John Leguizamo
Birthdate
July 22, 1960 (65 years old)
Place of Birth
Bogotá, Colombia
Known For
Acting
Details
Birthdate
July 22, 1960 (65 years old)
Place of Birth
Bogotá, Colombia
Known For
Acting
Biography
John Alberto Leguizamo Peláez (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 the Broadway stage receiving four Tony Award nominations for Freak in 1998, Sexaholix in 2002, and Latin History for Moronsin in 2018. He received a Special Tony Award 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 adventure Super Mario Bros. portraying Luigi Mario and the crime drama Carlito's Way portraying Benny Blanco (both from 1993), followed by a role as drag queen Chi-Chi Rodriguez in the road comedy To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar (1995), for which he received a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor nomination. Other films Leguizamo has since appeared in include Romeo + Juliet (1996), The Pest (1997), Summer of Sam (1999), Moulin Rouge! (2001), Empire (2002), Love in the Time of Cholera (2007), Righteous Kill (2008), The Lincoln Lawyer (2011), The Counselor (2013), John Wick (2014), John Wick 2 (2017), and The Menu (2022). As a voice actor, he narrated the sitcom The Brothers García (2000–2004). He played Sid the Sloth in the Ice Age franchise and Bruno Madrigal in Encanto (2021).
Leguizamo is also known for his television roles including Freak (1998) for which he received the 1999 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Individual Performance in a Variety or Music Program. This historic win made Leguizamo the first Latino to win this award in Emmy history. He received further Primetime Emmy Award nominations for the miniseries Waco (2018) and the Netflix limited series When They See Us (2019). He has also appeared on ER, The Kill Point, Bloodline, and The Mandalorian. In 2023, he hosted the MSNBC series Leguizamo Does America.
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 adventure Super Mario Bros. portraying Luigi Mario and the crime drama Carlito's Way portraying Benny Blanco (both from 1993), followed by a role as drag queen Chi-Chi Rodriguez in the road comedy To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar (1995), for which he received a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor nomination. Other films Leguizamo has since appeared in include Romeo + Juliet (1996), The Pest (1997), Summer of Sam (1999), Moulin Rouge! (2001), Empire (2002), Love in the Time of Cholera (2007), Righteous Kill (2008), The Lincoln Lawyer (2011), The Counselor (2013), John Wick (2014), John Wick 2 (2017), and The Menu (2022). As a voice actor, he narrated the sitcom The Brothers García (2000–2004). He played Sid the Sloth in the Ice Age franchise and Bruno Madrigal in Encanto (2021).
Leguizamo is also known for his television roles including Freak (1998) for which he received the 1999 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Individual Performance in a Variety or Music Program. This historic win made Leguizamo the first Latino to win this award in Emmy history. He received further Primetime Emmy Award nominations for the miniseries Waco (2018) and the Netflix limited series When They See Us (2019). He has also appeared on ER, The Kill Point, Bloodline, and The Mandalorian. In 2023, he hosted the MSNBC series Leguizamo Does America.
John Leguizamo's LGBTQ+ Titles
Poison
Chancho ("Homo")
To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar
Chi-Chi Rodriguez
Acting (191)
The Godmother
Gentille Alouette as Ortiz
The Nickelodeon Mega Music Fest as Himself
2027
Ice Age: Boiling Point as Sid (voice)
2026
The Odyssey as Eumaeus
2025
Zootopia 2 as Antony (voice)
2025
Smoke as Esposito (9 episodes)
2025
Tin Soldier as Luke
2025
Bob Trevino Likes It as Bob Trevino
2024
VOCES American Historia: The Untold History of Latinos as Self (3 episodes)
2024
The Green Veil as Gordon Rogers (8 episodes)
2023
Waco: The Aftermath as Jacob Vazquez (5 episodes)
2023
Leguizamo Does America as Self (6 episodes)
2023
The Power as Rob Lopez (9 episodes)
2023
Inside with Jen Psaki as Self (1 episode)
2022
Violent Night as Scrooge
2022
The Menu as Movie Star
2022
Sherri as Self - Guest (1 episode)
2022
John Leguizamo Live at Rikers
2022
The Survivor as Bill "Pepe" Miller
2021
Encanto as Bruno Madrigal (voice)
2021
Dark Blood as Misael
2021
Unxplained Latam as Self - Host (8 episodes)
2021
Waiting for Godot as Estragon
2020
Critical Thinking as Mario Martinez
2020
Santiago of the Seas as Sir Butterscotch (voice) (39 episodes)
2020
The Night Clerk as Detective Espada
2019
The Mandalorian as Gor Koresh (1 episode)
2019
Playing with Fire as Rodrigo
2019
Raúl Juliá: The World’s a Stage as Self
2019
When They See Us as Raymond Santana Sr. (4 episodes)
2019
The Sun Is Also a Star as Jeremy Martinez
2019
It Takes a Lunatic as Self
2018
John Leguizamo's Latin History for Morons as Self
2018
Nancy as Jeb
2018
Waco as Jacob Vazquez (6 episodes)
2017
11:55 as Berto
2017
John Wick: Chapter 2 as Aurelio
2017
The Crash as George Diebold
2016
The Hollow Point as Atticus
2016
Scrat: Spaced Out as Sid (voice) (uncredited)
2016
Perros as Misael
2016
The Infiltrator as Emir Abreu
2016
Ice Age: Collision Course as Sid (voice)
2016
Porzingod
2016
Stealing Cars as Montgomery De La Cruz
2016
Ice Age: The Great Egg-Scapade as Sid (voice)
2016
Michael Jackson's Journey from Motown to Off the Wall as Self
2015
Sisters as Dave
2015
The Latin Explosion: A New America as Self - Narrator
2015
Cosmic Scrat-tastrophe as Sid (voice)
2015
Experimenter as Taylor
2015
Meadowland as Pete
2015
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert as Self (3 episodes)
2015
American Ultra as Rose
2015
Ice Age: No Time for Nuts 4-D as Sid (voice)
2015
Bloodline as Ozzy Delvecchio (10 episodes)
2015
A.C.O.R.N.S.: Operation Crackdown as Fly Boy / Liam (voice)
2015
John Wick: Calling in the Cavalry as Self
2015
The Adventures of Puss in Boots as Jack (voice) (2 episodes)
2015
The Adventures of Puss in Boots as Jack Sprat (voice) (1 episode)
2014
Fugly! as Jesse
2014
Super Mario Bros: This Ain't No Video Game as Self - Luigi Mario
2014
John Wick as Aurelio
2014
Cymbeline as Pisanio
2014
BoJack Horseman as Mr. Buenaventura (voice) (1 episode)
2014
Chef as Martin
2014
John Leguizamo: Ghetto Klown as Himself
2014
Late Night with Seth Meyers as Self (2 episodes)
2014
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon as Self (1 episode)
2014
Ride Along as Santiago
2013
Walking with Dinosaurs as Alex (voice)
2013
The Counselor as Coverall Man Randy
2013
Kick-Ass 2 as Javier
2013
Tales From a Ghetto Klown as Self
2013
Fish N Chips: The Movie as Chips (voice)
2012
The Trip 2 as Lucho
2012
Ice Age: Continental Drift as Sid (voice)
2012
The Sid Shuffle as Sid (voice)
2012
One for the Money as Jimmy Alpha
2011
Ice Age: A Mammoth Christmas as Sid (voice)
2011
Scrat's Continental Crack-Up: Part 2 as Sid (voice)
2011
Ballplayer: Pelotero as Narrator (voice)
2011
The Latino List as Self
2011
The Lincoln Lawyer as Val Valenzuela
2010
Vanishing on 7th Street as Paul
2010
Repo Men as Asbury
2009
Unearthing the Lost World | Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs as Self
2009
The Ministers as Dante Mendoza
2009
Rage as Jed
2009
Gamer as Freek
2009
Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen as Self - Guest (3 episodes)
2009
Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs as Sid (voice)
2009
Late Night with Jimmy Fallon as Self (1 episode)
2008
Nothing Like the Holidays as Mauricio Rodriguez
2008
Surviving Sid as Sid (voice)
2008
Visions of 'The Happening' as Himself
2008
The Happening: Elements of a Scene as Self
2008
Miracle at St. Anna as Enrico
2008
Righteous Kill as Det. Simon Perez
2008
The Take as Felix De La Pena
2008
Elvis Mitchell: Under the Influence as Self (1 episode)
2008
The Happening as Julian
2008
The Babysitters as Michael Beltran
2008
Paraiso Travel as Roger Pena
2007
Love in the Time of Cholera as Lorenzo Daza
2007
The Kill Point as Jake Mendez (8 episodes)
2007
Where God Left His Shoes as Frank Diaz
2007
ShowBusiness: The Road to Broadway as Self
2006
The Groomsmen as TC (Tony)
2006
Ice Age: The Meltdown as Sid (voice)
2006
The Alibi as Hannibal
2005
Sueno as Antonio
2005
My Name Is Earl as Diego (2 episodes)
2005
Land of the Dead as Cholo
2005
The Honeymooners as Dodge
2005
American Dad! as Luís Ramírez (voice) (1 episode)
2005
Assault on Precinct 13 as Beck
2004
Crónicas as Manolo Bonilla
2003
Undefeated as Lex Vargas
2003
Real Time with Bill Maher as Self (1 episode)
2003
Spun as Spider Mike
2003
Jimmy Kimmel Live! as Self (1 episode)
2002
Empire as Victor Rosa
2002
Point of Origin as Keith Lang
2002
Zig Zag as Dean Singer
2002
AFI's 100 Years... 100 Passions: America's Greatest Love Stories as Self
2002
John Leguizamo: Sexaholix... A Love Story as himself
2002
Ice Age as Sid (voice)
2002
Collateral Damage as Felix Ramirez
2001
Once Upon a Time: The Super Heroes as Clown / Violator (archive footage)
2001
Dr. Dolittle 2 as Rat #2 (voice, uncredited)
2001
What's the Worst That Could Happen? as Berger
2001
Moulin Rouge! as Toulouse-Lautrec
2001
The Night Club of Your Dreams: The Making of 'Moulin Rouge' as Self
2000
King of the Jungle as Seymour
2000
The Brothers García as Larry Garcia (voice) (49 episodes)
2000
Titan A.E. as Gune (voice)
2000
Arabian Nights as Genie of the Lamp / Genie of the Ring (2 episodes)
1999
Summer of Sam as Vinny
1999
The Three Friends and Jerry (45 episodes)
1999
Joe the King as Jorge
1998
Kids Are Punny
1998
John Leguizamo: Freak as Self
1998
Frogs for Snakes as Zip
1998
Doctor Dolittle as Rat #2 (Voice)
1998
Body Count as Chino
1997
The View as Self (1 episode)
1997
The View as Self - Guest (1 episode)
1997
Spawn as Clown / Violator
1997
The Making of 'Spawn' as Self
1997
A Brother's Kiss as Lefty
1997
The Pest as Pest
1996
Romeo + Juliet as Tybalt
1996
The Fan as Manny
1996
The Daily Show as Self (3 episodes)
1996
The Daily Show as Self - Guest Host (4 episodes)
1996
Executive Decision as Rat
1995
To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar as Chi-Chi Rodriguez
1995
A Pyromaniac's Love Story as Sergio
1995
House of Buggin' (10 episodes)
1994
ER as Victor Clemente (11 episodes)
1993
Carlito's Way as Benny Blanco
1993
Late Night with Conan O'Brien as Self - Guest (9 episodes)
1993
Night Owl as Angel
1993
Super Mario Bros. as Luigi Mario
1993
John Leguizamo: Spic-O-Rama
1992
Whispers in the Dark as John Castillo
1992
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno as Self (2 episodes)
1992
The Puerto Rican Mambo (Not a Musical) as Guess my nationality guy
1992
Time Expired
1991
Mambo Mouth
1991
That Burning Question
1991
Regarding Henry as Liquor Store Gunman
1991
Out for Justice as Boy in Alley
1991
Poison as Chancho ("Homo")
1991
Hangin' with the Homeboys as Johnny
1991
NYPD Mounted
1990
Madonna: The Immaculate Collection as Friend of Boyfriend (segment "Borderline")
1990
Street Hunter as Angel
1990
Die Hard 2 as Burke
1990
Revenge as Ignacio
1989
Casualties of War as Private Antonio Diaz
1988
LIVE with Kelly and Mark as Self (2 episodes)
1988
LIVE with Kelly and Mark as Self - Guest (1 episode)
1984
Mixed Blood as Macetero
1984
Miami Vice as Angelo Alvarez (1 episode)
1984
Miami Vice as Orlando Calderone (2 episodes)
1956
Tony Awards as Self - Performer (1 episode)
1956
Tony Awards as Self - Presenter (2 episodes)
1953
The Oscars as Self (1 episode)
Directing (2)
2020
Critical Thinking
• Director
2003
Undefeated
• Director
Production (15)
2025
Tin Soldier
• Executive Producer
2024
VOCES American Historia: The Untold History of Latinos (3 episodes)
• Executive Producer (3 episodes)
2024
The Green Veil (8 episodes)
• Executive Producer (8 episodes)
2022
John Leguizamo Live at Rikers
• Producer
2022
Triggered
• Producer
2020
Critical Thinking
• Executive Producer
2019
Raúl Juliá: The World’s a Stage
• Executive Producer
2014
Fugly!
• Producer
2008
The Babysitters
• Producer
2008
Paraiso Travel
• Co-Producer
2001
Piñero
• Co-Executive Producer
2000
Nuyorican Dream
• Executive Producer
1999
Joe the King
• Executive Producer
1998
John Leguizamo: Freak
• Executive Producer
1997
The Pest
• Co-Producer
Creator (2)
2024
VOCES American Historia: The Untold History of Latinos
• Creator
1995
House of Buggin'
• Creator
Writing (9)
2018
John Leguizamo's Latin History for Morons
• Writer
2014
Fugly!
• Writer
2014
John Leguizamo: Ghetto Klown
• Writer
2003
Undefeated
• Writer
2002
John Leguizamo: Sexaholix... A Love Story
• Writer
1998
John Leguizamo: Freak
• Writer
1997
The Pest
• Story
1993
John Leguizamo: Spic-O-Rama
• Writer
1991
Mambo Mouth
• Writer