NEW YORK — Five years after appearing with his one-man show “Sexaholix,” John Leguizamo is back on Broadway — this time in the role he watched Al Pacino perform in the ’80s.

Leguizamo, 44, recalled seeing Pacino in the 1983-84 revival of David Mamet’s “American Buffalo.”

“He spits a lot when he speaks,” said Leguizamo, who’s now playing the character called Teacher. “He spit all over my face! I felt I was being baptized!”

Leguizamo spoke to reporters after a preview performance of the Mamet play Thursday.

Directed by Robert Falls , the play opens Nov. 17.

“American Buffalo” debuted in 1977 with Robert Duvall , Kenneth McMillan and John Savage . Its first revival featured Pacino, James Hayden and J.J. Johnston .

The new revival co-stars Haley Joel Osment and Cedric the Entertainer , both making their Broadway debuts. For the first time, the play features a multiracial cast, with a Latino, a Caucasian and an African-American.

“We think this play becomes even more relevant. The play seems so current because of the casting … it feels like America is today,” said Cedric.

Leguizamo won an Emmy for his monologue “Freak” — which originally appeared on Broadway in 1998 — and was nominated for a Golden Globe for his supporting role in 1995’s “To Wong Foo Thanks for Everything, Julie Newmar.”

His next film role comes in the soon-to-be-released “Nothing Like the Holidays” starring Debra Messing .

— From wire reports