Leonard Clifton is an American actor, author, and visionary cultural preservationist whose career bridges film, literature, education, and global storytelling.

He made his feature-film debut in Steven Spielberg’s Oscar-nominated historical drama Amistad (1997), produced by Debbie Allen, and later appeared in the cult classic Bring It On (2000). Clifton’s screen work also includes a role in Mutiny (1999), the Morgan Freeman-produced World War II true story, where he trained under military advisor Captain Dale Dye. Earlier in his career, he appeared in Tupac Shakur’s “Temptations” (1995) music video alongside Coolio, Isaac Hayes, Jada Pinkett Smith, and Taye Diggs—cementing his place within a defining era of 1990s hip-hop culture.

His early on-camera work also featured international and pop-culture projects, including a global Nestea campaign for the Israeli market, an appearance on MTV’s Singled Out with Jenny McCarthy and Chris Hardwick, and a featured role as Young MC’s best friend in the rapper’s hit 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, now featured in the Africana Studies curriculum at California State University, Northridge. The success of Atlantis inspired his nonfiction work Leonard Clifton’s World Travel Guide for Inspirational Writing, which helps aspiring authors craft epic stories while exploring the world on a budget.

Clifton was a semi-finalist on the national television pilot competition America’s Next Great Author, hosted by New York Times bestselling author Kwame Alexander, and was honored by the ScreenCraft Cinematic Book Competition, ranking among the top one percent of more than 67,000 global projects. He has also been interviewed on Ryan Seacrest’s KIIS-FM and The Discovery Pod, discussing The Last Prince of Atlantis, its global journey, and his mission to inspire diverse storytelling voices.

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

A passionate advocate for cultural preservation, Clifton’s Amistad artifacts—including an original chain prop and 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 review by the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, D.C.

Clifton is also a sought-after lecturer and speaker, having delivered presentations at UCLA Anderson School of Management, American Jewish University, and California State University, Northridge, where he explores branding, marketing, diaspora identity, and creative entrepreneurship.

He was recognized by LA Weekly during Comic-Con International’s 50th Anniversary (2019), where award-winning photographer and journalist Star Foreman selected him as one of the standout cosplayers among more than 500,000 attendees for his portrayal of King Leon from The Last Prince of Atlantis Chronicles.

Through his writing, lectures, and visual storytelling, Leonard Clifton continues to honor the African diaspora and inspire future generations with imaginative worlds that celebrate freedom, heritage, and the human spirit.