Leslie Allen Jordan (born April 29, 1955)[3] is an American actor, writer, and singer.[4] He is best known for his roles as Lonnie Garr in Hearts Afire (1993–1995), Beverly Leslie in Will & Grace (2001–2006, 2017–2020), several characters in the American Horror Story franchise (2011–present), Sid in The Cool Kids (2018–2019) and Phil in Call Me Kat (2021–present). One of his best-known onstage performances was in Sordid Lives, where he played Earl "Brother Boy" Ingram, a role he took to the big screen in the popular cult film of the same name.
Leslie Jordan | |
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![]() Jordan at the 2022 National Book Festival | |
Born | Leslie Allen Jordan (1955-04-29) April 29, 1955 (age 67) |
Occupation |
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Years active | 1986–present |
Height | 4 ft 11 in (1.50 m)[2] |
Website | thelesliejordan.com |
Jordan was born and raised in Chattanooga, Tennessee,[2] where he graduated from Brainerd High School.[5] In a 2014 interview, Jordan said that he had a difficult time growing up Southern Baptist. "I was baptized 14 times. Every time the preacher would say, 'Come forward, sinners!' I'd say 'Oooh, I was out in the woods with that boy, I better go forward.'"[6]
During an appearance on Today,[citation needed] Jordan said his mother, Peggy Ann, was supportive and accepting, despite never truly understanding him. Jordan's father, Allen B. Jordan, was a major in the United States Army Reserve and died, along with two others, in the crash of a civilian Beechcraft Debonair airplane at Camp Shelby, Mississippi, on March 31, 1967, when Jordan was eleven years old.[2][7]
Jordan moved to Los Angeles in 1982, where he became involved with drugs and alcohol and was arrested several times. When Jordan was 27 years old, he began to journal daily, which helped him recover from drug and alcohol abuse.[8] In 2010, Jordan told talk show host Wendy Williams that he had been sober for thirteen years.[9] In the same appearance, Jordan said that before he gave up drinking, he once shared a cell with Robert Downey Jr., and when they both appeared later on Ally McBeal, Downey couldn't quite place where they had met before.[9]
Early in the AIDS crisis, Jordan became involved in AIDS Project Los Angeles (APLA) as a buddy and as a food delivery-person for Project Angel Food.[10]
![]() | This section may be in need of reorganization to comply with Wikipedia's layout guidelines. The reason given is: not very chronological. (June 2020) |
Jordan is recognized for his diminutive size and Southern drawl.[2]
He appeared as newspaper editor Mr. Blackly in the movie The Help.[11] His television career includes guest appearances on Murphy Brown, Will & Grace, Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman, Star Trek: Voyager, Caroline in the City, Pee-Wee's Playhouse, Reba, Boston Public, Boston Legal, Nash Bridges, American Horror Story, and Hearts Afire.[12]
In 1990, Jordan portrayed the ski patrol director in Ski Patrol.[13] In 2007, he guest-starred on the comedy drama Ugly Betty as celebrity-trasher Quincy Combs, and starred as Jesse Joe in the short-lived CW television program Hidden Palms.
On the television series Will & Grace, Jordan played Beverly Leslie, Karen's pretentious, sexually ambiguous rival,[14] for which he received an Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series at the 58th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards in 2006. His Emmy Award earned him an invitation to present the awards for Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series and Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series at the 2006 Emmy Awards with Cloris Leachman a week later.[15]
Jordan starred in the pilot episode of Laugh Out, the world's first interactive, gay-themed comedy show.[14] On August 18, 2014, Jordan became a housemate in the 14th edition of the British reality game show Celebrity Big Brother. He was the second person to leave the Big Brother house (August 29, 2014). In January 2015, Jordan guest-starred in the British sitcom Benidorm for two episodes, as the character Buck A. Roo.
On November 1, 2017, Jordan appeared in the new British television drama Living the Dream, produced jointly by Sky and Big Talk Productions, but branded as a Sky Original Production.[16]
In the fall of 2018, Jordan starred in the Fox sitcom The Cool Kids, along with Martin Mull, Vicki Lawrence, and David Alan Grier.[17]
On April 2, 2020, it was announced Jordan will play the role of Phil in the Fox sitcom Call Me Kat, along with Mayim Bialik, Swoosie Kurtz, Kyla Pratt, and Cheyenne Jackson.[18]
He appeared as one of four guest panelists on July 28, 2022, on the Gutfeld! TV show on Fox News.[19]
Jordan is an accomplished stage actor and playwright. In one of his best-known performances onstage, he played Earl "Brother Boy" Ingram in Sordid Lives, a role he took to the big screen in the popular cult film of the same name. Jordan reprised the role in a televised spin-off of the movie, which aired on Logo, where he played a character that is in a mental hospital.[20] He wrote and starred in the autobiographical play Lost in the Pershing Point Hotel, which was also made into a motion picture. In 2004, he toured the country performing his one-man stage comedy, Like a Dog on Linoleum, to generally favorable reviews.[21][22]
Jordan's first autobiographical stage show was called Hysterical Blindness and Other Southern Tragedies That Have Plagued My Life Thus Far,[10] with music and lyrics by Joe Patrick Ward.[23][24] The production, in which Jordan was backed by a gospel choir singing satirical songs about racism and homophobia, was produced off-Broadway at the SoHo Playhouse and ran for seven months. Next, he distilled his experiences growing up as an effeminate, tiny boy in the South and in show business into an autobiographical one-man show, My Trip Down the Pink Carpet. During the opening of My Trip Down the Pink Carpet, Jordan's microphone stopped working, but he kept on with the show like nothing happened; the show was a success.[10] After touring the nation for several months with the production, the show opened off-Broadway at the Midtown Theater on April 19, 2010. The show is produced by Jordan's friend, actress Lily Tomlin. Jordan announced on The Paul O'Grady Show that he will be bringing his show to London's Apollo Theatre.
In 2021, he released the gospel music album, Company's Comin'.[25] Jordan was later a guest panelist on season six of The Masked Singer during Week 5 where he also did a performance of "This Little Light of Mine" as "Soft Serve".
As of July 29, 2020, Jordan has five million Instagram followers. His following grew substantially in response to his posts during the COVID-19 pandemic.[26]
In 2021, Jordan received GALECA: The Society of LGBTQ Entertainment Critics' Timeless Star award, the group's career achievement honor given to "an actor or performer whose exemplary career is marked by character, wisdom and wit."[27] Jordan accepted the award, previously bestowed on Jane Fonda, Meryl Streep, John Waters, Harvey Fierstein, Lily Tomlin, Dame Angela Lansbury and Sir Ian McKellen, in the Society's Dorian Awards film 'Toast' TV special that year.[28]
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1988 | Moving | Customer at Bar | |
1990 | Ski Patrol | Murray | |
1992 | Hero | Court Official | |
1992 | Missing Pieces | Krause | |
1993 | Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday | Shelby | |
1995 | Black Velvet Pantsuit | Ernie | |
1996 | Shoot the Moon | ||
1997 | Two Weeks from Sunday | 25 minutes | |
1998 | Goodbye Lover | Homer | |
1998 | Hamburger Helper | Larry Lewis | 22 minutes |
1999 | Eat Your Heart Out | Director | |
2000 | John John in the Sky | Tot Dixon | a.k.a. I'll Wave Back |
2000 | Lost in the Pershing Point Hotel | Storyteller | writer (play; screenplay) |
2000 | Sordid Lives | Earl "Brother Boy" Ingram | |
2001 | The Gristle | Jake Bennett | |
2003 | Farm Sluts | Coroner | 17 minutes |
2003 | Moving Alan | Arthur | |
2004 | Home on the Range | Photographer | voice actor |
2004 | Madhouse | Dr. Morton | |
2005 | Sissy Frenchfry | Principal Principle | 28 minutes |
2007 | Watch & Learn | Martin | 12 minutes |
2007 | Undead or Alive: A Zombedy | Padre | |
2008 | Roadside Romeo | Additional voices | |
2009 | Eating Out 3: All You Can Eat | Harry | |
2010 | Demonic Toys: Personal Demons | Prof. Butterfield | |
2010 | Love Ranch | Mr. Hainsworth | |
2010 | Leslie Jordon: My Trip Down the Pink Carpet | Himself | Stand Up |
2011 | The Help | Mr. Blackly | |
2011 | Mangus! | Bruce Jackson | |
2009 | Rockabilly Baby | writer (play) | |
2012 | Hollywood to Dollywood | Himself | |
2012 | Yahoo! News/Funny or Die GOP Presidential Online Internet Cyber Debate | Ron Paul | |
2013 | Southern Baptist Sissies | Peanut | |
2014 | Lucky Dog | Mr. Kaufman | |
2017 | A Very Sordid Wedding | Earl "Brother Boy" Ingram | |
2018 | The Last Sharknado: It's About Time | Benjamin Franklin | Television film |
2021 | The United States vs. Billie Holiday | Reginald Lord Devine |
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1986 | The Fall Guy | Malone | |
1986 | The Wizard | Jimmy | |
1987 | CBS Summer Playhouse | Worm | |
1988 | Frankenstein General Hospital | Iggy | |
1988 | Night Court | Irwin | |
1989 | Midnight Caller | Little Bob Johnson | |
1989 | Murphy Brown | Kyle | |
1989 | Newhart | L. Gardner | |
1989 | The People Next Door | Truman Fipps | 10 episodes |
1989 | The Road Raiders | Whip | uncredited |
1990 | American Dreamer | Short | |
1990 | Babes | Clem | |
1990 | Pee-wee's Playhouse | Busby | |
1990 | Sugar and Spice | Monsieur Jacques | |
1991 | Top of the Heap | Emmet Lefebvre | 6 episodes |
1992 | Bodies of Evidence | Lemar Samuels | 16 episodes |
1992 | Perfect Strangers | Rob Bob Phillips | |
1992 | Reasonable Doubts | Asst. Public Defender Clifford Sizemore Marvin Sizemore | 16 episodes |
1993 | Getting By | Mr. Bergner | |
1993 | Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman | Alan Morris / The Invisible Man | |
1993 | Nurses | Mr. Cooley Waits | |
1993 | Reasonable Doubts | Asst. Public Defender Clifford Sizemore | 16 episodes |
1994 | Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman | William Wallace Webster Waldecker / Resplendant Man | |
1993–1995 | Hearts Afire | Lonnie Garr | 28 episodes |
1995 | Charlie Grace | Darnell Sims | |
1995 | Courthouse | Mr. Barnes | |
1996 | Coach | Blatt | |
1996 | Star Trek: Voyager | Kol | Episode: "False Profits" |
1996 | Mr. & Mrs. Smith | Earl Borden | |
1997 | Arli$$ | Skip Lloyd | |
1997 | The Pretender | Pat | |
1997 | Weird Science | Boyd Butayne | |
1997 | Wings | Teddy Kolb | |
1998 | Buddy Faro | Frankie Delgado | |
1998 | Caroline in the City | Dr. Leslie | |
1998 | Dharma & Greg | Kenny | |
1998 | Ellen | Top Studio Executive | |
1998 | Maximum Bob | Cletus Huntley | |
1998 | Pacific Blue | Bo Nyby | |
1999 | Martial Law | Horatio Hawkins | |
2000 | Any Day Now | ||
2000 | FreakyLinks | Hotel Clerk | |
2000 | Nash Bridges | Walter Marley | |
2000 | Sabrina, the Teenage Witch | Chuck | |
2000, 2002 | Son of the Beach | Jordan | 2 episodes |
2000 | The Strip | Gaston | |
2001 | Ally McBeal | Dr. Benjamin Harris | |
2001–2002 | Boston Public | Dr. Benjamin Harris | Recurring role; 5 episodes |
2001–2006, 2017–2020 | Will & Grace | Beverley Leslie | 12 episodes |
2003 | Judging Amy | Reginald Hoyt | |
2003–2004 | Reba | Terry (The jeweler from the rings) | Recurring role; 3 episodes |
2003 | Tracey Ullman in the Trailer Tales | Rog Monroe | |
2004 | George Lopez | Doctor | |
2004 | Monk | Town Official | |
2005–2006 | American Dad! | Beauregard LaFontaine | voice actor; 2 episodes |
2005 | Boston Legal | Bernard Ferrion | Recurring role; 6 episodes |
2005 | Chasing Christmas | Past | |
2007 | Ugly Betty | Quincy Combs | Episode: "Punch Out" |
2007 | Hidden Palms | Jesse Jo | Recurring role; 5 episodes |
2008 | 12 Miles of Bad Road | Kenny Kingman | Recurring role; 6 episodes |
2008 | Privileged | Dale Dart | |
2008 | Sordid Lives: The Series | Earl "Brother Boy" Ingram | 10 episodes |
2008 | Under the Pink Carpet | Himself | 2 episodes |
2009 | Alligator Point | ||
2009 | Glenn Martin, DDS | voice actor | |
2011 | Desperate Housewives | Felix Bergman | |
2011 | Shake It Up | Theodore Van Glorious | |
2011 | Under the Pink Carpet | Himself | 2 episodes |
2012 | DTLA | Theatre Director | |
2012 | The Game | ||
2012 | Raising Hope | Reverend Bob | |
2012 | The Secret Life of the American Teenager | ||
2013 | American Horror Story: Coven | Quentin Fleming | Recurring role; 3 episodes |
2013 | Baby Daddy | Edwin the Mall Elf | Episode: "Emma's First Christmas" |
2013 | RuPaul's Drag Race | Himself | Guest judge on Season 5, Episode 7 |
2013 | Supernatural | Yorkie Mutt | voice actor; Episode: "Dog Dean Afternoon" |
2014 | Partners | Marion Phillips | Episode: "Jurist Prudence" |
2014 | Celebrity Big Brother UK | Himself | Series 14, 12 episodes |
2015 | Benidorm | Buck A. Roo | Series 7, Episodes 1 & 2 |
2015 | Con Man | Leslie Jordan / 'Curley' | Recurring role; 6 episodes |
2016 | Fear, Inc. | Judson | |
2016 | American Horror Story: Roanoke | Ashley Gilbert (reenactor of Cricket Marlowe) | Recurring role; 3 episodes |
2016 | K.C. Undercover | Cecil B. DeVille | |
2017-2019 | Living the Dream | Aiden | |
2018–2019 | The Cool Kids | Sid | Main role, 22 episodes |
2019 | American Horror Story: 1984 | Courtney | Recurring role; 4 episodes |
2021-Present | Call Me Kat | Phil | Main role; 31 Episodes |
2021 | The Great North | Thomas Wintersbone | Season 1 Episode 6: "Pride and Prejudice Adventure" |
2021 | Special | Charles | Season 2 Episode 7: "Why Is No One Ready?" |
2021 | The Masked Singer | Soft Serve/Guest panelist | Season 6 Episode 5: "Time Warp" |
2022 | RuPaul's Drag Race | Guest director | Season 14 Episode 12: "Moulin Ru: The Rusical" |
2022 | Trixie Motel | Himself | Upcoming Episode |
Sober for 22 years, Mr. Jordan, 65…
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Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series | |
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1986–2000 |
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2001–present |
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