Leslie Odom Jr. is an American stage performer, film, and television actor. Additionally, he has released two jazz albums. He is best known for his role as Aaron Burr in the Broadway production of “Hamilton,” for which he won the 2016 Tony Award for Best Actor and a Grammy Award for his contribution to the play’s soundtrack. Leslie Odom Jr., an accomplished television actor, played a significant role in the musical series ‘Smash.’ He was born in Queens, New York, but grew up in Philadelphia. Born with a passion for acting and singing, he made his Broadway debut at the age of 17. After graduating from Carnegie Mellon University in 2003, he relocated to Los Angeles in order to pursue a career as an actor. Since then, he has been active in the acting and music industries and has attained widespread renown as a skilled actor, recording artist, and performer. Leslie Odom Jr., who is also an author, published the book ‘Failing Up: How to Take Risks, Aim Higher, and Never Stop Learning.’ The multitalented celebrity is married to the actress Nicolette Robinson and is the doting father of a lovely daughter.
Youth and Early Life
Leslie Odom Jr. was born in Queens, New York City, on August 6, 1981. His family and he moved to Philadelphia, where he was reared. He attended Julia R. Masterman School and Philadelphia High School for Creative and Performing Arts afterward. As a young child, he developed a passion for singing and joined the church choir at Canaan Baptist Church.
Before relocating to Los Angeles in 2003, he attended Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh and earned a degree with honors. During his collegiate years, he began acting. Leslie Odom Jr. made his Broadway debut at the age of 17 in the play ‘Rent.’ In 2000, he performed in a one-night concert version of ‘Dreamgirls.’
Laslie’s Theater Profession
In 2004, Leslie Odom Jr. appeared in ‘Jersey Boys as a member of the ensemble cast. He acted in the plays ‘Keep Your Pantheon’ and ‘Being Alive’ in 2007. The actor was selected as Isaiah Sturdevant in the 2012 Broadway production of ‘Leap of Faith three years later.
After starring in the off-Broadway production of ‘Venice’ in 2013, he collaborated with Lin-Manuel Miranda on the production of ‘Tick, Tick… Boom!’ in 2014. In 2015, he made his Broadway debut as Aaron Burr in the musical ‘Hamilton.’ His last performance in the production was on July 9, 2016.
Leslie’s Film Industry
Leslie Odom Jr. has appeared in several short films, such as “Scarecrow Joe” and “Luna Goes Cruising.” In the 2012 combat film ‘Red Tails’, he played Declan ‘Winky’ Hall. The actor portrayed Dr. Arbuthnot in the 2017 film adaptation of Agatha Christie’s novel “Murder on the Orient Express.” He is currently filming for the upcoming science fiction film ‘Needle in a Timestack.’
Life of Television Profession
In 2003, Leslie Odom Jr.’s first television role was a recurring one on the series ‘CSI: Miami’. He appeared in a few episodes as Joseph Kayle before quitting the series in 2006. In the drama ‘Vanished’ (2006), he portrayed Maliko Christo in a recurring role. From 2006 to 2007, the actor portrayed Freddy in recurring episodes of the sitcom ‘Big Day’. Following this, he appeared in an episode of ‘Grey’s Anatomy.
In 2011, Odom appeared in several TV dramas, including ‘NCIS: Los Angeles,’ ‘Zeke and Luther,’ and ‘Supernatural.
In 2013, he was cast as Sam Strickland in the lead character of the musical drama Smash. He also had a recurring role on ‘Person of Interest’ in the same year. The American actor assumed the role of Reverend Curtis Scott on ‘Law & Order: Special Victims Unit’ in the same year.
In 2014, he appeared in an episode of ‘Gotham’. Two years later, he hosted the web series ‘Aaron Burr, Sir: Backstage at Hamilton with Leslie Odom Jr.’ In 2018, he provided his voice for the animated sitcom ‘We Bare Bears episode in which Dr. Leslie appeared.
Recording Profession of Leslie
In 2014, Leslie Odom Jr. self-released his début solo album titled ‘Leslie Odom Jr.’ on SoundCloud and CD. He released a rendition of Selena Gomez’s single “Good for You” featuring Daveed Diggs two years later. He signed with S-Curve Records and recorded a revised and enhanced version of ‘Leslie Odom Jr.’, which was released in June 2016.
On November 11, 2016, he released his second studio album, titled ‘Simply Christmas.’ It was a jazz album featuring renditions of Christmas classics. The deluxe edition of the album, which includes four additional songs, was released in October 2017. Odom frequently tours to promote his jazz albums as a singer, performing with a quintet consisting of a percussionist, drummer, guitarist, bassist, and pianist.
Writing Work about the book
Odom published the book ‘Failing Up: How to Take Risks, Aim Higher, and Never Stop Learning’ in 2018. Through the book, he hopes to encourage young people to pursue their dreams and to persevere even when the going gets tough.
Personal Facts About Leslie
Currently, Leslie Odom Jr. is married to the actress Nicolette Kloe Robinson. She is well-known for her roles in the original Showtime series ‘The Affair’ and the off-Broadway play ‘Invisible Thread’. When Robinson was auditioning for a part in the musical “Once on This Island” in Los Angeles in 2008, the couple first met. Odom, who was serving as Billy Porter’s assistant director, fell in love with Robinson while preparing her for her role.
Odom and Robinson tied the knot in December of 2012. On April 23, 2017, they welcomed a daughter named Lucille Ruby. Anna Deavere Smith, an American actress and playwright, is Leslie Odom Jr.’s primary source of inspiration.
Katy Mixon, Josh Groban, Brennan Hesser, Audra Blaser, Griffin Matthews, Angela Lin, Ben Pelteson, and Josh Gad were among the talented students in his freshman cohort at Carnegie Mellon.
Estimated Net Worth
Leslie is one of the wealthiest American stage actors. According to our investigation of Wikipedia, Forbes, and Business Insider, Leslie Odom Jr. has a net worth of $5 million.