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Robert Sean Leonard is an American actor who has received a great deal of acclaim and a Tony Award for his work on Broadway. On television, he is most recognizable as Dr. James Wilson on House, M.D., yet to many, he will always be best remembered as Neil Perry, the star student of an inspirational prep school teacher in the classic 1989 film Dead Poets Society and as the young Count Claudio in Kenneth Branagh's Much Ado About Nothing.

Contents 1 Biography 2 Roles 2.1 Billed Roles 2.2 Major Roles 2.3 Minor Roles 3 Memorable Moments 4 Awards and Accolades 4.1 Other Awards 5 Trivia

[edit] Biography

Robert Lawrence Leonard was born on February 28, 1969 in Westwood, New Jersey. He took a very early interest in acting and began working on the New York Off Broadway stage at the age of twelve. When he was 17, he had his first film role in the John Lithgow film The Manhattan Project, and he made his Broadway debut as Eugene Morris Jerome in Neil Simon's classic play Brighton Beach Memoirs. Around this time, he took his brother Sean's first name as his middle name.

Three years later, Leonard got the attention of audiences and critics alike with his role as Neil Perry in Peter Weir's 1989 film Dead Poets Society, opposite Robin Williams, Kurtwood Smith and Ethan Hawke.

The next decade would see Leonard completing his schooling at Columbia University and taking roles in films directed by Kenneth Branagh (Much Ado About Nothing), Martin Scorsese (The Age of Innocence) and Christopher Reeve (In the Gloaming). He spent most of his time, however, with what he has called his "first love," the Broadway stage. For his efforts there, he was thrice nominated for Tony Awards in 1993, in 2001 and in 2003 for Candida, and he won in 2001.

In 2004, Leonard took on the role of Dr. James Wilson in House, M.D. His work on this series returned him to the national public eye. He is currently engaged to equestrian and classics scholar Gabriella Salik.

[edit] Roles

[edit] Billed Roles

• House, M.D.: Dr. James Wilson (Seasons One through Two)

[edit] Major Roles

• The Outer Limits: Robby Archer
  • 6x20 - Nest

[edit] Minor Roles

• Wasteland: Jesse's ex
  • 1x04 - My Ex-friends Wedding

• The American Experience: Edmund Tyrone
  • 18x08 - Eugene O'Neill: A Documentary Film

[edit] Memorable Moments

• House, M.D.
  • 1x19 - Kids: Dr. Gregory House and Dr. James Wilson together interview potential replacements for Dr. Allison Cameron. One of their interview subjects, Dr. Petra Gilmar, matches House's barbs without missing a beat and shows no anger when House makes sexist, anti-Semitic and flat-out offensive remarks. After she leaves, Wilson turns to House and shouts, "That's our Hitler!"

[edit] Awards and Accolades

[edit] Other Awards

• Tony Awards
  • Won: Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Play (2001) - The Invention of Love
  • Nominated: Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Play (1993) - Long Days Journey into Night
  • Nominated: Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Play (2003) - Candida

• Young Artist Awards, USA
  • Nominated: Outstanding Youth Ensemble in a Motion Picture (1993) - Swing Kids

[edit] Trivia

• He dated Gwyneth Paltrow.

• He is still close friends with Dead Poets Society co-star Ethan Hawke.

• He is the only member of the House, M.D. credited cast who is actually from New Jersey, where the series is set.