TF.ORG - The Films - movies download portal

John Leguizamo

Birth date: 22.04.1964

Fast-talking and feisty-looking John Leguizamo has continued to impress movie audiences with his versatility: he can play sensitive and naïve young men, such as Johnny in Hangin' with the Homeboys (1991); cold-blooded killers like Benny Blanco, gunning down reformed gangster Al Pacino in Carlito's Way (1993); a heroic Navy SEAL, stopping aerial terrorists in Executive Decision (1996); and drag queen Chi-Chi Rodriguez in To Wong Foo Thanks for Everything, Julie Newmar (1995). Arguably, not since ill-fated actor and comedian Freddie Prinze starred in the smash TV series "Chico and the Man" (1974) has a youthful Latino personality had such a powerful impact on critics and fans alike. Born July 22, 1964, in Bogotá, Colombia, Leguizamo was four when his family emigrated to the United States. He was raised in Queens, New York, attended New York University and studied under legendary acting coach Lee Strasberg for only one day before Strasberg passed away. The extroverted Leguizamo started working the comedy club circuit in New York and first appeared in front of the cameras in an episode of "Miami Vice" (1984). His first film appearance was a small part in Mixed Blood (1985), and he had minor roles in Casualties of War (1989) and Die Hard 2 (1990) before playing a liquor store thief who shoots Harrison Ford in Regarding Henry (1991). His career really started to soar after his first-rate performance in the independent film Hangin' with the Homeboys (1991) as a nervous young teenager from the Bronx out for a night in brightly lit Manhattan with his buddies, facing the career choice of staying in a supermarket or heading off to college and finding out that the girl he loves from afar isn't quite what he thought she was. The year 1991 was also memorable for other reasons, as he hit the stage with his show Mambo Mouth (1991) (TV), in which he portrayed seven different Latino characters. The witty and incisive show was a smash hit and won the Obie and Outer Circle Critics Award, and later was filmed for HBO, where it picked up a CableACE Award. He returned to the stage two years later with another satirical production poking fun at Latino stereotypes titled Spic-O-Rama (1993) (TV). It played in Chicago and New York, and won the Drama Desk Award and four CableACE Awards. In 1995 he created and starred in the short-lived TV series "House of Buggin'" (1995), an all-Latino-cast comedy variety show featuring hilarious sketches and comedic routines. The show scored two Emmy nominations and received positive reviews from critics, but it was canceled after only one season. The gifted Leguizamo was still keeping busy in films, with key appearances in Super Mario Bros. (1993), Romeo + Juliet (1996) and Spawn (1997). In 1998 he made his Broadway debut in Freak (1998) (TV), a "demi-semi-quasi-pseudo-autobiographical" one-man show, which was filmed for HBO by Spike Lee. Utilizing his distinctive vocal talents, he next voiced a pesky rat in Doctor Dolittle (1998) before appearing in the dynamic Spike Lee-directed Summer of Sam (1999) as a guilt-ridden womanizer, as the Genie of The Lamp in the exciting Arabian Nights (2000) (TV) and as Henri de Toulouse Lautrec in the visually spectacular Moulin Rouge! (2001). He also voiced Sid in the animated Ice Age (2002), co-starred alongside Arnold Schwarzenegger in Collateral Damage (2002) and directed and starred in the boxing film Undefeated (2003) (TV). Afterward, Leguizamo starred in the remake of the John Carpenter hit Assault on Precinct 13 (2005) and George A. Romero's long-awaited fourth "Dead" film, Land of the Dead (2005). There can be no doubt that the remarkably talented Leguizamo has been a breakthrough performer for the Latino community in mainstream Hollywood, in much the same way that Sidney Poitier crashed through celluloid barriers for African-Americans in the early 1960s. Among his many strengths lies his ability to not take his ethnic background too seriously but also to take pride in his Latino heritage. He has opened many doors for his countrymen. A masterly and accomplished performer, movie audiences await Leguizamo's next exciting performance.

Wallpapers: available

Filmography

# Tlatelolco: Mexico 68 (2007) .... Frankie # "The Kill Pit" (1 episode, 2007) - Pilot (2007) TV Episode # Paraiso Travel (2006) .... Roger Pena # The Ministers (2007) .... Dante Mendoza/Perfecto Mendoza # Love in the Time of Cholera (2007) .... Lorenzo Daza # The Babysitters (2007) .... Michael Beltran # The Take (2007) .... Felix De La Pena # Where God Left His Shoes (2006) .... Frank Diaz # "My Name Is Earl" .... Diego, Catalina's Uncle (1 episode, 2006) - South of the Border: Part Uno (2006) TV Episode .... Diego, Catalina's Uncle # The Groomsmen (2006) .... T.C. # "ER" .... Dr. Victor Clemente (12 episodes, 2005-2006) - The Gallant Hero & the Tragic Victor (2006) TV Episode .... Dr. Victor Clemente - No Place to Hide (2006) TV Episode .... Dr. Victor Clemente - Lost in America (2006) TV Episode .... Dr. Victor Clemente - Darfur (2006) TV Episode .... Dr. Victor Clemente - Quintessence of Dust (2006) TV Episode .... Dr. Victor Clemente (7 more) # Ice Age 2: The Meltdown (2006) (VG) (voice) .... Sid # Ice Age: The Meltdown (2006) (voice) .... Sid ... aka Ice Age 2 (Singapore: English title) (USA: working title) ... aka Ice Age: The Meltdown (UK) # The Alibi (2006) .... Hannibal ... aka Lies & Alibis (USA) ... aka Lies and Alibis (USA) # A.K.A. (2006) (TV) .... Sean Edison # Sueño (2005) .... Antonio # Land of the Dead (2005) .... Cholo ... aka George A. Romero's Land of the Dead (USA: complete title) ... aka Land of the Dead - Le territoire des morts (France) ... aka Terre des morts, La (Canada: French title) # The Honeymooners (2005) .... Dodge # Assault on Precinct 13 (2005) .... Beck ... aka Assaut sur le central 13 (France) # Untitled David Diamond/David Weissman Project (2005) (TV) # Crónicas (2004) .... Manolo Bonilla ... aka Chronicles (International: English title) # "Dora the Explorer" .... Silly Mail Bird (1 episode, 2004) - The Super Silly Fiesta (2004) TV Episode .... Silly Mail Bird # Undefeated (2003) (TV) .... Lex Vargas # "The Brothers Garcia" .... Narrator (1 episode, 2003) - New Tunes (2003) TV Episode (voice) .... Narrator # Rayman 3: Hoodlum Havoc (2003) (VG) (voice) .... Globox # Spun (2002) .... Spider Mike # Point of Origin (2002) (TV) .... Keith Lang ... aka In the Heat of Fire (Europe: English title: DVD title) # Ice Age (2002) (voice) .... Sid # ZigZag (2002) .... Singer # Collateral Damage (2002) .... Felix Ramirez # Empire (2002) .... Victor Rosa # What's the Worst That Could Happen? (2001) .... Berger # Moulin Rouge! (2001) .... Toulouse-Lautrec # King of the Jungle (2000) .... Seymour # Titan A.E. (2000) (voice) .... Gune ... aka Titan: After Earth (USA: promotional title) # Arabian Nights (2000) (TV) .... Genie of the Lamp/Genie of the Ring # Summer of Sam (1999) .... Vinny # Joe the King (1999) .... Jorge ... aka Joe Henry (USA) # Doctor Dolittle (1998) (voice) .... Rat #2 # Body Count (1998) .... Chino # Frogs for Snakes (1998) .... Zip # Spawn (1997) .... Clown/Violator # A Brother's Kiss (1997) .... Lefty Louie # The Pest (1997) .... Pestario 'Pest' Vargas # Romeo + Juliet (1996) .... Tybalt ... aka Romeo and Juliet ... aka William Shakespeare's Romeo + Juliet (USA: complete title) # The Fan (1996) .... Manny # Executive Decision (1996) .... Captain Rat # To Wong Foo Thanks for Everything, Julie Newmar (1995) .... Chi-Chi Rodriguez # A Pyromaniac's Love Story (1995) .... Sergio # Carlito's Way (1993) .... Benny Blanco (from the Bronx) # Super Mario Bros. (1993) .... Luigi Mario # Night Owl (1993) .... Angel ... aka Nite Owl (USA: DVD box title) # Time Expired (1992) .... Ruby # Whispers in the Dark (1992) .... John Castillo # Puerto Rican Mambo (Not a Musical) (1992) .... Guess my nationality guy # N.Y.P.D. Mounted (1991) (TV) ... aka N.Y. Mounted (UK) # Regarding Henry (1991) .... Liquor Store Gunman # Out for Justice (1991) .... Boy in Alley # Hangin' with the Homeboys (1991) .... Johnny # Words in Your Face (1991) (TV) .... Self # Poison (1991) (as Damien Garcia) .... Chanchi # Madonna: The Immaculate Collection (1990) (V) .... Friend of Boyfriend (segment "Borderline") # That Burning Question (1990) # Die Hard 2 (1990) .... Burke ... aka Die Hard 2: Die Harder (Philippines: English title) (UK: promotional title) (USA: video box title) # Revenge (1990/I) .... Ignacio, Amador's Cousin # Street Hunter (1990) .... Angel # Gentille alouette (1990) .... Ortiz # Casualties of War (1989) .... PFC. Antonio Diaz # "Miami Vice" .... Ivan Calderone / ... (3 episodes, 1986-1989) - Victims of Circumstance (1989) TV Episode .... Angelo Alvarez - The Afternoon Plane (1987) TV Episode .... Ivan Calderone - Sons and Lovers (1986) TV Episode .... Ivan Calderone # Mixed Blood (1985) .... Macetero ... aka Cocaïne (France) # Madonna (1984) (V) .... Friend of Boyfriend