Main > Series > Chapters > Fame Annual 1984 > Gene Anthony Ray is Leroy

When it came to making a television series from the film of Fame, Gene Anthony Ray was a must for the character of Leroy, having played the part so successfully on the big screen. His success has been remarkable, not least because he had had no formal dance training prior to his film role, despite his amazing agility and sense of rhythm.

Leroy is essentially a loner, the ‘bad guy' of the show, always falling foul of his teachers and yet always coming out on top, his sulky manner being his trademark. Gene himself is also a loner, but his attitude is rather that of a shy person than that of a rebel. He and Leroy are by no means one and the same person, although Gene's portrayal of the character is based to a great extent on his own experiences. And there is no doubt at all in the minds of Fame fans that Gene Anthony Ray is a ‘natural' - he is Leroy Johnson!