semi-Demi-Quasi-Pseudo Autobiography," “Freak” was described as “scathingly funny" (The New York Times.) Along with the Tony Award nominations for Best Play and Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Play, Leguizamo won the Drama Desk and the Outer Critic's Circle Awards for Outstanding Solo Performance. A special presentation of "Freak," directed by Spike Lee, aired on HBO and earned Leguizamo the Emmy Award for Outstanding Performance in a Variety or Music Program as well as a nomination for Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Special.

In Fall of 2001 Leguizamo returned to Broadway with "Sexaholix...a Love Story." Directed by Peter Askin, the play is based on the sold-out national tour, "John Leguizamo Live!" Leguizamo was nominated for an Outer Critics Circle Award for "Outstanding Solo Performance" and the show received a Tony nomination for Best Special Theatrical Performance. "Sexaholix" aired as an HBO Special in Spring 2002 and also toured the country. Additional stage credits include “A Midsummer Night's Dream” and “La Puta Vida” at the New York Shakespeare Festival and “Parting Gestures” at INTAR.

To add to his list of attributes, Leguizamo is also an accomplished author. He recently penned his autobiography "Pimps, Hos, Playa Hatas, and All the Rest of My Hollywood Friends," which was released by Harper Collins in October 2006. The New York Times called the book "brutally funny," while USA Today coined Leguizamo as "one of the most exciting talents to come along in some time."

Raised in New York City, Leguizamo studied acting with Lee Strasberg and Wynn Handman at New York University. He was the recipient of the 2002 ALMA Award for Entertainer of the Year. Leguizamo currently resides in New York City with his wife and his two children.