Joshua Leonard
Encyclopedia
Joshua Granville Leonard (born June 17, 1975) is an American
actor, known for his role in The Blair Witch Project
.
, the son of Joann, an operator of a children's theatre, and Robert Leonard, a theater professor. He was raised in State College, Pennsylvania
. When he was six, he was convinced by his father to appear in plays like Life With Father. However, when he reached his teens, he decided he did not want to act. He pushed to obtain his GED
at age 16 and underwent survival training with Outward Bound
as preparation for a year and a half stay in Mexico
where he volunteered with a youth services organization. After teaching poor children in Puebla
, working as a gardener and hiking through the jungles of Central and South America, Leonard returned to the U.S.
to spend a year at Penn State. He then decided to head to Manhattan
and try his luck as a filmmaker and photographer. Leonard graduated from the New York Film Academy
School of Film and Acting.
In New York, Leonard found work taking portraits of musicians, toiled as a band promoter, acted in occasional student films, and worked in various production capacities on shorts and documentaries.
. Although he reportedly only earned an initial salary of $500, the experience proved rewarding in other ways as the film combined acting and photography — two things he enjoyed. After the premier screening at Sundance
and the subsequent hype of the film, Leonard found himself in the spotlight, appearing in magazine covers and getting roles for other movies. Ultimately, he earned $4 million from the revenues of the film.
In 2000, he appeared in HBO's Sacrifice, starring Michael Madsen
and Bokeem Woodbine
, and in In the Weeds, starring Eric Bogosian
and Molly Ringwald
. Leonard made his studio film debut with Cuba Gooding, Jr.
in Men of Honor
. He followed with an appearance in Scott Kalvert's Deuces Wild
in 2001. In 2004, he starred in the horror film Madhouse
and stars 2009 in the Thriller Bitter Feast. He starred in the acclaimed 2009 film Humpday
, for which he won the "Best Actor" prize at the Gijón International Film Festival
. Leonard earned one of the lead role in the psychological thriller Bitter Feast
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
actor, known for his role in The Blair Witch Project
The Blair Witch Project
The Blair Witch Project is a 1999 American horror film pieced together from amateur footage. The film was produced by the Haxan Films production company. The film relates the story of three student filmmakers The Blair Witch Project is a 1999 American horror film pieced together from amateur...
.
Early life
Leonard was born in Houston, TexasHouston, Texas
Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ...
, the son of Joann, an operator of a children's theatre, and Robert Leonard, a theater professor. He was raised in State College, Pennsylvania
State College, Pennsylvania
State College is the largest borough in Centre County in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. It is the principal city of the State College, Pennsylvania Metropolitan Statistical Area which encompasses all of Centre County. As of the 2010 census, the borough population was 42,034, and roughly double...
. When he was six, he was convinced by his father to appear in plays like Life With Father. However, when he reached his teens, he decided he did not want to act. He pushed to obtain his GED
GED
General Educational Development tests are a group of five subject tests which, when passed, certify that the taker has American or Canadian high school-level academic skills...
at age 16 and underwent survival training with Outward Bound
Outward Bound
Outward Bound is an international, non-profit, independent, outdoor educationorganization with approximately 40 schools around the world and 200,000 participants per year...
as preparation for a year and a half stay in Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
where he volunteered with a youth services organization. After teaching poor children in Puebla
Puebla
Puebla officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Puebla is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 217 municipalities and its capital city is Puebla....
, working as a gardener and hiking through the jungles of Central and South America, Leonard returned to the U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
to spend a year at Penn State. He then decided to head to Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
and try his luck as a filmmaker and photographer. Leonard graduated from the New York Film Academy
New York Film Academy
New York Film Academy - School of Film and Acting is a film school andacting school based in New York City, Universal City, California, USA and Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. NYFA offers short-term film-making and acting courses, as well as one- and two-year conservatory and Master of Fine Arts...
School of Film and Acting.
In New York, Leonard found work taking portraits of musicians, toiled as a band promoter, acted in occasional student films, and worked in various production capacities on shorts and documentaries.
Movie career
In 1998, he auditioned for and landed one of the three principal roles in The Blair Witch ProjectThe Blair Witch Project
The Blair Witch Project is a 1999 American horror film pieced together from amateur footage. The film was produced by the Haxan Films production company. The film relates the story of three student filmmakers The Blair Witch Project is a 1999 American horror film pieced together from amateur...
. Although he reportedly only earned an initial salary of $500, the experience proved rewarding in other ways as the film combined acting and photography — two things he enjoyed. After the premier screening at Sundance
Sundance Film Festival
The Sundance Film Festival is a film festival that takes place annually in Utah, in the United States. It is the largest independent cinema festival in the United States. Held in January in Park City, Salt Lake City, and Ogden, as well as at the Sundance Resort, the festival is a showcase for new...
and the subsequent hype of the film, Leonard found himself in the spotlight, appearing in magazine covers and getting roles for other movies. Ultimately, he earned $4 million from the revenues of the film.
In 2000, he appeared in HBO's Sacrifice, starring Michael Madsen
Michael Madsen
Michael Søren Madsen is an American actor, poet, and photographer. He has appeared in more than 150 films, most of them small independent films, though he has starred in central roles in such films as Reservoir Dogs, Free Willy, Donnie Brasco, and Kill Bill, in addition to a supporting role in Sin...
and Bokeem Woodbine
Bokeem Woodbine
Bokeem Woodbine is an American film and television actor.-Personal life:Woodbine was born in Harlem, New York to an actress mother. He attended the prestigious Dalton School in New York before transferring to the also prestigious LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts in the city...
, and in In the Weeds, starring Eric Bogosian
Eric Bogosian
Eric Bogosian is an American actor, playwright, monologist, and novelist of Armenian descent.-Personal life:Bogosian, an Armenian-American, was born in Woburn, Massachusetts, the son of Edwina, a hairdresser and instructor, and Henry Bogosian, an accountant. After graduating from Oberlin College,...
and Molly Ringwald
Molly Ringwald
Molly Kathleen Ringwald is an American actress, singer and dancer. Having appeared in the John Hughes movies Sixteen Candles , The Breakfast Club , and Pretty in Pink , Ringwald has been frequently named the greatest teen star of all time...
. Leonard made his studio film debut with Cuba Gooding, Jr.
Cuba Gooding, Jr.
Cuba M. Gooding, Jr. is an American actor. He is perhaps best known for his Academy Award-winning portrayal of Rod Tidwell in Cameron Crowe's 1996 film Jerry Maguire, and his critically acclaimed performance as Tré Styles in John Singleton's 1991 film Boyz n the Hood.-Early life:Gooding was born...
in Men of Honor
Men of Honor
Men of Honor is a 2000 drama film, starring Robert De Niro and Cuba Gooding, Jr. The film was directed by George Tillman, Jr...
. He followed with an appearance in Scott Kalvert's Deuces Wild
Deuces Wild
Deuces Wild is a 2002 American action-crime film directed by Scott Kalvert and written by Paul Kimatian and Christopher Gambale, who also created the story. It stars Stephen Dorff, Brad Renfro, James Franco, Matt Dillon, and Fairuza Balk amongst others. The film is set in 1958 Brooklyn, New York City...
in 2001. In 2004, he starred in the horror film Madhouse
Madhouse (2004 film)
Madhouse is a 2004 horror film, directed and co-written by William Butler and starring Joshua Leonard. It was released directly to DVD on December 20, 2004 in the United Kingdom and on February 22, 2005 in the United States...
and stars 2009 in the Thriller Bitter Feast. He starred in the acclaimed 2009 film Humpday
Humpday
Humpday is a 2009 American comedy film starring Mark Duplass, Joshua Leonard, and Alycia Delmore; and directed, produced, and written by Lynn Shelton. It premiered at the 2009 Sundance film festival. International distribution rights have been purchased by Magnolia Pictures for a mid-six figure sum...
, for which he won the "Best Actor" prize at the Gijón International Film Festival
Gijón International Film Festival
Gijón International Film Festival was created in 1963. It was born as an initiative of the local authority and it was sponsored mainly by Gijón City Council and the then Caja de Ahorros de Asturias ; both institutions are still the main organisers of the festival, along with funding from the...
. Leonard earned one of the lead role in the psychological thriller Bitter Feast
Bitter Feast
Bitter Feast is an American psychological horror film directed and written by Joe Maggio. It stars James LeGros as a chef pushed over the edge by food critic J.T. Franks' vicious review...
.
Filmography
| Year | Film | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | The Blair Witch Project The Blair Witch Project The Blair Witch Project is a 1999 American horror film pieced together from amateur footage. The film was produced by the Haxan Films production company. The film relates the story of three student filmmakers The Blair Witch Project is a 1999 American horror film pieced together from amateur... |
Josh Leonard | Nominated for a Blockbuster entertainment award |
| 2000 | Men of Honor Men of Honor Men of Honor is a 2000 drama film, starring Robert De Niro and Cuba Gooding, Jr. The film was directed by George Tillman, Jr... |
Timothy Douglas Isert | |
| Sacrifice Sacrifice Sacrifice is the offering of food, objects or the lives of animals or people to God or the gods as an act of propitiation or worship.While sacrifice often implies ritual killing, the term offering can be used for bloodless sacrifices of cereal food or artifacts... |
Jason | ||
| 2001 | Things Behind the Sun Things Behind the Sun Things Behind the Sun is a 2001 film starring Kim Dickens and Gabriel Mann and directed by Allison Anders. Its title is taken from a song by Nick Drake.... |
Todd | |
| Cubbyhouse | Danny Graham | ||
| 2002 | Live from Baghdad Live from Baghdad (film) Live from Baghdad is a television movie produced in 2002 by HBO. It was directed by Mick Jackson and written by Robert Wiener . The movie was released during the prelude stage of the Iraq War.... |
Mark Biello | |
| Deuces Wild Deuces Wild Deuces Wild is a 2002 American action-crime film directed by Scott Kalvert and written by Paul Kimatian and Christopher Gambale, who also created the story. It stars Stephen Dorff, Brad Renfro, James Franco, Matt Dillon, and Fairuza Balk amongst others. The film is set in 1958 Brooklyn, New York City... |
Punches | ||
| 2003 | Scorched | Rick | |
| 2004 | Madhouse Madhouse Madhouse may refer to:* Madhouse is a colloquial term for a psychiatric hospital or other mental institution* Madhouse is the nickname given to Double One in darts- Films :* Madhouse , a 1974 film featuring Vincent Price... |
Clark Stevens | |
| Larceny | Nick | ||
| 2005 | CSI: Miami CSI: Miami CSI: Miami is an American police procedural television series, which premiered on September 23, 2002 on CBS. The series is a spin-off of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation.... |
Jim Markham | (5 episodes) |
| 2006 | The Death and Life of Bobby Z The Death and Life of Bobby Z The Death and Life of Bobby Z, also known as Bobby Z and Let's kill Bobby Z, is a 2007 American action film, directed by John Herzfeld, and stars Paul Walker, Laurence Fishburne, Olivia Wilde and Joaquim de Almeida... |
Partygoer | |
| Hatchet Hatchet A hatchet is a single-handed striking tool with a sharp blade used to cut and split wood... |
Ainsley Dunston | ||
| Bones Bones (TV series) Bones is an American crime drama television series that premiered on the Fox Network on September 13, 2005. The show is based on forensic anthropology and forensic archaeology, with each episode focusing on an FBI case file concerning the mystery behind human remains brought by FBI Special Agent... |
Nate Gibbons | ||
| 2007 | The Shaggy Dog | Justin Forrseter | |
| 2008 | Prom Night Prom Night (2008 film) Prom Night is a 2008 horror film from Screen Gems directed by Nelson McCormick and starring Brittany Snow. The film is a re-imagining of the 1980 Canadian horror film of the same name.-Plot:... |
Bellhop | |
| Mała wielka miłość | Ian Everson | ||
| 20 Years After 20 Years After 20 Years After is a 2008 American post-apocalyptic film.-Plot:The events take place 20 years after a nuclear war which was followed by plagues. No children have been born in 15 years, and people want to gain control of the first pregnant woman - Sara... |
Michael | ||
| 2009 | Humpday Humpday Humpday is a 2009 American comedy film starring Mark Duplass, Joshua Leonard, and Alycia Delmore; and directed, produced, and written by Lynn Shelton. It premiered at the 2009 Sundance film festival. International distribution rights have been purchased by Magnolia Pictures for a mid-six figure sum... |
Andrew | Winner Best Actor Gijón International Film Festival Gijón International Film Festival Gijón International Film Festival was created in 1963. It was born as an initiative of the local authority and it was sponsored mainly by Gijón City Council and the then Caja de Ahorros de Asturias ; both institutions are still the main organisers of the festival, along with funding from the... |
| Dead in Love | Pothead | ||
| Hung Hung (TV series) Hung is a comedy-drama series, which premiered on HBO on June 28, 2009. The series was created by Dmitry Lipkin and Colette Burson and stars Thomas Jane as Ray Drecker, a struggling suburban Detroit high school baseball coach who resorts to male prostitution. The second season premiered on June 27,... |
Pierce | ||
| 2010 | Bitter Feast Bitter Feast Bitter Feast is an American psychological horror film directed and written by Joe Maggio. It stars James LeGros as a chef pushed over the edge by food critic J.T. Franks' vicious review... |
||
| 2011 | Shark Night 3D Shark Night 3D Shark Night 3D is a 3-D horror-thriller film directed by David R. Ellis. It stars Sara Paxton, Alyssa Diaz, Dustin Milligan, Katharine McPhee, and Joel David Moore... |
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External links
- Joshua Leonard's website
- Joshua Leonard at Rottentomatoes