John Alberto Leguizamo Peláez (/ˌlɛɡwɪˈzɑːmoʊ/ⓘ,LEG-wih-ZAH-moh;Colombian Spanish:[leɣiˈsamo]; born July 22, 1960 or 1964)[note 1] is an American stand-up comedian, actor, and film producer. He has appeared in more than 100 films, produced more than 20 films and documentaries, made more than 30 television appearances, and has produced various television projects. He has also written and performed for theBroadway stage, receiving fourTony Award nominations forFreak in 1998,Sexaholix in 2002, andLatin History for Morons in 2018. He received aSpecial Tony Award in 2018.
Leguizamo was born inBogotá, Colombia, the son of Luz Marina Peláez and Alberto Rudolfo Leguizamo.[1] His father was once an aspiring film director and studied atCinecittà in Rome, Italy, but eventually dropped out due to lack of finances.[8]
John has Indigenous Colombian (Muisca), European (especially Iberian), and some African ancestry.[1] His paternal grandfather was a wealthy Colombian landowner, and his great-great-grandfatherHiginio Cualla [es] was Mayor of Bogotá for sixteen years in the late 1800s and is considered an important modernizer of the city.[1] Before this discovery, Leguizamo had claimed that he was Puerto Rican on his father's side, which was one of the reasons he was selected as thePuerto Rican Day Parade Global Ambassador of the Arts,[9] and marched in the parade on June 12, 2011.[10] It was determined that Leguizamo's maternal lineage includes the 16th-century Spanish conquistadorSebastián de Belalcázar, as well as Jerónimo Betuma, a 17th-centuryindigenous Colombian of noble birth.
When Leguizamo was 3 or 4 years old,[11] his family emigrated to New York City,[12] where they lived in various neighborhoods inQueens, includingJackson Heights.[13][14] He later credited growing up as one of the first Latino children in the neighborhood as formative in his acting ability: "It was tough. There were lots of fights. I would walk through a park and be attacked, and I had to defend myself all the time. But this helped me to become funny so that I wouldn't get hit." His parents divorced when he was 13, and he lived with his mother while growing up.[15][16][17][18] Leguizamo and his family constantly moved apartments inQueens, attending multiple elementary schools. Leguizamo was arrested twice as a teenager, once for jumping aturnstile at aNew York City Subway station and another time fortruancy. His family later sent him toColombia for a year where he stayed with his relatives.[19]
Leguizamo attendedJoseph Pulitzer Middle School (I.S.145) and laterMurry Bergtraum High School. As a student at Murry Bergtraum, he wrote comedy material and tested it on his classmates. He was voted "Most Talkative" by his classmates. After graduating from high school, he began his theater career as an undergraduate at NYU'sTisch School of the Arts, from which he eventually dropped out in favor of a career in stand-up comedy. Post-NYU, Leguizamo enrolled atLIU Post and atHB Studio,[20] where he took theater classes.
Leguizamo started out as a stand-up comic doing the New York nightclub circuit in 1984, and in 1988, he performed atThe Public Theater in two shows, including as Puck inA Midsummer Night's Dream in which he appeared withFisher Stevens.[21] He made his television debut in 1986 with a small part inMiami Vice. His other early roles include: a friend ofMadonna's boyfriend in her "Borderline" video (1984);Mixed Blood (1984),Casualties of War (1989). In the 1990s, he played a terrorist inDie Hard 2 (1990),Hangin' with the Homeboys (1991), the robber inRegarding Henry (1991),Super Mario Bros. (1993), andNight Owl (1993). In 1991, Leguizamo also wrote and performed in theOff-Broadway productionMambo Mouth, where he played seven different characters.Mambo Mouth won anObie Award and an Outer Critics Award. He was listed as one of 12 "Promising New Actors of 1991" in "John Willis' Screen Worlds Vol. 43".
Leguizamo in 2008
In 1992, he starred inWhispers in the Dark as John Castillo. In 1993, Leguizamo portrayedLuigi in the filmSuper Mario Bros., based on theMario video game franchise. Despite being considered a critical and financial failure universally, the film was considered to be hisbreakthrough role, allowing him to appear in more successful comedic roles in the following years. That same year, he had a prominent role inBrian De Palma'sCarlito's Way as Carlito Brigante's nemesis, "Benny Blanco from the Bronx," which also boosted his career in serious roles. In 1993, Leguizamo wrote and performed inSpic-O-Rama, where he made fun of the stereotyping of Latinos in the United States. The production won aDrama Desk Award and fourCable ACE Awards. BothMambo Mouth andSpic-O-Rama were later filmed for presentation onHBO.
In 2000, Leguizamo portrayed bothGenies inArabian Nights, a TV mini-series adaptation of the epicOne Thousand and One Nights. In 2001, RCA/BMG Records releasedJohn Leguizamo LIVE, a CD compilation of Leguizamo's stage routines. Among the bits are a primer Leguizamo gives on the history and culture of Latinos in America, which with the dubious tale of the mating of an Inca princess with a Spanish conquistador, thus creating the original dysfunctional Latin family, each member of which is voiced by Leguizamo. The CD also includes a musical intermission, with two salsa/hip-hop tunes, "The Night Before Christmas" and "Gotta Get Some", and footage from Leguizamo's tours and two interactive games, "Spanish Fly Pick-Up Line".
In 2004, he guest-starred onDora the Explorer as Captain Pirate Piggy. During the 2005–06 television season, Leguizamo joined the cast of the showER, playing the emotionally disturbed Dr.Victor Clemente, a new attending who is keen on introducing the staff of County General to better ways of treating patients and cutting-edge technology. Clemente, however, was plagued with personal problems and was fired from the hospital near the end of the season. Dr. Clemente's departure from the show was a blessing for Leguizamo. He revealed toCraveOnline that he was not happy working on the television program. "I was depressed doingER," he admitted, "I started gaining weight, I was eating doughnuts, I started smoking again. I'm eating McDonald's, things that I know when I'm depressed I do. I tried to kill myself internally."[23]
In 2006, Leguizamo starred in the television pilot forEdison, a 2006CBS drama about a Los Angeles detective (played by Leguizamo) who relied on impersonations and disguises to solve crimes. Other cast members includedCurrie Graham and Deidrie Henry.Kevin Rodney Sullivan directed from a script by Ron Milbauer and Terri Hughes. Leguizamo andDavid Hoberman also served as executive producers. In October 2006, Leguizamo's memoir,Pimps, Hos, Playa Hatas and All the Rest of My Hollywood Friends: My Life, was released. During an interview onLate Night with Conan O'Brien, he stated that his memoir was very candid about experiences involving other celebrities he had worked with. He stated that working withArnold Schwarzenegger onCollateral Damage (2002) was one of the most enjoyable experiences he'd had as an actor, that Schwarzenegger's accent let him say things that others would think weresexist orhomophobic if said by someone else, and thatSteven Seagal was an egotist withdiva tendencies.[24]
In 2007, he played Michael Beltran in the movieThe Babysitters. In 2008, he co-starred in the movieThe Happening, written and directed byM. Night Shyamalan.[25] In July 2007,Spike TV aired its drama seriesThe Kill Point, which starred Leguizamo,Donnie Wahlberg, andMichael Hyatt. The show was an eight-part series revolving around ex-war veterans whose bank robbery went wrong, thus ending in a hostage situation. Despite high ratings,The Kill Point was not renewed for a second season. A year later, Leguizamo guest-starred onSesame Street as Captain Vegetable, who tells Elmo to eat his vegetables.
In 2010, Leguizamo also guest-starred onThe Electric Company as himself, rhyming about commas and quotation marks. In June 2010, Leguizamo opened his semi-autobiographical one-man theater show,Klass Klown (later renamedGhetto Klown), based on his memoirPimps, Hos, Playa Hatas, and All the Rest of My Hollywood Friends: My Life. After the show had run at various theaters in the United States, and Leguizamo had performed an "unplugged" version of it under the titleJohn Leguizamo Warms Up at a Chicago theater, it opened on Broadway in March 2011 at theLyceum Theatre.[26][27][28][29] The show, about Leguizamo's path from obscurity to stardom, opened to many positive reviews and was extended through July 10, 2011. A CD of the show was released. In 2011, Leguizamo received theOuter Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Solo Performance,[30] and the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Solo Performance for his performance in the show.[31] In September 2011, Leguizamo began an international tour ofGhetto Klown in Los Angeles.[32] On July 13, 2012,PBS debutedTales From a Ghetto Klown, a documentary about Leguizamo's life and the show's development. On November 16, 2013, John tapedGhetto Klown at The New Jersey Performing Arts Center in Newark, NJ for HBO.[33]
In 2015, Abrams ComicArts published thegraphic novel adaptation of Leguizamo's one-man Broadway show,Ghetto Klown. As with the live show, the graphic novel explores the actor/comedian's life and career, beginning with his adolescence inQueens, New York, his involvement in 1980savant-garde theater, his feature film career, and some of the colorful characters he encountered throughout his life. Leguizamo describes the work:
"Ghetto Klown is the history that I probably never should have told anyone but my therapist, but it's a real lesson that even if you suffer a certain amount (a lot) of self-doubt and anxiety, you can still accomplish great things. It's a lesson I'm really excited to impart to a whole new audience."
The comic is illustrated by Christa Cassano.[37] In 2016, Leguizamo played the role of Ozzy Delvecchio in the second season of theNetflix original seriesBloodline. Also in 2016, he produced the Q Brothers'Othello: The Remix at off-Broadway's Westside Theatre.[38]
In 2017, Leguizamo sang on "Almost Like Praying", a charitable song written and composed byLin-Manuel Miranda. Proceeds from the song went to theHispanic Federation to assist relief efforts for those in Puerto Rico who were affected byHurricane Maria.[39] Also in 2017, he debutedLatin History for Morons,[40] a show about the participation of Latin Americans throughout US history. The show premiered at thePublic Theater before moving toStudio 54.Latin History for Morons was nominated for the 2018Tony Award for Best Play.[41] That year, he also was presented with aSpecial Tony Award for his body of work and for his commitment to bringing diverse stories and audiences to Broadway for three decades.[42] In January 2018, Leguizamo was announced as the host of the 63rdObie Awards held in May 2018 atTerminal 5.[43]
In 2018, Leguizamo played undercover ATF agent Jacob Vazquez in theParamount Network miniseriesWaco. The following year, Leguizamo played Raymond Santana's father Raymond Santana Sr. in the Netflix miniseriesWhen They See Us. Leguizamo wrote the original musicalKiss My Aztec, with book by Leguizamo and directorTony Taccone, music byBenjamin Velez, and lyrics by Velez, Leguizamo, and David Kamp. It was developed at thePublic Theater in 2018 and premiered atBerkeley Repertory Theater andLa Jolla Playhouse in 2019, where it received critical acclaim.[44][45][46][47][48][49] Leguizamo also receivedSmithsonian Magazine's 2018 American Ingenuity Award in the History category.[50]
Leguizamo is the host of the PBS series,American Historia: The Untold History of Latinos, which premiered September 27, 2024.[58] Leguizamo played Nelson Castro in the playThe Other Americans, which ran from September 11, 2025, to October 19, 2025, atThe Public Theater.[59]
Leguizamo credits production forRomeo and Juliet for getting into fitness includingweight lifting. He is an avid tennis player who also does dance sessions.[70]
In 2004, Leguizamo was one of the celebrity supporters ofVoto Latino, co-founded byRosario Dawson.[75] In 2012, he co-founded NGL (Next-Generation Latinx) Collective to create content for Latinx audiences.[76] Backed by GoDigital Media Group, in 2022 NGL merged with mitú "to create the largest digital-first "Latinx powerhouse" in the US."[77] Leguizamo has also been heralded as a preservationist for the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation.[78]
Leguizamo has also been an activist directly through his artistic work. In 2017, he openedLatin History for Morons at The Public, and it later went to Broadway. Netflix filmed it in 2018, advocating that "teaching Latin history is the first step toward conquering prejudice."[81] In 2020, Leguizamo's directorial debut,Critical Thinking, was released. He starred in the biographical drama set in 1998 about an inner-city teacher and students who compete in the US National Chess Championship.[82] He said that he wanted to, "create a universal message of hope and spread this message to the world."[83] In 2022, he performedGhetto Klown "at Rikers Island Correctional Facility for an audience of justice-involved young men."[84]
Leguizamo is an outspoken critic ofHollywood's whitewashing in the casting of movies. In 2022, he spoke out against the casting ofJames Franco to portrayFidel Castro in the upcoming filmAlina of Cuba: La Hija Rebelde, stating "I don't got a prob with Franco but he ain't Latino!"[85] In a 2023 interview withTMZ, Leguizamo, who previously starred in the 1993Super Mario Bros film, criticizedThe Super Mario Bros. Movie for having actorsChris Pratt andCharlie Day voice the Italian-AmericanMario andLuigi, saying "No I will not [be watching]. They could've included a Latin character, like I was groundbreaking and then they stopped the groundbreaking. They messed up the inclusion. They dis-included. Just cast some Latin folk! We're 20% of the population. The largest people of color group and we are underrepresented."[86]
Leguizamo is an advocate forLGBTQ+ rights. In 2023, he, alongside other figures, appeared in a video produced byTeen Vogue and online magazineThem calledDear Trans Youth affirming his support fortransgender youth.[87]
^abThere are conflicting sources regarding Leguizamo's birth year. While sources prior toFinding Your Roots airing state his age as having been born on July 22, 1964,[2] the episode ofFinding Your Roots in which he appears briefly shows a family tree which states a birth date of July 22, 1960.[1]13:00
^Zook, Kristal Brent (July 19, 2001)."Comedy That Hits Close to Home".The Washington Post. RetrievedOctober 18, 2021.Born in Bogota, Colombia, to a Puerto Rican father and a Colombian mother of Indian ancestry, Leguizamo was raised in the multiethnic Jackson Heights neighborhood of Queens.
Harvey Fierstein / Marco Paguia, David Oquendo, Renesito Avich, Gustavo Schartz, Javier Días, Román Diaz, Mauricio Herrera, Jesus Ricardo, Eddie Venegas, Hery Paz, and Leonardo Reyna / Jamie Harrison, Chris Fisher, Gary Beestone, and Edward Pierce (2025)
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