Who is Robert Sean Leonard?
American actor Robert Lawrence ‘Sean’ Leonard was born in Westwood, New Jersey USA, on 28 February 1969, under the zodiac sign of Pisces. He’s appeared in more than 40 movies and TV series, but is probably still best known for his playing of Neil Perry in the 1989 comedy movie “Dead Poets Society”, which Peter Weir directed, and in which he starred alongside Ethan Hawke and Robin Williams. It follows teacher John Keating as he’s trying to motivate his students to study poetry; the movie won 21 awards, including an Oscar for Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen, while it was nominated for 19 other awards.
Robert’s still quite active in the film industry, and his most recent role has been his portrayal of President Truman in the 2022 episode “Victory Dance” of the biographical historical series “The First Lady”.
Education and early life
American married couple Joyce P. and Robert Howard Leonard raised their son Robert in Westwood, alongside his siblings Sean and Kimberly; their mother was a housewife, and their father a teacher of Spanish.
Robert fell in love with acting while studying at Ridgewood High School; he launched his career aged 17, when cast to play Larry Taylor in the 1986 romantic movie “My Two Loves”, while the same year saw him play Max in the popular science fiction thriller film “The Manhattan Project”, written and directed by Marshall Brickman, and which starred John Lithgow, Christopher Collet and Richard Council. It follows a high school student who’s built an atomic bomb, wanting to win the national Science Fair, and the movie won one of its three award nominations.
Although Robert had already attracted some attention in the film industry, he still continued his education after he matriculated in 1987, enrolling at Fordham University; he graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in 1991 and then enrolled at Columbia University’s School of General Studies, earning a Master’s degree in 1993.
Robert also studied acting at HB Studio.
Roles in TV series
Robert’s debut TV series role was his portrayal of Garrett in the 1986 episode “Father’s Day” of the “Comedy Factor”, and the following 13 years saw him focused on appearing in movies, not involved in roles in a single TV series.
The year 1999 saw Robert play Jesse’s Ex in the episode “My Ex-Friend’s Wedding” of the drama “Wasteland”, and in 2000, he played Robby Archer in the episode “Nest” of the fantasy horror drama “The Outer Limits”.
Between 2004 and 2012, Robert starred as Dr. James Wilson in the critically acclaimed mystery drama “House”, which David Shore created, and which also starred Omar Epps and Hugh Laurie. It follows a doctor who’s trying to solve the strangest of medical cases, and the series won 62 of its 202 award nominations, including five Primetime Emmy wins.
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In 2013 and 2014, Robert played Roger Kadar in nine episodes of the action adventure drama “Falling Skies”, and in 2015 and 2016, he played A. D. A. Kenneth O’Dwyer in three episodes of the mystery crime drama “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit”.
One of his most recent roles has been his portrayal of one of the supporting characters in the 2022 drama “The Gilded Age”, which Julian Fellowes created, and which stars Debra Monk, Celia Keenan-Bolger and Ben Ahlers. It follows a middle-class family who are trying to infiltrate a wealthy family, and the series has won three of its eight award nominations.
Roles in movies
The year 1987 saw Robert play Rusty Duggan in the drama “Bluffing It”, and a couple of his following roles were in the 1987 romantic horror comedy “My Best Friend Is a Vampire”, the 1990 drama “Mr. and Mrs Bridge”, and the 1991 comedy drama “Married to It”.
The year 1993 saw him play Claudio in the popular romantic comedy drama “Much Ado About Nothing”, directed by Kenneth Branagh, who also starred in it alongside Keanu Reeves and Emma Thompson. It follows Hero and Claudia who are about to marry, and are convincing their single friends Beatrice and Benedick to marry, as well; the movie won five of its 17 award nominations.
Robert appeared in several other popular movies in the ‘90s, such as the ‘93 romantic drama “The Age of Innocence”, the ‘96 romantic drama “I Love You, I Love You Not”, and the ‘98 musical comedy drama “The Last Days of Disco”.
In 2001, he played Jon in the drama “Tape”, directed by Richard Linklater, and in which he starred alongside Ethan Hawke and Uma Thurman. It follows three young adults who were friends at high school, and who’ve now met at a motel in Michigan; the movie won one of its two award nominations.
Robert then appeared in a couple of not-so-popular movies, such as the 2001 drama “Chelsea Walls”, the 2003 family drama “A Painted House”, and the 2004 science fiction mystery thriller “The I Inside”; he’s since been focused on appearing in TV series, and thus hasn’t had any movie roles.
Other credits
Robert received special thanks for both the 2003 comedy movie “Easy Six”, and the 2006 romantic musical drama “The Hottest State”.
He sang three songs in the 2001 drama movie “Chelsea Walls”, as well as the song “One (From ‘A Chorus Line’)” in the 2010 episode “The Down Low” of the series “House”.
Robert’s been featured in many documentaries, most recently in the movie “House: Swan Song”, another movie “House M. D: The Doctor Directs”, and the series “American Experience”, all released in 2012.
Some of the talk-shows in which Robert’s made a guest appearance include “The Rosie O’Donnell Show”, “Charlie Rose”, and “Big Morning Buzz Live”.
Awards and nominations
Robert’s been nominated for five awards, including a 1990 Chicago Film Critics Association Award for Most Promising Actor, for his performance in “Dead Poets Society”, a 1997 Online Film & Television Association Award for Best Actor in a Motion Picture or Miniseries for “In the Gloaming”, and a 2009 Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series, for “House M. D.” (shared with colleagues).
Love life and wife
Although Robert prefers not to talk about his love life in public, it’s still widely known that he’s been married for close to 15 years now. In July 2008, Robert exchanged vows with non-celebrity American Gabriella Salick; the ceremony was small and private, attended by not more than 100 of their friends and family members. Gabriella’s a successful professional horse racer, and today works at West Coast Active Riders as their executive director.
Gabriella gave birth to their daughter Eleanor in January 2009, and their second daughter Claudia followed in June 2012.
Robert hasn’t mentioned the women whom he dated prior to meeting Gabriella; he’s married to Gabriella Salick as of October 2022, and has two daughters with her.
Interesting facts and hobbies
Robert’s been friends with famous American actor, screenwriter and director Ethan Green Hawke since childhood, and he’s also friends with British actor and comedian James Hug Calum Laurie, whom he met on the set of the series “House”.
Robert was nearly cast to portray Norman Bates in the critically acclaimed 1998 re-make of the horror thriller movie “Psycho”, but the role eventually went to Vince Vaughn.
He and popular actors Steve Zahn, Frank Whaley and Ethan Hawke founded the Malaparte theatre company together.
Robert has an Instagram account, and has posted over 230 pictures onto it, but is only followed by 1,500 people on the social media network.
His favorite actors are Robert Downey Jr. and Jonny Depp, and some of his favorite movies include “Sherlock Holmes”, “Weird Science” and “Due Date”.
Height, eyes and net worth
Robert’s age is 53. His hair and eyes are brown, his height’s 6ft (1.83m) and his weight is about 175lbs (80kgs).
Robert’s net worth’s been estimated at over $10 million, as of October 2022.
