Freak is a 1998 film directed by Spike Lee. The film is a live performance of John Leguizamo's one man show on Broadway of the same name. Leguizamo's show was semi-autobiographical as he would talk about many aspects of his life. In the routine, he also talks about family members such as his parents, grandparents, uncle, and his younger brother. The film premiered on HBO. The show was a commercial and critical success and garnered Leguizamo and members of the production crew several awards and nominations. The making of this film prompted Lee to cast Leguizamo in the lead role of his next film the following year, Summer of Sam. Leguizamo followed this performance up with the Broadway show Sexaholix: A Love Story in 2001.