John Leguizamo uses his voice to share ‘Untold Story of Latinos’

“For years, I didn’t complain about the limited roles my people were offered,” the 64-year-old actor and activist says. “We were the spicy sexpot, the Latin lover, the maid, the gangbanger. Turns out, not complaining doesn’t change anything in life.”

Leguizamo has never been accused of keeping quiet. He has played a slew of outspoken characters, including chop shop mechanic Aurelio in “John Wick” and Sid the Sloth in the “Ice Age” franchise. He’s also known for voicing fan favorite Bruno in “Encanto” and for one-man plays such as “Mambo Mouth.”

“Everyone on this Earth needs to be seen and feel the power of their contributions to feel more inside ourselves, more inside our bodies and more inside our culture,” insists Leguizamo, who was born in Colombia and immigrated to New York City with his family when he was 3.

“Being heard makes you feel liberated, validated. You begin to believe in what’s possible.”

To that end, Leguizamo hosts a new three-episode docuseries on PBS called “American Historia: The Untold Story of Latinos.” In the series, scholars and professors, among others, discuss the contributions of Latino voices and the peril of omitting the past. It covers history dating back to the Incas, the Aztecs and the Indigenous people of the Caribbean, among other historical touchstones.

Leguizamo and his wife of 30 years, Justine Maurer, live in NYC. They’re parents of Allegra, an actress and director, and Lucas, who works in finance.

His good life tips:

Celebrate your identity

“We’re the only ethnic group that fought in every single war America ever had: 500,000 of us fought in World War II,” Leguizamo says of Latinos. “We have over 60 medal of Honor recipients, the largest of any ethnic group. Our contributions are endless. I’m so proud, and I wanted to share that pride,” he says of the new PBS series.

Know your worth

“For years, I have been one of Hollywood’s DEI hires,” he says. “D is for diligence. E is for excellence. I is for imagination,” he says. “Don’t ever discount your worth.”

Get involved

Leguizamo says that his mother taught him the importance of making your voice heard. “When my mom was living in Queens, she found out that the schools there, especially in the Latin community, were not getting any funding,” he shares. “She became an activist and worked with senators and legislators to get funding. She saw the problem, got involved and got it done.”

Give back

Once described as “a problem child,” Leguizamo says that the love and support of key people in his life made “all the difference.” “When you’re from the ’hood and you come from difficult circumstances, you long to have someone put their hand on your shoulder and say, ‘You’re worthwhile. You can. You have so much value to give the world,’ ” he says. “Anyone can be that person for someone else. We all need to give back. … I had a particular math teacher. And my parents really fought for me, providing the backup, emotionally, for me to succeed.”

Start early

Leguizamo began writing plays when he was in high school in Queens — and he was quite serious about it. “My school had a lot of class clowns, and I wanted to be the best one. So, I would write my jokes the day before, so I could stay on top. I kept files as a kid — jokes about shoes, jokes about hair, jokes about parents, jokes about the world. I was the best class clown,” recalls Leguizamo, voted “Most Talkative” by his classmates.

Take chances

“I’ve always had to break the rules, because I’ve been dealing with Hollywood my whole life. I’m not going to let them pigeonhole me,” he says. “I’ve always heard, ‘If you break the rules, they won’t offer you anything. You have to play the game.’ … It’s a confusing game. I was also told that if I do too much comedy, then they won’t let me do drama. But then if I do too many dramas, I won’t be cast in comedies anymore. Rules keep the status quo. Life is all about rule breaking and taking chances.”

Put in the work

Leguizamo’s parents divorced when he was 13, and he moved around Queens quite a bit. As a teen, he was in trouble a few times for petty things like jumping a subway turnstile or truancy. He was given a choice: Go to therapy or face expulsion from high school. “Therapy saved my life,” the actor says. “Now, I think of it like going to the gym. You gotta work on yourself.”

Find your ‘oasis’

Leguizamo met Maurer, a costumer, on the set of 1993’s “Carlito’s Way.” “I walked in on this beautiful sunny day with my dog Luigi. I met this beautiful woman who was just captivating,” he recalls. They were both in other relationships and became friends until the timing was better. Long Sunday walks turned into a romance. They got married in 2003. “This relationship is an oasis. She is a healing force in my life,” he adds.

Keep the family tight

“My family needs each other. All 30 of us are together at everything. We keep the family tight. There is no greater joy than seeing those faces around the table,” Leguizamo says. “There is so much fun in cooking together and just being together. Instant boost of happiness.”

Dance it out

When he’s particularly stressed, Leguizamo will dance in his house or even in his trailer. “A quick dance and your mind just goes to a happier and better place,” he says. “It doesn’t matter what kind of music. Just move. … Give in to it. Find the joy. Your body will just take over and suddenly whatever stress is dulled.”