Philip Johnson (actor)

Philip Mark Johnson (born July 28, 1991 in Detroit, Michigan) is an American actor. A 2009 honors graduate of Cass Technical High School, Johnson currently attends the University of Michigan. He played the title character in the 2009 Lifetime Television film America, based on the book America by E.R. Frank. Acting opposite Rosie O'Donnell and Ruby Dee, Johnson portrayed a troubled teenager placed in a youth treatment facility after attempting suicide who struggled to work through his traumatic past experiences with foster care and sexual abuse.[1]

America was Johnson's first film. His previous acting experience was limited to one middle school play. Johnson was discovered by two of the executive producers of America, Rosie O'Donnell and Larry Santisky, at a Detroit coffee shop called Small Plates. O'Donnell, who was in town to work on America, told Entertainment Tonight that she sensed "a soulful kind of stillness" in Johnson.[2] O'Donnell's casting crew had seen almost 200 children for the role, but was still undecided, because the boy needed to be "vulnerable, fragile, wounded, broken and non-presentational". Johnson fitted the bill perfectly.[3] O'Donnell invited Johnson to audition for the lead role the next day. Johnson impressed the cast and crew with his spot-on reading and was given the role.[4]

In the movie, Johnson's younger brother, Steven Johnson, played the same character at age 10.