John Leguizamo

John Leguizamo is a comedian, actor and film producer of Hispanic and Colombian-Puerto Rico descent. He is the winner of an Emmy and was nominated for a Golden Globe award.

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• I see the new Latin artist as a pioneer, opening up doors for others to follow. And when they don't open, we crowbar our way in.
  • The New York Times, July 14, 1991.

• We are taking our culture and suturing it to America. Like gum on the bottom of a shoe, we are not going to disappear. Unlike other peoples who totally assimilated, we are more interested in co-assimilation.
  • The New York Times, July 14, 1991.

• America may not realize it yet, but Latin prototypes are being created right now, and not just by me. They are these mambo kings and salsa queens, Aztec lords and Inca princesses, every Hernandez and Fernandez, whom this country will one day come to understand and respect.
  • The New York Times, July 14, 1991.

• He was like twitching and frothing and it was my father, ... I went like all pale. I felt all the blood leave my body. And then my father was like, 'How dare you?' And he stormed out of the theater and I followed him and we fought and argued and hugged and he cried and we made up.
  • Freak, and proud of it - November 2, 1998.http://www.cnn.com/SHOWBIZ/Movies/9811/02/freak/index.html

• You grow up Latin in this country and you're a third class citizen from the word go, and so you have to deal with everything around you from that point of view and trying to feel entitled.
  • Freak, and proud of it - November 2, 1998.

• There were no Latin people on 'Star Trek,' that this was proof that they weren't planning to have us around for the future.
  • Freak, and proud of it - November 2, 1998.

• Latins for Republicans - it's like roaches for Raid.
  • At a July 8, 2004 rally for John Kerry and John Edwards, mocking the idea of Latinos supporting a Republican ticket.http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/07/15/politics/main629752.shtml

• I was familiar with that and “Rio Bravo.” “Rio Bravo” was what John Carpenter did, that brilliant move of taking a western and turning it into an urban flick. And from there you got, you know, all the cop genre movies of the time.
  • John Leguizamo Talks About "Assault on Precinct 13", January 16, 2005.http://movies.about.com/od/assaultonprecinct13/a/assaultjl011205.htm

• He made the characters a lot more three-dimensional. It's still a 'B' movie and it's still kinda campy. Now it's these really well-developed characters, really three-dimensional.
  • John Leguizamo Talks About "Assault on Precinct 13", January 16, 2005.

• He thinks he can use the jail for networking to be somebody. In that way, he's always operating.
  • John Leguizamo Talks About "Assault on Precinct 13", January 16, 2005.

• He wanted to be a lawyer, couldn't afford it, so he started dealing to go to college - good intention.
  • John Leguizamo Talks About "Assault on Precinct 13", January 16, 2005.

• I like drama. I love being in a drama where I get to be the funny guy. That's what I really love the most.
  • John Leguizamo Talks About "Assault on Precinct 13", January 16, 2005, answering the question, "Is comedy your first love?"

• There was no point. It's already done. Let's leave that alone. I mean, if you're not going to come there with something new, then just leave it alone.
  • John Leguizamo Talks About "Assault on Precinct 13", January 16, 2005, asked whether he would have taken the role if it was merely a remake.

• Yeah, that came out of a reading. It was great. It's such a fun crew to be with, and we all went out the night before and that really encouraged us to go out and get drunk.
  • John Leguizamo Talks About "Assault on Precinct 13", January 16, 2005.