John Leguizamo Breaks Down His Most Iconic Characters | GQ
John Leguizamo breaks down a few of his most iconic characters from 'Super Mario Bros.,' 'Carlito's Way,' 'Ice Age,' 'To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar,' 'Romeo + Juliet,' 'Moulin Rouge!,' 'Spawn,' 'Summer of Sam,' 'John Wick' and 'The Power.'
John Leguizamo stars in THE POWER streaming now on Prime Video!
Director: Robert Miller
Director of Photography: Xavi Portillo
Editor: Robby Massey
Celebrity Talent: John Leguizamo
Executive Producer: Traci Oshiro
Producer: Jean-Luc Lukunku
Line Producer: Jen Santos
Production Manager: James Pipitone
Talent Booker: Tara Burke
Production Coordinator: Jamal Colvin
Camera Operator: Kevin Marquez
Audio: Rob Albrecht
Production Assistant(s): Griffin Garnett
Associate Director of Post Production: Jarrod Bruner
Post Production Supervisor: Rachael Knight
Post Production Coordinator: Ian Bryant
Supervising Editor: Rob Lombardi
Assistant Editor: Billy Ward
00:00 John Leguizamo's Iconic Characters
00:18 Super Mario Bros.
02:54 Carlito's Way
05:57 Ice Age
09:05 To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar
11:23 Romeo + Juliet
13:17 Moulin Rouge!
14:51 Spawn
16:40 Summer of Sam
18:29 John Wick
20:01 The Power
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Im slightly saddened there was no mention of his role in "The Pest". It was probably the first film I ever watched with him in it and is still to this day one of my faves.
Love, peace, and chicken grease!
ok glad somebody said it
The Pest!! So memorable for me first because he wiped his butt with a sock and the hunter came by to touch and sniff it gag. Gross! And second because when I saw it in theaters, the employee played the second half of the movie on accident so I basically got 50% more movie for the price of one ticket.
i guess i could use my socks, at least theyre cottony soft
The intro song alone was legendary
I'm a straight white male and I absolutely love To Wong Foo. It's one of my favorite movies of all time. The actors do such amazing jobs. It never once felt like it was Patrick Swayze in a dress or Snipes in a dress or Leguizamo in a dress. They were those people. They threw themselves into those roles and it's a masterclass on acting.
" Bombastic sideeye" Sure you are.
Honestly it has alot of heart and stellar acting in it. I think it's a classic tbr. Also Jason Loudon is in it and that's always a win
I think it's because it wasn't overly woke agenda trying to preach to you it just told a story
Why is your race relevant liking that movie lol
I’m glad patrick took the role and not Robin Williams 😂. Mrs doubtfire was a caricature.
I loved him in Romeo + Juliet, he made such a big impression. One of the highlights of the movie for me
No actor has ever delivered this line better than John: "What, art thou drawn among these _heartless hinds_?"
Sword, 9mm. Classic
@@damienlee1165 Rapier 9mm actually. Sword 9mm is Benvolio's gun.
Absolutely ❤
Yeah he was perfect
John is such a versatile actor who is extremely underrated. He needs more recognition.
Lmao fake account, no one thinks that about him. He’s hot garbage in everything
Check out Mish and Zacks Leguizamarama, great podcast solely focused on John and his many projects
Say it again! 😊❤
He's the same guy in every role lmao
To Wong Foo is SUCH an iconic role and having him discuss it means the world to me.
Iconic role? Heck no… That movie wasn’t big at all, it just came and went
@@nsasupporter7557 Just because it's an iconic role, doesn't mean the film had to be successful or shown everywhere all the time.
@@nsasupporter7557 yes it was!!! Maybe you did not like it but i can respect that. Chi Chi was soooo funny I love that movie❤
@@judithreyes9725 I never said I didn’t like it, I said it because it’s not iconic… tell me, judith who ever talks about this movie or the character he plays in it? So you have it backwards… Maybe YOU liked it but nobody else did 😉
@@burkezillar who talks about that character ever?
John rubbing his nose and going "I can't talk about a lot of stuff." Hahaha, Pacino has already said he did a bunch of blow in that time.
Or was referring to Satanist Hollywood activities.
I've seen To Wong Foo many times, I love that movie, and it was so cool to learn a new detail about how Chi Chi's makeup shows her growing more confident in her own skin. I'm going to have to watch it again just to look for that. Great interview. John seems very generous and kind in the way he spoke about his fellow actors, the directors, and everybody else he's worked with in his films.
ChiChi's make-up journey was so fun to hear about, I has assumed her look for most of the movie was due to the lack of foundation and powder options for deeper skin tones in the 90s (see some of Naomi Campbell's runways when it looks like they just slapped a handful of baby powder on her), but knowing the origin of ChiChi's look gave it a whole other level. ❤
I always thought her makeup was because she didn't know how to do makeup yet with skill, this was neat to hear why he made the color choices did for the character.
Watched Wong Foo last night - Chi Chi could potentially could have been a one-note stereotype but he gave the character so much depth and heart. What an amazing actor.
And the dedication that he put in too 👏🏽 wauw..
John has been around a long time. He pops up everywhere in films that sometimes you just don't expect him. A GOAT of a supporting actor.
Like at the end of Carlitos Way :D
Die Hard 2.
Arguably the best supporting actor of all time. Seriously.
@@Bubba__Sawyernope, that title belongs to Robert Shaw
Despite him being a cringy $JW and he $tupid comments about the latest Super Mario Bros. movie, I would like to see him play a role for the next Mario movie.
My man deserves to be in the hollywood walk of fame man. One of the most underrated and underappreciated actors out there.
I completely agree.
No mans is annoying and be in everything....
na, hes a crybaby. Crying about "no latinos In Mario Bros". He is racist trash
I disagree and he acts like a spoiled baby. He dresses like one too. One day hes drssing up as some columbian druglord the next he looks like hes trying to be in the rap game. Either way 60 yr olds should have more sense. But I guess thats Hollyweird for you. I also think hes heavy into drugs by the way he carries himself.
@@prototype8137 “heavy into drugs by the way he carries himself?” That is quite the assumption to make. You’re the one who sounds like a spoiled baby and also uneducated. What did anything in your little temper tantrum have to do with his acting career?
His Clown is one of the most underrated comic book villains of all time.
I’ve always felt John is one of the best actors of his era. I’ve always been disappointed we haven’t gotten more of him on screen.
“Trust the fungus!” Johnny Legz has brought his game every single time! Have seen all his one-man shows - he’s amazing!
John was one of my favorites growing up, Always a pleasure seeing him
He’s fantastic in what’s he’s in.
his one man shows are great too. he broke records on broadway for how many nights his show went on for
John Leguizamo won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Performance in a Variety or Music Program - John Leguizamo: Freak.
Not just a great actor, but the dude's stand ups are next level! Why he doesn't get more high profile roles is beyond me.
To this day I don't understand how he did his character in Spawn. Absolutely transformed himself to where he's unrecognizable.
It's called 'prosthetics'.
@@Axolotl_Mischief It's beyond that, though. Yes, the prosthetics made the look, but I have to credit Leguizamo with his chops. No one else could have played that role like he did. I recall being absolutely amazed seeing Spawn for the first time, and he was a huge part of that.
@Axolotl_Mischief nah it's more than that, he became clown the same way heath ledger became the joker in the dark knight.
He said he had back issues after filming. Looked like a tough role.
He has a lot of range that he doesn't get enough recognition for. To Wong Foo really showed how good of an actor he is.
Romeo + Juliet in my opinion is a masterpiece!!
Definitely has its moments! DiCaprio's take on "I am not a desperate man!" definitely stuck with me.
Such an amazing film !!!! Love it
Me too.
John's been one of those guys I could sit and listen to him talk about stories for hours. I'll admit, I didn't even skip any parts of the video. That's how listenable John really is.
I absolutely love john's performance as martin in Chef, one of the most accurate and loving characters of just an everyday Hispanic man making his money and having fun with/supporting his friends.
how could you forget about the greatest movie of all time, the pest?
Because it's not the greatest movie of all time 😂
Because it is legitimately one of the worst movies ever made.
Love, peace, chicken grease!
The Pest is the first thing I think of when I hear John Leguizamo.🤣🤣🤣
Quacky🥹
His best lead role is the "summer of sam" directed by spike Lee. It's a classic 👌
Severely underrated movie, I haven't heard anybody talk about that movie in a long time.
@@lo0nyt0onz it's incredible. It was brilliant at having the movie focus around the "people" in the neighborhood while the son of sam killed in NYC. The anxiety, tension, fear etc.
@Razor Rela I love the scene when he argues with his girlfriend and she leaves him stranded at the side of the road haha
@Paul that was great. He was banging her cousin, so she left him on the side of the road knowing there's a serial killer on the loose lol 😆
Empire!!!
I'm surprised The Menu wasn't on here. His role was small, but he was definitely one of the highlights in an already stacked cast for that movie.
John Leguizamo was actually the reason I saw the film. I very much enjoyed his role and wish there was more of him in it.
@@LegionIvorysame here I only went in for him and ended up loving the whole movie. He ia fantastic
Agreed, he was a stand-out!
He was on the 1st John wick as well.
John: I grew up in Jackson Heights too, and I'm your age. I'm SO proud of you:) I'm Greek-American, and back in our day, there were Indian-Americans, African-Americans, Puerto-Ricans, Columbians, etc. Also Irish, Jewish, SO many cultures:) I'm proud of where I grew up--- and the ridiculous diversity. You are Queens, and Queens was always a melting pot. Today, the term melting pot is not cool, but for me, it means so much. Thank you for representing Queens, NY. Love, Thalia
Not having the pest on this list is just criminal
I hope for the day John and Wesley end up as judges on RuPauls Drag Race. ❤
Thanks for your continuous love and support. ❤️ For how long have you been a fan of mine?
I’m a huge fan of the Spawn comics and I will say this, if the 1997 movie got anything right, it’s The Clown. Thank you John Leguizamo
love this man and love his recent resurgence! I know he's always been working but he's getting more recognition which is amazing!he deserves it. he's been one of my fav actors since I was a kid.
Having Super Mario in a Blade Runner type-world is just so bizarre. I enjoy it for its weirdness.
Same here
My baby brother loves thr nostalgia of it all. He's extremely nostalgic 🤷♀️. Each generation has their classic or fave genre film, love it 😁👍
I love this movie Can’t understand the hate for it 😂
@@MrVelez809 I hated it as a kid because it wasn't like the video game. I'm willing to give it another watch though. It actually looks interesting to me now.
Me too.
Shout-out to John, I grew up with all of his movies throughout the 90s and early 2000s. God I miss the 90s 😃
0
Same! He was great in spawn and the pest
@@maxmalevolent cant believe they left out the pest! well i can believe it but we loved it in my family. granted we were 4 young brothers when it came out lol
I don't miss the 90's let's end this joke
@@tannerpaisley-ve6dq Don't nobody care what you don't miss. That's your problem lol. 😄😄
His performance in Spawn is just another level
I always say, John, Wesley, and Patrick are the bravest actors for playing such authentic LGBTQ characters in a time when it was still taboo. Such a inspiration to everyone ❤
It had been done earlier in the Australian classic Priscilla, which they copied a lot of
Priscilla is the OG.
you mean smoothbrain characters?
Especially for the 1990s.
Criminal there was no section for The Pest. My whole childhood.
As a 2000s kid I always had my love of John Leguizamo. Such a brilliant and funny actor.
This was hugely entertaining and he didn't even touch classics like The Pest, or newcomers like The Menu. John Leguizamo is actually a living legend and I'm not sure he knows it. Love that guy.
He is just one of those actors that is very charismatic truly underrated
John Leguizamo, I absolutely loved seeing this guy in movies as I grew up, an OG for sure
I’ve always liked John I find myself sitting up in my chair when I see him in a movie that I didn’t know he was going to be in just to watch him act seems like a really cool person in real life too. Wish him the best.
Leguizamo's name *and* his performances were always memorable, genuine, and visceral.
Too Wong Foo was way ahead of its time. Classic film.
He's a chameleon, especially in Spawn. I was happy to see that he's still working in the Menu.
Yeah and he’s in The Power now
Despite the crummy story, Spawn was cool for the time it came out. And I always thought John Leguizamo added his own flare to it, the animated series took it a little further with Clown being a lot more sinister and no doubt Leguizamo was an influence on that. The soundtrack was pretty solid too.
I hadn't read a Spawn comic without thinking of John's Clown since. I loved his portrayal of the character, he was gross looking in lightning similarly to The Leprechaun movies it was perfect for some first time movie makers.
Still listen to the soundtrack maybe every other month,to this day.
I wish they had Chef in this video. Man John is in everything and deserves more rec, he’s a gem.
One of the best actors around. The different range of roles he takes and knocks out of the park is ridiculous.
wow i had no idea he played sid the sloth… my favorite scene in that movie as a kid was “the last melon” scene when he runs with the watermelon like a football lol. to this day at 28 years old i said “the last melon” for anything that is the last of something haha. the last beer, the last chicken nugget, the last anything. thank you for unknowingly make my childhood great
I was hoping to hear him speak on The Pest and Empire. Amazing interview none the less. John will forever be one of my favorite to do it
Carlito's way is one of the best movies ever, Always great seeing Al Pacino
He can’t talk about it (wipes nose) haha
@@killedpatrick literally what I thought when he said they were starting to think it was the 70’s hahaha ❄️
Love that guy. I remember fondly first seeing him in 1997's The Pest and I feel this was a missed opportunity to have him talk about that movie!
One of the greatest actors ever. Legend
I’m glad he’s able to look back on Super Mario Bros. with fondness. It isn’t that good of a movie, but there’s undoubtably something unique about it, and it’s cult following is very present.
The Pest! was another classic comedy
This was great to watch. You can see the effort John puts into all of his characters and I mean what a career. His been in some of my all time faves: R&J, Carlitos Way, Summer of Sam! Also his ability and humility to play a lead but also play smaller roles is incredible. I might have to put John in my top 10 male actors. 👏🏽
John saying he wanted to appeal to kids in Super Mario Bros. It worked. I've been in love with him since I was 7 years old haha
Not only John succeeded in comedy, he’s an excellent voice artist.
John is such an incredible actor, I've seen so many of the films he's been apart of growing up and he's amazing at what he does!
Thanks for your continuous love and support. ❤️ For how long have you been a fan of mine?
His movie ‘the pest’ should’ve definitely got some attention it was my favorite of his movies and helped me develop a lot of my personality when I was younger it can easily be said to have changed my life because it showed me how to be free thinking, wild, and a little impulsive at times but in the best ways
That movie is too politically incorrect nowadays
Whether you love it or hate it, The Super Mario Brothers movie introduced the world to this great man and I will be forever grateful for that. Been one of my favorites ever since and he looks just as good now, as he did back then, if not better.
The 1993 Mario movie was bad. The 2023 Mario movie was way better.
@@AdamRee-lx8uh ok Nintendo consumer
Spawn was ahead of it time. I loved it as a kid. Dont get me wrong I know it hasnt aged well but i loved it.
I wish they could have added his one man shows. He’s incredible I love him! A true thespian!!
Thanks for your continuous love and support. ❤️ For how long have you been a fan of mine?
I've always loved this dude and there are so many movies I've seen many times without even realizing it was him lmao. That's how you know he's a good actor
Still remember being 5 years old and was terrified of Land of the Dead but one of things that made me want to watch it was the fact that John Leguizamo was in it
I can't believe this dude is 62! Love you, John! Keep the movies coming! You're one of my favorite actors of all time!
62!?
@@johnwerner69 He's got that same fountain of youth that Ralph Macchio and Paul Rudd have.
He’ll always be by far the one and only most perfect version of The Violator.
It’s moulin rouge for me always. He knocked that role outta the park
Love John in all his roles. He is a true artist ❤
They should have spoken about the pest. That is comedy classic 🤣
I want more of this interview 😭
I ❤️ Leguizamo in Too Wong Foo! ChiChi had goals. She reached them. Such a great story.
John is great, thank you! Soo many great performances to choose.
I like how they just avoid talking about the Pest where he is playing a latino character, albeit maybe not represented in the best way
That film was the comedic gold of my child hood.
@@alexsamain812 Absolutely, same here! My friends and I would say the lines and act the movie out all the time.
@@tjyau7068 I know it's a terrible TERRIBLE movie filed with racist tropes but it has some of the funniest moments. The parking lot speaker scene lmao!! Bout to watch that again right now
Beign a fan since Super Mario Bros (i was one of those 90's kids who loved that movie). John is always committed to the project, you can tell, he was the best part in Spawn, Moulin Rouge, Ice Age, and he was amazing in The Menu, last year.
I love John. He is an amazing talent!
John is awesome and in my opinion very underrated.
I have so much respect and admiration for John. He is proud and loud of being Latino❤️🫶🏼 thank you for giving him his time and his own show🫶🏼
I never noticed how many of my fav movies he's played in! He's definitely on my list of my fav actors, youu can tell he's a real humble dude. ❤
How did they not include his role in Chef? He was brilliant!
Shame, The Pest wasn’t mention.
Underrated actor , Jleguizamo most of Us in the 90' s wanted to be just like Him, now still cooler than a fan🤓 Orgullo Latinoaméricano
John Leguizamo is fabulous in "To Woo Fong...Thanks..." Kudos to Swayze(RIP) and Snipes too...
Love John as an actor, but even more as a person! He's truly awesome! So glad he always represented us Latinos so well.
No mention at all of "Land Of The Dead". Which has one of the most iconic characters that John has played. With one of the best directors, George A Romero.
Love John Leguizamo's career. Mario Bros, To Wong Foo, Spawn and The Pest!
He is so phenomenally talented. 😊❤
Loved Mario bros. Him and Bob did a stellar job
Another underrated good comedic actor with crazy range.
I love John, So versatile, so underrated, so naturally funny. NOt sure as what....but I feel like theres a quirky role out there in the MCU for John somewhere.
Love John he’s a great actor, low key wish they had mentioned ‘The Pest’ though haha be interesting to hear his take on that production.
This guy is a living legend. Such an amazing range.
How dare they do his history and NOT INCLUDE The Pest! That was his first true lead role
i was looking for this comment! i agree!
i had the BIGGEST crush on him, still do. such an underrated actor
He also has a nice role in Casualties of War with Sean Penn in 1989. He was great along with the entire cast
John was an absolute BOSS in Romeo + Juliet. Fantastic style.
What abt him in "The Pest"?!
Always liked John Lequizamo in everything he did but it was seeing one of his one man shows, Ghetto Klown, that made me really fall in love with him and respect his entire craft. Always enjoy watching him
Leguizamo is such a versatile actor.
He has had such a phenomenal career.
What a legend.
John and Michael Pena were the only representation I latched onto growing up, I cannot say how much that meant to me.
This was a great interview to watch
An absolute class act of a human.