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Justice Leak

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Justice Leak
Leak at WonderCon, April 2015
Born (1979-09-01) September 1, 1979 (age 45)
OccupationActor
Years active2004–present

Justice Adam Leak (born September 1, 1979) is an American film, television and stage actor best known for his portrayal of Harland Osbourne in the 2007 film The Great Debaters.

Early life

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Leak was born and raised in Montgomery, Alabama by parents George, a police officer,[1] and Doris, a middle school teacher at Lee Middle School in Newnan, GA.[2] He attended Montgomery's Jefferson Davis High School and says he was very shy until he was chosen to lead the school's marching band as a drum major, which he cites as being "the beginning point for [him] coming out of [his] shell".[1] He studied at a Texas university,[1] but later transferred to Auburn University in Auburn, Alabama to study mass communication; when the communications program became low on funding, he changed his major to theatre arts.[2] At Auburn's drama department, he was helping a student practicing her lines for an audition for The Crucible when the stage director approached Leak and told him that he should audition himself as he would suit one of the lead roles.[1][2] He won the university's "Best Actor" award and was nominated for two Irene Ryan Awards for his numerous performances.[3]

Career

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After obtaining his degree from Auburn University, Leak relocated to Atlanta, Georgia. He was signed to an agency which landed him a number of roles in commercials (such as for Verizon Wireless), television shows, and independent films.[1] He appeared in films such as Bobby Jones: Stroke of Genius, The Cure and Watermelon Honey, and television shows such as K-Ville, Moonlight and Women's Murder Club, which he described as his "training ground" for becoming a professional actor.[3] His agent sent Leak's résumé to the producers of The Great Debaters.[1] When he met Denzel Washington, the director and also an actor in The Great Debaters, in a follow-up callback audition, Leak says "It was one of those moments. I knew my life was about to change."[2] He was given the role of Harland Osbourne, the Harvard University liaison who receives the Wiley College debate team.[2] When he accepted the role in May 2007, he ended his acting stint on Atlanta's longest-running play, Peachtree Battle.[4]

Leak appears in the 2008 film Balancing the Books, and stars in the 2012 film Implanted, which he completed before The Great Debaters and which he is most proud of.[2]

Personal life

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Leak and his older sister Liberty were named for their father's love of the criminal justice system.[1] He is trained in ballet, jazz dance, videography and drum-playing.

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role Notes
2004 Bobby Jones: Stroke of Genius Guy on Street
Jack O'Lantern Billy Willis
Chosen Carl
2006 Death of Seasons Aaron
2007 The Great Debaters Harland Osbourne
2009 Fatal Secrets Coleman
2013 Implanted Ethan Galloway
2014 Me Justice
2015 The Divergent Series: Insurgent Amity Divergent Husband
2017 American Made DEA Agent Winter
The Hammer Chase
2019 Godzilla: King of the Monsters Monarch Officer Martin
2021 Charming the Hearts of Men Dick
All the Men in My Life Gabe
2023 Southern Gospel T.L. Whittmore

Television

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Year Title Role Notes
2007 K-Ville Scott Leib Episode: "No Good Deed"
2008 Moonlight Ray Fordham Episode: "What's Left Behind"
Women's Murder Club Billy Harris Episode: "Never Tell"
Cold Case Robby Boreki Episode: "Glory Days"
2009 Jessica and Hunter Acting Assistant Television film
Drop Dead Diva Marcus Episode: "The Dress"
2013 Gracious Cafe Guitarist Episode: "Detox"
2014 Dark Secrets Jeremy Tazman Episode: "Photo Inoculations"
Halt and Catch Fire Neil Episode: "1984"
The Walking Dead Knife Smock Man Episode: "No Sanctuary"
2015 Turn: Washington's Spies Cager Episode: "Hard Boiled"
The Vampire Diaries Malcolm Episode: "Day One of Twenty-Two Thousand, Give or Take"
Anne & Jake Grayson Episode: "Bar-b-key"
2015–2016 Powers Kutter 15 episodes
2015, 2018 Supergirl Hellgrammite 2 episodes
2016 Preacher Preacher 2 episodes
2017 Valor Jack 'Smitty' Smith 2 episodes
2019 Patsy & Loretta Doyle Wilburn Television film
Swamp Thing Deputy Tyler 3 episodes
Raising Dion Lars 5 episodes
2021 For All Mankind Peter 2 episodes
S.W.A.T. Bartis Episode: "Local Heroes"
The Underground Railroad James Randall Episode: "Chapter 1: Georgia"
2022 The Staircase Tom Maher 6 episodes

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g Jernigan, Estella (January 3, 2008). "Montgomery Native Impresses Oscar Winner to Land Movie Role". Montgomery Advertiser.
  2. ^ a b c d e f Almon, Megan (December 27, 2007). "Area Actor Can be seen in 'The Great Debaters'". The Times-Herald.
  3. ^ a b West, Roshika (October 1, 2007). "Catching Up with Hollywood Bound Actor Justice Leak: On the Road to K-Ville". The Urbanite.
  4. ^ Eldredge, Richard L. (May 14, 2007). "A Great 'Debate' For 'Battle' Actor". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Archived from the original on June 27, 2007. Retrieved December 6, 2008.
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