Leslie Odom Jr.

Leslie Lloyd Odom Jr. (; born August 6, 1981) is an American actor, singer and songwriter. He made his acting debut on Broadway in 1998 and first gained recognition for his portrayal of Aaron Burr in the musical Hamilton, which earned him a Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical and a Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album in the same year. His performance was captured in the Disney+ live stage recording of Hamilton which earned him a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Actor in a Leading Role in a Limited Series or Movie nomination.

Odom is also known for his roles in the television series Smash (2012–2013) and Person of Interest (2013–2014) as well as the films Red Tails (2012), Murder on the Orient Express (2017), Harriet (2019), The Many Saints of Newark (2021), Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery (2022), and The Exorcist: Believer (2023). For his portrayal of singer Sam Cooke in the semi-historical drama One Night in Miami... (2020) he earned nominations for the Academy Award, Actor Award, BAFTA Award, Critics' Choice Movie Award, and Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor. He was also nominated for the Academy Award and Golden Globe for Best Original Song for writing the film's song "Speak Now".

Odom voiced the character of Owen Tillerman in the Apple TV+ animated musical-comedy series Central Park, for which he was nominated for an Primetime Emmy Award in 2020. Odom has released five albums: Leslie Odom Jr. (2014), Simply Christmas (2016), Mr. (2019), The Christmas Album (2020), and When a Crooner Dies (2023). He released his autobiography, Failing Up, in 2018.

Early life and education Odom was born in Queens, New York City. One of his maternal great-grandfathers was from South Africa, and a maternal great-great-grandfather was from Bridgetown, Barbados. He has made guest appearances on several shows, including Gilmore Girls, Grey's Anatomy, Supernatural, and The Good Wife. Odom had a recurring role on CSI: Miami, appearing as Joseph Kayle in nine episodes between 2003 and 2006. He followed with a recurring role on Vanished, appearing in 10 episodes as Maliko Christo. From 2006 to 2007, he held a recurring role as Freddy on Big Day, appearing on nine episodes prior to its cancellation. He also had a supporting role in the television film Poe in 2011. In the musical television series Smash, Odom had a recurring role as Sam Strickland in 2012 and was promoted to a starring role for the show's final season in 2013.

He spent much of his time doing theater in Los Angeles, including in 2010 with Leap of Faith, After starring Off-Broadway in Venice and in Witness Uganda (later retitled Invisible Thread) at A.R.T. and in workshops, Odom worked with Lin-Manuel Miranda in the Encores! Off-Center production of Tick, Tick... Boom!, playing Michael. Odom also played Nat King Cole in the 2015 one-night Actors Fund of America benefit concert of Bombshell. In 2013 and 2014, he had a recurring role on Person of Interest as Peter Collier, appearing in eight episodes. He also played Reverend Curtis Scott in seven episodes of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit between 2013 and 2015.

2014–2019: Stardom with Hamilton

Odom reunited with Lin-Manuel Miranda portraying Aaron Burr in the workshop production of Hamilton at the 52nd Street Project in 2014. Odom returned to the role in the off-Broadway production at The Public Theater in 2015 and the Broadway production at the Richard Rodgers Theatre from 2015 to 2016. Odom Jr. acted alongside Miranda, Phillipa Soo, Renée Elise Goldsberry, Daveed Diggs, Christopher Jackson, Jasmine Cephas Jones, Anthony Ramos, Ariana DeBose and Jonathan Groff. Ben Brantley of The New York Times labeled the play a "Critic's Pick", describing Odom Jr. as "suavely brooding" citing his performance of "The Room Where It Happens" as being a "full-fledged showstopper". Marilyn Stasio of Variety wrote that he is an "irresistibly charming villain" citing Odom as being "charismatic perfection". For his performance he was nominated for a 2015 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical Odom's final appearance in the role of Aaron Burr in Hamilton occurred on July 9, 2016, being replaced by Brandon Victor Dixon. The film received respectable reviews with critics praising Erivo's lead performance. Odom Jr. was nominated for the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture at the 51st NAACP Image Awards. In 2019, Odom starred Only, a post-apocalyptic romance alongside Freida Pinto. The film received negative reviews with critics citing its poor direction and writing while also praising the chemistry between the two leads. Frank Scheck of The Hollywood Reporter wrote, "It's not the fault of Odom and Pinto, who essentially carry the film with their intense performances".

2020–present: Career expansion In 2020, Odom starred and executive produced the four-part television miniseries Love in the Time of Corona opposite his wife Nicolette Robinson. Love in the Time of Corona follows four interwoven stories about the hopeful search for love and connection during the quarantine as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Production began virtually on June 29, 2020, in Los Angeles using remote technologies. The limited series premiered on Freeform on August 22, 2020. Odom voiced the character of Owen Tillerman in the Apple TV+ animated musical-comedy series Central Park, for which he was nominated for Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance at the 2020 Primetime Emmy Awards. He also guest starred on the Disney+ The Proud Family continuation The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder in its second season as Kwame.

In 2020, Odom was cast as soul singer Sam Cooke in the Regina King–directed film adaptation of One Night in Miami, which was released in theaters and Amazon Prime on January 15, 2021. Odom received rave reviews from critics for his portrayal of Cooke and has since earned Academy Award, Golden Globe, and SAG Award nominations including for the Best Supporting Actor and an additional nomination for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture. With Sam Ashworth as co-writer, Odom co-wrote and performed "Speak Now", which also received a nominations the Academy Award and Golden Globe Award for Best Song. "Speak Now" is played during the end credits of One Night in Miami. In May 2021, Odom was cast in the Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery, the sequel to Rian Johnson's Knives Out starring Daniel Craig as Benoit Blanc. In July 2021, Odom was cast in the supernatural horror film The Exorcist: Believer, a sequel to William Friedkin's The Exorcist, with Ellen Burstyn reprising her role as Chris MacNeil. In 2021, Odom starred as Ebo in the musical film Music, which was co-written and directed by Australian singer-songwriter Sia. It was released in February 2021. That same year he acted in the crime drama The Many Saints of Newark (2021), a prequel to the HBO drama series The Sopranos created by David Chase. He also reunited with his former co-stars Cynthia Erivo and Freida Pinto in the sci-fi romance Needle in a Timestack (2021).

From 2022 to 2023, he took a recurring guest spot as Draemond Winding, a chief executive of a Charter School in the ABC sitcom Abbott Elementary. In September 2023, Odom returned to Broadway starring in a revival of the Ossie Davis satirical farce Purlie Victorious opposite Kara Young and Jay O. Sanders. Jesse Green of The New York Times praised the production and Odom Jr.'s lead performance writing, "It's Odom who carries the play's weight as it shifts from genre to genre and reveals further layers of character...Odom, with the angry intensity of his Burr from “Hamilton,” does not shy from Purlie's scoundrelly side, his willingness to lie, even to loved ones, as a means of putting down a marker on eventual truth. And yet when it comes time to preach, watch out. The way he winds speeches into sermons and sermons nearly into songs makes it seem natural." It closed in February 2024 with Odom earning Tony Award nominations for his performance for Best Actor in a Play and as a producer for Best Revival of a Play. In May 2024, a recording of the show was broadcast on PBS.

In April 2025, it was announced that Odom would be reprising the role of Aaron Burr in the Broadway production of Hamilton from September 9, 2025 until November 26, 2025. He reunited with the original Broadway cast of Hamilton at the 78th Tony Awards where they performed for their 10 year anniversary. . In March 2026, it was announced that he will make his West End debut by reprising the role of Aaron Burr in the London production of Hamilton from July 3, 2026 until September 5, 2026.

Other ventures Recording career In 2014, Odom self-released his debut album as a jazz singer, Leslie Odom Jr. on CD and SoundCloud, and promoted the album with several concerts at The Public Theater. In February 2016, he released a version of Selena Gomez's "Good For You" featuring his Hamilton castmate Daveed Diggs. His critically acclaimed second holiday album, The Christmas Album, was released in November 2020. The Christmas Album is Odom's fourth studio album. Odom tours to promote his albums, performing concerts backed by a jazz quintet that includes a drummer, percussionist, bassist, guitarist, and pianist who is also Odom's musical director. One Dollar Randall Abatsy 4 episodes 2020–2022 Central Park Owen Tillerman Voice, main role

Love in the Time of Corona James Main role Martha Knows Best Himself Episode: "Winter Is Coming"

The Tony Awards Present: Broadway's Back! Himself (host) TV special Blue's Clues & You! Mo Snow Voice, episode: "Blue's Snowy Day Surprise" 2022–2023 Abbott Elementary Draemond Winding 2 episodes 2023 The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder Kwame Voice, 3 episodes 2024 Great Performances Purlie Victorious Judson Episode: "Purlie Victorious" 2026 Imperfect Women Donovon Recurring role

Theatre Year Title Role Dates Venue Notes 1998 Rent Paul / Cop / others 1998 Nederlander Theatre Broadway 2001 Dreamgirls Performer September 24, 2001 Ford Center for the Performing Arts Benefit Concert 2004 Jersey Boys Ensemble October 5, 2004 – January 16, 2005 La Jolla Playhouse Tryout 2007 Being Alive Performer August 25 – September 9, 2007 Westport Country PlayhouseRegional October 25 – December 2, 2007 Philadelphia Theatre Company 2008 Once on This Island Agwe, God of Water September 12–14, 2008 Freud Playhouse Regional 2009 Soul of Rodgers Performer October 2–3, 2009 Reprise Theatre Company Revue 2010 Leap of Faith Isaiah Sturdevant October 3–24, 2010 Ahmanson Theatre Tryout 2012 April 26 – May 13, 2012 St. James Theatre Broadway 2013 Venice Markos Monroe May 28 – June 30, 2013 The Public Theater Off-Broadway2014 Hamilton Aaron Burr May 2014 The 52nd Street Project Workshop Tick, Tick... Boom! Michael June 24–28, 2014 New York City Center Encores! 2015–2016 Hamilton Aaron Burr January 20 – May 3, 2015 The Public Theater Off-Broadway August 6, 2015 – July 9, 2016 Richard Rodgers TheatreBroadway 2023–2024 Purlie Victorious Purlie Victorious Judson September 7, 2023 – February 4, 2024 Music Box Theatre 2023 Gutenberg! The Musical! Guest Producer (one night cameo) October 10, 2023 James Earl Jones Theatre 2025HamiltonAaron Burr September 9 – November 26, 2025 Richard Rodgers Theatre 2026 July 3 – September 5, 2026 Victoria Palace Theatre West End

Workshops Witness Uganda (later retitled Invisible Thread), 2010

Discography Studio albums + List of albums, with selected chart positions, sales, and certifications Title Album details Peak chart positionsUS US Sales US Jazz US Holiday 2020 "Cold" (featuring Sia) non-album single

Other appearances Title Year Other artist(s) Album "Hallelujah, I Believe" 2015 Jim Brickman Comfort & Joy: The Sweet Sounds of Christmas and A Joyful Christmas "Joy to the World" The Broadway Cast of Hamilton Broadway's Carols for a Cure, Vol. 17, 2015 "Autumn Leaves" 2016 N/A Tony Bennett Celebrates 90 "Seriously"Song written by Sara BareillesThis American Life Ep.599 "My Romance" 2017 Billy Porter Billy Porter Presents: The Soul of Richard Rodgers "Sondheim: Medley: Children will Listen / You've Got to Be Carefully Taught (From "Into the Woods" & "South Pacific")" 2018 Renée Fleming, BBC Concert Orchestra, & Rob Fisher Broadway

Awards and nominations