LiveWorld Transcripts

NBCi presents

Leon
"Little Richard"

February 16, 2000

Actor Leon answers questions about his role as the famous musician in NBC's movie "Little Richard."

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NBCLive: Welcome to #NBC-Live! Our guest for this event is Leon star of the upcoming NBC movie "Little Richard", premiering Sunday, February 20, 2000 (9-11 p.m. ET) The dramatic life story of one of rock 'n' roll's greatest legends is told for the first time with his full cooperation in "The Little Richard Story," a revealing account of the charismatic icon who transformed rock 'n' roll from a brief musical movement to a lasting cultural phenomenon. Welcome Leon!

Leon: Hi everyone! Thanks for coming to chat with me tonight! I look forward to your questions.

Veronica: How did you get started in acting?

Leon: Actually, acting kinda found me. I was at college on a basketball scholarship, and a graduate film student begged me to be in his movie, because of the way I looked. I tried it, and never looked back! This was at Loyola Marymount University.

Daliha: How did your parents feel about you becoming an actor?

Leon: Strange and very, you know, reluctant to some degree. Because I had a full athletic scholarship and I was giving it up to pursue acting. And I grew up in New York City There weren't any actors in my neighborhood, so it was a bit of a foreign idea, to my parents at least. But they are extremely happy now!

Howde: How would you rate your role as Little Richard to the other acting opportunities you've had?

Leon: Well, I'd have to say that the role of Little Richard probably offers the widest range of emotions and arc of character that any script could offer. And it's not often that something this challenging comes across your desk!

Ohsolome: Is there another famous person you'd like to portray in a movie? Marvin Gaye. He's actually the only one I've ever wanted to portray. As well as Peter Tosh And both ideas came from members of their families.

Shadira: Leon, you studied Ruffin and did him to a "T." Bravo! How was it working with Richard, and was it easier to develop the character from a "live" person rather than from film (as with Ruff)?

Leon: Well I'm still developing a character from films and still developing a character from my normal ways of research Because this movie ends 40 years ago It's about a young Little Richard that most of this generation doesn't even know. So even though I have the "real" Little Richard around, I'm not looking at him for the guy that I'm playing. Cause he'd be at least 40 years younger. And thank you for the compliment!

Note: How difficult was it copying Little Richard's moves during the songs in the movie?

Leon: Well, it wasn't difficult in the sense that I rehearsed him and kind of became him as much as I could. When I work, I'm a bit of a method actor. So I kind of become the character - in all respects, in the sense that I'm only called by my character name I check into hotels, sign cleaning bills, as Richard Penniman. So getting his moves down and everything down is something that, by the time we started shooting, was second nature to me.

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