Leon Robinson

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Leon Robinson
LeonRobinsonOct10.jpg
Leon in October 2010
Born Leon Preston Robinson IV
(1962-03-08) March 8, 1962 (age 51)
New York City, New York, United States
Years active 1982–present

Leon Preston Robinson IV (born March 8, 1962) usually credited as simply Leon, is an American actor and singer, who began his professional career as an actor in 1982.

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Personal life [edit]

Leon had a relationship with The Real Housewives of Atlanta Season 3 star Cynthia Bailey, with whom he has a 13 year old daughter, Noelle Robinson (November 9, 1999). More recently, he was in a relationship with Australian fashion model Ebony Mciver. Leon loves to play tennis during his free time.

Career [edit]

Before striking it on the big screen, Leon amassed numerous small screen credits, notably in a 1989 episode of the NBC series Midnight Caller, in which he played an athlete who falls victim to crack cocaine. He also co-starred in the 1989 ABC miniseries The Women of Brewster Place, as the boyfriend of a suburbanite (played by Robin Givens). He became a part of popular music history when he was cast as Saint Martin de Porres in Madonna's controversial 1989 music video "Like a Prayer".

Leon's early film roles included a football teammate of Tom Cruise in All the Right Moves (1983) and as Fortune Smith, the Notre Dame-bound basketball playing co-worker of Matt Dillon, in The Flamingo Kid (1984). After his exposure in the 1989 video for the song "Like a Prayer" by Madonna, Leon's roles became more substantial. In 1993, he played a leading role in the film Cool Runnings. That same year, he co-starred as John Lithgow's henchman out to get Sylvester Stallone in Renny Harlin's Cliffhanger and followed with a turn as a disillusioned ex-jock in Above the Rim (1994). Leon also appeared as Lela Rochon's married lover in 1995's Waiting to Exhale and co-produced as well as co-starred in the 1997 romantic drama The Price of Kissing. He also starred in the movie Once Upon A Time When We Were Colored, directed by Tim Reid.

Leon has received critical acclaim for his portrayal of three legendary singers in made-for-TV movies: David Ruffin in the 1998 NBC miniseries The Temptations, Little Richard in the self-titled 2000 NBC movie based on the life of the rock-and-roll pioneer, and he also played JT in The Five Heartbeats. He received an Emmy nomination for his portrayal of Little Richard. During this period, Leon joined the ensemble casts of two TV series, playing Jefferson Keane on HBO's Oz and Lawrence Hill on Showtime's Resurrection Blvd., in addition to briefly hosting his own late-night talk show, The L-Bow Room, on BET.

In 2008, Leon starred in the 20th Century Fox thriller Cover, directed by Bill Duke, and stars alongside Danny Masterson and Dominique Swain in the indie comedy The Brooklyn Heist, directed by Julian Mark Kheel. In 2009, AOL Black Voices voted Leon one of the Sexiest Actors of all-time. Leon stars in two upcoming 2012 movies, the romantic comedy Ex-Free, written and directed by Troy Beyer, and the southern drama Soul Ties, based on the book by Tee Austin.

Leon, who is also a professional singer, is the lead vocalist & songwriter of his own band, Leon and the Peoples. In 2007, he received an International Reggae and World Music Award nomination for the band's debut CD The Road Less Traveled, and completed a 36 city US tour with reggae singers Beres Hammond and Marcia Griffiths titled the "For The Love Of It Tour". He was a frequent surprise guest on Beres Hammond’s 2008 “A Moment in Time” US tour. He recently performed at NYC's Central Park headlining the 2010 Aids Walk Concert & 2011 Aspen Jazz Festival.

Filmography [edit]

External links [edit]

Authority control
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