NEW YORK (1010 WINS) — John Leguizamo, a veteran actor who grew up in Queens, said he has a link to those at Rikers Island.
"Being a Latin man, especially in New York City, you understand the disparity, the inequity and I have a lot of friends who got into a lot of trouble," he told "Newsline with Brigitte Quinn" on 1010 WINS. "I have a sympathy for these kids. I have a love for them as well."
The 61-year-old, who has appeared in films, television shows, and on Broadway, will give audiences a behind-the-scenes look at his semi-autobiographical one-man play, "Ghetto Klown," which he performed at Rikers.
"They were kids. I know they made mistakes, but they're kids. They're somebody's child," Leguizamo told Quinn, who asked if he believed his memoir-turned-stage-show and discussion with some inmates made an impact.
"I felt like I connected with them," he added. "You could feel like rehabilitation is a powerful thing, and you've got to believe in that."
In "John Leguizamo Live at Rikers," the special Tony winner discusses the challenges of incarceration, although he finds the discussion of whether to close the troubled jail "hard."
"I just see a large amount of Latin and Black kids incarcerated ... there's some really problematic things happening in New York City in terms of who gets arrested and who gets incarcerated."
"The only good thing about Rikers is that it's close to families who need to see their young ones and their loved ones," he continued. "That's the only good thing about it."
Besides the focus on "where to stay," Leguizamo stressed the need for rehabilitation to "save these souls."
The world premiere of "John Leguizamo Live at Rikers" will be at 2 p.m., Sunday at the BMCC Tribeca Performing Arts Center. Click here for tickets and more information.
1010 WINS is a media partner of the Tribeca Festival.
Related
Related
