Justice Leak
Encyclopedia
Justice Adam Leak is an American
film, television and stage actor best known for his portrayal of Harland Osbourne in the 2007 film
The Great Debaters
.
, Alabama
by parents George, a police officer, and Doris, a middle school teacher. He attended Montgomery's Jefferson Davis High School
and says he was very shy until he was chosen to lead the school's marching band
as a drum major
, which he cites as being "the beginning point for [him] coming out of [his] shell". He studied at a Texas
university, but later transferred to Auburn University
in Auburn, Alabama
to study mass communication
; when the communications program became low on funding, he changed his major to theatre arts. At Auburn's drama department, he was helping a student practicing her lines for an audition for The Crucible
when the stage director approached Leak and told him that he should audition himself as he would suit one of the lead roles. He won the university's "Best Actor" award and was nominated for two Irene Ryan
Awards for his numerous performances.
. He was signed to an agency which landed him a number of roles in commercials (such as for Verizon Wireless
), television shows and independent film
s. He appeared in films such as Bobby Jones: Stroke of Genius, The Cure and Watermelon Honey, and television shows such as K-Ville
, Moonlight
and Women's Murder Club
, which he described as his "training ground" for becoming a professional actor. His agent sent Leak's résumé
to the producers of The Great Debaters
. When he met Denzel Washington
, the director and also an actor in The Great Debaters, in a follow-up callback audition, Leak says "It was one of those moments. I knew my life was about to change." He was given the role of Harland Osbourne, the Harvard University
liaison who receives the Wiley College
debate team. When he accepted the role in May 2007, he ended his acting stint on Atlanta's longest-running play, Peachtree Battle.
Leak appears in the 2008 film Balancing the Books, and stars in the 2009 film I Am the Bluebird, which he completed before The Great Debaters and which he is most proud of.
system. He is trained in ballet
, jazz dance
, videography
and drum
-playing.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
film, television and stage actor best known for his portrayal of Harland Osbourne in the 2007 film
2007 in film
This is a list of major films released in 2007.-Top grossing films:Please note that following the tradition of the English-language film industry, these are the top grossing films that were first released in the USA in 2007...
The Great Debaters
The Great Debaters
The Great Debaters is a 2007 American biopic period drama film directed by and starring two-time Academy Award winner Denzel Washington and produced by Oprah Winfrey and her production company, Harpo Productions...
.
Early life
Leak was born and raised in MontgomeryMontgomery, Alabama
Montgomery is the capital of the U.S. state of Alabama, and is the county seat of Montgomery County. It is located on the Alabama River southeast of the center of the state, in the Gulf Coastal Plain. As of the 2010 census, Montgomery had a population of 205,764 making it the second-largest city...
, Alabama
Alabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
by parents George, a police officer, and Doris, a middle school teacher. He attended Montgomery's Jefferson Davis High School
Jefferson Davis High School (Montgomery, Alabama)
Jefferson Davis High School is public high school with grades 9 through 12 located in Montgomery, Alabama. The principal is Cheryl Fountain-Notable Alumni:Hosea Chanchez, actor, plays Malik Wright on The Game Jefferson Davis High School is public high school with grades 9 through 12 located in...
and says he was very shy until he was chosen to lead the school's marching band
Marching band
Marching band is a physical activity in which a group of instrumental musicians generally perform outdoors and incorporate some type of marching with their musical performance. Instrumentation typically includes brass, woodwinds, and percussion instruments...
as a drum major
Drum Major
A drum major is the leader of a marching band, drum and bugle corps, or pipe band, usually positioned at the head of the band or corps. The drum major, who is often dressed in more ornate clothing than the rest of the band or corps, is responsible for providing commands to the ensemble regarding...
, which he cites as being "the beginning point for [him] coming out of [his] shell". He studied at a Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
university, but later transferred to Auburn University
Auburn University
Auburn University is a public university located in Auburn, Alabama, United States. With more than 25,000 students and 1,200 faculty members, it is one of the largest universities in the state. Auburn was chartered on February 7, 1856, as the East Alabama Male College, a private liberal arts...
in Auburn, Alabama
Auburn, Alabama
Auburn is a city in Lee County, Alabama, United States. It is the largest city in eastern Alabama with a 2010 population of 53,380. It is a principal city of the Auburn-Opelika Metropolitan Area...
to study mass communication
Mass communication
Mass communication is the term used to describe the academic study of the various means by which individuals and entities relay information through mass media to large segments of the population at the same time...
; when the communications program became low on funding, he changed his major to theatre arts. At Auburn's drama department, he was helping a student practicing her lines for an audition for The Crucible
The Crucible
The Crucible is a 1952 play by the American playwright Arthur Miller. It is a dramatization of the Salem witch trials that took place in the Province of Massachusetts Bay during 1692 and 1693. Miller wrote the play as an allegory of McCarthyism, when the US government blacklisted accused communists...
when the stage director approached Leak and told him that he should audition himself as he would suit one of the lead roles. He won the university's "Best Actor" award and was nominated for two Irene Ryan
Irene Ryan
Irene Ryan was an American actress, one of the few entertainers who found success in vaudeville, radio, film, television and Broadway....
Awards for his numerous performances.
Career
After obtaining his degree from Auburn University, Leak relocated to Atlanta, GeorgiaGeorgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
. He was signed to an agency which landed him a number of roles in commercials (such as for Verizon Wireless
Verizon Wireless
Cellco Partnership, doing business as Verizon Wireless, is one of the largest mobile network operators in the United States. The network has 107.7 million subscribers as of 2011, making it the largest wireless service provider in America....
), television shows and independent film
Independent film
An independent film, or indie film, is a professional film production resulting in a feature film that is produced mostly or completely outside of the major film studio system. In addition to being produced and distributed by independent entertainment companies, independent films are also produced...
s. He appeared in films such as Bobby Jones: Stroke of Genius, The Cure and Watermelon Honey, and television shows such as K-Ville
K-Ville (TV series)
K-Ville is an American television drama created and executive produced by Jonathan Lisco, centering on policing New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina...
, Moonlight
Moonlight (TV series)
Moonlight was an American paranormal romance television drama created by Ron Koslow and Trevor Munson, who was also executive producer for all episodes with Joel Silver, Gerard Bocaccio, Gabrielle Stanton and Harry Werksman. The series follows private investigator Mick St...
and Women's Murder Club
Women's Murder Club
Women's Murder Club is an American police procedural and legal drama, which ran on ABC from October 12, 2007, to May 13, 2008. The series is set in San Francisco, California and is based on the 'Women's Murder Club' series of novels written by James Patterson...
, which he described as his "training ground" for becoming a professional actor. His agent sent Leak's résumé
Résumé
A résumé is a document used by individuals to present their background and skillsets. Résumés can be used for a variety of reasons but most often to secure new employment. A typical résumé contains a summary of relevant job experience and education...
to the producers of The Great Debaters
The Great Debaters
The Great Debaters is a 2007 American biopic period drama film directed by and starring two-time Academy Award winner Denzel Washington and produced by Oprah Winfrey and her production company, Harpo Productions...
. When he met Denzel Washington
Denzel Washington
Denzel Hayes Washington Jr. is an American actor, screenwriter, director, and film producer. He first rose to prominence when he joined the cast of the medical drama, St. Elsewhere, playing Dr...
, the director and also an actor in The Great Debaters, in a follow-up callback audition, Leak says "It was one of those moments. I knew my life was about to change." He was given the role of Harland Osbourne, the Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
liaison who receives the Wiley College
Wiley College
Wiley College is a four-year, private, historically black, liberal arts college located on the west side of Marshall, Texas. Founded in 1873 by the Methodist Episcopal Church's Bishop Isaac Wiley and certified in 1882 by the Freedman's Aid Society, it is notable as one of the oldest predominantly...
debate team. When he accepted the role in May 2007, he ended his acting stint on Atlanta's longest-running play, Peachtree Battle.
Leak appears in the 2008 film Balancing the Books, and stars in the 2009 film I Am the Bluebird, which he completed before The Great Debaters and which he is most proud of.
Personal life
Leak and his older sister Liberty were named for their father's love of the criminal justiceCriminal justice
Criminal Justice is the system of practices and institutions of governments directed at upholding social control, deterring and mitigating crime, or sanctioning those who violate laws with criminal penalties and rehabilitation efforts...
system. He is trained in ballet
Ballet
Ballet is a type of performance dance, that originated in the Italian Renaissance courts of the 15th century, and which was further developed in France and Russia as a concert dance form. The early portions preceded the invention of the proscenium stage and were presented in large chambers with...
, jazz dance
Jazz dance
Jazz dance is a classification shared by a broad range of dance styles. Before the 1950s, jazz dance referred to dance styles that originated from African American vernacular dance. In the 1950s, a new genre of jazz dance—modern jazz dance—emerged, with roots in Caribbean traditional dance...
, videography
Videography
Videography refers to the process of capturing moving images on electronic media even streaming media). The term includes methods of video production and post-production...
and drum
Drum
The drum is a member of the percussion group of musical instruments, which is technically classified as the membranophones. Drums consist of at least one membrane, called a drumhead or drum skin, that is stretched over a shell and struck, either directly with the player's hands, or with a...
-playing.