Philip Johnson (Actor)
Encyclopedia
Philip Johnson is an American
actor
from Detroit, Michigan
. A 2009 honors graduate of Cass Technical High School
, Johnson currently attends the University of Michigan
. He played the title character in the 2009 Lifetime Television
film America
based on the book by E.R. Frank
. Acting opposite Rosie O'Donnell
and Ruby Dee
, Johnson portrayed a troubled teenager placed in a youth treatment facility after attempting suicide
who struggled to work through his traumatic past experiences with foster care
and sexual abuse
.
America was Johnson's first film; his prior acting experience was limited to one middle school
play. Johnson was discovered by America's executive producer
Rosie O'Donnell and Larry Santisky at a Detroit coffee shop called Small Plates. O'Donnell, who was in town to work on America, told Entertainment Tonight
that she sensed "a soulful kind of stillness" in Johnson. O'Donnell's casting crew had seen almost 200 kids for the role, but was still undecided, because the boy needed to be "vulnerable, fragile, wounded, broken and non-presentational". But Philip Johnson fit the bill perfectly. O'Donnell invited Johnson to read
for the lead role the next day. Johnson impressed the cast and crew with his spot-on reading and got the role immediately.
In the movie, Johnson's younger brother, Steven Johnson, played the same character at age 10.
colleges including Harvard and Northwestern
, he elected to attend the University of Michigan. In interviews, Johnson stated that he was planning to major in engineering
, but is now considering a career in acting
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
from Detroit, Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
. A 2009 honors graduate of Cass Technical High School
Cass Technical High School
The Cass Tech Technicians football team is a high school football program in Division 1 Public School League, representing the prestigious Cass Technical High School in Detroit, MI. Cass Tech High School has long been recognized nationwide for its extraordinary football program dating back to its...
, Johnson currently attends the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
. He played the title character in the 2009 Lifetime Television
Lifetime Television
Lifetime Television, often referred to as Lifetime TV, or most commonly, Lifetime, is an American cable television specialty channel devoted to movies, sitcoms and dramas, all of which are either geared toward women or feature women in lead roles. The cable network is owned by A&E Television Networks...
film America
America (2009 film)
America is a 2009 Lifetime Television film starring Rosie O’Donnell, Ruby Dee and Philip Johnson. It was directed by Yves Simoneau and written by Joyce Eliason. The film is based on the young adult novel America by E.R...
based on the book by E.R. Frank
E.R. Frank
E.R. Frank is an American writer, clinical social worker and psychotherapist. She won the Teen People Book Club NEXT Award for her first novel, 2002's Life Is Funny. Her 2003 novel America was made into a 2009 television movie starring Rosie O'Donnell and Philip Johnson...
. Acting opposite Rosie O'Donnell
Rosie O'Donnell
Roseann "Rosie" O'Donnell is an American stand-up comedian, actress, author and television personality. She has also been a magazine editor and continues to be a celebrity blogger, LGBT rights activist, television producer and collaborative partner in the LGBT family vacation company R Family...
and Ruby Dee
Ruby Dee
Ruby Dee is an American actress, poet, playwright, screenwriter, journalist, and activist, perhaps best known for co-starring in the film A Raisin in the Sun and the film American Gangster for which she was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress.-Early years:Dee was born Ruby...
, Johnson portrayed a troubled teenager placed in a youth treatment facility after attempting suicide
Suicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Suicide is often committed out of despair or attributed to some underlying mental disorder, such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alcoholism, or drug abuse...
who struggled to work through his traumatic past experiences with foster care
Foster care
Foster care is the term used for a system in which a minor who has been made a ward is placed in the private home of a state certified caregiver referred to as a "foster parent"....
and sexual abuse
Sexual abuse
Sexual abuse, also referred to as molestation, is the forcing of undesired sexual behavior by one person upon another. When that force is immediate, of short duration, or infrequent, it is called sexual assault. The offender is referred to as a sexual abuser or molester...
.
America was Johnson's first film; his prior acting experience was limited to one middle school
Middle school
Middle School and Junior High School are levels of schooling between elementary and high schools. Most school systems use one term or the other, not both. The terms are not interchangeable...
play. Johnson was discovered by America's executive producer
Executive producer
An executive producer is a producer who is not involved in any technical aspects of the film making or music process, but who is still responsible for the overall production...
Rosie O'Donnell and Larry Santisky at a Detroit coffee shop called Small Plates. O'Donnell, who was in town to work on America, told Entertainment Tonight
Entertainment Tonight
Entertainment Tonight is a daily tabloid television entertainment television news show that is syndicated by CBS Television Distribution throughout the United States, Canada and in many countries around the world. Linda Bell Blue is currently the program's executive producer...
that she sensed "a soulful kind of stillness" in Johnson. O'Donnell's casting crew had seen almost 200 kids for the role, but was still undecided, because the boy needed to be "vulnerable, fragile, wounded, broken and non-presentational". But Philip Johnson fit the bill perfectly. O'Donnell invited Johnson to read
Audition
An audition is a sample performance by an actor, singer, musician, dancer or other performing artist.Audition may also refer to:* The sense of hearing* Adobe Audition, audio editing software...
for the lead role the next day. Johnson impressed the cast and crew with his spot-on reading and got the role immediately.
In the movie, Johnson's younger brother, Steven Johnson, played the same character at age 10.
Accolades
On February 26, 2010, Johnson and his parents attended the 41st NAACP Image Awards, where he was nominated for a 2010 NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actor in a Television Movie, Mini-Series, or Dramatic Special. He lost out to Academy Award winning actor, Cuba Gooding, Jr, for his work in Gifted Hands.Personal
Johnson graduated with honors in June 2009 from Cass Technical High School. Having been recruited by several Ivy LeagueIvy League
The Ivy League is an athletic conference comprising eight private institutions of higher education in the Northeastern United States. The conference name is also commonly used to refer to those eight schools as a group...
colleges including Harvard and Northwestern
Northwestern University
Northwestern University is a private research university in Evanston and Chicago, Illinois, USA. Northwestern has eleven undergraduate, graduate, and professional schools offering 124 undergraduate degrees and 145 graduate and professional degrees....
, he elected to attend the University of Michigan. In interviews, Johnson stated that he was planning to major in engineering
Engineering
Engineering is the discipline, art, skill and profession of acquiring and applying scientific, mathematical, economic, social, and practical knowledge, in order to design and build structures, machines, devices, systems, materials and processes that safely realize improvements to the lives of...
, but is now considering a career in acting
Acting
Acting is the work of an actor or actress, which is a person in theatre, television, film, or any other storytelling medium who tells the story by portraying a character and, usually, speaking or singing the written text or play....
.