Leslie Odom Jr.

Leslie Lloyd Odom Jr. (/ˈoʊdəm/; born August 6, 1981) is an American actor, singer, and songwriter. He gained recognition for his portrayal of Aaron Burr in the Broadway musical Hamilton, earning him a Tony Award and a Grammy Award in the same year. His performance also led to a Primetime Emmy Award nomination for his role in a Disney+ recording of Hamilton. Leslie is admired for his roles in TV series such as Smash and Person of Interest, along with roles in movies like Red Tails, Murder on the Orient Express, and Harriet. His portrayal of Sam Cooke in One Night in Miami... led to multiple award nominations, including the Academy Award and Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actor. As a voice actor, Leslie has crowds through his voice in animated series Central Park on Apple TV+. He released five music albums and an autobiography called Failing Up.

Born in New York City, Leslie grew up in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. After high school, he moved to Pittsburgh to attend Carnegie Mellon University. The commitments took him to Los Angeles in 2003. His first major role was in Rent at the age of 17. In his early career, much of his work was in theater, including a performance in the Broadway show Leap of Faith. However, his breakthrough role was as Aaron Burr in Hamilton. His successful acting career also extends to TV, with guest roles in a variety of shows, and into the film industry with a range of acting roles. Finally, Odom has a successful recording career. After a self-released debut album in 2014, he signed a four-album deal with S-Curve Records.