Joshua Leonard

Last updated
Joshua Leonard
Joshua Leonard (cropped).jpg
Leonard in 2016
Born
Joshua Granville Leonard

(1975-06-17) June 17, 1975 (age 49)
Houston, Texas, U.S.
Occupations
  • Actor
  • writer
  • director
Years active1999–present
Spouse
​
(m. 2015)​
Children1

Joshua Granville Leonard (born June 17, 1975) is an American actor, producer, writer, and director, known for his role in The Blair Witch Project (1999). He has since starred in films such as Madhouse (2004), The Shaggy Dog (2006), Higher Ground (2011), The Motel Life (2012), Snake and Mongoose (2013), If I Stay (2014), The Town That Dreaded Sundown (2014), 6 Years (2015), and Unsane (2018).

Contents

Early life

Leonard was born in Houston, Texas, the son of Joann, an author, and Robert Leonard, a theater professor at Pennsylvania State University. [1] He was raised in State College, Pennsylvania. [2] Leonard obtained his GED and at age 16 travelled to Chiapas, Mexico, where he taught at an elementary school and volunteered at an anthropological institute. [2] Leonard then spent time in Seattle and London, where he developed an interest in photography, before settling in New York City at age 19. [2]

Career

In 1997, Leonard auditioned for and landed one of the three principal roles in the found footage horror film The Blair Witch Project . [3] Although he reportedly only earned an initial salary of $500, the experience proved rewarding in other ways as the film combined acting and photography. The film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival. Leonard has since appeared in numerous films and television shows as an actor, including HBO's television film Live from Baghdad , the drama film Things Behind the Sun directed by Allison Anders, the comedy film The Shaggy Dog with Tim Allen, the drama film Men of Honor with Robert De Niro and Cuba Gooding, Jr., and the psychological thriller film Bitter Feast with Larry Fessenden. [3]

In 2009, he starred in the Independent Spirit Award-winning film Humpday , for which he won Best Actor at the Gijón International Film Festival. Leonard has also appeared on the acclaimed HBO series Hung and the Showtime series United States of Tara . Leonard directed the short film The Youth in Us, which was shown at the 2005 Sundance Film Festival. Art documentary Beautiful Losers followed, winning the Grand Jury Prize at CineVegas in 2008. He has also directed music videos for many popular acts, such as Morcheeba, Harper Simon, and Fitz and the Tantrums, as well as teaching directing and acting at The New York Film Academy, UC Irvine, and Academia Internacional De Cinema in São Paulo, Brazil. In 2011, Leonard starred in Vera Farmiga's directorial debut drama film Higher Ground , playing a religious man at odds with his wife (Farmiga). [4] He also co-wrote, directed and starred in The Lie , a devilish morality tale adapted from the story by acclaimed author T. C. Boyle. The project co-starred Mark Webber, Jess Weixler, and Jane Adams, and was well received by audiences and critics.

Leonard next appeared alongside Dakota Fanning in The Motel Life (2012). [5] The following year, he starred alongside Carol Kane and Natasha Lyonne in the dark comedy film Clutter, [6] and co-starred in the sports film Snake and Mongoose . In 2014, Leonard co-starred in the drama film If I Stay , directed by R. J. Cutler and based on the novel of the same name by Gayle Forman. [7] Leonard was then cast in the third season of A&E's drama-thriller series Bates Motel as James Finnigan, a psychology professor and a love interest for Norma Louise Bates. [8] In 2015, he had a co-starring role in the romantic drama film 6 Years , directed by Hannah Fidell, which premiered at South by Southwest. [9] In December 2015, it was reported that Marisa Tomei and Timothy Olyphant would star in the Leonard-directed drama film Behold My Heart . [10]

Personal life

In January 2015, Leonard announced his engagement to actress Alison Pill. [11] They were married on May 24, 2015, in Los Angeles. [12] Their daughter, Wilder Grace Leonard, was born on November 19, 2016. [13]

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
1999 The Blair Witch Project Himself
The Blur of InsanityStaley
2000In the WeedsAdam
Men of Honor Timothy Douglas Isert
2001 Things Behind the Sun Todd
Cubbyhouse Danny Graham
2002 Deuces Wild "Punchy"
2003Down with the JonesesPete Jones
Two Days Bill Buehl
Scorched Rick Becker
2004 Madhouse Clark Stevens
Larceny Nick Peters
2005 Shooting Livien Robby Love
A Year and a DayMalcolm
2006 The Death and Life of Bobby Z Partygoer #1
Hatchet Ainsley Dunston
The Shaggy Dog Justin Forrester
2007Country RemedyDarryl
2008 Quid Pro Quo Mr. Knott
Prom Night Bellhop
20 Years After Michael
Expecting Love Ian Everson
2009 Humpday Andrew
2010 Bitter Feast J.T. Franks
The Freebie Dinner Party Guest
2011 Higher Ground Ethan Miller
Shark Night Robert "Red" Allyjah
The Lie LonnieAlso writer and director
2012 The Motel Life Tommy Locowane
2013ClutterCharlie Bradford
Snake and Mongoose Thomas Greer
2014 Among Ravens Ellis Conifer
If I Stay Denny Hall
The Town That Dreaded Sundown Deputy Clayborn Foster
WildLike Ted
The Ever After Christian
2015 6 Years Mark
2016 Teenage Cocktail Tom Fenton
2018 Unsane David Strine
Dark Was the Night Director and writer
2019 Depraved Polidori
2020 Four Good Days Sean
Fully Realized Humans ElliotAlso director, writer, producer and editor
2021 Bliss Cameron
The Same Storm Doug Salt
2022 The Drop JoshuaAlso co-writer
TBATwo EyesBrycePost-production

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
2000SacrificeJasonTelevision film
The Outer Limits Andy LaroucheEpisode: "Gettysburg"
2002 Live from Baghdad Mark BielloTelevision film
2004 NYPD Blue Todd GarvinEpisode: "Divorce, Detective Style"
CSI: NY Matt PaulsonEpisode: "A Man a Mile"
2005 CSI: Miami Jim Markham3 episodes
2006 Numbers Roy MitchellEpisode: "Guns and Roses"
Bones Nate GibbonsEpisode: "The Headless Witch in the Woods"
2009 Hung Pierce3 episodes
2010 United States of Tara RickyEpisode: "The Truth Hurts"
2011 Criminal Minds Lyle DonaldsonEpisode: "Today I Do"
2012 The Finder Derek TowersEpisode: "The Great Escape"
The ProducerMike CabotUnsold pilot
Touch King RoadieEpisode: "Kite Strings"
2012–13 The Mob Doctor Scott Parker2 episodes
2014 True Detective MitchEpisode: "Who Goes There"
2014, 2016–17 Scorpion Mark Collins6 episodes
2015Down DogYoung Jimmy WoodTelevision film
2015–16 Togetherness Dudley6 episodes
2015 Bates Motel James Finnigan6 episodes
2016 Heartbeat Max Elliot7 episodes
2017 Startup RanceRecurring role
2020 MacGyver Martin BishopEpisode: "Fire + Ashes + Legacy = Phoenix"
TBA Tattered Hearts Television film

Awards and nominations

YearAwardCategoryWorkResult
2000 Fangoria Chainsaw Awards Best Supporting Actor The Blair Witch Project Nominated
Blockbuster Entertainment Awards Favorite Actor - NewcomerNominated
2005 Independent Film Festival of Boston Short Film: NarrativeThe Youth in UsWon
Palm Springs International ShortFest Best Live Action Under 15 MinutesWon
2009 Gijón International Film Festival Best ActorHumpday Won
2010 Fangoria Chainsaw Awards Best Supporting ActorBitter FeastNominated
2011Asheville Cinema FestivalBest Narrative Feature Film The Lie (2011 film) Won
Sundance Film Festival Best of Next!Nominated
2012VC FilmFest - Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film FestivalBest Ensemble Acting - Narrative FeatureSunset StoriesWon
2018Transatlantyk Festival: LodzSection "New Cinema"Behold My HeartNominated
Fangoria Chainsaw Awards Best Supporting ActorUnsaneNominated
2020 Tribeca Film Festival Best Narrative Feature Fully Realized Humans Nominated
Florida Film Festival Best Narrative FeatureNominated

References

  1. ↑ "Joshua Leonard Biography (1975-)". FilmReference.com. Retrieved February 17, 2016.
  2. 1 2 3 Donnelly, Joe (July 7, 2009). "Joshua Leonard: The Man Behind (Ahem) Humpday". LA Weekly .
  3. 1 2 "AFM: First Image from Bitter Feast". Dread Central. November 7, 2009.
  4. ↑ Cox, Gordon (June 3, 2010). "Leonard, Irwin, Murphy, Butz get 'Higher'". Variety .
  5. ↑ Jagernauth, Kevin (February 28, 2011). "Joshua Leonard Joins 'Motel Life' With Dakota Fanning, Emile Hirsch & Stephen Dorff". Indiewire . Archived from the original on December 10, 2015. Retrieved February 17, 2016.
  6. ↑ Brooks, Brian (March 20, 2012). "Joshua Leonard, Carol Kane, Natasha Lyonne To Star In Indie 'Clutter'". Deadline Hollywood . Archived from the original on December 3, 2014.
  7. ↑ Yamato, Jen (October 23, 2013). "Joshua Leonard Joins 'If I Stay'; 'Project X's Thomas Mann Lands 'Barely Lethal'". Deadline Hollywood .
  8. ↑ "Joshua Leonard Checks Into 'Bates Motel'; Gbenga Akinnagbe Books 'The Following'". Deadline Hollywood . December 2, 2014.
  9. ↑ Kilday, Gregg (June 12, 2014). "Taissa Farmiga, Ben Rosenfield Starring in Hannah Fidell's New Feature". The Hollywood Reporter .
  10. ↑ Hipes, Patrick (December 8, 2015). "Marisa Tomei & Timothy Olyphant Topline Joshua Leonard-Helmed Indie 'Behold My Heart'". Deadline Hollywood .
  11. ↑ Leon, Anya (January 4, 2015). "Alison Pill Engaged to Joshua Leonard". People .
  12. ↑ Kimble, Lindsay (May 25, 2015). "Alison Pill Marries Joshua Leonard – See the Bride's Sweet Yellow Wedding Gown". People .
  13. ↑ Juneau, Jen (November 25, 2016). "Joshua Leonard and Alison Pill Welcome Daughter Wilder Grace". People . Retrieved November 30, 2016.
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