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John Leguizamo

Colombian Actor & Comedian

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John Leguizamo Biography

John Leguizamo is an actor, stand-up comedian, producer, playwright and screenwriter. He rose to fame with a co-starring role in the action comedy Super Mario Bros. as Luigi and a supporting role in the crime drama Carlito's Way.

Born in Bogota, Colombia, on July 22, 1964, Leguizamo immigrated to the United States with his family at the age of four. Deciding that he wanted to go into acting, he studied the craft at New York University and with the legendary Lee Strasberg for one day before Strasberg died. Of his teacher's unexpected departure, Leguizamo later quipped, "I have that effect on people."

Leguizamo began his career as a standup comedian in various New York clubs, and debuted on television with a 1986 turn on Miami Vice. His film debut followed in 1989 with a small role in De Palma's Casualties of War. In 1991, he appeared in similarly incidental roles in a number of movies, including Die Hard 2 and Regarding Henry, which cast him as the gunman who shoots Harrison Ford in the head.

The same year, however, his career advanced, thanks to both a starring role in Hangin' With the Homeboys and Mambo Mouth. This successful production, in which Leguizamo portrayed seven different Latino characters, played to sold-out theaters and won its star and writer Obie and Outer Critics Circle Awards. It was later shown on HBO, where it won a CableACE award.

Two years later, Leguizamo returned to the stage, this time with Spic-O-Rama. Another one-man show, it enjoyed a sold-out run in Chicago before relocating to New York, where it won its creator a Drama Desk Award and, when it aired on HBO, four CableACE Awards. That same year, Leguizamo also kept busy in film: A second outing with De Palma, Carlito's Way, resulted in acclaim for his performance as "Benny Blanco from the Bronx," a young punk who brings out the worst in a trying-to-mend-his-ways Al Pacino.

The actor then netted additional recognition for his first starring role in a major film, Super Mario Bros. In 1995, Leguizamo created and starred in House of Buggin', a TV comedy-variety show in the style of Fox's In Living Color that was the first show of its kind to feature an all-Latino cast. Despite a number of positive reviews and two Emmy nominations, the show was canceled after a relatively brief run. Meanwhile, Leguizamo's film work was winning him greater recognition: His turn as the flamboyantly trashy Chi Chi Rodriguez in &To Wong Foo: Thanks for Everything,* Julie Newmar netted him a Golden Globe nomination.

Leguizamo continued on a prolific bent, starring in Pest and William Shakespeare's Romeo + Juliet in 1996 and making additional appearances in such films as The Fan (1996), Spawn (1997), and Dr. Dolittle (1998), in which he was cast as the voice of a rat. Leguizamo also voiced the character Sid the Sloth in the Ice Age films from 2002 through 2016. However, he received his most favorable notices for his continuing stage work, as he made his Broadway debut in 1998 with "Freak," a "demi-semi-quasi-pseudo-autobiographical" one-man show directed by Pest co-creator David Bar Katz.

The show was a critical and commercial success, and it won an Emmy when it was shown on TV later that year. In 1999, Leguizamo took on a very different role for Spike Lee's Summer of Sam. Playing a womanizer racked with Catholic guilt for cheating on his wife (Mira Sorvino), Leguizamo combined humor and pathos in his characterization of a deeply conflicted man. 1999 also saw Leguizamo branch out into producing, serving as executive producer (and star) of Frank Whaley's directorial debut, Joe the King. Also starring Ethan Hawke, Camryn Manheim, and Val Kilmer, the crime-drama premiered at the 1999 Sundance Film Festival, where it won a screenwriting award.

His most recent performance is "Latin History for Morons," a Broadway show so successful it has gone on tour and was recorded for Netflix. He goes into a humorous and insightful recounting of Latin history as a way to help his bullied son.

In October 2006, Leguizamo's memoir, "Pimps, Hos, Playa Hatas and All the Rest of My Hollywood Friends: My Life," was released. In October 2015, Abrams ComicArts published the graphic 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 in Queens, New York.

Videos
Books
The Works of John Leguizamo: Freak, Spic-o-rama, Mambo Mouth, and Sexaholix

The Works of John Leguizamo: Freak, Spic-o-rama, Mambo Mouth, and Sexaholix

Pimps, Hos, Playa Hatas, and All the Rest of My Hollywood Friends: My Life

Pimps, Hos, Playa Hatas, and All the Rest of My Hollywood Friends: My Life

Freak

Freak

Mambo Mouth

Mambo Mouth

News
FAQs
  • HOW TO BOOK John Leguizamo?

    Our booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure talent like John Leguizamo for both live and virtual events for over 15 years. The team at All American Entertainment represents and listens to the needs of organizations and corporations seeking to hire keynote speakers, celebrities or entertainers for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment. Fill out a booking request form for John Leguizamo, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get pricing information and check availability for John Leguizamo or any other celebrity of your choice.
  • HOW MUCH DOES IT COST TO BOOK John Leguizamo?

    Speaking fees for John Leguizamo, or any other keynote speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The amount that John Leguizamo charges to speak often varies according to the circumstances, including their schedule, market conditions, length of presentation, and the location of the event. The speaker fees listed on this website are intended to serve as a guideline only. In some cases, the actual quote may be above or below the stated range. For the most current fee to hire John Leguizamo, please fill out the booking request form or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak with an experienced booking agent.
  • WHO IS THE AGENT FOR John Leguizamo?

    All American Entertainment has successfully secured celebrity talent like John Leguizamo for clients worldwide for more than 15 years. As a full-service talent booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Fill out the booking request form or call our office at 1.800.698.2536, and one of our agents will assist you to book John Leguizamo for your next private or corporate function.
  • WHAT IS A FULL-SERVICE TALENT BOOKING AGENCY?

    All American Speakers is a "buyers agent" and exclusively represents talent buyers, meeting planners and event professionals, who are looking to secure celebrities and speakers for personal appearances, speaking engagements, corporate entertainment, public relations campaigns, commercials, or endorsements. We do not exclusively represent John Leguizamo or claim ourselves as the exclusive booking agency, business manager, publicist, speakers bureau or management for John Leguizamo or any other speaker or celebrity on this website. For more information on how we work and what makes us unique, please read the AAE Advantage.
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This website is a resource for event professionals and strives to provide the most comprehensive catalog of thought leaders and industry experts to consider for speaking engagements. A listing or profile on this website does not imply an agency affiliation or endorsement by the talent.

All American Entertainment (AAE) exclusively represents the interests of talent buyers, and does not claim to be the agency or management for any speaker or artist on this site. AAE is a talent booking agency for paid events only. We do not handle requests for donation of time or media requests for interviews, and cannot provide celebrity contact information.

If you are the talent and wish to request a profile update or removal from our online directory, please submit a profile request form.

Colombian Actor & Comedian

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New York, NY, USA
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John Leguizamo Biography

John Leguizamo is an actor, stand-up comedian, producer, playwright and screenwriter. He rose to fame with a co-starring role in the action comedy Super Mario Bros. as Luigi and a supporting role in the crime drama Carlito's Way.

Born in Bogota, Colombia, on July 22, 1964, Leguizamo immigrated to the United States with his family at the age of four. Deciding that he wanted to go into acting, he studied the craft at New York University and with the legendary Lee Strasberg for one day before Strasberg died. Of his teacher's unexpected departure, Leguizamo later quipped, "I have that effect on people."

Leguizamo began his career as a standup comedian in various New York clubs, and debuted on television with a 1986 turn on Miami Vice. His film debut followed in 1989 with a small role in De Palma's Casualties of War. In 1991, he appeared in similarly incidental roles in a number of movies, including Die Hard 2 and Regarding Henry, which cast him as the gunman who shoots Harrison Ford in the head.

The same year, however, his career advanced, thanks to both a starring role in Hangin' With the Homeboys and Mambo Mouth. This successful production, in which Leguizamo portrayed seven different Latino characters, played to sold-out theaters and won its star and writer Obie and Outer Critics Circle Awards. It was later shown on HBO, where it won a CableACE award.

Two years later, Leguizamo returned to the stage, this time with Spic-O-Rama. Another one-man show, it enjoyed a sold-out run in Chicago before relocating to New York, where it won its creator a Drama Desk Award and, when it aired on HBO, four CableACE Awards. That same year, Leguizamo also kept busy in film: A second outing with De Palma, Carlito's Way, resulted in acclaim for his performance as "Benny Blanco from the Bronx," a young punk who brings out the worst in a trying-to-mend-his-ways Al Pacino.

The actor then netted additional recognition for his first starring role in a major film, Super Mario Bros. In 1995, Leguizamo created and starred in House of Buggin', a TV comedy-variety show in the style of Fox's In Living Color that was the first show of its kind to feature an all-Latino cast. Despite a number of positive reviews and two Emmy nominations, the show was canceled after a relatively brief run. Meanwhile, Leguizamo's film work was winning him greater recognition: His turn as the flamboyantly trashy Chi Chi Rodriguez in &To Wong Foo: Thanks for Everything,* Julie Newmar netted him a Golden Globe nomination.

Leguizamo continued on a prolific bent, starring in Pest and William Shakespeare's Romeo + Juliet in 1996 and making additional appearances in such films as The Fan (1996), Spawn (1997), and Dr. Dolittle (1998), in which he was cast as the voice of a rat. Leguizamo also voiced the character Sid the Sloth in the Ice Age films from 2002 through 2016. However, he received his most favorable notices for his continuing stage work, as he made his Broadway debut in 1998 with "Freak," a "demi-semi-quasi-pseudo-autobiographical" one-man show directed by Pest co-creator David Bar Katz.

The show was a critical and commercial success, and it won an Emmy when it was shown on TV later that year. In 1999, Leguizamo took on a very different role for Spike Lee's Summer of Sam. Playing a womanizer racked with Catholic guilt for cheating on his wife (Mira Sorvino), Leguizamo combined humor and pathos in his characterization of a deeply conflicted man. 1999 also saw Leguizamo branch out into producing, serving as executive producer (and star) of Frank Whaley's directorial debut, Joe the King. Also starring Ethan Hawke, Camryn Manheim, and Val Kilmer, the crime-drama premiered at the 1999 Sundance Film Festival, where it won a screenwriting award.

His most recent performance is "Latin History for Morons," a Broadway show so successful it has gone on tour and was recorded for Netflix. He goes into a humorous and insightful recounting of Latin history as a way to help his bullied son.

In October 2006, Leguizamo's memoir, "Pimps, Hos, Playa Hatas and All the Rest of My Hollywood Friends: My Life," was released. In October 2015, Abrams ComicArts published the graphic 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 in Queens, New York.

John Leguizamo Videos

  • John Leguizamo's Latin History For Morons | Official Trailer [HD] | Netflix
    John Leguizamo won't rest until every moron becomes less of a moron. Latin History for Morons comes to Netflix November 5th. Follow NETFLIX IS A...
  • John Leguizamo Teaches 'Latin History For Morons'
    Actor John Leguizamo found out during the research for his play 'Latin History for Morons' how little he really knew about his heritage. Subscribe...

John Leguizamo Books

Speaker Lists Featuring John Leguizamo

FAQs on booking John Leguizamo

  • How to book John Leguizamo?

    Our booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure talent like John Leguizamo for both live and virtual events for over 20 years. The team at All American Entertainment represents and listens to the needs of organizations and corporations seeking to hire keynote speakers, celebrities or entertainers for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment. Fill out a booking request form for John Leguizamo, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get pricing information and check availability for John Leguizamo or any other celebrity of your choice.
  • How much does it cost to book John Leguizamo?

    Speaking fees for John Leguizamo, or any other keynote speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The amount that John Leguizamo charges to speak often varies according to the circumstances, including their schedule, market conditions, length of presentation, and the location of the event. The speaker fees listed on this website are intended to serve as a guideline only. In some cases, the actual quote may be above or below the stated range. For the most current fee to hire John Leguizamo, please fill out the booking request form or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak with an experienced booking agent.
  • Who is the agent for John Leguizamo?

    All American Entertainment has successfully secured celebrity talent like John Leguizamo for clients worldwide for more than 20 years. As a full-service talent booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Fill out the booking request form or call our office at 1.800.698.2536, and one of our agents will assist you to book John Leguizamo for your next private or corporate function.
  • What is a full-service talent booking agency?

    All American Speakers is a "buyers agent" and exclusively represents talent buyers, meeting planners and event professionals, who are looking to secure celebrities and speakers for personal appearances, speaking engagements, corporate entertainment, public relations campaigns, commercials, or endorsements. We do not exclusively represent John Leguizamo or claim ourselves as the exclusive booking agency, business manager, publicist, speakers bureau or management for John Leguizamo or any other speaker or celebrity on this website. For more information on how we work and what makes us unique, please read the AAE Advantage.

John Leguizamo is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics . The estimated speaking fee range to book John Leguizamo for your event is $100,000 - $200,000. John Leguizamo generally travels from New York, NY, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are Diane Guerrero, Danny Trejo, José M. Hernández, J.R. Martinez and Oscar Nunez. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling John Leguizamo for an upcoming live or virtual event.

John Leguizamo Speaker Videos

  • John Leguizamo's Latin History For Morons | Official Trailer [HD] | Netflix
    John Leguizamo won't rest until every moron becomes less of a moron. Latin History for Morons comes to Netflix November 5th. Follow NETFLIX IS A JOKE: Facebook:...
    John Leguizamo Teaches 'Latin History For Morons'
    Actor John Leguizamo found out during the research for his play 'Latin History for Morons' how little he really knew about his heritage. Subscribe To "The Late Show" Channel HERE:...

John Leguizamo News

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Speakers Similar to John Leguizamo

This website is a resource for event professionals and strives to provide the most comprehensive catalog of thought leaders and industry experts to consider for speaking engagements. A listing or profile on this website does not imply an agency affiliation or endorsement by the talent.

All American Entertainment (AAE) exclusively represents the interests of talent buyers, and does not claim to be the agency or management for any speaker or artist on this site. AAE is a talent booking agency for paid events only. We do not handle requests for donation of time or media requests for interviews, and cannot provide celebrity contact information.

If you are the talent and wish to request a profile update or removal from our online directory, please submit a profile request form.

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