Leon Lopez facts for kids

Leon Lopez was born on August 30, 1979, in Liverpool, England. He is a talented British actor, director, and singer. Many people know him for playing Jerome Johnson in the TV show Brookside from 1998 to 2002. He also appeared as Linford Short in the BBC show EastEnders in 2016. Leon Lopez has also directed films, with his first movie, Soft Lad, coming out in 2015.

Leon has a strong background in music. He was part of several singing groups. Now, he is a well-known performer in London's West End theatre scene.

About Leon Lopez

Leon Lopez studied at the Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts. This school was started by Sir Paul McCartney from The Beatles. Leon's mother is from Liverpool and has Spanish family. His father is Jamaican.

Leon Lopez as a Director

Directing Films

Leon Lopez has directed several films. His first movie was Soft Lad, released in 2015. He made this film with a small budget. It starred actors like Daniel Brocklebank and Jonny Labey.

In 2018, Leon directed another movie called 'Out of Time'. He has also directed many short films. One of his short films, 'The Definition of Lonely', won an award. It was shown at the OutWest Film Festival in 2015.

Another short film he directed is 'Almost Saw The Sunshine'. This film was nominated for an award at the Downtown Urban Arts Festival. It can be watched on streaming services like Amazon Prime. He also directed 'Ménage', which premiered at the Kino Film Festival in 2016.

Leon started his own production company, Brown Boy Productions, in 2012. This company is working on new films and a TV series called Trade.

Directing Television Shows

Leon Lopez has directed many episodes for popular TV shows. He has directed for Channel 4's Hollyoaks. He also regularly directs for ITV's award-winning show Emmerdale. In January 2021, he began directing episodes of ITV's Coronation Street too.

Leon Lopez as an Actor

Acting in TV and Movies

Leon Lopez has acted in many television shows. He appeared in Mersey Beat and Holby City for the BBC. He also had roles in The Court Room and The Bill. He played the main character, Tanktop, in Hollyoaks: In the City.

He is most famous for playing Jerome Johnson in the Channel 4 soap opera Brookside for four years. Leon has also been in short films like Profanity. He appeared in the BBC show Doctors.

In 2012, Leon had a small role in the British film The Quiet One. In 2015, he acted alongside Sir Ben Kingsley in the mini-series Tut. In this show, he played the character Sete. In 2016, he became a regular character, Linford Short, in the UK soap opera EastEnders.

Acting in Theatre

Leon Lopez has performed in many plays and musicals. He toured the UK playing "The Childcatcher" in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. He has also been in many pantomime shows.

In 2007, he played "Collins" in the West End show Rent (musical) remixed. In 2008, he appeared in Piaf at the Donmar Warehouse. He also performed at The Royal Court Theatre in London.

In 2009, Leon took on the role of "Michael" in Tick, Tick... BOOM! in London's West End. He also performed at the relaunch of Derby Playhouse Theatre.

In 2010, Leon appeared in the musical A Little Night Music in Paris. He played the role of Frid. His show I Was Looking at the Ceiling and Then I Saw the Sky opened in London in July 2010. This show received great reviews from newspapers.

Leon was chosen to perform as Brit in the national tour of Ben Elton and Queen's musical We Will Rock You. He performed in WWRY starting in October 2011.

Reality TV Appearances

In 2007, Leon Lopez was on the TV show Soapstar Superstar. He was signed to "Celebrity Records" after being on the show. Leon has also been a contestant on Celebrity Fear Factor and Soapstar Superchef. He has also worked as a television presenter.

Leon Lopez's Music Career

Debut Album: 'Moving On'

After signing his record deal, Leon worked with Take That star Gary Barlow. They co-wrote his first album, 'Movin On'. His first single, 'Love Got in the Way', came out in August 2007. His first studio album, 'Moving On', was released on February 1, 2010.

Second Studio Album

Leon is currently working on his second album. It is planned to be an 'electro' inspired album.

Live Performances

Leon sang at the opening ceremony of the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester. Over 500 million people around the world watched him perform live. Leon has also sung his single on TV shows like Loose Women. He has performed at many concerts.

Music Achievements

Leon was part of a pop group called A:M. This group was nominated for a MOBO AWARD for best unsigned act. They also won several other awards. These included Holstein Pills Discovers and the Liverpool Echo Arts award for 'Best Unsigned Act'.