It is hard to parse who is the most iconic Resident Evil protagonist, but Leon Kennedy is definitely up there. He has starred in two of the most celebrated entries in the franchise and is a major player in the animated films.
Despite this, it may be difficult for fans to actually describe Leon beyond physical appearance. However, there are plenty of interesting facts about him that are just waiting to be discussed, and they deal with both the narrative and behind-the-scenes tidbits about Leon’s creation and development. Who knows, maybe he’ll show up in Resident Evil: Village.
10 He Is The Antithesis Of Chris
When making Resident Evil 2, director Hideki Kamiya envisioned Leon Kennedy as the antithesis of Chris Redfield. Where Chris is tough and typical of an action movie hero, Leon is softer and inexperienced. His rookie cop status makes his waking nightmare through Raccoon City all the tenser. It is a far cry from other characters Hideki Kamiya made like Dante and Bayonetta.
Leon would receive advanced training afterward, turning him into the macho beast he is in Resident Evil 4. Too bad he was never trained in good one-liners.
9 His Face Is Modeled After Christian Duerre
Leon Kennedy looks a little different already in Resident Evil 4, though he is still mostly recognizable. To make a more realistic character for the more advanced hardware, the team modeled Leon after a real person. His face is that of model Christian Duerre.
According to IMDB, Duerre did not work or lend his likeness to any future video games. Still, being a part of Resident Evil is more than most people can say.
8 Paul Haddad
The first person to voice Leon was Paul Haddad. Though he only lent his talents to the character in Resident Evil 2, he worked steadily afterwards. Sadly, Haddad passed away in 2020 at the age of 56.
Resident Evil 2 is one of the strongest entries in the series. Even after the release of its remake, plenty will still play the PS1 classic and hear Haddad’s voice, ensuring the actor’s legacy and contribution will live on for generations to come.
7 He Is Playable In Project X Zone 2
Project X Zone is a tactical RPG series that sees a crossover between numerous franchises from Capcom, Sega, and Namco. Monolith Software, who went on to make the Xenoblade Chronicles franchise and helped make Breath of the Wild, developed the title.
In the sequel, Leon Kennedy is a playable unit. Several other Resident Evil characters also make appearances. A tactical RPG does not seem like the ideal genre for a crossover, but it works.
6 He Took Care Of Sherry Birkin After Resident Evil 2
One may wonder where Leon was when Claire attacked the Umbrella facility in the Code Veronica’s introductory cinematic. He was busy taking care of Sherry Birkin, who was orphaned after the events of Resident Evil 2.
The government eventually caught up to both of them and trained Leon to become an agent, which is why he is working for the president in Resident Evil 4. Sherry becomes a playable character in Resident Evil 6.
5 Brad Renfro
While many may think Johann Urb was the first actor to play Leon Kennedy in a live-action role in Resident Evil: Retribution, the honor actually goes to Brad Renfro. George Romero directed a live-action commercial for Resident Evil 2, which saw Renfro play the rookie cop.
It is a small clip, but it still counts as a live-action appearance. Renfro had a promising career early in his life, but personal demons hampered his ascension to stardom. He passed away in 2006 at the age of 25.
4 He Was In Resident Evil 1.5
Resident Evil 2 infamously restarted production almost from scratch and changed scenarios deep into development. This build, dubbed Resident Evil 1.5, is readily available on the Internet for viewing. Claire is completely absent, and the other protagonist is a biker named Elza Walker.
One of the few elements to remain in the final product is Leon Kennedy. He was still a rookie here and fully recognizable as Leon Kennedy from the released version of Resident Evil 2.
3 Avan Jogia Is Playing Him In The New Movie
With the old Resident Evil film series completed, a reboot is currently in post-production and set to come out in 2021. Called Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City, the movie will cover the events of the first three games.
Avan Jogia is playing Leon Kennedy. The actor is the lead in Now Apocalypse, a romantic comedy on Starz. Jogia’s turn as Leon could be the big break that elevates him to stardom, permitting the movie is successful.
2 Leon’s B Game Is The Canon Playthrough
The original Resident Evil 2 has two different campaigns; Leon and Claire’s. The general outline remains the same regardless of playing through the game as Leon or Claire first, but some details change.
While it is not super important, the canon playthrough is playing Leon’s campaign second. If you want to see everything Resident Evil 2 has to offer, you need to beat the game four times.
1 He Sent Ark Thompson To The Umbrella Facility In Resident Evil Survivor
Resident Evil Survivor is a light gun game for the original PlayStation. The story takes place on an island and follows Ark Thompson. He starts out with no memory but soon learns Leon Kennedy sent him to investigate the Umbrella facility.
Survivor is considered one of the weaker games in the Resident Evil franchise, so you can blame Leon Kennedy for this. At least future light gun games in the series were better, like the Umbrella Chronicles and Darkside Chronicles.
