John Alberto Leguizamo PelΓ‘ez (born July 22, 1960) is a Colombian-American stand-up comedian, actor, and film producer. He has appeared in over 100 films, produced over 20 films and documentaries, made over 30 television appearances, and has produced various television projects. He has also written and performed for theΒ BroadwayΒ stage receiving fourΒ Tony AwardΒ nominations forΒ FreakΒ in 1998,Β SexaholixΒ in 2002, andΒ Latin History for Moronsin in 2018. He received aΒ Special Tony AwardΒ in 2018.
Leguizamo began his career as a stand-up comedian in New York City. After several years of doing supporting roles in film and television, he rose to fame with significant roles in the fantasy adventureΒ Super Mario Bros.Β portrayingΒ Luigi MarioΒ and the crime dramaΒ Carlito's Way portraying Benny Blanco (both from 1993), followed by a role as drag queen Chi-Chi Rodriguez in the road comedyΒ To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie NewmarΒ (1995), for which he received aΒ Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting ActorΒ nomination. Other films Leguizamo has since appeared in includeΒ Romeo + JulietΒ (1996),Β The PestΒ (1997),Β Summer of SamΒ (1999),Β Moulin Rouge!Β (2001),Β EmpireΒ (2002),Β Love in the Time of Cholera (2007),Β Righteous KillΒ (2008),Β The Lincoln LawyerΒ (2011),Β The CounselorΒ (2013),Β John Wick (2014),Β John Wick 2Β (2017), andΒ The Menu (2022). As a voice actor, he narrated the sitcomΒ The Brothers GarcΓaΒ (2000β2004). He playedΒ Sid the SlothΒ in theΒ Ice AgeΒ franchiseΒ andΒ Bruno MadrigalΒ inΒ EncantoΒ (2021).
Leguizamo is also known for his television roles includingΒ FreakΒ (1998) for which he received the 1999Β Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Individual Performance in a Variety or Music Program.Β This historic win made Leguizamo the first Latino to win this award in Emmy history.Β He received furtherΒ Primetime Emmy AwardΒ nominations for theΒ miniseriesΒ WacoΒ (2018) and theΒ NetflixΒ limited seriesΒ When They See UsΒ (2019). He has also appeared onΒ ER,Β The Kill Point,Β Bloodline, andΒ The Mandalorian.Β In 2023, he hosted theΒ MSNBCΒ seriesΒ Leguizamo Does America.
