Ryan Harrison Leone (August 3, 1985 – July 2, 2022)[1] was an American novelist, film producer, artist, and prison reform activist. He was best known for his semi-autobiographical addiction novel Wasting Talent.
Based on his experiences, Leone wrote his first novel while serving a five-year federal prison sentence for his involvement with an international heroin cartel called The Mendoza Clan. The Mendoza Clan was an Oaxacan Indian family that operated a heroin ring out of Mexico and reportedly smuggled millions of dollars worth of drugs into the United States for over two decades.[2] Leone quickly signed contracts for two major television shows and in 2017 sold the film rights to William De Los Santos, screenwriter and producer of the addiction film Spun.[3]
In the January/February 2018 issue of Penthouse magazine, De Los Santos said, "It captivated me with the poetry in how he told the story." when asked what attracted him to Leone's debut novel.[4]Bret Easton Ellis, author of American Psycho, reviewed the book favorably on his podcast, stating: “A first novel that seems to flash out of a writer... One of the more fucked up and honest depictions of addiction I’ve ever read .. A Tarantino-esque journey into so-cal madness. One of the better books I’ve read about millennials by a millennial.”
Idiot Savant: The Savage Life of Ryan Leone, a documentary about Leone's drug addiction and outlaw lifestyle went into production in the fall of 2017. Jim Uhls screenwriter of Fight Club, had expressed his desire to be involved in the production of the film.[5][6]
In 2018, Leone launched a non-profit organization called The Prodigy Foundation, in an effort to end mass incarceration and expand literacy in American prisons.[7]
Leone released a comedy album of spoken word stories in 2020 called Drug Stories for Truckers: Volume One. The satirical album chronicles Leone’s emotional breakdown between his second and third prison term. The album featured guest appearances from a number of his well known friends including Johnny Depp, Tommy Chong, Nick Stahl, "Freeway" Rick Ross, Simon Rex, and George Jung.[8]
Death
On July 2, 2022, news broke of the 36-year-old's death. News of his death broke online which followed with a slew of tributes to the late activist. It was confirmed by Ryan Leone’s fiancée Karina Franco. He was admitted to hospital a few days prior and was suffering from a number of health issues stemming from a broken finger and pneumonia.
On June 29 Leone had posted on Instagram "I broke my finger. Then, completely unrelated, I went to the hospital twice in a week. First time they told me I had pneumonia. I got a second opinion. No pneumonia. This is respiratory and gastrointestinal issues stemming from being on way too much Methadone 170 mgs!! My stomach becomes so bloated it feels like some rapid ever-expanding Willy Wonka inflated sanction." He went on about a rap project he was hoping to attend and concluded his post with a heartbreaking statement: "I need to stop being so reckless. I’m a dad now. Amen."[1]
Works
Wasting Talent (2014)
Drug Stories For Truckers: Volume I (2020)
References
^ ab"Prison reform activist Ryan Leone passes away after sudden hospital stay". The Focus. July 3, 2022.
^Winton, Richard; Quinones, Sam (March 25, 2009). "Family members allegedly ran heroin smuggling ring". Los Angeles Times.
^Williams, Kidman. "How an Ex-con Kicked Heroin and Became An International Drug, Sex, and Literary Icon". Gonzo Today.
^Ferranti, Seth (2018). "From Ex Con to Bestseller: The Tortured Life of Ryan Leone". Penthouse. No. January/February PRINT.
^Ferranti, Seth (December 2017). "From Ex-Con to Bestselling Author: TheTortured Life of An Outlaw Writer". No. January/February 2018. Penthouse Magazine.
^Ferranti, Seth (October 19, 2017). "Fight Club Screenwriter to Explore Outlaw Author's Tortured Life in New Doc". Huffington Post.
^Kerman, Matt (November 30, 2017). "Fighting Addiction, Pushing Prison Reform: Ryan Leone Tries Turning Around Life of Crime and Drug Problems Lobero Fundraiser". Santa Barbara Independent.
^Williams, Kidman. "Johnny Depp and Tommy Chong Lend Voices for Audiobook by Ryan Leone". Gonzo Today.
ryan, leone, ryan, harrison, leone, august, 1985, july, 2022, american, novelist, film, producer, artist, prison, reform, activist, best, known, semi, autobiographical, addiction, novel, wasting, talent, leone, 2019born, 1985, august, 1985framingham, massachus. Ryan Harrison Leone August 3 1985 July 2 2022 1 was an American novelist film producer artist and prison reform activist He was best known for his semi autobiographical addiction novel Wasting Talent Ryan LeoneLeone in 2019Born 1985 08 03 August 3 1985Framingham Massachusetts U S DiedJuly 2 2022 2022 07 02 aged 36 Sun Valley California U S OccupationNovelistfilm producerartistactivistGenreTransgressive fictionNotable worksWasting TalentPartnerKarina Franco Contents 1 Biography 1 1 Career 1 2 Death 2 Works 3 References 4 External linksBiography EditCareer Edit Based on his experiences Leone wrote his first novel while serving a five year federal prison sentence for his involvement with an international heroin cartel called The Mendoza Clan The Mendoza Clan was an Oaxacan Indian family that operated a heroin ring out of Mexico and reportedly smuggled millions of dollars worth of drugs into the United States for over two decades 2 Leone quickly signed contracts for two major television shows and in 2017 sold the film rights to William De Los Santos screenwriter and producer of the addiction film Spun 3 In the January February 2018 issue of Penthouse magazine De Los Santos said It captivated me with the poetry in how he told the story when asked what attracted him to Leone s debut novel 4 Bret Easton Ellis author of American Psycho reviewed the book favorably on his podcast stating A first novel that seems to flash out of a writer One of the more fucked up and honest depictions of addiction I ve ever read A Tarantino esque journey into so cal madness One of the better books I ve read about millennials by a millennial Idiot Savant The Savage Life of Ryan Leone a documentary about Leone s drug addiction and outlaw lifestyle went into production in the fall of 2017 Jim Uhls screenwriter of Fight Club had expressed his desire to be involved in the production of the film 5 6 In 2018 Leone launched a non profit organization called The Prodigy Foundation in an effort to end mass incarceration and expand literacy in American prisons 7 Leone released a comedy album of spoken word stories in 2020 called Drug Stories for Truckers Volume One The satirical album chronicles Leone s emotional breakdown between his second and third prison term The album featured guest appearances from a number of his well known friends including Johnny Depp Tommy Chong Nick Stahl Freeway Rick Ross Simon Rex and George Jung 8 Death Edit On July 2 2022 news broke of the 36 year old s death News of his death broke online which followed with a slew of tributes to the late activist It was confirmed by Ryan Leone s fiancee Karina Franco He was admitted to hospital a few days prior and was suffering from a number of health issues stemming from a broken finger and pneumonia On June 29 Leone had posted on Instagram I broke my finger Then completely unrelated I went to the hospital twice in a week First time they told me I had pneumonia I got a second opinion No pneumonia This is respiratory and gastrointestinal issues stemming from being on way too much Methadone 170 mgs My stomach becomes so bloated it feels like some rapid ever expanding Willy Wonka inflated sanction He went on about a rap project he was hoping to attend and concluded his post with a heartbreaking statement I need to stop being so reckless I m a dad now Amen 1 Works EditWasting Talent 2014 Drug Stories For Truckers Volume I 2020 References Edit a b Prison reform activist Ryan Leone passes away after sudden hospital stay The Focus July 3 2022 Winton Richard Quinones Sam March 25 2009 Family members allegedly ran heroin smuggling ring Los Angeles Times Williams Kidman How an Ex con Kicked Heroin and Became An International Drug Sex and Literary Icon Gonzo Today Ferranti Seth 2018 From Ex Con to Bestseller The Tortured Life of Ryan Leone Penthouse No January February PRINT Ferranti Seth December 2017 From Ex Con to Bestselling Author TheTortured Life of An Outlaw Writer No January February 2018 Penthouse Magazine Ferranti Seth October 19 2017 Fight Club Screenwriter to Explore Outlaw Author s Tortured Life in New Doc Huffington Post Kerman Matt November 30 2017 Fighting Addiction Pushing Prison Reform Ryan Leone Tries Turning Around Life of Crime and Drug Problems Lobero Fundraiser Santa Barbara Independent Williams Kidman Johnny Depp and Tommy Chong Lend Voices for Audiobook by Ryan Leone Gonzo Today External links EditRyan Leone article at Gonzo Today This article about an American writer is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Ryan Leone amp oldid 1116651513, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
