Leo L. Minaya is an American film

actor An actor (masculine/gender-neutral), or actress (feminine), is a person who portrays a character in a production. The actor performs "in the flesh" in the traditional medium of the theatre or in modern media such as film, radio, and television. ...

. He acquired recognition from his role in the

Sundance A Sun Dance is a Native American ceremony. Sun dance or Sundance may also refer to: Places ;Canada * Sundance, Calgary, Alberta, a neighbourhood * Sundance, Manitoba, a ghost town ;United States * Sundance, New Mexico, a census-designated pl ...

mega hit ''Manito'' (when he was only seventeen) and as

America Ferrera America Georgina Ferrera (; born April 18, 1984) is an American actress, director and television producer. She has received List of awards and nominations received by America Ferrera, numerous accolades, including a Primetime Emmy Award, a Golde ...

's love interest, Sal, in ''How the Garcia Girls Spent Their Summer''. His first starring role came in the form of

gay ''Gay'' is a term that primarily refers to a homosexual person or the trait of being homosexual. The term originally meant 'carefree', 'cheerful', or 'bright and showy'. While scant usage referring to male homosexuality dates to the late ...

paraplegic Paraplegia, or paraparesis, is an impairment in motor or sensory function of the lower extremities. The word comes from Ionic Greek () "half-stricken". It is usually caused by spinal cord injury or a congenital condition that affects the neura ...

Morgan Oliver in the 2012 film ''Morgan'' directed by

Michael Akers Michael D. Akers (born September 5, 1970, in Ephrata, Pennsylvania) is an American film director, producer, screenwriter and film editor. In 2000, he founded "United Gay Network" (UGN) with his longtime partner, Sandon Berg. Most of his films ...

. In addition to being his first starring performance, it was also his first time playing a

character.

Biography

Apparently born on an airplane, Lisandro "Leo" Minaya grew up with his mother and four siblings in

Washington Heights, Manhattan Washington Heights is a neighborhood in the northern part of the Borough (New York City), borough of Manhattan in New York City. It is named for Fort Washington (Manhattan), Fort Washington, a fortification constructed at the Bennett Park (Ne ...

. He wrote, directed, and produced his first play in

fifth grade Fifth grade (also 5th Grade or Grade 5) is the fifth or sixth year of formal or compulsory education. In the United States, this is mostly the last grade of primary school, but for some states, it could be the first year of middle school. Primary ...

. His first acting jobs were school plays, starting in

middle school Middle school, also known as intermediate school, junior high school, junior secondary school, or lower secondary school, is an educational stage between primary school and secondary school. Afghanistan In Afghanistan, middle school includes g ...

, by which time he says he decided to become a professional actor.

Filmography

* ''From an Objective Point of View'' (2002) * '' Manito'' (2003) ... Manny Moreno * ''

How the Garcia Girls Spent Their Summer ''How the Garcia Girls Spent Their Summer'' is a 2005 American comedy film starring Elizabeth Peña. It was released on DVD June 8, 2008. The film won the Silver George for the Best Film of the Perspective competition at the 27th Moscow Internati ...

'' (2008) ... Sal *''

Morgan Morgan may refer to: Arts and entertainment * ''Morgan – A Suitable Case for Treatment'', also called ''Morgan!'', a 1966 comedy film * ''Morgan'' (2012 film), an American drama * ''Morgan'' (2016 film), an American science fiction thriller * ...

'' (2012) ... Morgan Oliver

References

External links

* Living people American male film actors People from Orange County, New York Place of birth unknown Male actors from New York (state) Year of birth missing (living people) {{US-film-actor-1980s-stub