Leslie Uggams is probably someone you won’t recognize until you come to understand that while her earlier stuff made her the star she is, the later roles she took on are probably what many people relate to at this point. She started out young in the 1950s as a singer and an actor, showing early on just what she could do and why she was bound to be someone special. Those that are old enough to remember these times might recollect that Leslie was an up and coming star during this time since she had a lot going for her and even in the 50s could be counted as a star despite the state of the country and its segregated beliefs. In a lot of ways it seems as though Leslie’s career and her ambitions were far more modern than the practices of the day, and it shows considering that her star never faded or dimmed in any way as she continued to push and form a reputation as her career continued forward in a positive manner.
Her time spent on the show Roots is where a lot of people came to know her apart from her earlier success and it seems that she was a hit when it came to the program. One thing about Leslie that anyone can deduce after watching her older material or the more recent bits she’s played is that she steps fully into her character and makes it into something that might not have been the original design but is much better thanks to her understanding and application of what she feels is needed for the part. This is why actors like Leslie are so prized, they find new and exciting ways to bring forth characters that might have been seen dozens of times, or not at all, in TV and film, and discover a path towards greatness that others just didn’t think of but will surely emulate once they see what’s been created. In that manner she’s a pioneer and a great actress since she latched onto a part that didn’t seem like it would be much of anything out of the norm for the show, but made it into something worth remembering that many people to this date might be able to recall. For those us born later it’s likely that we would have to do the research on Leslie in order to find out why she’s so important, but upon discovering just a small amount concerning her career it wouldn’t be too hard to admit that she is in fact one of the more impressive women in Hollywood.
You either liked Deadpool or didn’t, but the dynamic between the Merc with a mouth and Blind Al was pretty funny and Leslie nailed it perfectly since she played a role that wasn’t entirely crucial to the film but was still something that might have seemed like it was missing had it not been there in the first place. Deadpool fans will likely argue over this point since comic book movies tend to add and subtract elements as they go and can even anger people when such a thing happens largely because people want to see what they want to see and raise their expectations a little too high. In terms of this movie however Leslie played a rather interesting role since unlike a lot of other characters that interact with Deadpool she doesn’t fear him, doesn’t hate him, but she definitely isn’t going to take any of his crap either. She’s that friend that will tell you how it is and that’s that. If you don’t like it then don’t ask for her advice. She might give it anyway but any complaints are going to be ignored.
If you’ve watched the show then you know very well how vicious Lucius can be, but you’ve got to think that there had to be someone in his life that had something to do with that and could have possibly taught him everything he knows about being such a jerk. Leslie plays a character that is just downright nasty and doesn’t care what she says or does to others since that’s the way it’s going to be. If people don’t like it then too bad, she’s going to have her say and there’s not much they can do to dissuade her. Even Lucius isn’t entirely safe from his mother’s wrath, no matter that he’s bigger and stronger. It doesn’t matter how old or strong you get, your mother is going to be the one that puts you back in line before most people since she happens to know you the best and won’t settle for anything other than your obedience. She makes for one mean mother though.
Quite honestly, Leslie Uggams is a joy to watch since she slips into each role so completely that you can almost forget that she’s acting.
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