Robert Sean Leonard
Robert Lawrence Leonard (born February 28, 1969), known by his stage name Robert Sean Leonard, is an American actor. He is known for playing Dr. James Wilson in the television series House (2004–2012) and Neil Perry in the film Dead Poets Society. Leonard won a Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Play for his performance in The Invention of Love in 2001. His other theater credits include Candida, Long Day's Journey Into Night, Breaking the Code, The Speed of Darkness, Philadelphia, Here I Come!, Arcadia, The Music Man, Born Yesterday, and To Kill a Mockingbird. From 2013 to 2014, Leonard had a recurring role as Dr. Roger Kadar on the television series Falling Skies. He also starred as the leading role in Swing Kids and played Peter.
Robert Sean Leonard | |
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Leonard in 2007 | |
Born | Robert Lawrence Leonard February 28, 1969 Westwood, New Jersey, U.S. |
Alma mater | Fordham University Columbia University |
Occupation | Actor |
Years active | 1986–present |
Early life and education
Leonard was born in Westwood, New Jersey, to Joyce Patricia (née Peterson), a nurse, and Robert Leonard, a teacher at Collier High School.[1][2][3] He grew up in Ridgewood, where he attended Ridgewood High School before moving on to Fordham University and later the Columbia University School of General Studies.[4] He studied theatre at HB Studio.[5]
Career
Because he shares his birth name with another actor, Leonard modified his name for his Screen Actors Guild membership with Sean, the name of his brother.[6]
Leonard is a three-time Tony Award nominee, winning Best Featured Actor in a Play in 2001 for his role as A. E. Housman in Tom Stoppard's The Invention of Love. He had a prior association with Stoppard's work, playing the role of Valentine in the New York premiere of Arcadia at Lincoln Center in 1995. His 2003 Tony nomination was for his portrayal of Edmund Tyrone in a well-received revival of Eugene O'Neill's Long Day's Journey Into Night that co-starred Philip Seymour Hoffman, Brian Dennehy and Vanessa Redgrave. Leonard has also appeared in Broadway musical productions, in 2001 replacing Craig Bierko as the lead performer in a revival of The Music Man. On February 8, 2011, it was announced that Leonard would co-star as Paul Verrall in the 2011 Broadway revival of Born Yesterday beginning in March.[7]
In 1997, Leonard received rave reviews for his role in the Christopher Reeve-directed television film In the Gloaming. Entertainment Weekly said that, in the film, Leonard "does a first-rate job of juggling Danny's mixture of despair, neediness, and mordant jokiness."[8]
From 2004, he played Dr. James Wilson, head of the oncology department, on the FOX TV series House, until the series ended in 2012. In 2007 Leonard appeared on Entertainment's Weekly's 100 list as "Dr. Underrated."[9]
In 2016, Leonard played King Arthur in David Lee's adaptation of the musical Camelot at the Westport Country Playhouse in Westport, Connecticut.[10] From February to April 2017, he appeared in the Broadway revival of Sunday in the Park with George as Jules/Bob.[11]
Personal life
Leonard maintains a close friendship with House co-star Hugh Laurie.[12] He is also a friend since childhood of Ethan Hawke, his costar in Dead Poets Society and Tape.[13] Hawke and Leonard founded the Malaparte theater company, along with James Waterston, Steve Zahn, and Frank Whaley.[14][15] Leonard has been married to Gabriella Salick since 2008. They have two daughters: Eleanor (born 2009) and Claudia (born 2012). [16]
Filmography
Film and television
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1986 | The Manhattan Project | Max | |
1988 | My Best Friend Is a Vampire | Jeremy Capello | |
1989 | Dead Poets Society | Neil Perry | |
1990 | Mr. & Mrs. Bridge | Douglas Bridge | |
1991 | Married to It | Chuck Bishop | |
1993 | Swing Kids | Peter Müller | |
1993 | Much Ado About Nothing | Claudio | |
1993 | The Age of Innocence | Ted Archer | |
1994 | Safe Passage | Alfred Singer | |
1996 | The Boys Next Door | Barry Klemper | |
1996 | Killer: A Journal of Murder | Henry Lesser | |
1996 | I Love You, I Love You Not | Angel of Death | |
1997 | In the Gloaming | Danny | |
1998 | Standoff | Jamie Doolin | |
1998 | The Last Days of Disco | Tom Platt | |
1998 | Ground Control | Cruise | |
2000 | The Outer Limits | Robby Archer | Season 6, Episode 20 |
2001 | Tape | Jon Salter | |
2001 | A Glimpse of Hell | Lieutenant Daniel P. Meyer | |
2001 | Driven | Demille Bly | |
2001 | Chelsea Walls | Terry Olsen | |
2003 | The I Inside | Peter Cable | |
2003 | A Painted House | Jesse Chandler | |
2003 | Malcolm in the Middle | Agent | Season 5, Episode 12 |
2004–2012 | House | Dr. James Wilson | Main Cast |
2013–2014 | Falling Skies | Dr. Roger Kadar | Recurring |
2013 | The Blacklist | Frederick Barnes | Episode: "Frederick Barnes" |
2014 | The Good Wife | Del Paul | Episode: “Dear God” |
2015–2016 | Law & Order: SVU | ADA Kenneth O'Dwyer | 3 episodes |
2015 | Battle Creek | Brock | Episode: “Sympathy for the Devil” |
2017 | Blue Bloods | Charles Beard | Episode: “Lost Souls” |
2019 | The Hot Zone | Walter Humboldt | Miniseries |
2019 | The Good Doctor | Shamus O’Malley | Season 3, Episode 3 [17] |
Theatre
Year | Title | Role |
---|---|---|
1986 | Brighton Beach Memoirs | Eugene Jerome |
1987–1988 | Breaking the Code | Christopher Morcom |
1990 | Romeo and Juliet | Romeo |
1991 | The Speed of Darkness | Eddie |
1993 | Candida | Eugene Marchbanks |
1994 | Philadelphia, Here I Come! | Gareth O'Donnell in Private |
1995 | Arcadia | Valentine Coverly |
1999 | The Iceman Cometh | Don Parritt |
2000–2001 | The Music Man | Harold Hill |
2001 | The Invention of Love | A. E. Housman |
2003 | Long Day's Journey into Night | Edmund Tyrone |
2003 | The Violet Hour | John Pace Seavering |
2011–2012 | Born Yesterday | Paul Verrall |
2013 | To Kill a Mockingbird | Atticus Finch |
2013 | Pygmalion | Professor Henry Higgins |
2016 | Prodigal Son | Alan Hoffman |
2016 | Camelot | King Arthur |
2017 | Sunday in the Park with George | Jules |
2018 | Edward Albee's At Home at the Zoo | Peter |
Awards and nominations
- Awards
- 2001: Tony Award for Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Play – The Invention of Love
- Nominations
- 1990: Chicago Film Critics Association for Most Promising Actor – Dead Poets Society
- 1993: Tony Award for Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Play – Candida
- 1997: Online Film & Television Association for Best Actor in a Motion Picture or Miniseries – In the Gloaming
- 2003: Tony Award for Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Play – Long Day's Journey into Night
- 2009: Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series – House, M.D.
- 2011: People's Choice Award for Favorite TV Doctor – House, M.D.
References
- Robert Sean Leonard Biography (1969–). Filmreference.com (February 28, 1969). Retrieved on December 3, 2011.
- STAGE TO SCREENS: Robert Sean Leonard, David Javerbaum, Plus a Look at Fall TV. Playbill.com (June 2, 2008). Retrieved on December 3, 2011.
- "Joyce Leonard's Obituary on The Record". Retrieved April 21, 2017.
- Alvin Klein (January 5, 1986). "For Stage Novice, 'Acting Is It'". The New York Times. Retrieved January 17, 2008.
- HB Studio Alumni
- "Robert Sean Leonard, David Javerbaum, Plus a Look at Fall TV". Playbill. June 1, 2008. Archived from the original on June 2, 2008. Retrieved January 17, 2008.
- "Born Yesterday :: Home". bornyesterdayonbroadway.com. Retrieved December 3, 2011.
- Tucker, Ken (April 18, 1997). "Classy comes home". Entertainment Weekly (375): 53.
- Snierson, Dan (June 29, 2007), "Robert Sean Leonard". Entertainment Weekly. (941/942):69
- Shameer Cohen, Sherry. "BWW Review: 'Camelot' in Westport" broadwayworld.com, October 11, 2016
- Viaga, Robert (February 11, 2017). "Jake Gyllenhaal 'Sunday in the Park With George' Begins Previews Feb. 11". Playbill.
- The Rod Ryan Show: Interview with Robert Sean Leonard Archived July 23, 2011, at the Wayback Machine. None. Retrieved on December 3, 2011.
- Warren Curry HALLOWED HALLS: An interview with Chelsea Walls star Robert Sean Leonard. douban.com. 4/18/02
- Wynn Rousuck, J. (March 16, 1997). "Model Role Actor: He's got a list of movie and Broadway credits. Now, Robert Sean Leonard is adding Baltimore's Center Stage to his resume". The Baltimore Sun. Tribune Publishing. Retrieved January 13, 2016.
- Brown, Emma (February 8, 2013). "LIFE'S A BAAL FOR JONATHAN MARC SHERMAN". Interview magazine. Brant Publications. Retrieved January 13, 2016.
- Schwartz, Ryan (September 10, 2019). "The Good Doctor: Robert Sean Leonard to Guest-Star in Season 3, Reuniting With House Creator — Get First Look". TVLine. Retrieved September 18, 2019.
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Robert Sean Leonard. |