Isaiah John as Leon Simmons | Snowfall | FX

Isaiah John

Leon Simmons

Isaiah John plays “Leon Simmons,” Franklin’s life-long friend, he’s been there through it all. After a tragic shooting altered his path, Leon began searching for purpose and answers. Growing weary of the the state of his community and the business he’s part of, in season six, Leon will try to help stop the devastation happening in his community while also exploring his African roots with Wanda.

Career Highlights

Isaiah John was born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia. From an early age John knew he wanted to be an entertainer. Every weekend he and his two siblings would perform shows for their parents and at the age of 14, John began expressing an interest in acting. In 2009 he displayed his acting chops in a student film called No Way Out. After his time on set, John discovered a deeper love for the craft.

He went on to train with Carl Ford and other great acting coaches. As much as he enjoyed being in front of the camera, he also wanted experience working behind the scenes. With his desire to understand what it takes to put together a full production, John worked as a production assistant. This gave him great insight and helped him further develop his craft.

Between acting jobs, John worked as a janitor at a local gym. Even after he booked a role on Barbershop: The Next Cut, John kept his job as a janitor and would rise at the crack of dawn to fulfill his duties.

Booking the role of Leon Simmons on FX’s Snowfall as a series regular is a dream come true for John. He considers himself truly blessed to be working on a show with such an incredibly talented cast and crew, including Dave Andron and the late John Singleton.  

Between filming seasons two and three of Snowfall, John had the pleasure of booking a role in a Netflix’s original feature called All Day and a Night directed by Joe Robert Cole.  

Devyn Tyler headshot wearing a red jacket

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