John Leguizamo: Freak

Freak
Poster
Directed bySpike Lee
Written byJohn Leguizamo
Produced byDenis Biggs
StarringJohn Leguizamo
CinematographyMalik Hassan Sayeed
Edited byBarry Alexander Brown
Distributed byHome Box Office
Release date
  • October 10, 1998 (1998-10-10)
Running time
60 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

Freak is a solo performance written by and starring John Leguizamo that debuted on Broadway in 1998.[1] In Freak, subtitled "A Semi-Demi-Quasi-Pseudo Autobiography (His Most Dangerous Work Yet)," Leguizamo tells his own coming-of-age story by portraying dozens of different characters—friends, relatives, neighbors, etc.—that he knew growing up in Queens.[1][2] Freak was also released that same year as a live television special on HBO directed by Spike Lee.[2][3]

Freak was a huge critical and commercial success, both on stage and as a television special. Well received by critics, Freak was nominated for the 1998 Tony Award for Best Play, with Leguizamo additionally nominated for the 1998 Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play. The filmed version was similarly acclaimed: Freak was nominated for the 1999 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Special, with John Leguizamo winning the 1999 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Individual Performance in a Variety or Music Program.[4][5]

This last award has historical significance: with his 1999 win for Freak, John Leguizamo became the first ever Latino(a) to win a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Individual Performance in a Variety or Music Program in Emmy history.[6]

  1. ^ a b "Freak". Theatregold. Retrieved 2024-09-16.
  2. ^ a b Simonson, Robert (June 16, 1998). "Spike Lee To Film John Leguizamo's Freak for HBO". Playbill. Archived from the original on September 16, 2024. Retrieved September 16, 2024.
  3. ^ Lee, Spike (1998-10-10), John Leguizamo: Freak (Biography, Comedy), John Leguizamo, Lower East Side Films, archived from the original on 2024-09-17, retrieved 2024-09-16
  4. ^ "The Tony Award Nominations". www.tonyawards.com. Archived from the original on 2024-09-17. Retrieved 2024-09-16.
  5. ^ John Leguizamo: Freak (TV Special 1998) - Awards - IMDb. Archived from the original on 2012-11-08. Retrieved 2024-09-16 – via www.imdb.com.
  6. ^ "15 History-Making Latinos at the Emmys". AARP. Archived from the original on 2024-09-17. Retrieved 2024-09-16.