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Leonard Roberts (Joe Louis)
Leonard Roberts is an actor at the beginning of his professional journey. Having learned and nurtured his skills in Chicago’s thriving theater community, where his early acting experience included performing with the world renowned Steppenwolf company, Roberts faced a decision many artists confront – to expand his horizons and break out of regional theater, or go to New York or Los Angeles? Roberts eventually chose Los Angeles, but not without having gotten his first big screen acting break in Chicago with Theodore Wichter’s critically acclaimed directorial debut, "Love Jones".
From there he segued into a variety of film roles, appearing in Spike Lee’s "He Got Game" and Bill Duke’s "Hoodlum", and starring in the miniseries "The 60s".
Roberts stars as Joe Louis in International West Pictures "Joe and Max", the exciting new movie about two champion boxers, Joe Louis and Max Schmeling, and their amazing friendship which spanned three decades, from the early days of World War II through the 1960s.
The role was quite an undertaking for Roberts who believes in authenticity. He gained 15 pounds while adhering to a grueling exercise regimen that required boxing and weight training lessons for five hours a day. Roberts was so devoted to the idea of creating a realistic portrait of Louis, that he actually broke his right hand during a fight scene the last days of production.
Roberts has come to realize the impact of Louis’ legacy not only on boxing and professional athletics, but also on the entire world. A noble, yet humble man faced the Herculean task of not only leading a beleaguered community, but also helping an entire nation move toward tolerance and forgiveness.
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