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S2 Ep8 – Leslie Odom Jr.: “I Put Myself In”
This week on Half Hour, acclaimed star of stage and screen Leslie Odom Jr. catches up with his longtime friend, ensemble member Cliff Chamberlain. Odom shares stories from his early career, reflects on his legendary performance as Founding Father Aaron Burr in Hamilton: An American Musical and discusses his recent take on singer Sam Cooke in the film One Night in Miami. This candid and funny conversation offers a glimpse into the perspective of one of contemporary musical theatre's most vital artists. This episode of Half Hour is exclusively sponsored by Sidley Austin LLP Interview begins at 3:45. Leslie Odom, Jr. is a multifaceted, award-winning vocalist, songwriter, author, and actor. With a career that spans all performance genres, he has received recognition with Tony and Grammy Awards as well as Emmy and, most recently, two Academy Award nominations for his excellence and achievements in Broadway, television, film, and music. Odom currently stars and performs the songs of legendary singer Sam Cooke in the critically acclaimed Amazon film adaptation of the Olivier Award-nominated play, One Night in Miami, directed by Regina King. His portrayal of the soul icon has been met with widespread praise and critical acclaim, earning him nominations for an Academy Award, BAFTA Award, Critics' Choice Award, Golden Globe Awards, and Screen Actors Guild Awards, among others. Odom has released four highly lauded studio albums, including two holiday records and his chart-topping, self-titled debut. He has performed at the White House, Super Bowl, and on hallowed stages such as Lincoln Center, Rockefeller Center, and the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. In 2018, he published his first book, Failing Up: How to Take Risks, Aim Higher and Never Stop Learning. Odom can also be heard voicing the character of Owen Tillerman in the Apple TV+ animated musical-comedy series Central Park, for which he received a 2020 Emmy nomination, as well as captivating audiences as Aaron Burr in the filmed musical performance of the original Broadway production of Hamilton released in 2020 on Disney+. His other upcoming projects include The Many Saints of Newark, a prequel to David Chase’s Award-winning HBO series The Sopranos set to be released this Fall and Needle in A Timestack written and directed by John Ridley. Learn more at Steppenwolf.org Want to get in touch? Email halfhour@steppenwolf.org A transcript of this episode can be found HERE
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