Leonard Clifton is an American actor, author, and cultural preservationist whose multidimensional career spans film, fashion, literature, global travel, and environmental storytelling.

Clifton made his feature-film debut in Steven Spielberg’s Oscar-nominated historical drama Amistad, produced by Debbie Allen, and later appeared in the cult classic Bring It On. His screen work also includes a role in Mutiny, the Morgan Freeman–produced World War II true story, where he trained under renowned military advisor Captain Dale Dye. Earlier in his career, Clifton appeared in Tupac Shakur’s “Temptations” music video alongside Coolio, Isaac Hayes, Jada Pinkett Smith, and Taye Diggs—placing him within the visual legacy of 1990s hip-hop culture.

Before transitioning fully into film and literature, Clifton worked in fashion and editorial media, appearing in Top Model Magazine and modeling for Karl Kani—the groundbreaking streetwear brand that helped define the hip-hop aesthetic of the 1990s. Clifton also appeared on MTV’s Singled Out with Jenny McCarthy and Chris Hardwick, and starred as Young MC’s best friend in the rapper’s music video “On and Poppin’.”

As an author, Clifton is best known for his Afrofuturism and fantasy-adventure series The Last Prince of Atlantis Chronicles, which is featured in the Africana Studies curriculum at California State University, Northridge. His worldwide travels—including experiences in South Africa, Brazil, Greece, the Dominican Republic, Hawaii, and diving the Great Barrier Reef with marine biologists to observe coral bleaching—inform both his world-building and his nonfiction work, Leonard Clifton’s World Travel Guide for Inspirational Writing. His writing blends cultural identity, global heritage, and environmental awareness.

Clifton was selected as a Semifinalist on the national television series America’s Next Great Author, hosted by New York Times bestselling author Kwame Alexander, with the program premiering in 2026. His work has also been highlighted on Ryan Seacrest’s KIIS-FM and The Discovery Pod with Eve.

Through his creative brand ShopTLPA.com, Clifton merges literature, art, and fashion with officially licensed merchandise inspired by The Last Prince of Atlantis Chronicles and his YA Gothic fantasy series, Eve The Soul Reaper.

A dedicated advocate for cultural history, Clifton’s Amistad artifacts—and an Andrew Cooper DreamWorks production still—were accessioned into the California African American Museum’s permanent collection and catalogued by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences’ Margaret Herrick Library. Additional materials were later submitted for curatorial review at the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture.

Clifton is also a sought-after lecturer and speaker. He has presented at UCLA Anderson School of Management, American Jewish University, and California State University, Northridge, sharing insights on branding, marketing, diaspora identity, environmental storytelling, and creative entrepreneurship. He was recognized by LA Weekly at Comic-Con International’s 50th Anniversary, where award-winning photographer Star Foreman selected him as a standout cosplayer for his portrayal of King Leon.

Through his writing, lectures, travel experiences, and cultural preservation work, Leonard Clifton continues to champion the African diaspora, promote environmental awareness, and inspire new generations through imaginative storytelling that celebrates freedom, heritage, and the human spirit.