---
name: "Robert Sean Leonard"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/robert-sean-leonard"
fi1m_id: "robert-sean-leonard"
imdb_id: "nm0000494"
tmdb_id: 2692
wikidata_id: "Q193160"
roles: ["Actor"]
born: "28 February 1969"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 6
average_fi1m_score: 78
average_as: "actor"
average_over: 6
updated: "2026-09-23T13:53:39.850788+00:00"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Robert Sean Leonard

## Identity

Robert Sean Leonard

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/robert-sean-leonard
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** robert-sean-leonard
- **IMDb ID:** nm0000494
- **TMDB ID:** 2692
- **Wikidata ID:** Q193160
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Sean_Leonard, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q193160, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000494/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/2692

Actor. Born 28 February 1969 in Westwood, New Jersey, USA.

## Details

- **Work:** Actor
- **Born:** 28 February 1969, Westwood, New Jersey, USA
- **Active:** 1989–2013
- **Also known as:** Robert Lawrence Leonard, رابرت شان لنرد
- **Average Fi1m score:** 78, as actor, over 6 titles
- **Fi1m score by decade:** 1980s 80 (1), 1990s 82 (2), 2000s 81 (2), 2010s 63 (1)
- **Fi1m against the critics:** 78 to 74 across 6 titles
- **Score spread:** 3 at 80+, 3 at 60–79, 0 under 60
- **Lead roles:** 1 of 3 acting credits billed first or second
- **Genres:** Drama 6, Romance 2, Comedy 1, Crime 1, Mystery 1
- **Screen time:** 6 hours of reviewed films
- **Box office:** $291m across 3 films with figures
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Sean_Leonard, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q193160, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000494/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/2692

## Streaming the US now

- **Disney+:** [*House*](https://film.one/tv/house-2004.md) (78)
- **Pluto TV:** [*Much Ado About Nothing*](https://film.one/film/much-ado-about-nothing.md) (78)

For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country.

## Fi1m on Robert Sean Leonard

> Robert Sean Leonard makes earnestness worth watching. His Neil Perry gives *Dead Poets Society* much of its urgency, and we value the way he works alongside another actor without making the scene a competition.

In *Dead Poets Society* (1989), Robert Sean Leonard makes a schoolboy's wish for a less prescribed life feel urgent. As Neil Perry, he gives the invitation to think independently a weight that the film's classroom lessons alone could not supply. Ethan Hawke is more hesitant in his response to encouragement, and Peter Weir lets both actors take their time. We were moved by the boys' responses because Leonard's eagerness and Hawke's hesitation make the same invitation matter in different ways.

His Claudio in *Much Ado About Nothing* (1993) belongs to a different kind of ensemble. In Kenneth Branagh's adaptation, our chief pleasure is the sparring romance between Branagh and Emma Thompson. It is chiefly for those two that we recommend the film, with a reservation about physical comedy that sometimes needs reining in. It is still worth following Leonard there, particularly as an introduction to the classical material that occupies a substantial part of his stage career.

The theatre work includes A. E. Housman in *The Invention of Love* (2001) and Edmund Tyrone in *Long Day's Journey into Night* (2003). His stage credits encompass Shakespeare, Stoppard, O'Neill and Shaw. Television gave him a long-running part as Dr James Wilson in *House* (2004–2012), alongside Hugh Laurie. As the lead character's best friend and the programme's moral centre, Wilson offers a place for the loyalty and emotional nuance that suit Leonard. There is no need to treat supporting work as a disappointing substitute for film stardom.

The caution is that sincerity needs a director who will let it do its work. In *Dead Poets Society*, the script and score sometimes insist on the lessons after Leonard and Hawke have made them felt. Weir's patience with their performances earns our recommendation despite that tidiness. Start there for Leonard, and pay as much attention to the pupils as to the man standing in front of them.

## Biography

Robert Sean Leonard is an American actor. Born Robert Lawrence Leonard on 28 February 1969 in Westwood, New Jersey, he trained at Fordham University, Columbia University and HB Studio in New York.

He began his career on stage in the 1980s and has appeared in numerous Broadway and off-Broadway productions. Leonard won a Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Play for his performance in *The Invention of Love* (2001).

On screen he is known for the role of Neil Perry in *Dead Poets Society* (1989) and Dr James Wilson in the series *House* (2004–2012). His other film credits include *The Age of Innocence* (1993) and *Much Ado About Nothing* (1993), in which he played Claudio.

*Sources: en.wikipedia.org, imdb.com.*

## On Fi1m (6)

- *The Blacklist* (2013), Fi1m 63, as Frederick Barnes — [page](https://film.one/tv/the-blacklist.md)
- *The Good Wife* (2009), Fi1m 84, as Del Paul — [page](https://film.one/tv/the-good-wife.md)
- *House* (2004), Fi1m 78, as James Wilson — [page](https://film.one/tv/house-2004.md)
- *Much Ado About Nothing* (1993), Fi1m 78, as Claudio — [page](https://film.one/film/much-ado-about-nothing.md)
- *The Age of Innocence* (1993), Fi1m 86, as Theodore "Ted" Archer — [page](https://film.one/film/the-age-of-innocence.md)
- *Dead Poets Society* (1989), Fi1m 80, as Neil Perry — [page](https://film.one/film/dead-poets-society.md)

## Complete filmography (47)

Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page.

- *Act One* (2026), as Tim
- *The Terror: Devil in Silver* (2026), series, as Director Cleave
- *The Gilded Age* (2022), series, as Matthew Forte
- *The Hot Zone* (2019), series, as Walter Humbolt
- *The Good Doctor* (2017), series, as Shamus O'Malley
- *Battle Creek* (2015), series, as Brock
- *The Blacklist* (2013), series, as Frederick Barnes — Fi1m 63, [page](https://film.one/tv/the-blacklist.md)
- *House M.D.: The Doctor Directs* (2012), Actor
- *Nantucket* (2011), as Narrator
- *Falling Skies* (2011), series, as Dr. Roger Kadar
- *Into the Deep: America, Whaling & The World* (2010), as Herman Melville (voice)
- *The Good Wife* (2009), series, as Del Paul — Fi1m 84, [page](https://film.one/tv/the-good-wife.md)
- *The Hottest State* (2007), Thanks
- *House* (2004), series, as James Wilson — Fi1m 78, [page](https://film.one/tv/house-2004.md)
- *The I Inside* (2004), as Peter
- *Working Shakespeare* (2003), series, Actor
- *A Painted House* (2003), as Jesse Chandler
- *Reluctant Saint: Francis of Assisi* (2003), Actor
- *Tape* (2001), as Jon
- *Chelsea Walls* (2001), as Terry
- *Driven* (2001), as Demille Bly
- *The Invention of Love* (2001), as Young Housman
- *A Glimpse of Hell* (2001), as LT(JG) Dan Meyer
- *Wasteland* (1999), series, as Jesse's ex
- *Law & Order: Special Victims Unit* (1999), series, as Kenneth O'Dwyer
- *Ground Control* (1998), as Cruise
- *The Last Days of Disco* (1998), as Tom
- *Standoff* (1998), as Agent Jamie Doolin
- *In the Gloaming* (1997), as Danny
- *Killer: A Journal of Murder* (1996), as Henry Lesser
- *I Love You, I Love You Not* (1996), as Angel of Death
- *The Boys Next Door* (1996), as Barry Klemper
- *The Outer Limits* (1995), series, as Robby Archer
- *Safe Passage* (1994), as Alfred
- *Normandy: The Great Crusade* (1994), as Robert Sales (voice)
- *The Age of Innocence* (1993), as Theodore "Ted" Archer — Fi1m 86, [page](https://film.one/film/the-age-of-innocence.md)
- *Much Ado About Nothing* (1993), as Claudio — Fi1m 78, [page](https://film.one/film/much-ado-about-nothing.md)
- *Swing Kids* (1993), as Peter Müller
- *Married to It* (1991), as Chuck Bishop
- *Mr. & Mrs. Bridge* (1990), as Douglas Bridge
- *Dead Poets Society* (1989), as Neil Perry — Fi1m 80, [page](https://film.one/film/dead-poets-society.md)
- *My Best Friend Is a Vampire* (1987), as Jeremy Capello
- *Bluffing It* (1987), as Rusty Duggan
- *The Manhattan Project* (1986), as Max
- *My Two Loves* (1986), as Larry Taylor
- *The Comedy Factory* (1985), series, as Garrett
- *Hallmark Hall of Fame* (1951), series, as Jesse Chandler

## Gallery

- ![American actor Robert Sean Leonard, 17 May 2007.](https://film.one/media/person/83616/gallery-e9d3f911fd9c.jpg) American actor Robert Sean Leonard, 17 May 2007. — Arnold Gatilao, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/47/Robert_Sean_Leonard.jpg/1280px-Robert_Sean_Leonard.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Actor Robert Sean Leonard – House Premiere - Paley Center for Media - Beverly Hills, California. (2009)](https://film.one/media/person/83616/gallery-f3552f3f2fff.jpg) Actor Robert Sean Leonard – House Premiere - Paley Center for Media - Beverly Hills, California. (2009) — Kristin Dos Santos, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/99/Robert_Sean_Leonard_%282009%29.jpg/1280px-Robert_Sean_Leonard_%282009%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Robert Sean Leonard](https://film.one/media/person/83616/gallery-cee1d3ed3058.jpg) Robert Sean Leonard — Greg2600, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/00/Robert_Sean_Leonard_%282016%29.jpg/1280px-Robert_Sean_Leonard_%282016%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Actor Robert Sean Leonard at TV series House event at Paley Center for Media, Beverly Hills, California. (2009)](https://film.one/media/person/83616/gallery-bc3fb391bf92.jpg) Actor Robert Sean Leonard at TV series House event at Paley Center for Media, Beverly Hills, California. (2009) — Kristin Dos Santos, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e4/Robert_Sean_Leonard_2009.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled)
- ![Robert Sean Leonard](https://film.one/media/person/83616/gallery-ea851b84cd0e.jpg) Robert Sean Leonard — Image via TMDB
- ![Robert Sean Leonard](https://film.one/media/person/83616/gallery-52c66e44c833.jpg) Robert Sean Leonard — Image via TMDB
- ![Robert Sean Leonard](https://film.one/media/person/83616/gallery-40ab60d80734.jpg) Robert Sean Leonard — Image via TMDB
- ![American actor Robert Sean Leonard (2009)](https://film.one/media/person/83616/gallery-f47ccfde0dd1.jpg) American actor Robert Sean Leonard (2009) — Robert_Sean_Leonard_with_Roberta_Romero.jpg: Roberta Romero, alias bunnicola
derivative work: DostoHouskij (talk), CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a9/Robert_Sean_Leonard_cropped2.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled)
- ![Robert Sean Leonard](https://film.one/media/person/83616/gallery-a490757258c3.jpg) Robert Sean Leonard — Image via TMDB
- ![Robert Sean Leonard](https://film.one/media/person/83616/gallery-9165b777a9ac.jpg) Robert Sean Leonard — Image via TMDB

## Awards

### Other awards — 1 won, 2 nominated

- Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Play 2003: Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Play (nominated)
- Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Play 2001: Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Play (won), for *The Invention of Love*
- Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Play 1993: Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Play (nominated)

*From Wikidata, which records wins more completely than nominations.*

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/robert-sean-leonard