Leslie Odom Jr.

Leslie Odom Jr. is an American actor and singer born in New York and raised partly in Philadelphia, whose career spans Broadway, television and R&B-inflected pop vocal work. He first appeared on Broadway as Paul in «Rent» and later took roles in shows including «Leap of Faith», while building a screen career highlighted by his role as Sam Strickland on the TV series «Smash». He studied at Carnegie Mellon University before moving to Los Angeles to pursue acting.

Odom Jr. became widely known for originating the role of Aaron Burr in Lin-Manuel Miranda's musical «Hamilton», singing standout numbers such as «Aaron Burr, Sir», «Wait For It», «The Room Where It Happens» and «The World Was Wide Enough». His nuanced, richly sung portrayal earned him major recognition within musical theatre and introduced him to a much wider audience through the show's cast recording.

Beyond «Hamilton», he has pursued a career as a jazz and soul vocalist, releasing solo material that draws on classic American songbook influences alongside contemporary R&B and pop sensibilities. His voice is noted for its warmth, control and theatrical phrasing, qualities that carried over from stage to studio recordings.