Joshua Leonard

Leonard in 2013, photo by Prphotos.com

Birth Name: Joshua Granville Leonard

Place of Birth: Houston, Harris, Texas, U.S.

Date of Birth: June 17, 1975

Ethnicity:
*father – German, small amount of English and Irish
*mother – Ashkenazi Jewish

Joshua Leonard is an American actor, writer, and director. He is known for starring in the film The Blair Witch Project. He has directed the films The Lie (2011) and Fully Realized Humans, both of which he also co-wrote and starred in, and Dark Was the Night, which he also wrote. He also co-wrote the film The Drop (2022).

He is the son of Joann and Robert Leonard. Joshua’s father, whose own father was a Lutheran minister, is of German, and a small amount of English and Irish, descent. Joshua’s mother is Jewish.

Joshua is married to Canadian actress Alison Pill, with whom he has a daughter.

The surname Leonard was Lehner many generations back.

Joshua’s paternal grandfather was Luther Granville Leonard (the son of William Conway Leonard and Susan Davidia “Sue” Huff). Luther was born in Virginia. William was the son of Martin Luther Leonard and Sarah Margaret Weade. Susan was the daughter of Granville Jarvis Hoff and Cindarella Zettella Hite.

Joshua’s paternal grandmother was Emilia/Emelia Margaret Graef (the daughter of Alvin Henry Graef and Luise/Louise Elizabeth/Elisabeth Koerner/Koernes). Emilia was born in New York. Alvin was born in Wisconsin, the son of German parents, Joseph Graef and Catherine/Katherine Pillat/Piloth. Luise was born in New York, to a German father, and to a mother, Amelia/Emelia/Emilie M. Lauer, who was born in New York, to German parents.

Joshua’s maternal grandfather was Jack Morton Rose (the son of Abe Rosenbaum/Rose and Fannie/Fayge Wolfe). Jack was born in Illinois. Abe was born in Lithuania, the son of Israel Rosenbaum/Rose, from Sudargas, and Pauline/Pesha Fienberg/Fineberg/Feinberg, from Jurbarkas. Fannie was born in Kansas or Missouri, to Jewish parents from Russia and Jurbarkas, Lithuania, respectively, Moses/Morris/Moshe Yehuda Wolfe and Shayna Gittel/Jennie Tempofsky.

Joshua’s maternal grandmother was Sylvia Edith Axelrod (the daughter of Morris/Moishe/Moische/Moshe Axelrood and Nettie Aronson). Sylvia was born in Illinois. Morris was born in Dashiv, now in Ukraine, the son of Shimon/Simon Axelrood and Chana/Hannah Weitzman. Nettie was born in Kaunas, Lithuania, the daughter of William Aronson and Shayna Eta Amolsky.

Sources: Marriage record of Joshua’s paternal grandparents, Luther Granville Leonard and Emilia/Emelia Margaret Graef – https://www.familysearch.org

Joshua’s paternal grandfather, Luther Granville Leonard, on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org

Genealogy of Joshua Leonard (focusing on his mother’s side) – https://www.geni.com