Leon Thomas III

In 2003, at the age of 10, native New Yorker Leon Thomas III began his Broadway career by taking a role in the long-running musical "The Lion King." The next year, he won a part in the original Broadway production of Tony Kushner's "Caroline, or Change," and the following year brought a role in the musical version of Alice Walker's "The Color Purple." In 2006, Thomas moved to Los Angeles and made the transition to television, playing guest shots on a couple of shows and doing voiceover work for Nick Jr.'s "The Backyardigans." 2007 heralded his feature film debut in the Oscar-nominated "August Rush," in which he both acted and sang an important production number. In 2008, Thomas appeared on the popular children's show "iCarly," and caught the eye of the program's creator, Dan Schneider. In 2010, Schneider cast Thomas in his follow-up Nickelodeon series, "Victorious." As Andre Harris, one of the closest confidants to the shows' heroine, Thomas has appeared in virtually every episode, making him a familiar presence to a generation of young people. As he continues his acting career, he is also considering becoming a recording artist, honing his skills on a variety of instruments, while writing songs and refining his vocal talents.