Award ceremony to take place before screening of The Take.

Picture the dreams of an actor just out of college: to work with the greatest actors and directors, become an A-list star, write and perform on Broadway, pen an autobiography, direct a movie. How about all of the above, and an Emmy to boot, for one of the most versatile and multifaceted men in Hollywood: John Leguizamo.

From the moment he left NYU and the tutelage of Lee Strasberg and Wynn Handman, Leguizamo charted his own course to stardom. Roles in Casualties of War and Carlito’s Way coincided with writing and performing the one-man Off-Broadway show “Mambo Mouth.” Obie, Outer Critics Circle and Vanguardia awards led to the Comedy Central special “The Talent Pool” and a CableACE award. But he was just getting warmed up.

The ‘90s saw him balance stage and screen, gathering more accolades along the way. His drag performance in To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything, Julie Newmar snagged a Golden Globe nomination, while the play “Spic-O-Rama” garnered Drama Desk and CableACE awards. His third play, “Freak,” not only made it to Broadway with two Tony nominations, but the cable adaptation (directed by Spike Lee) snared him an Emmy. Lee would also give Leguizamo one of his most unforgettable roles in Summer of Sam.

His resumé is especially impressive for his breadth of roles. He’s a massively popular Hollywood star (Ice Age, Moulin Rouge!, Spawn, William Shakespeare’s Romeo + Juliet). He’s a daring independent (The Groomsmen, Spin, Love in the Time of Cholera, 2005 PFF hit Crónicas). A TV star (“ER,” “The Kill Point”). A stage legend (“Sexaholix,” “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” “Parting Gestures”). An author (“Pimps, Hos, Playa Hatas and All the Rest of My Hollywood Friends”). A director (Undefeated, in which he also stars as a boxer struggling with fame). A pillar of the Latino community (3-time ALMA award winner, including Entertainer of the Year in 2002).

What do we have to look forward to? Why, the same extraordinary high standards, of course. Leguizamo will star opposite Freddy Rodriguez in Humbolt Park, under the direction of M. Night Shyamalan in The Happening and as a detective alongside Robert De Niro and Al Pacino in Righteous Kill. During this festival, we’re delighted to present The Take, a real showcase that Variety calls “one of the stronger showings of his career.” Given the myriad accomplishments listed here, that’s high praise indeed.

The Philadelphia Film Society is honored to present this Artistic Achievement award to a man whose range, ambition and passion know no bounds. —David Gorgos