Michael-Leon Wooley
Michael-Leon Wooley | |
---|---|
Born | Fairfax, Virginia, U.S. | March 29, 1971
Other names | Michael Leon Wooley |
Occupation | Actor |
Years active | 1992–present |
Michael-Leon Wooley (born March 29, 1971) is an American actor. Wooley was the voice of
Early life
Wooley was born in Fairfax, Virginia, to George and Winnie Wooley. He has a twin brother, Marcus-Leon, and a younger brother, George Jr. He grew up in Bowie, Maryland. Wooley began playing the piano at age five and initially wanted to be a classical concert pianist. However, after participating in a high-school production of Oklahoma! he became interested in theatre.
At sixteen, he was given the opportunity to study piano at the Duke Ellington School of the Arts in Washington, D.C., but turned it down to instead focus on acting and singing. At age eighteen Wooley was awarded a full scholarship to the American Musical and Dramatic Academy (AMDA) in New York City, one of 21 scholarships granted in a nationwide competition. He studied at AMDA for a year before embarking on his own to pursue an acting career.
Wooley performed in the national tour of Purlie,[1] after which, worked as a singing waiter on the Spirit of New York,[2] a dinner cruise ship that circles Manhattan.[citation needed]
Career
Theatre
In 1992, Wooley made his Broadway debut as an understudy (Big Moe) in the Clarke Peters' musical, Five Guys Named Moe.[3] After Five Guys Named Moe he embarked on national tours with The Pointer Sisters in Ain't Misbehavin'[4] and The Wiz with Stephanie Mills. He returned to Broadway in 2000 as Olin Britt[5] in the Broadway revival of The Music Man, directed and choreographed by Susan Stroman.[6]
He was also the voice of the man-eating plant, Audrey II, in the 2003 Broadway revival of the musical
With conductor,
Show | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|
American Buffalo (Broadway) | Donnie Dubrow | Understudy for Cedric the Entertainer |
A Soldier's Play (National tour) | C.J. Memphis | |
Ain't Misbehavin' (National tour) | Ken | Featuring The Pointer Sisters |
At Least It's Pink (Off-Broadway) | Simon | Michael Patrick King, director |
Five Guys Named Moe (Broadway) | Big Moe | Understudy |
Floyd Collins (Regional) | Ed Bishop | |
Little Shop of Horrors (Broadway) | Voice of Audrey II, the plant | |
New Faces of 2004 | Featured Artist | Carnegie Hall debut |
Purlie (National tour) | Chorus | |
The Music Man (Broadway) | Olin Britt | Susan Stroman, director and choreographer |
The Wiz (National tour) | Uncle Henry | Starring Stephanie Mills |
Up in the Air ( The Kennedy Center )
|
Bull Frog |
Film
Wooley was the voice of
Voice work
Wooley's voice has been heard in many television ad campaigns for
From 2013 to 2014, Wooley voiced
Web series
In 2012, he voiced Impossibear in Pendleton Ward's Bravest Warriors which airs on Frederator's YouTube funded channel Cartoon Hangover.[18]
Personal life
Jon-Marc McDonald, a close friend and sometimes-publicist for Wooley, confirmed on his website that Wooley performed We Have To Change at a fundraiser for Barack Obama in New York City on August 11, 2008. The song was specifically written for the fundraiser by Bill Russell and Henry Krieger.[19][20]
Filmography
Film
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2006 | Dreamgirls | Tiny Joe Dixon | Singing "Takin' the Long Way Home" |
2008 | Ghost Town | Medical Attorney | |
2009 | A Secret Promise | Booth Attendant | |
The Princess and the Frog | Louis the Alligator (voice)
|
Singing "When We're Human" | |
2012 | Premium Rush | NYPD Tow Truck Driver | |
2013 | Superman Unbound
|
Ron Troupe (voice) | Direct-to-video |
2015 | Hotel Transylvania 2 | Additional Voices | |
2018 | Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation | ||
2022 | Hotel Transylvania: Transformania | ||
2023 | Urkel Saves Santa: The Movie | Dream Santa, Plastic Reindeer (voice) | Direct-to-video |
Television
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1999–2000 | Cosby | George | 2 episodes |
2010 | The Penguins of Madagascar | Singer (voice) | Episode: "The Falcon and the Snow Job" |
2010 | Batman: The Brave and the Bold | Kalibak, Darkseid (voice)
|
2 episodes |
2010–2012 | Ugly Americans | Twayne Boneraper (voice) | Main role |
2013–2014 | Beware the Batman | Tobias Whale, Matatoa (voice) | Recurring role |
2014 | Sanjay and Craig | Chill Bill (voice) | Episode: "Chill Bill" |
2014 | Kung Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness | Master Lun (voice) | Episode: "Eternal Chord" |
2014–2015 | Breadwinners | Mr. Pumpers (voice) | Main role |
2014–2017 | Penn Zero: Part-Time Hero | General, Additional Voices (voice) | Recurring role |
2015 | Be Cool, Scooby-Doo! | Chazz (voice) | Episode: "Kitchen Frightmare" |
2015–2016 | Sofia the First | King Oberlyn (voice) | 2 episodes |
2015–2016 | Harvey Beaks | Officer Fredd, Lobster Guy, Skeleton Statue (voice) | Recurring role |
2015–2016 | The Adventures of Puss in Boots | Taranis (voice) | 2 episodes |
2016 | Avengers Assemble | Galen-Kor (voice) | Episode: "Captain Marvel" |
2016 | The Mr. Peabody & Sherman Show | George Crum (voice)
|
2 episodes |
2017–2019 | OK K.O.! Let's Be Heroes | Bell Beefer, Ted the Viking, Various Voices (voice) | Recurring role |
2019 | Young Justice | Darkseid (voice) | Episode: "Evolution" |
2019 | Grace and Frankie | Will | 2 episodes |
2019 | Where's Waldo? | Tinsel (voice) | Episode: "A Wanderer Christmas" |
2020 | Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts | Tad Mulholland (voice) | 3 episodes |
2020 | AJ and the Queen | Louis Bell/Cocoa Butter | 10 episodes |
2020–2022 | Trolls: TrollsTopia | Lownote Jones (voice) | Main role |
2021–2022 | Madagascar: A Little Wild | Oggie (voice) | 2 episodes |
2022 | Hamster & Gretel | Roman Carter, The Nightmarionette (voice) | 3 episodes |
2023 | The Tiny Chef Show | Spoon (voice) | 3 episodes |
2023 | Akuma-kun | Satan |
Video games
Year | Title | Role |
---|---|---|
2008 | Grand Theft Auto IV | Judge Grady from Just or Unjust |
2009 | The Princess and the Frog
|
Louis the Alligator |
2011 | Ugly Americans: Apocalypsegeddon | Twayne Boneraper |
2012 | Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom | Louis |
2013 | Grand Theft Auto V | The Local Population |
2015 | King's Quest | Acorn, Achaka, Goblin Man, Mordon |
2017 | Injustice 2 | Darkseid |
2020 | Cyberpunk 2077 | Dexter "Dex" Deshawn |
2022 | World of Warcraft: Dragonflight | Echo of Neltharion |
References
- ^ Internet Broadway Database
- ^ Spirit of New York Homepage
- ^ "Black Broadway". Archived from the original on May 28, 2006. Retrieved June 5, 2008.
- ^ Ain't Misbehavin' (The New Cast Recording) Archived July 3, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Musicals101
- ^ Review: Music Man, The New York Times
- ^ New York Magazine accessed June 5, 2008,
- ^ New York Times Theater Review accessed June 6, 2008,
- ^ Clive Barnes, New York Post via Peter Fox Shoes accessed June 6, 2008
- ^ The New York Pops: Spring 2004 Newsletter[permanent dead link]
- ^ Comedy Central: Ugly American's
- ^ TV Guide Com: Cosby-Raising Paranoia
- ^ TV Guide Com: Cosby-The Wedding
- ^ Hollywood.com Law & Order: SVU cast listing
- ^ IMDB: Knights of Prosperity-Operation Montecristo
- ^ Yahoo TV Rescue Me Cast and Crew
- ^ The Odd Gentlemen. King's Quest – Chapter III: Once Upon A Climb. Sierra Entertainment. Scene: Closing credits, 1 min in, Cast.
- ^ "Next Time on Bravest Warriors - Gas Powered Stick on Cartoon Hangover". YouTube.
- ^ Bake It Til You Make It
- ^ YouTube video of We Have To Change
External links
- Michael-Leon Wooley at IMDb