Leo Sheng

{{Infobox person

| name = Leo Sheng

| birth_date = {{birth year and age|1996}}

| birth_place = Hunan, China

| education = University of Michigan (BA)

| occupation = Actor, activist

}}

Leo Sheng (born 1996) is a Chinese American actor and activist known for playing Micah Lee on The L Word: Generation Q.

Early life and education

Sheng was born in Hunan, China and was adopted and raised in Ypsilanti, Michigan by an American lesbian couple.{{Cite web|last=McFarlin|first=Jim|date=2019-11-05|title=Actor Leo Sheng Makes His Small-Screen Debut in "The L Word" Reboot|url=https://www.hourdetroit.com/art-and-entertainment/leo-sheng-l-word-generation-q/|access-date=2021-07-22|website=Hour Detroit Magazine|language=en-US}} He first came out as trans at age 12.{{Cite web|last=Kim|first=Michelle|date=2019-12-06|title=Leo Sheng on How "The L Word" Reboot Is Going to Get Trans Representation Right|url=https://www.them.us/story/leo-sheng-l-word-generation-q-interview|access-date=2021-09-07|website=them.|language=en-US}}

He received his Bachelor of Science degree in sociology from the University of Michigan in 2017. Sheng was accepted to the school's social work graduate program and planned to enroll, but left because he was cast in his first professional acting role in Adam.

Career

Sheng first gained attention when he was 17 and used YouTube and Instagram to document his transition.{{Cite web|last=Nichols|first=James|date=2014-10-15|title=LOOK: This Trans Man Opens Up To The World About His Transition By Using Instagram|url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/transgender-instagram-documentation_n_5948248|access-date=2021-07-22|website=HuffPost|language=en}} In 2018, he acted in his first lead role in Rhys Ernst's Adam. He also appeared in the documentary Disclosure.{{Cite news|last=Delaney|first=Lou|date=2020-06-19|title=Leo Sheng, a Trans Activist Who Stars in 'The L Word'|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/19/style/leo-sheng-transgender-activist-l-wor.html|access-date=2021-06-15|issn=0362-4331}} He is a lead character on Showtime's The L Word: Generation Q as Micah Lee, who is also a trans man. When he was 11, Sheng watched a clip of a transmasculine character, Max, on the original L Word series and came out as trans shortly after.