Meet Alberto and Luz Leguizamo, the parents of actor/comedian John Leguizamo. Learn about their ages, nationalities, and John’s relationship with his parents.
Follow this article for more details about John Leguizamo’s parents.
Who are John Leguizamo’s parents?
Actor John Leguizamo was born on July 22, 1960, to Alberto and Luz Leguizamo. They welcomed him in Bogota, Colombia. He was a 4-year-old boy when his family immigrated to the United States.
The Colombian native aspired to be a film director before giving up his studies due to lack of funds. Alberto, his wife, Luz, and their family eventually immigrated to the United States, where the proud man worked menial jobs. Life was not easy. Despite this, Alberto never gave up. Alberto never succumbed to how society viewed him. And that example inspired John.
John’s parents filed for divorce when he was 14 after deciding to end their relationship. But they did not stop him from pursuing his ambitions to work in the entertainment industry.
He has three siblings named Sergio, Emily and Marie Leguizamo.
John grew up in Queens, New York, attended New York University, and spent just one day studying acting with the late Lee Strasberg, a great acting coach. Before playing the bodega robber who shot Harrison Ford About Henryhe made a small appearance in Mixed Blood, War Casualties, And Die Hard 2.
Meet Alberto Leguizamo, Father John Leguizamo
John Leguizamo’s father, Alberto Leguizamo, made headlines in 2011 when Alberto claimed that his son had misled fans about his family’s heritage. Alberto reportedly told a newspaper that he was of Colombian descent while John claimed that he was of Puerto Rican descent.
“I am Colombian-Puerto Rican, I don’t know why he said that. I said I love him, and why did he say that?” John said. However, El Diario, a newspaper Alberto spoke to, claimed that the elder Leguizamo had produced documents proving that he was born in Colombia. Furthermore, he wanted to “clear the air” and stated that he had no Puerto Rican family members.
“It breaks my heart that John lied to the Puerto Rican people and didn’t defend his Colombian roots,” he told the newspaper. In an interview at Sunday’s march posted on YouTube, Leguizamo said his father was born in Colombia, “but his father is Puerto Rican.”
In his 2006 autobiography, John describes his parents’ strong Colombian accents and says he was born in the South American country. He calls himself a “Puerto Rican-Colombian homeboy from Queens” in one chapter but calls himself Puerto Rican in another. Furthermore, in his Tony Award monologue, he says that both his parents immigrated to the United States from Colombia.
According to El Diario, Alberto was born in Colombia in 1936, which would make him 86 years old in 2022. When asked why he came forward now, he said, “I thought John had put it on hold. I spoke to him about it two years ago and he said he would do it.”
“I am heartbroken about that. [John] lying to Puerto Ricans and not defending his Colombian roots,” he added.
The relationship between John and Alberto was said to have been strained for several years, according to Washington Post“My dad and I are actually much closer than we’ve been in years.” While making “Freak,” John was surprised one night when his dad showed up backstage (they had stopped speaking four years earlier). “I was in the dressing room after the show,” he recalls, “and I see this face, all red. He runs out. I chase after him. We argued and screamed for about an hour and a half. He cried. I hugged him. We said the obligatory ‘I love you.’”
“We have a symbiotic relationship,” John says. “My dad has a temper; I need to be explosive. ‘Hey, Dad, how many jobs have you lost this year? I can do a school report. Five? Six?’”
The comedian’s father was an aspiring film director and studied at Cinecittà but eventually dropped out due to lack of money.
Meet Luz Leguizamo, John Leguizamo’s Mother
According to the Washington Post, Luz Leguizamo, also known as Luz Marina Pelaez, is Colombian of Indian ancestry. She was born in 1941. In his “Spic-O-Rama” monologues, he mentioned his mother’s resentment at having to take care of John and his younger brother Serge.
Along with the rest of his family, his mother wasn’t happy about him turning his habits into an autobiography. John also shared that his mother was initially offended, then apologized, and eventually came to love the show — and the attention.
The mother and daughter pair also appeared in the February 1999 issue of NewYorker magazine.
Related FAQs
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What is the nationality of John Leguizamo’s parents?
Both of John Leguizamo’s parents are believed to have been born in Colombia, although some websites including John’s have reported that his father was born in Puerto Rico.
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Are John Leguizamo’s parents still married?
No, John Leguizamo’s parents are no longer married.
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How many children do John Leguizamo’s parents have?
In addition to John, his parents Alberto and Luz also had another son, Sergio, and two daughters, Emily and Marie.