Telly Leung

Telly Leung is an American actor, singer, and songwriter born on January 3, 1980, in New York City. Raised in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, in a traditional Chinese household, Leung attended Stuyvesant High School, where he graduated in 1998 alongside actor Malcolm Barrett. It was during his Stuyvesant years that he pursued theater seriously, appearing in school productions of Pippin, Guys and Dolls, and West Side Story. His earliest professional work came through live and television promotional appearances for THE WB-TEAM 11. Following high school, he enrolled in Carnegie Mellon University's School of Drama, and during summers away from campus he earned his Equity Card performing at the Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera and The MUNY in St. Louis, working alongside directors and choreographers including Tony Award winner Thommie Walsh, Larry Fuller, and Lee Roy Reams.

At Carnegie Mellon, Leung crossed paths with Broadway performer Billy Porter, who returned to the university to direct a main stage production of Stephen Sondheim's Company and cast Leung as Bobby. Porter subsequently contacted colleagues involved in the Broadway revival of Flower Drum Song and secured Leung an audition. In the fall of 2002, Leung made his Broadway debut in that revival, which starred Lea Salonga, performing as an ensemble member and understudying the role of Wang Ta. He continued working with Sondheim material on Broadway in 2005, appearing in the Roundabout Theatre's revival of Pacific Overtures. Between Broadway engagements, Leung originated the role of Boq in the Chicago company of Wicked before returning to New York in 2006 for the Paper Mill Playhouse production of Godspell. He subsequently rejoined Broadway as an ensemble member in the final run of Rent, also appearing as part of the ensemble in Rent: Filmed Live on Broadway.

From 2010 to 2011, Leung had a recurring role on the Fox comedy-drama series Glee, portraying Wes, a member of the Dalton Academy Warblers. In 2011, he returned to Broadway in the revival of Godspell at the Circle in the Square Theatre, reprising his role from the Paper Mill production as the soloist on "All Good Gifts." The Los Angeles Times named him one of 12 Faces to Watch in 2012 in the categories of dance, theater, architecture, and art. That same year, he was a featured performer in the world premiere of Allegiance at the Old Globe Theatre in San Diego, a production that also starred Lea Salonga and George Takei and opened in September 2012. In October 2015, Leung returned to Broadway in Allegiance at the Longacre Theatre, again alongside Takei and Salonga. He also appeared in the a cappella musical In Transit and, beginning June 13, 2017, played the title role in the Broadway production of Aladdin.

Outside of Broadway, Leung appeared in a 2007 episode of Law and Order: Criminal Intent and in 2014 took part in The World of Extreme Happiness at Goodman Theatre in Chicago, continuing with the production at Manhattan Theatre Club in February 2015. In 2022, he directed Theatre Raleigh's production of Yellow Face, and later that year was announced as a recurring cast member for the third season of the Max television series Warrior.

Leung's recorded output includes the 2005 EP Getaway on Mopptopp Records, the solo album I'll Cover You released December 4, 2012, through Yellow Sound, and the 2015 studio album Songs for You. He appears on cast recordings for Godspell, Flower Drum Song, Pacific Overtures, Dear Edwina, and Wall to Wall Sondheim. Leung, who is openly gay, married James Babcock in December 2016.