Leo Howard
Encyclopedia
Leo Howard is an American
actor
, model and martial artist. Beginning his martial arts training at the age of four and an acting career at the age of seven, Howard is known for incorporating his karate
and wushu
skills into his feature film and television roles; as "Young Snake Eyes" in the 2009 action film, G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra, as "Young Conan" in the 2011 fantasy film, Conan the Barbarian and as "Jack" on the Disney XD
comedy series, Kickin' It
.
the son of Randye and Todd "The Big Bulldog" Howard. His parents are professional dog breeders and operate The Big Bulldog Ranch, where they specialize in breeding english and french bulldog
s. Howard attended Tri-City Christian Schools
in Vista, California
and spent much of his childhood growing up in the small town of Fallbrook
in Northern San Diego County, before devoting himself to a full-time acting career.
. A year later, his parents enrolled him at another dojo which specialized in the Okinawan discipline of Shōrin-ryū
and at the age of seven, he began developing his extreme martial arts
skills by adding gymnastics to his routine. Howard began training under martial arts world champion Matt Mullins
when Mullins made an exception allowing Howard to become the youngest student in his class. By the age of eight, Howard had won three world championships. His specialty is Shōrin-ryū, in which he holds a black belt.
At the age of nine, Howard became the youngest member to perform with Mullins' Sideswipe Performance Team, a traveling martial arts-based group that entertains audiences across the country with a combination of martial arts, dance and acrobatics. In June 2011, Howard spoke of the experience performing with Sideswipe - "I think that's what really got me addicted to performing. My role changed as I've grown as a performer and just plain grown. I was OK, I wasn't that great at the start, so they would do cool moves and then poof! Here'd be this cute kid running out there to do some karate. But for the last couple of years I've been one of the main performers."
and Chuck Norris
films, and admired their ability to incorporate martial arts into their acting. At the age of seven, Howard told his mother that he wanted to be an actor. It was at a martial arts tournament that Howard was first spotted by someone who thought he had the looks to go into show business and referred him to their talent agent. This led to work as a model for print advertorials and then as an actor
in commercials. In 2010, Howard remembered his excitement about breaking into show business, saying - "The commercials were just insane to me. Getting a commercial was like getting a lead role in a movie to me."
In 2005, Howard made his television debut shortly before his eighth birthday with a small guest-starring role on the USA Network
series, Monk
dressed as a "little karate kid" for Halloween, his one line in the episode being "Maybe he's afraid of karate". Howard would spend the next several years performing with Sideswipe Performance Team before returning to acting in 2009.
In 2009, Howard landed his first steady job interviewing celebrities as "Leo Little", the host of the short-form Disney Channel
talk show series, Leo Little's Big Show
and made his feature film debut as "Eric Brooks" in the family film Aussie and Ted. In August of that year, Howard gained notoriety for his martial arts skills when he appeared as "Young Snake Eyes", performing all of his own stunts in a flashback scene for the Paramount
action-adventure film G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra. Later that same month, he appeared in a co-starring role as "Laser", one of the three "Short" brothers in the family comedy film Shorts
, which earned the cast the Young Artist Award
for that year as "Best Young Ensemble Cast". In November of 2009, Howard began a recurring role as "Hart Hamlin" on the Disney XD
series, Zeke and Luther
. In 2010, Howard landed in his first leading role playing "Logan Hoffman" in the independent feature film, Logan.
In August of 2011, Howard starred as "Young Conan", once again performing all of his own stunts in the sword and sorcery
film, Conan the Barbarian. The film received mixed reviews, but Howard was praised for his performance, with film critic, Ty Burr
of The Boston Globe
writing - "The star (Jason Mamoa) is arguably outshined by Leo Howard, the feral 13-year-old actor who plays the young Conan in the opening scenes." In an interview with Empire Magazine, director Marcus Nispel
spoke of working with Howard, - "After we finished the film, I went to Lionsgate and said 'Y’know, the movie to do next is Conan: The Early Years.' Leo absolutely blew me away. Almost the entire first act of Conan is the kid, which is unheard of. At the start, reading the script, everyone was like 'We have to cut that down to ten minutes'. And now everyone’s like ‘Can we make that longer?!’ He worked out like a charm. There aren’t many young actors who could carry that sort of weight."
In June of 2011, Howard landed a starring role as "Jack", a teenage karate expert who befriends a group of high school misfits on the Disney XD
comedy series, Kickin' It
. Howard recalled his reaction when he first got the script to audition for the show, saying - "I saw it was a martial arts show and I thought, 'Oh! I have to do this!'" With Howard receiving top billing and performing all of his own stunts, the series quickly became Disney XD's number 1 original series in the network's history, and in September 2011, Disney XD announced the show had been renewed for a second season.
and spends most of his time living in the Howard family's home in Studio City, California when he's working, but says he still considers his childhood town of Fallbrook
home. While still devoted to his passion for martial arts, Howard has stated that he has become more careful when it comes to "fighting" and "sparring" matches, due to the potential for injuries that could interfere with his obligations as an actor.
Howard's hobbies include cooking, playing guitar and collecting antique weapons, including swords and knives. The centerpiece of his collection being the big "Conan" sword that was presented to him after filming was completed on Conan the Barbarian. Howard has expressed a love for animals and has a pet bulldog
named "Bella". He's also interested in veterinary medicine
and volunteers at his local veterinary clinic in his free time.
In August 2011, Spike TV
announced it had ordered ten half-hour episodes of a new reality series starring Leo Howard's parents, Todd and Randye Howard, titled World's Worst Tenants. The series will reportedly follow Todd and Randye Howard as they confront "the most despicable, dirty, outrageous, dangerous and insane tenants imaginable" and forcibly evict them from residential and commercial properties, and is scheduled to premiere in 2012.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
, model and martial artist. Beginning his martial arts training at the age of four and an acting career at the age of seven, Howard is known for incorporating his karate
Karate
is a martial art developed in the Ryukyu Islands in what is now Okinawa, Japan. It was developed from indigenous fighting methods called and Chinese kenpō. Karate is a striking art using punching, kicking, knee and elbow strikes, and open-handed techniques such as knife-hands. Grappling, locks,...
and wushu
Wushu (sport)
The sport of wushu is both an exhibition and a full-contact sport derived from traditional Chinese martial arts. It was created in the People's Republic of China after 1949, in an attempt to nationalize the practice of traditional Chinese martial arts...
skills into his feature film and television roles; as "Young Snake Eyes" in the 2009 action film, G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra, as "Young Conan" in the 2011 fantasy film, Conan the Barbarian and as "Jack" on the Disney XD
Disney XD
Disney XD is a brand of children's TV channels worldwide targeting young males, owned by The Walt Disney Company. The channel was formerly known as Toon Disney and/or Jetix in most areas. According to Gary Marsh, President of Entertainment for Disney Channel Worldwide, "XD" does not "stand for...
comedy series, Kickin' It
Kickin' It
Kickin' It is an American martial arts inspired comedy television series, which debuted on June 13, 2011 on Disney XD. Created and executive produced by Jim O'Doherty, the series is rated TV-Y7 and follows the karate instructor at an under-performing martial arts academy, played by Jason Earles,...
.
Early life
Leo Howard was born on July 13,1997 in Newport Beach, CaliforniaNewport Beach, California
Newport Beach, incorporated in 1906, is a city in Orange County, California, south of downtown Santa Ana. The population was 85,186 at the 2010 census.The city's median family income and property values consistently place high in national rankings...
the son of Randye and Todd "The Big Bulldog" Howard. His parents are professional dog breeders and operate The Big Bulldog Ranch, where they specialize in breeding english and french bulldog
French Bulldog
The French bulldog is a small breed of domestic dog, related to the English bulldog and American bulldog.-History:The origin of the modern French Bulldog breed descends directly from the dogs of the Molossians, an ancient Greek tribe. The dogs were spread throughout the ancient world by Phoenician...
s. Howard attended Tri-City Christian Schools
Tri-City Christian Schools
Tri-City Christian Schools is a private Christian school located in Vista, CA.It consists of about 1,000 students and is a K–12 school. There are two campuses: one for K–6 and a newer one for 7–12, located on Emerald Drive and West Vista Way respectively....
in Vista, California
Vista, California
Vista is a city in north San Diego County, California. It was incorporated January 28, 1963 and became a charter city on June 13, 2007. Located just seven miles inland from the Pacific Ocean in northern San Diego County, the City of Vista has a Mediterranean climate...
and spent much of his childhood growing up in the small town of Fallbrook
Fallbrook, California
Fallbrook is an unincorporated community in northern San Diego County, California. The Fallbrook census-designated place population was 30,534 at the 2010 census, up from 29,100 at the 2000 census....
in Northern San Diego County, before devoting himself to a full-time acting career.
Martial arts
Howard developed an interest in martial arts at the age of three, and began studying at the age of four when his parents enrolled him at a dojo in Oceanside, CaliforniaOceanside, California
-2010:The 2010 United States Census reported that Oceanside had a population of 167,086. The population density was 3,961.8 people per square mile...
. A year later, his parents enrolled him at another dojo which specialized in the Okinawan discipline of Shōrin-ryū
Shorin-Ryu
is one of the major modern Okinawan martial arts. It was founded by Choshin Chibana in 1933. Shōrin-ryū combines elements of the traditional Okinawan fighting styles of Shuri-te.-History:Chosin Chibana was a top student of the great master of shuri-te, Anko Itosu...
and at the age of seven, he began developing his extreme martial arts
Extreme martial arts
Xtreme Martial Arts or XMA is a brand name owned by Michael Chaturantabut. Chaturantabut's XMA is a combination of elements from martial arts, acrobatics, and gymnastics, with an emphasis on showmanship....
skills by adding gymnastics to his routine. Howard began training under martial arts world champion Matt Mullins
Matt Mullins
Matthew "Matt" Mullins is a 5-time martial arts world champion. At the age of 16 in 1997 he had won his first WKA title in Dublin, Ireland, this would be his first of 5 championships in the next 3 years in his career...
when Mullins made an exception allowing Howard to become the youngest student in his class. By the age of eight, Howard had won three world championships. His specialty is Shōrin-ryū, in which he holds a black belt.
At the age of nine, Howard became the youngest member to perform with Mullins' Sideswipe Performance Team, a traveling martial arts-based group that entertains audiences across the country with a combination of martial arts, dance and acrobatics. In June 2011, Howard spoke of the experience performing with Sideswipe - "I think that's what really got me addicted to performing. My role changed as I've grown as a performer and just plain grown. I was OK, I wasn't that great at the start, so they would do cool moves and then poof! Here'd be this cute kid running out there to do some karate. But for the last couple of years I've been one of the main performers."
Acting
From a young age, Howard was a fan of Bruce LeeBruce Lee
Bruce Lee was a Chinese American, Hong Kong actor, martial arts instructor, philosopher, film director, film producer, screenwriter, and founder of the Jeet Kune Do martial arts movement...
and Chuck Norris
Chuck Norris
Carlos Ray "Chuck" Norris is an American martial artist and actor. After serving in the United States Air Force, he began his rise to fame as a martial artist and has since founded his own school, Chun Kuk Do...
films, and admired their ability to incorporate martial arts into their acting. At the age of seven, Howard told his mother that he wanted to be an actor. It was at a martial arts tournament that Howard was first spotted by someone who thought he had the looks to go into show business and referred him to their talent agent. This led to work as a model for print advertorials and then as an actor
Child actor
The term child actor or child actress is generally applied to a child acting in motion pictures or television, but also to an adult who began his or her acting career as a child; to avoid confusion, the latter is also called a former child actor...
in commercials. In 2010, Howard remembered his excitement about breaking into show business, saying - "The commercials were just insane to me. Getting a commercial was like getting a lead role in a movie to me."
In 2005, Howard made his television debut shortly before his eighth birthday with a small guest-starring role on the USA Network
USA Network
USA Network is an American cable television channel launched in 1971. Once a minor player in basic cable, the network has steadily gained popularity because of breakout hits like Monk, Psych, Burn Notice, Royal Pains, Covert Affairs, White Collar, Monday Night RAW, Suits, and reruns of the various...
series, Monk
Monk (TV series)
Monk is an American comedy-drama detective mystery television series created by Andy Breckman and starring Tony Shalhoub as the titular character, Adrian Monk. It originally ran from 2002 to 2009 and is primarily a mystery series, although it has dark and comic touches.The series debuted on July...
dressed as a "little karate kid" for Halloween, his one line in the episode being "Maybe he's afraid of karate". Howard would spend the next several years performing with Sideswipe Performance Team before returning to acting in 2009.
In 2009, Howard landed his first steady job interviewing celebrities as "Leo Little", the host of the short-form Disney Channel
Disney Channel
Disney Channel is an American basic cable and satellite television network, owned by the Disney-ABC Television Group division of The Walt Disney Company. It is under the direction of Disney-ABC Television Group President Anne Sweeney. The channel's headquarters is located on West Alameda Ave. in...
talk show series, Leo Little's Big Show
Leo Little's Big Show
Leo Little's Big Show is a Disney Channel short television series featuring a boy named Leo Little and his sister, Amy Little , who host a show from their family room about Disney stars, movies and programs, in a manner very similar to its predecessor, Mike's Super Short Show...
and made his feature film debut as "Eric Brooks" in the family film Aussie and Ted. In August of that year, Howard gained notoriety for his martial arts skills when he appeared as "Young Snake Eyes", performing all of his own stunts in a flashback scene for the Paramount
Paramount Pictures
Paramount Pictures Corporation is an American film production and distribution company, located at 5555 Melrose Avenue in Hollywood. Founded in 1912 and currently owned by media conglomerate Viacom, it is America's oldest existing film studio; it is also the last major film studio still...
action-adventure film G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra. Later that same month, he appeared in a co-starring role as "Laser", one of the three "Short" brothers in the family comedy film Shorts
Shorts (film)
Shorts is a 2009 family comedy/adventure film written and directed by Robert Rodriguez. It was released in the United States on August 21, 2009...
, which earned the cast the Young Artist Award
Young Artist Award
The Young Artist Award is an accolade bestowed by the Young Artist Foundation, a non-profit organization founded in 1978 to recognize and award excellence of youth performers, and to provide scholarships for young artists who may be physically and/or financially challenged.The Young Artist...
for that year as "Best Young Ensemble Cast". In November of 2009, Howard began a recurring role as "Hart Hamlin" on the Disney XD
Disney XD
Disney XD is a brand of children's TV channels worldwide targeting young males, owned by The Walt Disney Company. The channel was formerly known as Toon Disney and/or Jetix in most areas. According to Gary Marsh, President of Entertainment for Disney Channel Worldwide, "XD" does not "stand for...
series, Zeke and Luther
Zeke and Luther
Zeke and Luther is an American Disney XD sitcom about two best friends setting their sights on becoming the world's greatest skateboarders. The show stars Hutch Dano, Adam Hicks, Daniel Curtis Lee and Ryan Newman ....
. In 2010, Howard landed in his first leading role playing "Logan Hoffman" in the independent feature film, Logan.
In August of 2011, Howard starred as "Young Conan", once again performing all of his own stunts in the sword and sorcery
Sword and sorcery
Sword and sorcery is a sub-genre of fantasy and historical fantasy, generally characterized by sword-wielding heroes engaged in exciting and violent conflicts. An element of romance is often present, as is an element of magic and the supernatural...
film, Conan the Barbarian. The film received mixed reviews, but Howard was praised for his performance, with film critic, Ty Burr
Ty Burr
Ty Burr has been a film critic for the Boston Globe since 2002 where he reviews films alongside Wesley Morris.Born in 1957, he studied film at Dartmouth College and New York University and has written three books: The Hundred Greatest Movies of All Time, The Hundred Greatest Stars of All Time and...
of The Boston Globe
The Boston Globe
The Boston Globe is an American daily newspaper based in Boston, Massachusetts. The Boston Globe has been owned by The New York Times Company since 1993...
writing - "The star (Jason Mamoa) is arguably outshined by Leo Howard, the feral 13-year-old actor who plays the young Conan in the opening scenes." In an interview with Empire Magazine, director Marcus Nispel
Marcus Nispel
Marcus Nispel is a German–American feature film director and producer, and formerly a director of television commercials and music videos. Many of his films have been remakes, all of which have met with a negative critical reception....
spoke of working with Howard, - "After we finished the film, I went to Lionsgate and said 'Y’know, the movie to do next is Conan: The Early Years.' Leo absolutely blew me away. Almost the entire first act of Conan is the kid, which is unheard of. At the start, reading the script, everyone was like 'We have to cut that down to ten minutes'. And now everyone’s like ‘Can we make that longer?!’ He worked out like a charm. There aren’t many young actors who could carry that sort of weight."
In June of 2011, Howard landed a starring role as "Jack", a teenage karate expert who befriends a group of high school misfits on the Disney XD
Disney XD
Disney XD is a brand of children's TV channels worldwide targeting young males, owned by The Walt Disney Company. The channel was formerly known as Toon Disney and/or Jetix in most areas. According to Gary Marsh, President of Entertainment for Disney Channel Worldwide, "XD" does not "stand for...
comedy series, Kickin' It
Kickin' It
Kickin' It is an American martial arts inspired comedy television series, which debuted on June 13, 2011 on Disney XD. Created and executive produced by Jim O'Doherty, the series is rated TV-Y7 and follows the karate instructor at an under-performing martial arts academy, played by Jason Earles,...
. Howard recalled his reaction when he first got the script to audition for the show, saying - "I saw it was a martial arts show and I thought, 'Oh! I have to do this!'" With Howard receiving top billing and performing all of his own stunts, the series quickly became Disney XD's number 1 original series in the network's history, and in September 2011, Disney XD announced the show had been renewed for a second season.
Personal life
Howard is home-schooled to accommodate his busy work schedule on Kickin' ItKickin' It
Kickin' It is an American martial arts inspired comedy television series, which debuted on June 13, 2011 on Disney XD. Created and executive produced by Jim O'Doherty, the series is rated TV-Y7 and follows the karate instructor at an under-performing martial arts academy, played by Jason Earles,...
and spends most of his time living in the Howard family's home in Studio City, California when he's working, but says he still considers his childhood town of Fallbrook
Fallbrook, California
Fallbrook is an unincorporated community in northern San Diego County, California. The Fallbrook census-designated place population was 30,534 at the 2010 census, up from 29,100 at the 2000 census....
home. While still devoted to his passion for martial arts, Howard has stated that he has become more careful when it comes to "fighting" and "sparring" matches, due to the potential for injuries that could interfere with his obligations as an actor.
Howard's hobbies include cooking, playing guitar and collecting antique weapons, including swords and knives. The centerpiece of his collection being the big "Conan" sword that was presented to him after filming was completed on Conan the Barbarian. Howard has expressed a love for animals and has a pet bulldog
Bulldog
Bulldog is the name for a breed of dog commonly referred to as the English Bulldog. Other Bulldog breeds include the American Bulldog, Olde English Bulldogge and the French Bulldog. The Bulldog is a muscular heavy dog with a wrinkled face and a distinctive pushed-in nose...
named "Bella". He's also interested in veterinary medicine
Veterinary medicine
Veterinary Medicine is the branch of science that deals with the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of disease, disorder and injury in non-human animals...
and volunteers at his local veterinary clinic in his free time.
In August 2011, Spike TV
Spike TV
Spike is an American cable television channel. It launched on March 7, 1983 as The Nashville Network , a joint venture of WSM, Inc...
announced it had ordered ten half-hour episodes of a new reality series starring Leo Howard's parents, Todd and Randye Howard, titled World's Worst Tenants. The series will reportedly follow Todd and Randye Howard as they confront "the most despicable, dirty, outrageous, dangerous and insane tenants imaginable" and forcibly evict them from residential and commercial properties, and is scheduled to premiere in 2012.
Filmography
| Film | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Film | Role | Notes |
| 2009 | Aussie and Ted's Great Adventure | Eric Brooks | |
| 2009 | G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra | Young Snake Eyes | |
| 2009 | Shorts Shorts (film) Shorts is a 2009 family comedy/adventure film written and directed by Robert Rodriguez. It was released in the United States on August 21, 2009... |
Laser Short | |
| 2009 | Children of the Corn Children of the Corn (2009 film) Children of the Corn is a 2009 made-for-television supernatural horror film directed, written and produced by Donald P. Borchers and based on the 1977 short story of the same name by Stephen King... |
Additional Voices | |
| 2010 | Logan | Logan Hoffman | |
| 2011 | Conan the Barbarian | Young Conan Conan the Barbarian Conan the Barbarian is a fictional sword and sorcery hero that originated in pulp fiction magazines and has since been adapted to books, comics, several films , television programs, video games, roleplaying games and other media... |
|
| Television | |||
| Year | Show | Role | Notes |
| 2005 | Monk Monk (TV series) Monk is an American comedy-drama detective mystery television series created by Andy Breckman and starring Tony Shalhoub as the titular character, Adrian Monk. It originally ran from 2002 to 2009 and is primarily a mystery series, although it has dark and comic touches.The series debuted on July... |
Little Karate Kid | Episode: "Mr. Monk Goes Home Again" |
| 2009–2010 | Leo Little's Big Show Leo Little's Big Show Leo Little's Big Show is a Disney Channel short television series featuring a boy named Leo Little and his sister, Amy Little , who host a show from their family room about Disney stars, movies and programs, in a manner very similar to its predecessor, Mike's Super Short Show... |
Leo Little | Starring |
| 2009–2010 | Zeke & Luther | Hart Hamlin | Recurring |
| 2011 | PrankStars PrankStars PrankStars is a hidden camera/reality series that premiered on Disney Channel on July 15, 2011. It is hosted by Pair of Kings and Hannah Montana star Mitchel Musso. The series involves children and teenagers set up by their friends and family to meet their favorite stars in "unpredictable and... |
Himself | Episode: "Stick it to Me" |
| 2011–present | Kickin' It Kickin' It Kickin' It is an American martial arts inspired comedy television series, which debuted on June 13, 2011 on Disney XD. Created and executive produced by Jim O'Doherty, the series is rated TV-Y7 and follows the karate instructor at an under-performing martial arts academy, played by Jason Earles,... |
Jack | Starring |
Awards
| Awards | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Award | Category | Role | Film | Result | Ref. |
| 2010 | Young Artist Award Young Artist Award The Young Artist Award is an accolade bestowed by the Young Artist Foundation, a non-profit organization founded in 1978 to recognize and award excellence of youth performers, and to provide scholarships for young artists who may be physically and/or financially challenged.The Young Artist... |
Best Performance in a Feature Film Young Ensemble Cast (shared with Jimmy Bennett Jimmy Bennett James Michael "Jimmy" Bennett is an American actor and musician. He is known for his roles as a child actor in Daddy Day Care, Hostage, Poseidon, and more recently in Orphan and as young James T. Kirk in Star Trek... , Jake Short Jake Short Jake Short is an American teen actor, best known for his role as Nose Noseworthy in the 2009 film Shorts. Short stars as Fletcher Quimby in Disney Channel's comedy series A.N.T. Farm, along with China Anne McClain and Sierra McCormick. He has made appearances on several commercials, including a... , Devon Gearhart Devon Gearhart Devon Gearhart is an American teen actor.Gearhart was born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia, and began acting at the age of seven, landing national commercials with Burger King, PBS, Pizza Hut and The Cartoon Network. Gearhart's movie debut came in 2004 when he landed the role of Young Bobby in... , Jolie Vanier and Trevor Gagnon Trevor Gagnon Trevor Michael Gagnon is an American actor.-Career:Gagnon has been featured in many television commercials along with multiple television series and a few films... ) |
Laser Short | Shorts Shorts (film) Shorts is a 2009 family comedy/adventure film written and directed by Robert Rodriguez. It was released in the United States on August 21, 2009... |
||
External links
- Official website
- Leo Howard at TV GuideTV GuideTV Guide is a weekly American magazine with listings of TV shows.In addition to TV listings, the publication features television-related news, celebrity interviews, gossip and film reviews and crossword puzzles...