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Robert Sean Leonard
Leonard in 2007
Born	Robert Lawrence Leonard (1969-02-28) February 28, 1969 (age 55) Westwood, New Jersey, U.S.
Alma mater	Fordham University Columbia University
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1986–present
Spouse	Gabriella Salick ​(m. 2008)​
Children	2

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 1989 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, Fifth of July, and To Kill a Mockingbird.

Early life and education

Leonard grew up in Ridgewood, New Jersey, where he graduated from Ridgewood High School. He studied at Fordham University and later the Columbia University School of General Studies. He studied theater at HB Studio.

Career

Because he shares his birth name with another actor, Leonard modified his name for his Screen Actors Guild membership, using "Sean", the name of his brother, as a middle name.

Leonard is a three-time Tony Award nominee, and won 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 previously played the role of Valentine in the New York premiere of Stoppard's Arcadia at Lincoln Center in 1995. He was nominated for a Tony in 2003 for his portrayal of Edmund Tyrone in a well-received revival of Eugene O'Neill's Long Day's Journey Into Night; it 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. Leonard co-starred as Paul Verrall in the 2011 Broadway revival of Born Yesterday.

In 1993, Leonard had a leading role in the film Swing Kids, playing Peter Müller. In 1997, he received rave reviews for his role in the television film In the Gloaming, directed by Christopher Reeve. Entertainment Weekly said that Leonard "does a first-rate job of juggling Danny's mixture of despair, neediness, and mordant jokiness."

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 Weekly's 100 list as "Dr. Underrated".

From 2013 to 2014, Leonard had a recurring role as Dr. Roger Kadar on the television series Falling Skies.

In 2016, Leonard played King Arthur in David Lee's adaptation of the musical Camelot at the Westport Country Playhouse in Westport, Connecticut. From February to April 2017, he appeared in the Broadway revival of Sunday in the Park with George, as Jules/Bob.

In 2023 Leonard had a supporting role in HBO's The Gilded Age playing the Reverend Luke Forte.

Personal life

Leonard maintains a close friendship with House co-star Hugh Laurie. He and Ethan Hawke, his costar in Dead Poets Society and Tape, have been friends since childhood. Hawke and Leonard founded the Malaparte theater company, along with James Waterston, Steve Zahn, and Frank Whaley.

In 2008, Leonard married Gabriella Salick. The couple have two daughters.

Filmography

Film

Television

Theatre

Awards and nominations

References

1. "Playbill Vault's Today in Theatre History". Playbill. Retrieved November 2, 2020.
2. Alvin Klein (January 5, 1986). "For Stage Novice, 'Acting Is It'". The New York Times. Retrieved January 17, 2008.
3. HB Studio Alumni
4. "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.
5. "Born Yesterday :: Home". bornyesterdayonbroadway.com. Retrieved December 3, 2011.
6. Johnson, Malcolm (March 5, 1993). "For the love of jazz, they were really 'Swing Kids'". Hartford Courant. p. 38. Retrieved June 21, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
7. Tucker, Ken (April 18, 1997). "Classy comes home". Entertainment Weekly. No. 375. p. 53.
8. Snierson, Dan (June 29, 2007), "Robert Sean Leonard". Entertainment Weekly. (941/942):69
9. Boehm, Mike (January 13, 2013). "Robert Sean Leonard's first love". Los Angeles Times. p. 95. Retrieved June 21, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
10. Shameer Cohen, Sherry. "BWW Review: 'Camelot' in Westport" broadwayworld.com, October 11, 2016
11. Viaga, Robert (February 11, 2017). "Jake Gyllenhall/ 'Sunday in the Park With George' Begins Previews Feb. 11". Playbill.
12. The Rod Ryan Show: Interview with Robert Sean Leonard Archived July 23, 2011, at the Wayback Machine. None. Retrieved on December 3, 2011.
13. Warren Curry HALLOWED HALLS: An interview with Chelsea Walls star Robert Sean Leonard. douban.com. 4/18/02
14. 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. Retrieved January 13, 2016.
15. Brown, Emma (February 8, 2013). "Life's a Baal For Jonthan Marc Sherman". Interview magazine. Retrieved January 13, 2016.
16. "Robert Sean Leonard Wife: Who Is Gabriella Salick?". Vim Buzz. June 4, 2022. Retrieved February 18, 2023.
17. Staff Author (December 8, 2009). "Robert Sean Leonard 'Looking Forward' to Raising Daughter Away From Hollywood". People. Retrieved February 18, 2023.
18. 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.
19. "The Gilded Age season 2 release date speculation, cast, plot, and news". The Digital Fix. July 26, 2023. Retrieved August 1, 2023.
20. "The Gilded Age Season 2: Everything we know about the lavish period drama's return". House & Garden. June 28, 2023. Retrieved August 1, 2023.
21. Gans, Andrew (June 6, 2017). "See Who's Joining Robert Sean Leonard in King Richard II". Playbill. Retrieved August 22, 2021.

External links

• Robert Sean Leonard at IMDb
• Robert Sean Leonard at the Internet Broadway Database
• Robert Sean Leonard at the Internet Off-Broadway Database

• 1969 births
• American male film actors
• American male stage actors
• American male television actors
• Columbia University School of General Studies alumni
• Fordham University alumni
• Living people
• Male actors from Ridgewood, New Jersey
• Ridgewood High School (New Jersey) alumni
• Actors from Westwood, New Jersey
• Tony Award winners
• 20th-century American male actors
• 21st-century American male actors