With a penchant for effete, high-camp one-liners delivered in his trademark Tennessee twang, the diminutive Leslie Jordan (at 4 feet 11 inches tall) may be best known as Mr. Beverly Leslie, Karen Walker's uppity little nemesis on Will & Grace. But Jordan, who is openly gay, has been mincing his way into America's heart since 1982, and has hundreds of commercials, sitcom, voiceover and movie roles to his credit.

His many other television appearances include spots on Murphy Brown, Lois & Clark, Dharma & Greg, Ellen, Star Trek: Voyager and even Pee-wee's Playhouse. His film work includes appearances in such oddities as Farm Sluts (2003), Frankenstein General Hospital (1988) and Jason Goes to Hell:The Final Friday (1993).

Jordan's successful stage career includes his award-winning role of Preston “Peanut” Leroy, the pathetic, aging gay barfly in director/playwright Del Shores' Southern Baptist Sissies. He also created the role of Brother Boy, the institutionalized, Tammy Wynette-obsessed cross-dresser in Del Shores' Sordid Lives.

Jordan began writing and starring in his own, self-authored plays in the early 1990s with Hysterical Blindness and Other Southern Tragedies That Have Plagued My Life Thus Far. Based on his memories of growing up gay in strict, Southern Baptist surroundings, the play became a cult hit and enjoyed sold-out runs in both Los Angeles and New York City.

Jordan further honed his gift for penning autobiographical plays with the more recent Like a Dog on Linoleum. This one-man tragic/comic testimonial delves into Jordan's angst-ridden, Chattanooga, Tenn., upbringing; his adolescent gay awakenings; his life as a sex/booze/drug addict; and his struggle to full recovery.

This year, Jordan won an Emmy for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series for his portrayal of Beverly Leslie on Will & Grace, and he was up against some real Hollywood heavyweights. Also nominated in his category were Patrick Stewart (HBO's Extras), Ben Stiller, (HBO's Extras), Martin Sheen (CBS' Two and a Half Men) and Alec Baldwin, also for his work on Will & Grace.

Despite the daunting competition, Jordan was whimsically optimistic before the awards ceremony. “I'm handicapped to win!” he had joked. “And if I don't, I won't really mind. I will always be known as ‘Leslie Jordan, Emmy-nominated actor !'”

He confesses: “In the past I've done little Emmy ‘pushes.' I had a wonderful little spot on Boston Legal a while back. I spent a couple of thousand dollars putting up ads and sending out cakes, but nothing came of it, and this year I really didn't do anything.”

Jordan says that this year's Emmy nomination, his first, took him completely by surprise.
“I was floored!” he exclaims. Although Jordan first thought the nomination was for the voiceover work he did for the character of southern hairdresser Mr. Beauregard on American Dad, he says that he is “so proud and happy that it was for Will & Grace.”

He explains: “Being an openly gay actor, I've always felt there are two ways we can combat homophobia. The first is through humor. I learned that in junior high school during dodge ball.” He laughs at the memory. “Here was this queer who had to keep sashaying to keep from getting creamed!”

He continues: “The second is to put a face on it. America welcomed the Will & Grace characters into their homes. We laughed and we loved — and progress was made. I'm so honored to have been a part of that.”

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