It’s a wonderful thing that, thanks to my Disney+ subscription, I can watch a full production of Hamilton with the original cast anytime I want. Having said that, being able to see the show with any cast live on a Broadway stage would still be a bucket-list-level experience for me. It’s now got me checking my schedule and my bank account because fans will once again have the chance to see Hamilton with one of its original stars, but not for long.

This morning, the official X account of the Hamilton musical announced that Leslie Odom Jr., who originally won a Tony Award for his role as Aaron Burr, will be returning to “the room where it happens.” Unfortunately, fans who want to see him will only have a limited amount of time, as he’ll only be appearing at shows between September 9 and November 23 of this year.

Not surprisingly, fans are freaking out a little. Odom left the show in the summer of 2016, alongside two of the other original Hamilton cast members, Phillipa Soo and creator Lin-Manuel Miranda. Miranda reprised his role as Alexander Hamilton a couple of times after officially leaving Broadway, most recently for some shows in Puerto Rico as part of a fundraiser in the wake of Hurricane Maria back in 2019.

For those of us who can’t make it to a Broadway stage, at least we have Hamilton on Disney+. The filmed production was originally designed to be a theatrical release, but during the global pandemic, the decision was made to move the release date up and put it on Disney+. The show debuted on July 3, 2020.

Interestingly, that show also included an original cast member reprising his role. Jonathan Groff, who played King George III, had already left the show prior to the filming of the production. He returned to play the role for two nights just to make sure the entire original cast was united. I’m sure everybody was quite excited to see the cast together again, except possibly the first two rows, whom Groff accidentally spit all over.

Hamilton celebrates its 10th anniversary on Broadway this year, and it appears that Odom’s return is at least in part meant as part of an anniversary celebration. Most Broadway shows don't last this long. The fact that Leslie Odom Jr. can even return to the role after a decade is a testament to the show's strength. Even without its star-studded original cast, it has remained popular enough to continue to run.

Tickets for Hamilton through the end of Odom’s return are now on sale. Tickets for Odom’s first night back, September 9, appear to already be sold out. They currently run around $200, which is about $50 more than what you can get them for shows taking place before his return.

The Exorcist is considered one of the best horror movies of all time, and while the franchise has provided a handful of sequels and prequels in the 50 years since its release, The Exorcist: Believer is set to introduce a new demon upon two young girls when it hits theaters on October 6. For the first time, Ellen Burstyn reprises her role as Chris MacNeil, who is trying to save two girls from suffering the same fate as her daughter. Critics have screened the new film from director David Gordon Green, and it sounds like some people are more excited about this upcoming horror flick than others.

This film is the first of a new Exorcist trilogy and stars Leslie Odom Jr. and Jennifer Nettles as the parents of the demon Lamashtu’s victims, Angela (Lidya Jewett) and Katherine (Olivia Marcum). Linda Blair won’t appear on screen in this sequel, but the actress did serve as an advisor on set for the young actresses, in order “to take them to dangerous places safely,” per to the director. Just how dangerous are we talking? Let’s see what the critics have to say. In CinemaBlend’s review of The Exorcist: Believer, Eric Eisenberg rates it 4 stars out of 5, saying its strengths outweigh its faults: 

Sabina Graves of Gizmodo isn’t quite as enthused about the sequel, remarking that it’s lacking some of what made the original so captivating. However, the critic calls it a solid first entry to the legacy trilogy and says Leslie Odom Jr. is a tour de force. In Graves words:  

Brian Truitt of USA TODAY rates it 3 out of 4 stars, writing that while it’s nowhere near as scary as William Friedkin’s 1973 classic, Believer does a decent job of exploring every parent’s deepest fears. The critic continues: 

Jake Kleinman of Inverse calls The Exorcist: Believer a “soulless reboot” whose scares seem restrained and effects too reliant on CGI. Ellen Burstyn’s performance is the lone bright spot of this legacyquel, according to Kleinman, who writes: 

Nick Schager of the Daily Beast says no amount of prayers can save this hellish-for-all-the-wrong-reasons sequel. Ellen Burstyn is trotted out for credibility and then treated with “stunning disrespect,” the critic says, in an unnecessary and uninspired horror movie. Schager recommends audiences “Skip It,” writing: 

If you think this horror offering should be part of your October movie-going plans, you can catch The Exorcist: Believer in theaters starting Friday, October 6. Be sure to take a look at all of the other upcoming horror movies, as well as our 2023 movie calendar to see films of all genres that are coming soon to the big screen. 

Benoit Blanc's accent in Knives Out was originally supposed to be a "light Southern drawl" as Rian Johnson put it, but now it has turned into one of the campiest, most memorable accents on the silver screen, in my opinion. Daniel Craig's smooth southern accent and eccentric vocabulary are incredibly fun to impersonate, and I know I can't help but try to mimic him whenever I watch these mysteries. Now, the cast of Glass Onion has been tasked with attempting their own take on Benoit's accent, and lucky for us we've been graced with a wonderful video of it. 

In this glorious video from Still Watching Netflix, Leslie Odom Jr., Kate Hudson, Madelyn Cline and Jessica Henwick each try their hand at impersonating the Southern detective. They take turns saying some of Benoit’s best lines, and they try to break down the intricacies of the accent Daniel Craig does throughout the movies. While you can see Kathryn Hahn do the iconic accent in the movie, you can watch these other four castmates attempt the signature Southern drawl here:  

Both Hudson and Odom Jr. note that they had no time to practice the accents. However, they gave it their all and really tried to nail down Benoit’s tone and Southern charm. They really enjoyed impersonating the detective by way of the line: 

Following that fun interaction, all four cast members get hung up trying to figure out how exactly Mr. Blanc pronounced one of the products associated with one of the fabulous name-drops in the movie. That word was “kombucha,” “Jared Leto’s hard kombucha” to be exact.  

In the end, the cast decided who did the best impression, and Hudson made the executive call that Odom Jr. had the best Benoit voice considering his extensive background in theater. I’d honestly say Henwick did the best Southern accent out of the bunch, especially at the beginning of the video when she nailed the line:

I thought that was a wonderful line to pick, and the producers of the video definitely chose some memorable one-liners. However, I would have loved to hear the cast attempt Benoit’s epic monologue that dove-tails into one of the biggest moments in Glass Onion. It would have also been delightful to hear them all say Halle Berry’s name with the enthusiasm that Blanc uses in the movie. 

Lucky for us, Rian Johnson has been open about making more Knives Out mysteries. That means the iconic detective will return to solve another murder with a different cast, and hopefully, we'll get more hilarious impressions from A-list actors too. 

While we wait for more news about the third installment in the Knives Out mysteries, you can watch the 2022 movie schedule hit Glass Onion with a Netflix subscription. Also, while you anticipate Johnson’s next whodunnit, be sure to work on your Southern drawl so you’re ready to ace more of Beniot Blanc's legendary one-liners. 

Knives Out breathed new life into the murder mystery genre when it was released in 2019, with its brilliant ensemble cast, hilarious script and twisty story. Audiences were immediately craving more of Daniel Craig’s Benoit Blanc, and director Rian Johnson has delivered, with the first sequel set for release to Netflix subscribers in December. The detective will take on a new case in Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery, which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival this weekend, and the first responses to the movie are overwhelmingly positive.

Glass Onion stars a new but equally impressive cast of characters for Daniel Craig to investigate, including Edward Norton, Janelle Monáe, Kathryn Hahn, Leslie Odom Jr. and Kate Hudson, to name just a few. The story sees Benoit Blanc taking on a new case, after someone winds up dead during a lavish getaway on the private Greek island of Miles Bron (Norton). So how do the new story and cast compare to the first? CinemaBlend’s Sean O’Connell says it’s obvious how much fun Rian Johnson had directing this project, and that experience spills over to the viewers: 

The ensemble was integral to the success of Knives Out, which saw huge box office success, and audiences are undoubtedly curious to see how these new characters come together. Many people in attendance at TIFF note that Kate Hudson and Janelle Monáe are standouts in the sequel’s cast:

When the trailer for Glass Onion was released, viewers could already see how this group comes together to play off of each other. But Erik Anderson says forget what you think you know, as he ramps our expectations up for what’s to come: 

While classism was targeted in Knives Out, Sarah Marrs says the sequel targets influencer culture. She also echoes other viewers in praising Janelle Monáe as, “NEXT LEVEL”: 

Regarding how well Glass Onion stands up to its predecessor, it seems like many of the Toronto International Film Festival audience actually enjoys the sequel as much as or more than the first. This viewer says it’s “funnier, more clever and sharper”:  

Clayton Davis also thinks Glass Onion outdoes the first movie “in almost every way”:

Perri Nemiroff says this sequel is worthy of multiple viewings, and notes Rian Johnson’s “precision and passion,” while pointing out Steve Yedlin’s cinematography: 

Following the first movie, Netflix purchased the rights for two Knives Out sequels, but many who were able to screen Glass Onion are asking, nay, begging for the film to receive a theatrical release: 

We’ll have to wait and see if Netflix jumps on board for a wide theatrical release of Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery after seeing the response to its premiere at TIFF, but for now the murder mystery sequel is set to be released on Friday, December 23. While we wait for that, you can check out some of Netflix’s best movies, and start planning your next trip to the theaters with our 2022 New Movie Release Schedule. 

Although Leslie Odom Jr.’s career dated back nearly 20 years before its explosive success, when Hamilton came along, it quickly became the actor and singer’s most famous role. With years having passed since his exit as Aaron Burr in the Broadway musical, Odom has shared that he still has the role on his mind and even has an idea about how Aaron Burr could be further expanded in a future project. Lin-Manuel Miranda, are you reading this? 

As Hamilton continues to be played all over North America following the original cast, including Lin-Manuel Miranda and Leslie Odom Jr., leaving the great musical in summer 2016, Odom shared his thoughts on reprising the iconic role in another capacity. In his words: 

While speaking to PopCulture ahead of returning to the stage for a set of performances with the Nashville Symphony this week, Leslie Odom Jr. revealed he’d very much entertain the possibility of playing Aaron Burr again. As he shared, the story ends where Alexander Hamilton’s life does, but it doesn’t wrap up things for Burr. 

At the end of the musical, which you can see Leslie Odom Jr. perform in with a Disney+ subscription, Burr fatally shot Hamilton in 1804 during a duel between the two and longtime tension between them, but the politician lived until 1836, passing away at the age of 80. All his charges were dropped for the illegal duel, but ended his political career, and Burr subsequently travelled west to the American frontier to seek new economic and political opportunities. 

Among Burr’s next actions was something known as the Burr conspiracy, which was an alleged plot that he wanted to create an independent country. Burr later moved to Europe  before going back to the United States to practice law in New York City, along with a second marriage and more scandal in his life. There’s definitely some material here for Odom to tackle if someone decided to. 

Odom, of course, wouldn’t return to the role unless there was "good enough writing and collaborators." Over the course of 500 shows, which became the actor’s longest job ever, he certainly enjoyed himself and found it difficult to leave behind the role. Since moving on from Hamilton, Odom played Sam Cooke in One Night in Miami, starred in The Sopranos movie The Many Saints of Newark and is set to star in the upcoming Knives Out sequel. 

We’re certainly curious about Leslie Odom Jr’s idea to reprise his most famous role. Maybe someday we’ll be in the room where it happens seeing the actor back as Aaron Burr.  

There are all varieties of cinematic delights scheduled to be released in 2022, but few have our curiosity gripped quite as firmly as Rian Johnson’s Knives Out 2. Audiences fell in love with Daniel Craig’s Detective Benoit Blanc in the upcoming sequel’s 2019 predecessor, watching with delight as he solved the murder of legendary mystery author Harlan Thrombey, and fans around the world are over the moon with anticipation waiting to see how he will approach his next case.

Sadly, at this point we don’t have much to go on when it comes to details about the circumstances that require Benoit Blanc’s keen insight in Knives Out 2, but today we did get our very first look at the film’s suspicious ensemble cast.

Netflix unveiled the exciting sneak peek at the movie within a trailer previewing their 2022 slate this morning, and the brief glimpse at the new Rian Johnson film features a look at the characters played by Kathryn Hahn, Jessica Henwick, Kate Hudson, Leslie Odom Jr., Madelyn Cline, and Dave Bautista. And while we don’t even know their names, their appearances alone leave quite a first impression – and we figured that we would have a bit of fun speculating about their individual vibes based on the eight second clip.

Kathryn Hahn

It’s been confirmed that Knives Out 2 is taking place in Greece, but Kathryn Hahn’s character has the look of a person who would be much more comfortable on a getaway weekend in Atlantic City parked at a slot machine. If I had to put money on anybody getting seasick as a result of the boat ride that the cast is about to take, all of my money would be on her. I get the sense that she doesn’t get out much, making this European trip a big splurge, and she’s definitely planning on bringing a snow globe back home as a souvenir for her favorite nephew. I can already tell why Hahn was excited to be a part of this project.

Jessica Henwick

The character played by Jessica Henwick in Knives Out 2 is a complicated read. My first instinct is to identify her as a slacker, if not especially because she is clearly choosing sartorial comfort over trying to impress – but also because of the vape. What makes her attitude a bit difficult to surmise, however, is the Louis Vuitton garment bag that is slung over her shoulder. This leaves two possibilities in my mind: 1) She has recently become wealthy and is getting used to life among the upper crust, or 2) She grew up with money and resents it, but can fit in among the wealthy when it’s called for. I also admittedly can’t rule out that she is carrying the dress for…

Kate Hudson

As presented, both Kathryn Hahn and Jessica Henwick’s character look a touch out of place for a fancy European trip, but that’s most definitely not how one would describe the appearance of Kate Hudson in Knives Out 2. Fashion and posture suggest that this is an individual who may vacation as a hobby. Among this group, I can also see the possibility of her overly flexing her sophistication and perhaps get alienated from her fellow travelers. Based on Benoit Blanc’s relationship with the money-grubbing Thrombey family in the first movie, I can envision the detective not exactly exhibiting a great deal of patience when it comes to dealing with her.

Leslie Odom Jr.

Looking at Leslie Odom Jr.’s costume compared to everyone else’s, I can’t help but notice a standout detail: he’s dressed for the wrong season. Everyone else is in summer gear, wearing light clothes and protection from the sun, but he’s the only one wearing a heavy long sleeve shirt and a hat that doesn’t offer any glare deterrence. It’s also hard not to notice that his body language is quite defensive, his arms clasped behind his back – but that may very well just be a natural response when you’re the only Black man around during some form of criminal investigation.

Madelyn Cline

Looking at Madelyn Cline’s Knives Out 2 character, I’m a bit torn: I can’t tell if her speaking voice is going to be more akin to Marisa Tomei in My Cousin Vinny or Alicia Silverstone in Clueless. I can easily imagine both, though the way she drops her wrists in the brief clip makes me lean toward the former. Either way, this is a person with a strong coastal accent. She’s not the polite society definition of classy, but you get the sense that in her mind she thinks she is, and taking a vacation in Greece is all about that image. She may try and forge a bond with Kate Hudson’s character, but I don’t foresee the effort being reciprocated.

Dave Bautista

The vibes of the first four characters discussed make me think that they are all traveling alone, but there is something about the aesthetic coordination between Madelyn Cline and Dave Bautista in the footage that for whatever reason puts them together as a couple in my mind. I also can’t help but think that wearing an animal print jacket with no shirt requires a bold personality, and salmon pants on a person that size demonstrates powerful confidence. I predict that there is going to be a good amount of finger pointing at him when it comes to the crime committed in the plot (which has not yet been revealed), but of the line-up here I find myself thinking he is the least suspicious looking. This is a man with nothing to hide.

In addition to Kathryn Hahn, Jessica Henwick, Kate Hudson, Leslie Odom Jr., Madelyn Cline, and Dave Bautista, Knives Out 2 also stars Edward Norton, Janelle Monáe, and Ethan Hawke, and while we haven’t gotten a first look at their characters yet, we’re exceptionally curious to discover how they’ll fit into the ensemble with the previewed collection of weirdos.

While the exciting sequel does not yet have an official release date, filming wrapped last summer, it has been confirmed that it will be out on Netflix in the latter half of this year. In the meantime, you can check out our guide to the best movies currently on Netflix, and check out our 2022 Netflix Movie Calendar to get a glimpse at all of the titles that are on the way.

It’s a good time to be a horror fan, and that’s partly thanks to Blumhouse, who deserves credit for contributing to the genre’s renaissance as of late. The studio has worked with the best horror filmmakers of the day like The Haunting of Hill House’s Mike Flanagan, Get Out’s Jordan Peele and The Invisible Man’s Leigh Whannell. Now, they’ll be revisiting one of the most terrifying movies of all time, The Exorcist, with a sequel headed our way in October 2023. And according to the company’s founder, Jason Blum, the decision to bring back Exorcist was influenced by the latest Halloween movies. 

Blumhouse brought back Michael Myers and Laurie Strode for a brand new trilogy starring the original scream queen Jamie Lee Curtis, 40 years after the events of the first movie. When speaking to CinePOP, Jason Blum shared how the 2018 film’s success has since inspired the production company to return to the haunting demon story: 

As Jason Blum shared, the same filmmakers behind the new Halloween trilogy, David Gordon Green and Danny McBride are making the next Exorcist movie. And much like their other horror hit, the sequel will ignore the events of the other four films and continue the events of the 1973 original instead. Blum is producing the film alongside Universal and Peacock, as it will be made for the streaming service as well.

The movie has already enlisted an original cast member from the 1973 classic, Ellen Burstyn. The 88-year-old actress will reprise her role as Chris MacNeil, a famous actress who temporarily moves to Georgetown with her 12-year-old daughter, Regan, to star in a film there. The horrors begin when Regan becomes possessed by a demon, which Chris then seeks to exorcise out of her. Joining MacNeil so far in the cast is Hamilton’s Leslie Odom Jr, who will play a father who seeks out help for his child, who becomes possessed this time around. 

Much like Halloween, it sounds like The Exorcist sequel is repeating a few of the best aspects of the new franchise, such as bringing back an original character and focusing on the storyline of the first movie, rather than completely rebooting it or getting stuck in the continuity of the other movies. Ahead of its release though, David Gordon Green’s Halloween Kills is coming to theaters and Peacock on October 15, and its concluding chapter, Halloween Ends, will be released in October 2022. 

Major spoilers for The Many Saints of Newark lie ahead.

The Many Saints of Newark returns viewers to the universe of The Sopranos and, with the film, comes a number of familiar faces from the acclaimed HBO drama. However, it also introduces a number of new characters into the mobster-filled universe. One of these major additions is Harold McBrayer, played by Hamilton and One Night in Miami’s Leslie Odom Jr. By the end of the film, Harold is left in an interesting spot, with his ultimate fate left unclear. Odom Jr. has since provided some thoughts on his character’s future, and they’re pretty ominous. 

Harold McBrayer is introduced as an associate of Dickie Moltisanti in the late ‘60s, during which it’s established that the two have known each other for years. Shortly after the Newark riots, a murder warrant prompts Harold to move to North Carolina, which Dickie approves of. When he returns to New Jersey four years later in the early ‘70s, Harold has no interest in reteaming with Moltisanti and opts to start his own gang instead. This puts the two at odds, as both aim to take out the other. In the end, Dickie is killed, but under Junior Soprano’s orders, while Harold and his family start new lives in a White neighborhood. 

Leslie Odom Jr.’s character is very interesting, and it’s honestly difficult to take your eyes off him whenever he’s on screen. While watching the film, I was most interested in learning more about Harold’s backstory. I recently had the opportunity to speak with Odom Jr. about his work in the film and, during our chat, he explained that he didn’t have many discussions with co-writer David Chase and director Alan Taylor about Harold’s history. However, the actor did develop a backstory of his own:

As previously mentioned, Harold ultimately achieved that goal. He also no longer has to worry about the presence of Dickie Moltisanti. However, when speaking about what may have happened to McBrayer after the events of the movie, Leslie Odom Jr. noted that his character may not be in the clear:

It’s totally possible that Harold could’ve lived a long life post-Many Saints of Newark. But as the actor mentioned, this is David Chase’s world and true happy endings are few and far between. Considering how great a character Harold is, it would be great to see him show up in another Sopranos-related project. Chase did just recently sign an overall deal with HBO, so such a project could be a possibility. And based on Leslie Odom Jr. 's love for the character, chances are he’d be down to reprise his role

The Many Saints of Newark is currently playing in theaters and streaming on HBO Max until October 31.

The story of The Sopranos continues, sort of. David Chase, the man who brought us the crime drama series, co-wrote with Lawrence Konner The Many Saints of Newark, a prequel to the HBO show. The film was directed by Sopranos vet Alan Taylor (who won an Emmy for his direction of the series) and stars Alessandro Nivola, Michael Gandolfini, Leslie Odom Jr., Jon Bernthal, Corey Stoll, Billy Magnussen, Michela De Rossi, John Magaro, Ray Liotta, and Vera Farmiga.

In The Many Saints of Newark, a young Anthony Soprano (Gandolfini) is growing up in one of the most tumultuous eras in Newark's history, as rival gangsters challenge the all-powerful DiMeo crime family’s hold over the increasingly race-torn city. Caught up in the changing times is his uncle, Dickie Moltisanti (Nivola), who struggles to manage both his professional and personal responsibilities, and whose influence over his nephew will help make the impressionable teenager into the all-powerful mob boss he’ll later be known as: Tony Soprano. The crime drama will release in theaters on Friday, October 1, with a simultaneous release on HBO Max for a month (a move which David Chase is not too happy about). Critics have started to release their reviews, so let's check them out.

CinemaBlend’s own Sean O’Connell liked the gangster flick, rating it 4 out of 5 stars, though he did note that fans of The Sopranos will enjoy The Many Saints of Newark more than non-fans, as this isn’t a stand-alone film. It helps fill in gaps left by the original series, and O’Connell argued that it even solves the mystery surrounding the ending of the series finale (if you know, you know). He also commended some of the acting in the film, but O’Connell’s main point was that fans of the show will enjoy this movie, saying:

David Ehrlich from IndieWire also really enjoyed the crime drama, noting that it will resonate most with fans of The Sopranos. He, like O’Connell, pointed out that this prequel helps fill in gaps that the series left behind. Ehrlich applauded many of the performances, specifically those of Gandolfini and Nivola, who were “brilliant” in their roles (Gandolfini is the son of James Gandolfini, who famously portrayed the adult Tony Soprano in the HBO series). He said:

David Rooney from The Hollywood Reporter also commended Nivola’s “compelling” performance as Dickie Moltisani, as well as Leslie Odom Jr.’s role as Harold McBrayer. But though he enjoyed those performances as well as the production and costume design, he thought some roles were too “sketch comedy-like,” and didn’t pay proper homage to the characters from the show. He also thought the movie expanded upon the TV show’s foundation, but will remain confusing to those who haven’t seen the series, saying:

Leah Greenblatt enjoyed the drama overall, specifically giving praise to Nivola’s “soulful and tormented” performance, as well as Odom Jr.’s (definitely sensing a pattern here). She enjoyed many callbacks to The Sopranos, as well as how the film built upon mysteries from the show, but she also noted that at times, the two-hour movie was too convoluted. But Greenblatt argued that fans of the crime series will enjoy The Many Saints of Newark, saying:

These critics so far have all pretty much agreed that fans of The Sopranos will enjoy The Many Saints of Newark, but that sentiment is not shared across the board. A.A. Dowd from AV Club thought the crime drama was a massive let down. He was disappointed that we’re meant to believe that this film will tell us who made Tony Soprano (his uncle, Dickie) but that foundation is not touched upon enough to satisfy viewers, and the character of Dickie is just a “paper napkin sketch.” Dowd also argued that the filtering of gangster cinema into two hours just leaves us with the tropes, and little to no character development. He also thought that the holes of the original series that this movie fills in wasn’t necessary. Overall, here’s what he said of Chase’s prequel:

Well, these critics mostly think that fans of The Sopranos will enjoy this film. But you'll soon be able to decide that for yourself when The Many Saints of Newark releases in theaters and simultaneously on HBO Max on October 1.

While we wait fo the crime drama to debut, you can plan your next movie-watching experience with our 2021 movie release guide.

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The Sopranos is set to return for the first time since the legendary 2007 finale with a prequel film called The Many Saints of Newark. The movie will take fans of the HBO series back to the '60s and '70s, when Tony Soprano was a teenager in the middle of a gang way in New Jersey. Among a star-studded cast is Hamilton’s Leslie Odom Jr., who will play a character named Harold McBrayer in the upcoming movie. The actor has shared the early journey to being part of the exciting Sopranos movie, and there was a lot of secrecy involved.

Harold McBrayer will be the first Black gangster in the Sopranos franchise, making his character quite significant. When speaking to Rolling Stone about how he scored the role, Leslie Odom Jr. compared the audition process to starring in a Marvel movie. As he recalled:

Since dazzling as Aaron Burr in Hamilton alongside Lin-Manuel Miranda, Leslie Odom Jr. has been finding himself some huge roles, and The Many Saints of Newark definitely adds to his long and exciting career. He continued to share how nabbing the role went down:

Can you imagine applying for a job without actually knowing what it was? It would be an odd experience, that’s for sure. Leslie Odom Jr. did his best at first walking in the dark, but once he got to a certain point in the audition process, he had to know. As it turns out, he gets to be part of Tony Soprano’s origin story. Check out The Many Saints of Newark trailer:

The movie is coming to theaters and HBO Max on October 1. If you would like to subscribe to see it at home next month, you can sign up using this link.

Along with Leslie Odom Jr’s role, the movie will star Alessandro Nivola, Jon Bernthal, Corey Stoll, Michael Gandolfini, Billy Magnussen, Ray Liotta and Vera Farmiga. Tony Soprano will be played by the late James Gandolfini’s 22-year-old son, Michael. Though the secrecy was as tight as the MCU for The Sopranos prequel, it looks like it will be a must see for fans of the TV series.

Although the majority of Blumhouse Productions’ cinematic output are original offerings, in recent years, the production company has left its stamp on a few previously established horror properties, such as Halloween and The Invisible Man. Now we can add The Exorcist to the list, as Blumhouse is teaming with Morgan Creek to deliver a new trilogy of Exorcist movies that are going to streaming, and one of the stars of the original movie is involved.

David Gordon Green, who directed Blumhouse’s 2018 Halloween movie and has resumed those duties for its two forthcoming sequels, has signed on to helm the first of these three new Exorcist movies. The trilogy is being spearheaded by Universal Pictures and Peacock, with the movies being made available on the latter streaming service, although audiences will still have the option to watch these flicks in theaters. Ellen Burstyn will reprise her Academy Ward-nominated role of Chris MacNeil, and she’ll be joined by Hamilton star Leslie Odom Jr., who is playing the father of a possessed child who tracks down Chris for help, per The New York Times. Along with his directorial duties, Green hashed out the story with Scott Teems and Danny McBride, and is co-writing the script with Peter Sattler.

In case Ellen Burstyn’s involvement didn’t make it clear enough, these new Exorcist movies will be a “continuation” of the events of the 1973 original, which was directed by William Friedkin, made over $441 million worldwide and won the Academy Award for Best Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium, along with nominations in nine other categories (including Burstyn’s Best Actress nod). This is the same approach that 2018’s Halloween took, i.e. building off what unfolded in the first installment, but ignoring all subsequent sequels. Beyond that, no plot details about any of these upcoming Exorcist movies have been revealed, though the first movie will arrive on October 13, 2023.

If you’ve made it this far and aren’t familiar with the Exorcist franchise, The Exorcist (which was based on the 1971 novel by William Peter Blatty, who wrote the film’s screenplay) followed 12-year-old Regan, played Linda Blair, who is possessed by a demon, forcing her mother, Ellen Burstyn’s Chris, to turn to two Catholic priests, Jason Miller’s Father Damien Karras and Max von Sydow’s Father Lankester Merrin, to help rescue her daughter through an exorcism. Two sequels followed in 1977 and 1990, followed by the prequels Exorcist: The Beginning and Dominion: Prequel to the Exorcist in 2004 and 2005, respectively, with the former being a retooled version of the latter. There was also an Exorcist TV series that aired on Fox from 2016 to 2017.

According to The New York Times, Universal and Peacock’s deal for this Exorcist trilogy was “in the vicinity” of the $465 million Netflix shelled out for the next two Knives Out sequels. It was also reported that the latter two of the new Exorcist movies could premiere on Peacock, although that hasn’t been confirmed. Regardless, clearly Universal and Peacock are going all-in on the Exorcist franchise, and considering how the sequels/prequels to the original ranged from underwhelming to mediocre, this is definitely a film series that could benefit from a revitalization.

If you’re a fan of the Exorcist franchise, let us know in the poll below how you feel about this massive update, and stay tuned to CinemaBlend for updates on the trilogy’s development. Learn what movies are coming out in the near future with our 2021 release schedule and 2022 release schedule.

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Leslie Odom Jr.'s career has been heading for the stratosphere in recent years. After being cast as Aaron Burr in Lin-Manuel Miranda's Hamilton, the accomplished actor won a Tony Award for his work. When the play made its way to Disney+ the world got to see just how impressive he was. Since then he's been nominated for an Academy Award for his work in One Night in Miami and most recently he's joined the increasingly impressive cast of Rian Johnson's Knives Out sequel. Odom's star has only continued to rise, though interestingly, he continues to be part of strong ensembles rather than getting a breakout role for himself.

It seems that's more by design than happenstance. Leslie Odom Jr. recently told EW that he's well aware that so much of his recent great work is as part of ensemble productions. The actor says that at this point he's not really looking to be the star and is quite happy doing his part to contribute to the success of the team. According to Odom...

Leslie Odom Jr. may have have been the one to win the Tony Award for Hamilton but that musical won many other awards because of the combined work of a number of performers on the stage, as well as the design team and crew. Leslie Odom Jr. made his feature film debut in Redtails, a movie about the Tuskegee Airmen, where he played one of several pilots. He also recently appeared in Kenneth Branagh's Murder on the Orient Express, a film that is, much like the Knives Out sequel, a whodunit with an incredibly impressive cast.

But of all the ensembles that Leslie Odom Jr. has been a part of, it sounds like Knives Out 2 (or whatever it ends up being called) might be his favorite so far. He sings the praises of many of his upcoming co-stars. Some of them he's worked with before, others he's excited to work with for the first time. Odom explains...

It seems unlikely that Leslie Odom Jr. will make a fool of himself. If anything, i would wager a few of these actors will be just as eager to work with him and will try to learn a thing or two themselves.

The success of Knives Out seems like a lifetime ago, with it releasing on the other side of a whole pandemic. With a sequel in the works with a brand new cast though, fans are looking back and wondering just how Knives Out 2 will surpass the mystery and enjoyability of the first blockbuster film. Hamilton’s Leslie Odom Jr. has jumped on board as one of the new all star cast members and talks a little about what to expect from Rian Johnson’s sequel.

We love it when stars give teasers, and even though Leslie Odom Jr. tells ET he may be saying too much, he does give us a little bit of an idea of what we can expect to see in the Knives Out sequel. According to him, it’ll not only be a fun watch just like the first film, but we’ll see some twists and turns happening. Here it is in the One Night in Miami star’s own words:

The first film was chock full of A-listers and iconic actors, each only having a small appearances on screen for such big names, which only added to the strange, unexpected nature and reception of the film Leslie Odom Jr. mentions. It would make sense for the sequel to be similar in this way, and it sounds like we can expect to be suspicious of pretty much everyone, with the suspect focus being switched many times throughout the film.

In the same interview, Leslie Odom Jr. gives us more, saying director Rian Johnson seems to have the frustrating task of trying to challenge himself and one-up the first film with how intertwined the sequel will be with plot points. Odom gives us a picture of perfect synchronicity with his comparisons of the upcoming film; here’s what he says exactly:

Knives Out 2 is still in the beginning stages of production, with the possibility of future big name cast members still to come on board the project, although a number of Marvel stars are already committed as well as Daniel Craig’s promised return. Although the plot is unknown at this time, thanks to Leslie Odom Jr.’s insight, we can expect the cast to take us on a wild ride of a tale when their characters appear on Netflix next year.

Rian Johnson has been prepping his Knives Out sequel with gradual reveals of the big stars to follow the original Oscar-nominated whodunnit and it’s shaping up to be another all-star cast. Following recent news of Kathryn Hahn most recently joining the Netflix movie, Knives Out 2 has now lined up its sixth cast member and it’s a huge Hamilton star. Leslie Odom Jr. has been cast in Benoit Blanc’s next case.

Leslie Odom Jr. is coming off a massive year that had the 39-year-old actor and singer being nominated for an Oscar for his portrayal as Sam Cooke in One Night in Miami. Now he’ll be playing an undisclosed role in Rian Johnson’s Knives Out sequel with Daniel Craig, Janelle Monáe, Edward Norton, Kathryn Hahn and Dave Bautista, per The Hollywood Reporter.

The actor most famously portrayed Aaron Burr in the original cast of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s groundbreaking musical, which earned him a Tony for Best Actor in a Leading Role amidst the Broadway show’s other accolades. Many of those who missed his role on the stage got to see the actor play Aaron Burr in Disney+’s release of a recording of the Hamilton production. We’re definitely curious what kind of character he’ll play in Rian Johnson’s followup murder mystery coming to Netflix.

The original Knives Out had a massive cast including Chris Evans, Jamie Lee Curtis, Toni Collette, LaKeith Stanfield and the late Christopher Plummer that introduced Benoit Blanc. The detective with a southern draw solved the murder of the wealthy patriarch of the Thrombey family that took place in a Massachusetts mansion. For the sequel, Johnson had teased that it will include a completely new cast and setting, with Daniel Craig’s character being the only common thread.

We have yet to hear the premise of the setting of Knives Out, but the film is setting up some major talent thus far from all corners of Hollywood. It is interesting to note that both Janelle Monáe and Leslie Odom Jr. are incredible singers, and it’s not off the table that that could factor into the movie somehow. Yet, each of them have shown skill for their acting chops just as well.

And funny enough for Odom Jr., back in 2017 the actor had a small role in the Agatha Christie adaptation Murder on the Orient Express, which has often been compared by Knives Out. Kenneth Branagh’s whodunnits follow the famed detective Hercule Poirot, which will continue next year with Death on the Nile. But, the added draw of Knives Out is Rian Johnson is coming up with completely original murder mysteries that have yet to be read in a book.

Knives Out is confirmed to be continuing with a second and third installment and landing on Netflix. While we wait, check out what movies are coming next on Netflix this year here on CinemaBlend.

After delivering the polarizing Star Wars: The Last Jedi to the public, filmmaker Rian Johnson turned his attention to a mystery tale that he’d first thought up over a decade before: Knives Out. The whodunit flick, which saw Daniel Craig’s Benoit Blanc investigating a prosperous, yet dysfunctional family about the death of its patriarch, hit theaters in November 2019 and was a critical and commercial hit. So, unsurprisingly, Knives Out 2 was officially greenlit just a few months later, and now we’re learning who will make up the cast of the sequel that Johnson returned to write and direct.

Before going further, it should be noted that if you were expecting Knives Out 2, which now has the official title of Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery, to involve the Thrombey family again, toss those hopes aside. Benoit Blanc will investigate a new mystery featuring an assortment of new colorful characters in the 2022 Netflix movie schedule addition. So let’s go over who’s participating in this latest caper, starting with the man who anchors what’s now a film series.

Daniel Craig

While most people know Daniel Craig for his outings as James Bond and from dramas like Defiance and The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Daniel Craig also has plenty of experience with more lighthearted fare, such as Logan Lucky and hosting Saturday Night Live twice. Knives Out definitely fell into the latter category, with Craig adopting a ridiculous Southern accent to bring Benoit Blanc to life. But, silly voice aside, Blanc proved himself a skilled detective as he peeled back the layers of Harlan Thrombey’s sudden demise. It hasn’t been revealed yet what kind of mystery he’ll be solving in Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery, but, naturally, we can count on Blanc eventually uncovering the truth of what’s happening this time around.

Dave Bautista

There’s no question that Dave Bautista's acting career skyrocketed after debuting as Drax the Destroyer in Guardians of the Galaxy, but the WWE star has scored plenty of other notable projects beyond his work in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. From Spectre (which marked the first time he worked with Daniel Craig) and Blade Runner 2049 to more recent offerings like Army of the Dead and Dune, Bautista has firmly cemented himself as a movie star. He’s now lined up to take part in Knives Out 2, though no details about his character have been revealed yet.

Edward Norton

Like Dave Bautista, Edward Norton is an MCU alum, having played Bruce Banner in The Incredible Hulk. In recent years though, Norton has starred in movies like Birdman, Alita: Battle Angel, Motherless Brooklyn (which he also directed, wrote and produced) and the recent The French Dispatch, another collaboration with director Wes Anderson. Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery will be Norton’s first time sharing the screen with Daniel Craig, so I’m interested to see what kind of dynamic these two will have.

Janelle Monáe

While she’s primarily known as an accomplished singer and songwriter, Janelle Monáe also has some acting experience under her belt, including movies like Hidden Figures and Antebellum, and TV shows like Phillip K. Dick’s Electric Dreams and Homecoming. As far as her role in Knives Out 2 is concerned, sources who spoke with THR’s Borys Kit say Monáe could be playing someone similar to Ana de Armas or LaKeith Stanfield’s characters from the first Knives Out. That’s a lot of room to work with, considering how drastically different those two roles were, so I’m curious to see how Monáe ends up fitting into the Knives Out 2 picture.

Kathryn Hahn

Kathryn Hahn’s been acting professionally for over 20 years, but the last several have seen her soar to new heights of fame. Whether it’s starring in the Bad Moms movies with Mila Kunis and Kristen Bell, causing trouble as Agatha Harkness in Disney+’s WandaVision or delving into dramatic territory with Mark Ruffalo in HBO’s I Know This Much Is True, Hahn has shown time and time again how much range she has. As for how she fits into Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery, that remains to be seen, though she did say that filming the movie reminded her of college, so at least she had fun making it.

Leslie Odom Jr.

In the wake of his breakout performance as Aaron Burr in Lin-Manuel Miranda's Hamilton, Leslie Odom Jr. has had no shortage of work opportunities, delivering excellent turns in movies like Harriet and One Night In Miami... He has a long list of developing projects, and one of them has been confirmed to be Knives Out 2. He is a star whose range dictates that he could play either a good guy or a villain in any story, so it will definitely be interesting to see the way in which Rian Johnson utilizes him in the mysterious mystery plot.

Kate Hudson

Following a four-year break from film work, Kate Hudson returned to the theatrical realm in early 2021 with the Sia-directed Music. Luckily for fans, Hudson's other upcoming movies, Mona Lisa and the Blood Moon and Shriver, were in post-production by the time Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery had to shoot, and it was the next movie she had lined up. It’s hard to say how she fits into the mystery that Benoit Blanc is solving, but it’s easy enough to imagine her being directly involved with the crime that was committed, based on first impressions from what we've seen of the suspicious cast of characters so far. 

Madelyn Cline

If the name Madelyn Cline rings a bell, you’re most likely familiar with her as Sarah Cameron in the Outer Banks cast. Or maybe you caught one of her recurring gigs on shows like Vice Principals, The Originals or Stranger Things. In any case, now Cline’s keeping her relationship with Netflix going by getting in on the Knives Out 2 fun, though we’ll have to wait and see why she's in Benoit Blanc’s orbit.

Jessica Henwick

Most of you likely know Jessica Henwick best as Colleen Wing in Iron Fist, The Defenders, and Luke Cage, but following the collapse of Marvel’s Netflix universe, she’s been collecting some impressive film credits. In late 2021, we saw Henwick opposite Keanu Reeves (which led to some fan-girl moments) in The Matrix Resurrections, and we recently saw her star alongside Chris Evans and Ryan Gosling in The Gray Man. Now, Henwick is sticking around Netflix for Knives Out 2, so we can play the waiting game on learning details about her character.

Unlike the first Knives Out, which was theatrically released by Lionsgate, both Knives Out 2 and Knives Out 3 are going to Netflix, so you'll be able to watch both with your Netflix subscription. Keep checking back with CinemaBlend to learn who else will appear in Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery, as well as any other significant news about the sequel.

This year’s Oscars were vastly different in every sense of the word. This year marked a record year for people of color with nominations and wins. In the Best Supporting Actor category, Judas and the Black Messiah’s Daniel Kaluuya ended up taking the win over co-star LaKeith Stanfield and One Night in Miami’s Leslie Odom Jr. Kaluuya’s Oscar win was a high point in an otherwise tame ceremony. But the Black Panther star’s moment took a turn as he was seemingly confused with fellow nominee Odom Jr. The moment went viral, leading to the journalist denying the mistake.

For Daniel Kaluuya, the Oscars was a night filled with excitement and some TMI. While Hollywood’s biggest night was a little different, the tradition of the after-win press conference still happened (virtually, of course). Daniel Kaluuya’s press conference went smoothly until the Leslie Odom Jr. snafu with one member of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association occurred. Check out the viral exchange below:

The seemingly awkward exchange between Daniel Kaluuya and journalist Margaret Gardiner appeared to be a moment of unplanned confusion. Gardiner appeared to be asking two questions at the same time. The Oscar winner appeared to be thrown off by the unusual question as seen in the video above. But the internet and media didn’t see it that way. As with many snafus, social media came after the journalist, leading her to clarify her original intent. Gardiner stated on her Twitter:

But the public wasn’t satisfied with her clarification as journalist Margaret Gardiner received more social media backlash. As a response, she hopped on her Twitter again to issue a formal apology to Daniel Kaluuya. Gardiner said to the Black Panther star:

As it was pointed out in Indiewire, journalist Margaret Gardiner appeared to realize her snafu and tried to correct it. Unfortunately, the HFPA journalist was unable to recover, leading to the viral moment. The viral moment was a downturn in an otherwise celebratory moment for the Black Panther star. And of course, the internet has thoughts.

Daniel Kalyuua and Margaret Gardiner’s exchange was another memorable moment at an otherwise bland Oscars. Per Kalyuua’s usual personality, the Oscar winner took the moment in stride. Hopefully, this moment won’t be tainted either his or the journalist's career going forward.

This March, Leslie Odom Jr. became an Oscar nominee twice over for his acclaimed supporting turn in Regina King's One Night in Miami... Through his portrayal of singer Sam Cooke, the Hamilton actor only continues to impress with his dynamic versatility, particularly as he's one step closer to EGOT status (he was Emmy-nominated in 2020).

The Tony/Grammy-winning performer is an immense talent, to say the least, and you would think that he has tons of projects lined up in the near future. Alas, that's not the case. At the moment, Leslie Odom Jr. only has a few on the near horizon, but there are several projects worth keeping an eye on. There are many 2021 movie releases coming soon for film fans. If you love the actor/musician, here are the specific movies and shows that you should look forward to — including Central Park Season 2.

Central Park Season 2 - June 25th, 2021 (Completed)

As one of the newest streaming services on the web, Apple TV+ doesn't have a ton of high-profile shows on their platform just yet, but one of their most notable is Central Park, an adult animated musical-comedy from Bob Burgers' Loren Bouchard. Also created by Nora Smith and Josh Gad, the show was met with glowing praise — as well as some controversy — during its first season, and Apple TV+ is happy with what they've got. The freshman series was not only renewed for Season 2 but for a third season as well, with the second season premiering on June 25th. With a voice cast that includes Gad, Titus Burgess, Leslie Odom Jr., Daveed Diggs, Stanley Tucci, and Kathryn Hahn, along with Emmy Raver-Lampman (who'll replace Kristen Bell), Central Park is among the most ambitious animated projects on television (or, rather, on streaming) right now, and one imagines that it'll continue to up the ante with the new seasons.

Details remain limited as far as what we can expect from this new block of television, but Leslie Odom Jr.'s role as Owen Tillerman is another great showcase of the actor's musical talents, particularly as he was Emmy-nominated for his vocal performance. We'll have to wait to see what's in store for Odom Jr's character in the newest season.

The Many Saints Of Newark - September 24th, 2021 (Completed)

There's no denying that The Many Saints of Newark, the cinematic prequel to HBO's The Sopranos, is a major event. The cinematic extension to one of the most acclaimed shows ever, this period piece from screenwriter David Chase and director Alan Taylor has some big expectations, to be sure, but the movie has some great involved, too.

In addition to Alessandro Nivola starring as Richard "Dickie" Moltisanti, along with Michael Gandolfini stepping into his father's shoes to play a younger version of Tony Soprano, The Many Saints of Newark will also feature the acting talents of Vera Farmiga, Corey Stoll, Jon Bernthal, John Magaro, Joey Diaz, Ray Liotta, and Leslie Odom Jr. Their roles in The Many Saints of Newark aren't specified just yet, but we won't have long to wait to see their characters on the screen. The movie is completed. It was supposed to come out last year, but the pandemic pushed the release to September 24th, 2021. In addition to premiering in theaters, this much-anticipated Sopranos prequel will also be available on HBO Max that same day, which is fitting.

Needle In A Timestack - TBA (Post-Production)

Filmed back in 2018, Needle in a Timestack is the newest movie directed by Academy Award-winning screenwriter John Ridley (12 Years a Slave) and has taken its sweet time hopping onto the silver screen. With a starry cast that includes Leslie Odom Jr., Freida Pinto, Cynthia Erivo, and Orlando Bloom, this romantic sci-fi drama has an intriguing premise, to be sure. It follows a marriage that's challenged when a time traveler gets involved (don't you hate it when that happens?) but otherwise, details remain limited. There's so much talent involved in this project that it's hard not to be curious. When we'll get a chance to see Needle in a Timestack for ourselves, though, remains a mystery.

Based on the short story by Robert Silverberg, John Ridley's forthcoming adaptation has been in limbo for at least a few years now, which isn't the most encouraging sign. However, it was recently announced that Ridley is attached to make a paranormal thriller for Blumhouse, which suggests that the filmmaker is ready to move on from this long-delayed project. Here's hoping that Needle in a Timestack's extended post-production process isn't a worrying sign. This movie could be something special, particularly as a starring vehicle for Leslie Odom Jr. Hoping for the best with this one.

Untitled Leslie Odom Jr./Kerry Washington Pilot - TBA (Announced)

Admittedly, Until the Wedding, the tentative title for an ABC pilot starring Leslie Odom Jr., might not be coming together. Announced and shot in 2019, the series wasn't included in the station's 2020 TV line-up, which suggests that it's not happening. That said, it's such a high-profile pilot that you have to wonder if it'll get picked up elsewhere. Executive produced by Odom Jr., alongside Kerry Washington, this remake is based on an Israeli series called Ad Hatuna, and it tells the story of how one couple's decision to get married affects everyone in their lives. It's inspired by real-life progressive pastors Touré and Sarah Roberts. Also starring in this pilot opposite Odom Jr. is Kelly Jenrette.

Additionally, the pilot's supporting cast includes Olivia Thirlby, E.J. Bonilla, Michael Stahl-David, Trent Garrett, and Hailey Kilgore. From director Fred Savage and writer Saladin K. Patterson, this project hasn't seen any developments since 2019. It's not unreasonable, therefore, to assume that it's dead. But we'll see what the future holds.

Recent Leslie Odom Jr. Projects

While Leslie Odom Jr.'s future is still being shaped, the actor had quite an eventful 2020. Most notably, Hamilton premiered on Disney+. Additionally, as noted earlier, audiences got their first chance to see Odom as Sam Cooke in Regina King's Oscar-nominated feature directorial debut, One Night in Miami ... Furthermore, Odom could be seen in Freeform's mini-series, Love in a Time of Corona. Additionally, earlier this year, Odom starred in the Golden Globe-nominated musical, Music, which was directed by Sia. We'll have to wait to see what comes next for the star, especially if he walks away with an Oscar or two, and we'll keep you posted on the latest news right here at CinemaBlend.

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It's rare for a Broadway show to become such a hit that it becomes a cultural phenomenon, and yet, that's just what happened with Lin-Manuel Miranda's Hamilton. The show was a unique blend of American history and hip hop music and even if you never saw the show on the stage, you likely knew a lot about it and became a big fan of the music. For most the show's success likely came as a surprise, but Leslie Odom Jr., who would go on to win a Tony Award for his performance in the show, says he knew Hamilton was something special literally from the beginning.

Before Hamilton was a Broadway stage show it was a live performance called The Hamilton Mix-Tape, and Leslie Odom Jr. was able to attend a reading of the show at Vassar. He recently told CBS that he knew from literally the first lines of the opening number that he was attending something unique. As Odom explains...

Leslie Odom Jr. stops short of saying that he knew Hamilton would be a massive hit. There was certainly still the strong possibility that the show would be too "out there" in Odom's words. Still, even if that was the case, Odom says he saw the brilliance in the show and wanted to be a part of it. He would take the role of Aaron Burr when the show moved to Broadway and he'd win a Tony Award for Best Actor for the performance.

And Hamilton, would, of course, become a massive hit. And with the release of the filmed performance on Disney+, the show has now been seen by millions who would have never dreamed of being able to sit in a Broadway theater. It's given the show an entirely new life, which is especially important considering that Broadway is still shut down.

And Hamilton would mean even more to Leslie Odom Jr. personally. The actor's star has been on the rise ever since he took the role of Aron Burr. He was nominated for Golden Globes for his performance as both an actor and a singer/songwriter for his work on the film One Night in Miami and now he's nominated for a pair of Oscars for the same work.

Leslie Odom Jr. is a remarkable talent and that certainly wasn't a complete secret before Hamilton, and one hopes he would have become a star because of those talents even if Hamilton had never happened. Having said that, Odom will likely always be remembered for his role of Aaron Burr no matter what else happens in his career. The good news is he doesn't seem to mind that. He knows the show was something special and he's quite proud of being part of it.

As much as 2020 was drastically terrible for a lot of people, and just a plain bummer to most, Leslie Odom Jr. actually had a pretty amazing year. The Hamilton star may have felt like he didn’t get as grand an entrance with the film going straight to Disney+ during the prime time of COVID-19, but it’s safe to say that the actor hasn’t been worse off for it. In fact, after starring in the film version of the Broadway production, Odom landed another career-making part in One Night in Miami. After recently being nominated for not only one, but two Oscars for his work in One Night in Miami, Odom gave some love to his time working on Hamilton and how the production opened up doors for the future of his career.

In response to his dual Oscar nominations for One Night in Miami, Leslie Odom Jr. sat down with Deadline and showed his appreciation for the opportunities that his work on Hamilton has presented him. He says that he and the other cast members were lucky to work on Hamilton, and that the production was a door opener, allowing them to dream new dreams for themselves. Here it is in the musically-inclined actor’s own words:

Just to be clear, Leslie Odom Jr. does have a pretty expansive film and TV history pre-Hamilton, as he’s been in big pictures and had recurring TV roles since his career started in 2004. Hamilton was just his first major role in such a huge production, and honestly, it would be pretty big for anyone. The Broadway production of Hamilton has broken records, is pretty much the most expensive ticket on Broadway, and still sells out over five years after its release. It would be a major opportunity for even the top actors in Hollywood, and it was understandably a dream come true for the actors who hadn’t hit it big in Hollywood yet.

Well, that's just what's happened for Leslie Odom Jr., as well as a lot of his Hamilton co-stars. Odom has kept plenty busy since his role as Aaron Burr, and other than his recent nominations for One Night in Miami, he’s had major roles in two TV series, starred in Sia’s new musical drama and has a couple projects in the works.

Leslie Odom Jr. was on Broadway for years in Hamilton, and has cemented himself in the role of Aaron Burr in the film adaptation, so it’s only natural that the production would be dear to him. Not only that, but his involvement in Hamilton has naturally boosted his career, and even though Odom has since left Aaron Burr behind, it’s nice that he can look back and show love to what is basically the climax of his career. Even if he doesn’t win the Oscars he is nominated for, Odom is a winner at heart and it looks to be just the beginning for the actor - here’s to all the future award nominations to come!

Many actors will tell you that their most significant roles stay with them long after they’re done with a project. That’s understandable -- because with acting, even when you’re playing someone else, you put your own emotions and a part of yourself into that role. Leslie Odom Jr. knew that all too well when it came to his portrayal of Aaron Burr in Hamilton. In fact, he found it to be a challenge to let the role go once it was time to move on.

Hamilton has become a phenomenon since it debuted on Broadway in 2015 -- which is a rare feat for a piece of musical theater. In the years since, it’s become more accessible to fans thanks to its popular original cast recording and a Disney+ movie. However, by the time the film hit the streaming platform and created a new wave of interest, the entire original cast had moved on to other projects.

While it’s impossible to say how each of the cast members felt leaving behind the roles that solidified their place in Hollywood history, Leslie Odom Jr. has opened up about his own experience. He told Variety that it was a bit of a struggle to get used to a reality in which he wasn’t Aaron Burr any longer:

It’s clear that Leslie Odom Jr. was deeply invested in his portrayal of Hamilton’s narrator and primary antagonist, but that’s no surprise to fans. The actor’s performance in the musical earned him numerous accolades, including a Tony Award.

The projects that Leslie Odom Jr. took on next no doubt helped him to recalibrate his post-Hamilton understanding of himself. He appeared in films like Murder on the Orient Express and Tubman and more recently, took on another real-life role in the form of Sam Cooke in a Golden Globe-nominated performance for One Night in Miami.

Still, there’s a difference between playing a character on film and bringing them to life over the course of a few weeks and performing the same role hundreds of times. So it’s safe to say that Leslie Odom Jr.’s tenure with Hamilton was likely a unique experience, both in terms of his approach to the role and what it took to say goodbye.

While a lot of people had already seen Hamilton before it debuted on Disney+ last year, the film version showed millions more people just how insanely talented the original cast of the Broadway show really was, and it seems that even the other members of that cast are clearly in awe of the talent of some of the others. Hamilton's Anthony Ramos was recently named in the Time 100, which is a list of names the magazine believes are the people to watch in every aspect of life in the coming years. His co-star Leslie Odom Jr. wrote about Ramos' talent, and now Lin-Manuel Miranda stands looking at both of them, clearly thrilled with the talents of both men.

Hamilton's writer and star took to social media to share not only the fact that Anthony Ramos made such a distinguished list, but also that Leslie Odom Jr, wrote a beautiful piece about Ramos. Miranda says that the word "pride" does not properly describe his feeling at seeing his Hamilton co-stars supporting each other so well.

Anthony Ramos is probably best known now for playing the duel roles of John Laurens and Philip Hamilton in Lin-Manuel Miranda's play, but like so many in that cast, Ramos' abilities hadn't gone unnoticed before even then. Since then Ramos has been able to use the Hamilton platform as a sort of launchpad for his larger career. The man can sing, and the man can act. As Leslie Odom Jr. says in his original piece for Time, Ramos is both an amazing talent and simply an amazing person.

These are certainly some strong words to hear that are likely humbling for Anthony Ramos. The fact that the man is an enormous talent isn't exactly new information. Outside of Hamilton Ramos has put up some impressive work in just the last few years, but more than likely a lot of people truly realized just how good he is thanks to Lin-Manuel Miranda's play.

And it shows just how incredible Hamilton was as a show. To have all these incredibly talented performers in one place is the sort of thing that doesn't usually happen. Leslie Odom Jr. has been nominated for a Golden Globe for his role in One Night in Miami, and so he's got to be on the short list for Oscar consideration. If Time is really right about Anthony Ramos, it likely won't be long before he is also being mentioned in the same sentence with major film awards.

This past year has been a big one for Leslie Odom Jr. His performance as Aaron Burr was given a huge and glaring spotlight thanks to the release of the oringal Broadway cast’s work on Disney+'s Hamilton. Now, The singer and actor is a Golden Globe nominee following his portrayal of Sam Cooke in Regina King’s One Night In Miami. Amongst an all-star cast playing important figures in the Civil Rights Movement, Odom Jr. gets a huge third-act moment with a historical performance.

One Night in Miami closes out with Sam Cooke singing “A Change Is Gonna Come,” a notable change of tune for the artist and songwriter from his lighter, love songs like “You Send Me.” It’s the most powerful moment in the Amazon Prime Video film but, as Leslie Odom Jr recalled, it was a challenge to bring to screen. As he described it:

As Leslie Odom Jr. told EW, he did not have a recording of the actual landmark performance to draw from before recreating the moment for One Night In Miami. There is footage of Sam Cooke debuting the tune right before “A Change Is Gonna Come” on February 7, 1964 on The Tonight Show when Johnny Carson hosted the show, but the song itself cannot be found anywhere.

It forced him and director Regina King to have a number of discussions about how Sam Cooke may have performed the song for the first time. As Odom Jr. expressed:

The final scene in One Night In Miami is certainly a heart-wrenching moment that the entire film builds up to, but Leslie Odom Jr. decided not to make it weepy in the performance. He said he had to compromise with King because he truly felt he would leave the emotion of the substance for the song itself.

“A Change Is Gonna Come” is a song Sam Cooke wrote from the heart, based on his own struggles as a black man during the ‘60s. It went on to become an important song to the Civil Rights Movement. It serves as a great culmination for One Night in Miami, which is based on the fictional account of one night when Malcolm X, Cassius Clay (later known as Muhammad Ali), Jim Brown and Sam Cooke were all together in Hampton House, Miami.

Leslie Odom Jr. is up for two Golden Globes on behalf of One Night In Miami, for Best Supporting Actor alongside Sacha Baron Cohen, Daniel Kaluuya, Jared Leto and Bill Murray and best Original Song for “Speak Now.” In addition, Hamilton is up for Best Picture in the musical/comedy category. Look out for Leslie Odom Jr. during the 78th Golden Globes airing on February 28.

Leslie Odom Jr. played Aaron Burr on Broadway more than 500 times and whether you ever saw him on the stage or not, it's a role that he will likely be associated with for the rest of his life. It's clear that the role meant a lot to him. He wouldn't have done it 500 times if he didn't love doing it. And yet, the actor, who can now be seen in another great role in the film One Night in Miami, says that he was ready to say goodbye to the role when the time came, in part, because he's always getting ready to let a role go, as soon as he starts with it, even something like Hamilton.

Leslie Odom Jr. spoke in Variety recently about both his performance in Hamilton and in One Night in Miami. It's clear that both roles are very special to him. In both he plays somewhat fictionalized versions of real and important people. Odom says that while both roles were dear to him, that didn't make it any harder to move on. While he loves the beginning of a role he also loves the end of it, and so when it was time for him to move on, he had no hesitation. According to Odom...

When you play a single role as often as Leslie Odom Jr. played Aaron Burr, you likely either become completely invested in it or you look forward to the day when you stop. Playing Sam Cooke in One Night in Miami was certainly a different experience, not only because he only played the role for a brief period, but because he had to be willing to not only let go of the role as a whole when it was done, but let go of each part of the performance as the scenes were filmed. Odom says that when he played Burr, there was always another show where he could change or improve his performance, but making a movie after a few takes it was all done. Odom goes on...

Leslie Odom Jr. makes some good points here about how one needs to be able to let go of a performance, whether it's one you do hundreds of times over the course of years or just work on for a few months. Which is not to say Odom needs to forget about those roles entirely. They're both immortalized on film, so he, and we, can experience them whenever we like.

There’s a unique pressure that comes from portraying a real person. Whether the figure the actor is playing is living or dead, whether they’re well known or have become a footnote in history, the responsibility to get their stories right is huge. Leslie Odom Jr. is all too aware of that fact, having brought multiple historical figures to life -- and the actor says that there were both similarities and differences to how he approached research for Hamilton and One Night in Miami.

In the original Broadway production and subsequent Disney+ film of Hamilton, Leslie Odom Jr. played Vice President Aaron Burr -- the man perhaps best remembered for killing Alexander Hamilton in a duel. In Regina King’s new film One Night in Miami, he played legendary singer Sam Cooke. The two roles are very different, both in terms of the historical context and in how they function within the story.

But according to Leslie Odom Jr., they both required big amounts of preparation. The actor told TheaterMania that he took every opportunity to learn about each of the men he was playing, even if he had to approach each one a bit differently:

While it may seem like playing Sam Cooke would have been easier, since there is video footage of him, that also may have added a different layer of pressure. Fans can more easily judge how well he brought that role to life, since they have an idea of what he looked and sounded like. With Burr, Leslie Odom Jr. was able to create and define the role in a different way.

Despite the challenges that came with both performances, Leslie Odom Jr. rose to the occasion. His performance in Hamilton was universally praised and won him a Tony Award. He’s also earned kudos from critics and fans for his portrayal of Sam Cooke in One Night in Miami -- and he was nominated for a Screen Actors Guild award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role and a Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actor - Motion Picture.

Hamilton is currently available to stream on Disney+. One Night in Miami is available to stream on Amazon Video.

Leslie Odom Jr. had a successful career on stage and screen before Hamilton, but one can't really argue that his performance as Aaron Burr hasn't completely changed the actor's career. Even if you didn't get a chance to see his Hamilton performance until the film version came to Disney+, you likely heard all about it. and since then Leslie Odom Jr. has become a much more in demand actor everywhere, and that Hamilton success has led to even more success elsewhere. The most recent example of that is a pair of Golden Globe nominations he received for Regina King's One Night in Miami on the same day that Hamilton was recognized for its filmed production.

Leslie Odom Jr.'s performance as Aaron Burr won him the Tony Award for Best Actor back in 2015, but it was Lin-Manuel Miranda's performance that was recognized by the Golden Globes. However, Leslie Odom Jr. was nominated for Best Performance By A Supporting Actor for playing Sam Cooke in One Night in Miami, and the song "Speak Now," co-written and sung by Odom was also nominated. The actor tells ET that awards season has been a new experience for him, even though he's sort of been through it before. Odom explains...

Considering that Leslie Odom Jr. won the Tony for his Hamilton performance, one might have expected similar recognition from the Golden Globes. However, the actor is certainly happy with the recognition that he has received, and isn't too upset that he wasn't nominated for Hamilton. In the end, Odom says it is because of Hamilton that he has received opportunities like One Night in Miami.

Leslie Odom Jr. clearly appreciates the fact that both films were recognized by the Golden Globes. Hamilton obviously means a great to him personally. It really did change his career and it's certainly possible that without that musical he would not have been cast in One Night in Miami, and that would be a tragedy.

Putting on a musical like Hamilton is a huge endeavor. The cast and crew obviously work hard, both on stage and behind the scenes, and that kind of collective effort surely leads to some long-standing bonds. If you were to ask Leslie Odom Jr. what kind of hijinks the Hamilton crew got into during their time together, though, he’d be hard pressed to give you an answer. There’s a good reason he didn’t participate in a lot of the shenanigans, though.

In Hamilton, Leslie Odom Jr. had the unique challenge of playing both the narrator and the primary antagonist. That’s not an easy feat -- you have to get the audience to trust you, all the while knowing you’re going to end up murdering the titular character at the end of the show. The actor pulled it off with gusto and earned widespread acclaim (and a Tony Award!) for his performance as Aaron Burr.

However, taking on such a serious role did seemingly come with some downsides. When BuzzFeed asked Leslie Odom Jr. what the funniest backstage moment was during his Hamilton days, he had a surprising response:

It sounds like Leslie Odom Jr. was in the zone for much of his time on Hamilton and, given the intensity of his role, it’s really not hard to see why. The way he describes this experience also feels a bit like life imitating art -- in Hamilton, Aaron Burr can often be seen urging his friends to chill out and be more serious when they’re having a raucous good time.

While it may seem like a bummer that he missed out on some of the fun, he definitely still found a way to bond with his castmates. He shared a dressing room with Lin-Manuel Miranda, who admitted that he and Leslie Odom Jr. had significantly different approaches to their pre-show rituals. Still, based on his comments, it sounds like the two worked together beautifully.

Cast mate Emmy Raver-Lampman has also made it clear he had a strong connection to his co-stars. He even helped advocate for the Hamilton cast to make sure they had the resources they needed to avoid burning out during their tenure on the show. He’s also shown his devotion to the fans who’ve supported the play, from its time on Broadway to its streaming debut on Disney+.

It seems plausible that playing someone’s adversary eight times a week for months on end might lead to some real-life animosity. In the case of Lin-Manuel Miranda and Leslie Odom Jr. (who originated the roles of Hamilton’s Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr), the opposite was true. The two actors, who led the talented cast of the Broadway musical when it premiered in 2015, actually worked very well together -- and according to Lin-Manuel Miranda, there was a specific reason why that was the case.

Both actors left the original Broadway cast in 2016 to pursue other career opportunities, though their work was captured and eventually shown to a wider audience with Disney+’s 2020 Hamilton film. Though it’s been a few years since Lin-Manuel Miranda and Leslie Odom Jr. shared the Hamilton stage together, it’s obvious the musical’s scribe still has very fond memories of working with his co-star.

During a (virtual) reunion with the Hamilton OBC for Variety, Lin-Manuel Miranda reflected on why he and Leslie Odom Jr. were able to cultivate a healthy working relationship. It seems that in the case of their professional connection, it was a case of opposites attracting:

It’s funny how in some ways, it sounds like the rapport between Lin-Manuel Miranda and Leslie Odom Jr. was a case of life imitating art. In Hamilton, Alexander Hamilton is a fast-talking go-getter, who never seems to stop, much to the more serene and focused Aaron Burr’s chagrin. Of course, in the case of the real-life Founding Fathers, their personality differences resulted in murder, whereas with the actors, they were able to fortunately able to avoid a similar fate and remain friends.

Leslie Odom Jr., for his part, has also been very open about his admiration for Lin-Manuel Miranda, too. He’s admitted to becoming a fan of Hamilton when he saw a performance of the music early on and has commended his co-star for his visionary approach to theater. While the COVID-19 situation has lessened the chance of any in-person cast reunion in the near future, hopefully one day soon the actors can meet again and reminisce about the days they shared a dressing room -- and took over the theater world together.

What's your favorite moment between Lin-Manuel Miranda's Alexander Hamilton and Leslie Odom Jr.'s Aaron Burr? Let us know in the comments below!

For those who can’t afford Broadway, the film version of Hamilton was released on Disney+ in July 2020. It was a huge hit, bringing some musical light to an otherwise sad time in everyone’s life. While we have been seeing delays galore since COVID, Hamilton was actually pushed up a full year due to the pandemic and shifted from a theatrical release to a streaming one. While all of us were stuck at home binge watching anything we could get our hands on, this was a huge morale booster. That said, while we may have loved the early content, it was less than ideal for the actors. Leslie Odom Jr., who plays Hamilton foil character Aaron Burr, explained why the early release was a little underwhelming for him.

Leslie Odom Jr. said that for actors like him who considered Hamilton the high point in their career, the release of the film a whole year early right in the middle of a pandemic really put a damper on the hype he expected to have from the film. In an interview with The Washington Post, Odom stated that since everyone was stuck at home, he never really got the star experience he had hoped for. In his own words:

Listen, we all know Hamilton is a BIG deal. The play is still on Broadway and has broken records, making it arguably the biggest musical of all time. It’s only natural to expect the same hype from the movie version, and it surely would have received more press than it did if a pandemic wasn’t going on. Even though he may not have gotten as much excitement from the release the way it happened, Leslie Odom Jr. still did go on to win a shared Grammy for his contribution to Hamilton’s soundtrack.

Leslie Odom Jr. doesn’t have to worry much about Hamilton being the biggest point in his career either. Since the short time of Hamilton’s release, Odom has already had more than just one big role. The pandemic brought him a role in Love in the Time of Corona, and he has recently won numerous accolades for his part in One Night in Miami. How’s that for some career-topping hype?

There may be some serious downsides to the world we live in now, but there is still art to be made and we may cherish the beautiful things that come out of this trying time even more.

As always, CinemaBlend will keep you apprised on updates concerning TV, movies and pop culture. If you’ve already rewatched Hamilton five times and need something fresh, check out our movie release schedule for this year.

Starting as a sensational Broadway hit and now a film that impossibly surpasses the hype, Hamilton has taken the world by storm. The show has improved diversity for theatre and sparked conversation in the awards space. Leslie Odom Jr. who plays Hamilton star and narrator Aaron Burr, hit a huge milestone while working on the show.

Part of the job when you’re an actor is the constant hustle for the next gig. Movie stars film for a certain number of months, and sometimes the shooting schedules conflict with other opportunities. TV actors may have a little more time on the job mapped out, but there’s still the waiting game of a show being renewed. As it turns out, Hamilton on Broadway was Leslie Odom Jr.’s longest job ever. Here’s what he told CinemaBlend of hitting this milestone:

So Hamilton is the only job Leslie Odom Jr. had for an entire year! Sounds like a short stint for someone’s longest job to those of us working that 9 to 5, but for an actor this is quite the surprise and what an accomplishment. Those of us re-watching the show on Disney+ over and over are so happy Odom Jr. was convinced to sign on that dotted line. Between acting and music, I expect him to have a very long career in entertainment. Leslie Odom Jr. is one of my absolute favorites, and how can he not be with talent like his?

Leslie Odom Jr.’s latest film, One Night in Miami, is available January 15 on Amazon Prime Video. He depicts the legendary Sam Cooke, and Hamilton fans will not want to miss this performance. Directed by Regina King, One Night in Miami tells of one incredible night where Sam Cooke, Cassius Clay (Eli Goree), Malcolm X (Kingsley Ben-Adir) and Jim Brown (Aldis Hodge) meet to celebrate together. Odom Jr.’s portrayal of Sam Cooke is so spot on, and his musical performances definitely blow us all away.

When looking for something to watch, keep an eye on CinemaBlend’s 2021 movie release schedule and winter/spring TV schedule. We are always updating these as new shows and dates are announced so you don’t miss a single thing.

Since Leslie Odom Jr. is a mega-talented actor and has the voice of an angel, it’s no wonder he was cast as the King of Soul, Sam Cooke in Regina King’s One Night in Miami. The film depicts some of Cooke’s struggles and successes in the music industry. You will get to see the Hamilton star sing, as One Night in Miami features some of Cooke’s hits including “Good Times” and “A Change Is Gonna Come,” but there is one thing that pains Odom Jr.

I will avoid any plot spoilers here, but with Sam Cooke in particular, One Night in Miami addresses code-switching. In the Black community, this term is used to describe changing our behavior or speech pattern to fit in or be accepted in another (usually white) community. Cooke is called out by his friends in the film for putting on a different show for different audiences. Leslie Odom Jr. shared his thoughts in an interview with CinemaBlend. Here’s what he said:

The Copa Room in Miami Beach was the nightclub to perform in, but in the 60s they weren’t letting too many colored folks in there. One Night in Miami shows how Sam Cooke’s talent got him booked and how he altered his performance for an all white crowd. As Leslie Odom Jr. mentioned, the decision was about furthering Cooke’s career, not turning his back on his people or trying to be something he wasn’t. Odom Jr. was the most excellent choice for this role because of how he conveys Cooke’s sincerity and dedication to his craft.

With his kindness, talent and charisma, Sam Cooke absolutely should’ve been accepted anywhere and everywhere. I can only marvel at what he endured to lay the groundwork for the many that would follow him in the music industry. From someone who couldn’t get comfortable with her own natural hair until well into her 20s, I echo Leslie Odom Jr.’s sentiments that going totally natural was a radical move on Sam Cooke’s part and we can only be grateful.

You see stream One Night in Miami on January 15 on Amazon Prime Video. For more watch options, CinemaBlend always has you covered! Here are the best movies on Amazon Prime right now.

After 17 seasons on the air (so far?), it really should come as no surprise that Grey’s Anatomy can boast a countless number of impressive guest stars, including many stars who can call the sexy medical drama one of their first gigs before becoming a household name. We decided to take on the challenge of identifying as many notable celebrities who appeared on the Shonda Rhimes hit before their big break or in a role small enough to have since fallen into obscurity. We came up with a staggering tally of 23 actors, starting with one beloved Emmy winner who knows a thing or two about playing a medical professional.

Sarah Paulson (Dr. Ellis Grey)

One year before American Horror Story’s 2011 premiere, Sarah Paulson appeared on Grey’s Anatomy as Dr. Ellis Grey (Meredith’s mother) in an ‘80s flashback episode that sees her treat an AIDS patient at Seattle Grace when the disease was still new to the public. More recently the actress has played a psychiatrist from hell in Glass, a nurse from hell in Ratched, and also a mom from hell in the hit Hulu original Run.

John Cho (Dr. Marshall Stone)

To lead his acclaimed feature-length debut, Searching, Run director Aneesh Chaganty cast John Cho - also known as Sulu in J.J. Abrams’ Star Trek movies. However, when he appeared on Grey’s Anatomy as a surgical intern in need of surgery after falling asleep at the wheel, the Korean-born actor’s defining role was Harold Lee in the 2004 cult comedy Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle, whom he would reprise in two sequels.

Keke Palmer (Sheryll Jeffries)

Also known primarily for comedies (especially for children) was Keke Palmer, when she played a pregnant teen on Grey’s Anatomy’s tenth season. The 27-year-old actress and singer has since gone on to find darker work on horror series like MTV’s Scream and Ryan Murphy’s Scream Queens and played a con artist stripper in Hustlers opposite Jennifer Lopez.

Alanna Masterson (Hillary Boyd)

Another “scream queen” to appear on Grey’s Anatomy in her early days is Alanna Masterson, who is best known for playing Tara Chambler for five seasons of The Walking Dead. Her young, seemingly mature, one-off role on the medical drama put her through a different kind of horror when she took psychedelic mushrooms, tried to fly off her roof, and broke 52 bones.

Tessa Thompson (Camille Travis)

Like Alanna Masterson, Tessa Thompson is best known for a comic book role (Valkyrie in the MCU), as well as the Creed franchise, absurdist satire Sorry to Bother You, and high-concept sci-fi thriller Annihilation, to name just a few. Much earlier, in 2006, she played Richard Webber’s niece Camille Travis (later recast in Season 4 by Camille Winbush) before showing up in a different role on the Grey’s Anatomy spin-off, Private Practice, in 2009.

Dylan Minnette (Ryan)

Actor and musician Dylan Minnette also appeared on a second Shonda Rhimes hit (Scandal) years after he played a 9-year-old born without external ears on Grey’s Anatomy’s fourth season. The now 24-year-old star would go on to appear in horror movies of a light variety (Goosebumps) and a bleak variety (Don’t Breathe), as well as lead the cast of the teen drama 13 Reasons Why for Netflix.

Sydney Sweeney (Erin Weaver)

Speaking of dark teen dramas, the Emmy-winning HBO series Euphoria is 23-year-old Sydney Sweeney's biggest claim to fame yet, following her role opposite Amy Adams on Sharp Objects and a recurring spot on The Handmaid's Tale for Hulu. Earlier, in a heartbreaking Season 11 episode of Grey's Anatomy, she played the daughter of a man who discovers what he thought was heartburn is actually much worse.

Elisabeth Moss (Nina Rogerson)

Speaking of The Handmaid's Tale, Elisabeth Moss won an Emmy for her lead role on the dystopian drama after receiving several nominations for playing Peggy Olson on Mad Men. The star of acclaimed 2020 horror flick, The Invisible Man, previously appeared on Season 3 of Grey's Anatomy as a woman whose mother suffers from a strange condition that causes her bones to grow when experiencing trauma.

Justina Machado (Anna Nyles)

Also appearing on Grey's Anatomy's third season was actress Justina Machado as a new mother who initially assumes her breast cancer tumor was a clogged milk duct. The 48-year-old former Six Feet Under star later became better known as a nurse and mother on the cancelled Netflix sitcom One Day at a Time and more recently competed as a finalist on Dancing with the Stars.

Jesse Plemons (Jake Burton)

Netflix is also the home of several recent films starring Jesse Plemons, such as the Oscar-nominated The Irishman, Charlie Kaufman's I'm Thinking of Ending Things, and El Camino, in which he reprised his sociopathic Breaking Bad character, Todd. Right before landing his first starring role on Friday Night Lights, Plemons was almost completely unrecognizable in his Grey's Anatomy guest spot as a teen with a deadly brain tumor caused by a rare bone disorder.

Dean Norris (Vince)

Fellow Breaking Bad alum Dean Norris also made an early appearance on two episodes of Grey's Anatomy as a mechanic whose friend and colleague is injured in a ferry crash during Season 3. The 57-year-old acting veteran was later cast in the series adaptation of Stephen King's Under the Dome, landed a recurring spot on Shonda Rhimes' Scandal, and is currently preparing to reprise his role from Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark for the upcoming sequel.

Abigail Breslin (Megan Clover)

Dean Norris also briefly appears in acclaimed indie comedy Little Miss Sunshine, which earned then 10-year-old Abigail Breslin an Oscar nomination in 2007. Between her 2002 film debut in Signs and that later star-making moment, the future star of the Zombieland movies played a girl whose repeat visits to Seattle Grace brought up suspicions of her foster parents' treatment of her, before it was discovered that her insensitivity to pain was to blame for her frequent accidents.

Leslie Odom Jr. (P.J. Walling)

2020 Was a big year for Leslie Odom Jr. with Hamilton coming to Disney+, the animated musical series Central Park premiering on Apple TV+, and One Night in Miami hitting theaters in December. The actor and singer was still on his way to stardom when he appeared in a Grey's Anatomy episode with an intriguing DC connection as an, initially reluctant, donor in a domino kidney transplant, which Justice League Unlimited voice actors George Newbern (Superman) and Carl Lumbly (Martian Manhunter) are the recipients of.

Maggie Siff (Ruthie Sales)

Like most actors your can think of, Leslie Odom Jr. also appeared on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, much just like Maggie Siff did after playing a woman suffering from osteoporosis on Season 4 of Grey's Anatomy. It would be one of the last of her many early TV guest spots before becoming a notable presence on series like FX's Sons of Anarchy, AMC's Mad Men, and most recently, Showtime's Billions.

Theo Rossi (Stan Giamatti)

Maggie Siff's Sons of Anarchy co-star Theo Rossi, who would go on to play Marvel villain Shades on Netflix's Luke Cage series, has also been a guest on Grey's Anatomy. In a tearjerker two-part episode from Season 4, he played a paramedic, and husband of a Seattle Grace radiologist, who becomes trapped with his partner and best friend after their ambulance collides with another once they've dropped off a patient.

Danielle Panabaker (Kelsey Simmons)

Speaking of TV comic book adaptations, The Flash star Danielle Panabaker was relatively well-known for movies like Disney's teen superhero comedy Sky High, and the 2009 remake of Friday the 13th before she starred in one Grey's Anatomy episode. In Season 6, her character is forced to spend Thanksgiving at Seattle Grace, where she becomes engaged to her boyfriend after successfully receiving a heart transplant.

Jurnee Smollett (Beth Monroe)

Speaking of DC adaptations, Birds of Prey star Jurnee Smollett was probably best known as Michelle Tanner's friend Denise Frazer on Full House years before she played the first survivor of a clinical tumor trial run by Meredith Grey and Derek Shepherd, unlike her ill-fated boyfriend, in a two-part Grey's Anatomy episode. Today, the 34-year-old actress has numerous notable credits to her name, most recently the supernatural period drama, Lovecraft Country, on HBO.

Jamie Chung (Trina Paiz)

Jurnee Smollett's Lovecraft Country co-star Jamie Chung has also starred in several comic book adaptations, including Batman prequel series Gotham, the animated Big Hero 6, and its sequel series on Netlflix, the 2014 sequel to Sin City, and the infamous Dragonball Evolution, from 2009. The following year, the Korean actress (also a veteran of MTV's The Real World) played a newlywed forced to spend her honeymoon at Seattle Grace after she and her husband fall 100 feet into a ravine while mountain climbing.

Rachel Brosnahan (Brian Weston)

Her impressive recurring spot on House of Cards, and Emmy win for playing a female comedian in the 1960s in The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, has made Rachel Brosnahan one of the most sought after actresses of her generation. Much earlier in her career, the star of the new Amazon Prime original film I'm Your Woman played a young transgender man seeking to complete his sex reassignment surgery at Seattle Grace in Grey's Anatomy's ninth season.

David Denman (Rick Jacobs)

When David Denman appeared on Grey's Anatomy in 2007 as the victim of a faulty parachute, most audiences probably recognized him best from The Office, where he played former Dunder Mifflin employee and the ex-fiancé of Pam Beesly, Roy Anderson. He would later reunite with his old onscreen romantic rival John Krasinski in Michael Bay's 13 Hours, play the father of a Power Ranger, star in Steven Soderbergh's country-fried heist comedy Logan Lucky, and will next appear opposite Kate Winslet in the upcoming HBO mini-series Mare of Easttown.

Millie Bobby Brown (Ruby)

One of the most successful child stars in Hollywood today is British teenager Mille Bobby Brown, who most recently played the title role of Enola Holmes, and will soon reprise her Godzilla: King of the Monsters character in a film that pits the atomic reptile against King Kong. Just one year before first playing young psychokinetic, Eleven, on the hit Netflix series Stranger Things, Brown guest starred on Grey's Anatomy as a young girl receiving medical advice from Seattle Grace over the phone after an earthquake leaves her mother incapacitated at their remote cabin.

How many of these Grey's Anatomy appearances do you remember? Let us know in the comments below!

It isn’t every day you get to see a movie that offers a hypothetical situation in which four of the most prominent and influential figures in the American Civil Rights movement get together for memorable night out on the town. And while the events of Regina King’s feature-length directorial debut were all dreamed up in the head of playwright and screenwriter Kemp Powers, the One Night in Miami cast is so committed to their craft and portrayals of Malcolm X, Cassius Clay (just before he became Muhammad Ali), Jim Brown, and Sam Cooke, you would think you were watching a documentary if you didn’t know any better.

After catching One Night in Miami at your local movie house or deciding to wait until the movie premieres on Amazon Prime Video in January 2021, you may be asking yourself where you’ve seen this crop of extremely talented and versatile actors before. There are some up-and-comers in the cast, but that shouldn’t take away from what some of these names have been able to accomplish in such a short time. With those fresh faces there are also some of Hollywood’s most notable character actors, who also get a time to shine in this imaginative period piece. Let’s see who’s who in One Night in Miami.

Kingsley Ben-Adir (Malcolm X)

Portraying the American Muslim minister and human rights activist Malcolm X in One Night in Miami is Kingsley Ben-Adir, who has been on quite a roll as of late after taking on some fairly large roles in a number of television programs and feature films. In 2020 alone, Ben-Adir appeared in the Showtime original miniseries The Comey Rule in which he played former United States President Barack Obama, an episode of the HBO Max original series Love Life, a recurring role as Russell “Mac” McCormack on the Hulu series adaptation of High Fidelity, and a one-off performance on the AMC series Soulmates.

Prior to his busy 2020, Kingsley Ben-Adir appeared on shows like The OA, Peaky Blinders, and Deep State, as well as the Disney+ original comedy Noelle and Guy Ritchie’s 2017 Camelot re-imagining, King Arthur: Legend of the Sword.

Eli Goree (Cassius Clay)

The plot of One Night in Miami takes place just after boxing legend Cassius Clay lands a surprise victory over Sonny Liston, and playing “The Greatest” in the 2020 period drama is Eli Goree. A longtime television actor with appearances on shows ranging from Riverdale, where he has a recurring role as Munroe “Mad Dog” Moore, to The 100, Goree has also shown up in titles like Legends of Tomorrow, GLOW, and Supernatural over the years.

Surprisingly, One Night in Miami is Eli Goree’s third credit in a feature film, having previously appeared in a very small capacity in 2014’s Godzilla, and in a more notable performance as Olympic track star Dave Albritton in the 2016 sports drama Race, which chronicled Jesse Owens' winning a record-breaking four gold medals at the 1936 Berlin games.

Aldis Hodge (Jim Brown)

Of the four main actors who make up the central cast of One Night in Miami no one has more credits to their name than Aldis Hodge, who portrays American football icon Jim Brown. Hodge is probably best known for his portrayal of MC Ren in the NWA biopic Straight Outta Compton, or perhaps for playing Levi Jackson in the inspiring NASA story Hidden Figures, both of which came out in 2016.

But those are just two of the dozens of movies, television shows, and video games in which Aldis Hodge has been featured throughout his career, which goes all the way back to 1994’s Die Hard with a Vengeance. Also included in that long list are shows like Friday Night Lights, The Walking Dead, and The Blacklist. He will next appear as Hawkman in Black Adam.

Leslie Odom Jr. (Sam Cooke)

Sam Cooke, the American soul singer best remembered for his highly emotional song “A Change Is Gonna Come,” (which was inspired by his 1963 arrest in the Jim Crow South) is portrayed by none other than the sensational Leslie Odom Jr. of Hamilton fame. In addition to being the first actor to take on the role of Aaron Burr in Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Broadway sensation, Odom has been in everything from theatrical productions of Rent, Dreamgirls, and Jersey Boys, to movies like Harriet, Only, and Red Tails, and television shows like Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Grey’s Anatomy, and CSI: Miami.

On top of all of that, Leslie Odom Jr. has also released multiple studio albums, including two Christmas records, the most recent having come out in November 2020. For some, however, Odom will always been remembered for his career-defining performance in Hamilton all those years ago.

Lance Reddick (Brother Kareem)

Outside of its four main stars, the One Night in Miami cast is made up some pretty impressive talent, including Lance Reddick, who takes on the role of Brother Kareem, Malcolm X’s bodyguard and confidante. It is impossible to go through any streaming service and not see at least one movie or television program featuring Reddick in some capacity. Whether it be in shows like The Wire, Fringe, and Bosch or film appearances, like in the John Wick franchise, the Baltimore native has been one of the hardest working actors in the business since getting his start in 1992.

Nicolette Robinson (Barbara Cooke)

Nicolette Robinson makes her film debut in One Night in Miami, in which she plays Barbara Cooke, the wife of soul singer Sam Cooke, but this is far from the first entry on her impressive list of credits. With major roles on shows like The Affair, Hart of Dixie, and Perfect Couples, the wife of co-star Leslie Odom Jr. has also had success on the stage, including her 2018 Broadway debut with Waitress. Robinson also recently appeared in the Freeform series Love in the Time of Corona.

Michael Imperioli (Angelo Dundee)

Michael Imperioli, the Primetime Emmy Award-winning actor best remembered for his portrayal of Christopher Moltisanti on The Sopranos, appears in One Night in Miami as Cassius Clay's longtime trainer and cornerman Angelo Dundee. Between the iconic HBO series and Regina King’s new period drama, Imperioli has shown up in everything from Law & Order to The Office, with film credits that include The Lovely Bones, Shark Tale, and Spike Lee’s 2013 remake of Oldboy.

Beau Bridges (Mr. Carlton)

Beau Bridges shows up in One Night in Miami as a wealthy Georgia man by the name of Mr. Carlton who shows up briefly to have a pointed conversation with Aldis Hodge’s Jim Brown on the southerner’s plantation home. The multi Golden Globe and Primetime Emmy award-winning actor has appeared in hundreds of movies, television programs, and other productions throughout his career, which spans all the way back to 1948, including Gunsmoke, Stargate SG-1, and Alexander Payne’s 2011 drama The Descendants.

Joaquina Kalukango (Betty Shabazz)

Joaquina Kalukango appears briefly in One Night in Miami as Malcolm X’s supportive and committed wife Betty Shabazz, a.k.a. Betty X. Kalukango, who has since gone on to appear in HBO’s supernatural social examination, Lovecraft Country, previously portrayed Shabazz in a yet-to-be-released 2015 short film titled I Had a Dream.

Lawrence Gilliard Jr. (Drew 'Bundini' Brown)

Drew Bundini Brown, the longtime assistant trainer for Cassius Clay, is portrayed by Lawrence Gilliard Jr. in One Night in Miami. Gilliard, who appeared in The Wire as D’Angelo Barksdale, the ill-fated lieutenant in his cousin’s drug-dealing operation, has shown up in everything from The Walking Dead to The Deuce in recent years, but in the past, the accomplished actor has taken on memorable roles in comedies like The Waterboy and psychological thrillers like The Machinist.

Aaron D. Alexander (Sonny Liston)

Sonny Liston, the boxing legend who is defeated by Cassius Clay in One Night in Miami, is portrayed by Aaron D. Alexander. The actor has not only appeared in small roles on shows like Scandal, Ballers, and American Crime, but has also performed stunt work in Marvel projects like Captain Marvel, Inhumans, and Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.

Jeremy Pope (Jackie Wilson)

American soul singer Jackie Wilson is brought to the big screen in One Night in Miami by Jeremy Pope, who has performed in various stage productions both on and off Broadway, as well as the 2020 Netflix series Hollywood, in which he played Archie Coleman. Throughout his career, Pope has been nominated for Tony, Grammy, and Primetime Emmy awards for his various performances.

Christopher Gorham (Johnny Carson)

Regina King’s One Night in Miami features dramatizations of some of the most iconic figures of 1960s America, and the movie wouldn’t be complete without someone playing the former king of late night TV, Johnny Carson. Christopher Gorham, whose film credits mostly consist of voice work for various DC Comics animated features, has the honor of portraying talk show legend in the 2020 star-studded affair. In addition to voicing Barry Allen on multiple occasions, Gorham has appeared on shows like Ugly Betty, Modern Family, and Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

This is just a dozen or so of the talented actors that make up the cast of Regina King's One Night in Miami. If you've already seen the movie and want to know what else is coming out the final days of the year, check out CinemaBlend's 2020 release guide for all the latest.

Ellen DeGeneres faced a lot of public backlash this year following allegations of a toxic workplace environment and sexual misconduct behind-the-scenes of her talk show. After an investigation was conducted and producers were fired, The Ellen DeGeneres Show returned to the air in September. However, DeGeneres recently confirmed that she tested positive for COVID-19 and Hamilton’s Leslie Odom Jr. revealed that he is quarantining after making an in-studio appearance on the show.

Leslie Odom Jr. was the last person to make an in-studio appearance on The Ellen DeGeneres Show before it halted production recently. Shortly afterward, the One Night in Miami actor learned that Ellen DeGeneres had tested positive for the virus and production on the talk show had been shut down. The news sent him into quarantine away from his pregnant wife Nicolette Robinson and their three-year-old daughter. Here’s what Odom Jr. told the Today Show hosts:

That’s pretty scary, especially considering that Leslie Odom Jr. may have been in close enough proximity to Ellen DeGeneres to possibly have contracted the virus as well. That said, the actor and singer is getting tested every day for the entire length of his quarantine and it seems like he’s doing well so far. No positive COVID test in sight right now for either him or his wife and daughter, which is a relief.

Leslie Odom Jr. also added that he was wearing two masks while inside the house as an extra precaution. You can never be too careful. The Hamilton alum had his mask at the ready to show the Today hosts too, which was a cute moment. Odom Jr. and Nicolette Robinson are expecting their second child, a son, in March.

While Ellen DeGeneres’ first update assured fans that she was feeling fine, her second update revealed that she was experiencing pretty “excruciating back pain.” In an Instagram video, the talk show host says she had no idea that back pain was even a COVID symptom, but that she spoke to others who experienced the same thing. Besides the back pain, however, DeGeneres says she’s doing okay. Take a look.

Production on The Ellen DeGeneres Show will be halted through January. Stay tuned to CinemaBlend for updates on this story and more TV news. To find out which new and returning shows will be premiering over the next few months, be sure to check out our 2021 winter and spring schedule.

After leaving the cast of Hamilton in 2016, Leslie Odom Jr. set out to build a career beyond the stage. While he’s had a good share of big moments in the years since, he’s also had some major disappointments. And there’s one role in particular he was very disappointed to lose out on.

Leslie Odom Jr. put his name on the map with his performance in the groundbreaking 2015 musical, Hamilton. Like other actors in the original Broadway cast, Leslie Odom Jr. has proven he has major range as an actor. After Hamilton, he booked roles in films like Murder on the Orient Express and Tubman. However, he told Entertainment Weekly there’s one project he set his sights on, only to be dealt a disappointing blow:

It’s understandable why Leslie Odom Jr. would have been drawn to The Trial of the Chicago 7. For many actors, working with Aaron Sorkin is a bucket list moment, and the Netflix film, which has seen some major buzz since it premiered in October, has received tons of critical acclaim, including a five-star review from CinemaBlend’s own Sean O’Connell.

Still, Leslie Odom Jr.’s 2020 wasn’t a loss by any means. Hamilton’s arrival on Disney+ has marked a resurgence in interest in the musical and recognition of his stunning portrayal of narrator-turned-villain Aaron Burr. It’s given him a chance to reflect on the significance of the musical, both in his life and in its impact on others around the world.

Missing out on The Trial of the Chicago 7 also, as he pointed out, gave Leslie Odom Jr. the chance to take on another real-life role. In Regina King’s historical drama One Night in Miami, he plays Sam Cooke, who meets up with fellow legends-in-the-making Cassius Clay, Malcolm X and Jim Brown to celebrate the boxer’s historic defeat of Sonny Liston in 1964.

Leslie Odom Jr. also had a chance to star alongside his real-life wife, Nicolette Robinson, in the Freeform miniseries, Love in the Time of Corona, and he lent his voice to the Apple TV+ animated sitcom Central Park. One Night in Miami will be released in theaters and on Amazon Prime Video on Christmas Day.

For many fans, one of the best things about Hamilton is the creative liberties Lin-Manuel Miranda took in telling the story of the American Revolution and its aftermath. For the cast of the show, it was undoubtedly a challenge -- but one that was well worth the undertaking. Just ask Leslie Odom Jr., who has shared what he found especially entertaining about watching his Hamilton co-stars bring historical figures back to life in the 21st century.

When Hamilton first premiered on Broadway in 2015, Leslie Odom Jr. was one of the original cast members. As Aaron Burr, he filled a particularly unique role -- the primary narrator of the whole show and also the friend-turned-antagonist who eventually murders the musical’s titular founding father. His riveting portrayal of the former vice president earned him kudos worldwide, including a Tony Award for Lead Actor in a Musical.

Leslie Odom Jr. left the Hamilton cast in 2016, but his career has flourished. In addition to releasing his own original music, he’s starred in films like Murder on the Orient Express, the upcoming One Night in Miami, and 2019’s Harriet, in which he played another real-life figure, abolitionist William Still.

While you might think that portraying people that played such an important part in history could be daunting, Leslie Odom Jr. actually felt empowered when he and his Hamilton castmates took the stage. He told Variety's Awards Circuit podcast:

It seems like the uniqueness of Hamilton was consistently one of Leslie Odom Jr.’s favorite parts of his journey with the show. He’s been open about the fact that he was thrilled that the original cast of Hamilton was able to film their performance and make it available on Disney+ so that it was more widely available to fans around the world. That’s because it meant that many people who don’t have access to live theater venues could still enjoy the magic of a staged musical.

He’s also said that he became a fan of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s vision for Hamilton as a diverse reimagining of America’s founding fathers. While he is happy to acknowledge that the musical doesn’t do a perfect job of addressing some of the more controversial aspects of the founding fathers’ lives, he does believe it helps start important conversations about the history of the United States.

A lot has been said about the impact that Hamilton has had on creating a new generation of theater fans. It turns out the Tony-winning musical also played a pivotal role in shaping the lives of the actors who starred in it, too. In fact, Leslie Odom Jr. has revealed what aspect of Hamilton made him a lifelong fan, and made him want to sign up to be a part of the historic show.

Before Hamilton hit Disney+ this summer, and even before it hit Broadway, it had somewhat more humble beginnings. In fact, it began not as a musical at all, but as a hip-hop concept album, which gained viral popularity after creator Lin-Manuel Miranda performed the show’s future opening number “Alexander Hamilton” at a 2009 White House poetry event.

Eventually, the purpose of the music shifted and became a full-fledged piece of musical theater. Lin-Manuel Miranda began the process of workshopping the show in various forms, including “The Hamilton Mixtape,” which Leslie Odom Jr. was invited to see.

The performance ended up changing Leslie Odom Jr.’s life, he told guests at the virtual UB’s 34th Annual Distinguished Speaker Series:

Leslie Odom Jr. didn’t just sign on to become a Hamilton fan, though -- he eventually signed on the dotted line to star as the show’s villain and narrator, Aaron Burr. For the actor, that role ended up changing his life:

Hamilton definitely checks all those boxes. It went on to win a slew of accolades, including the Pulitzer Prize -- Leslie Odom Jr. himself was awarded a Tony Award for his performance in 2016. It’s among the highest grossing Broadway musicals) since 1982, despite the fact that it’s been out for only five years.

In addition to accolades and box office success, it’s also proved to have an enduring legacy and crossover appeal that few musicals have managed to obtain. The Hamilton Original Cast Recording is the best-selling cast album of all time),and is still charting on the Billboard 200, thanks in part to a recent surge in popularity from the Disney+ film.

Still, its cultural impact -- the fact that it’s introduced so many new fans to musical theater and made people curious about American history -- is also something that is important to Leslie Odom Jr. It seems his initial impression of the show’s potential, along with his willingness to sign on for the ride, wasn’t in vain.

Hamilton made history when it premiered on Broadway in 2015. Its popularity made its inevitable transformation into a movie a seeming inevitability -- however, the COVID-19 pandemic caused plans for that movie to shift. While Hamilton was originally intended for a theatrical release, Leslie Odom Jr. thinks there are a few upsides of having the film premiere on Disney+.

Five years later, Hamilton is still one of the most talked about musicals on the planet. Since it hit Disney+ over the Fourth of July weekend, a whole new wave of Hamilfans have fallen in love. Leslie Odom Jr., who originated the role of narrator/villain Aaron Burr and who plays him in the film, told Entertainment Weekly that as far as he’s concerned, Hamilton’s Disney+ premiere has worked out well despite the change of plans:

The actor also noted that Hamilton’s arrival on Disney+ marked a new era for the musical:

Shortly after Hamilton hit the streaming platform, Leslie Odom Jr. opened up about how meaningful it was to him that it would be accessible to a wider audience. Most people don’t ever get to see a performance on Broadway -- which means only a fraction of fans who found Hamilton through clips on the internet or the original cast recording were able to see it on stage before it arrived on Disney+.

It’s easy to see Leslie Odom Jr.’s perspective. While a theatrical release of Hamilton could have been a fun way for fans to get together and enjoy it as a group, its wider availability on screens in homes around the world is definitely a win.

The release of Hamilton on Disney+ has led to a big increase in interest in the already beloved musical. That has meant a lot of positive attention for the cast of the film, who originated the roles they play on screen when Hamilton was on Broadway. But Leslie Odom Jr., who stars as Aaron Burr, almost chose not to participate, and nearly walked away from the opportunity shortly before they began to shoot the film.

There is no Hamilton without Aaron Burr. He serves not only as the lengthy story’s narrator but also ends up being the figure behind many of the pivotal moments in the musical, including the murder of the musical’s eponymous Founding Father. For those who’ve been fans of the musical since it first hit Broadway in 2015, it would have been hard to picture anyone but Leslie Odom Jr. bringing him to life in the Hamilton film.

However, the Tony-winning actor found himself faced with a tough decision when he and the rest of Hamilton’s original Broadway cast were asked to participate in the filming of their stage performance for the movie. He told the Armchair Expert Podcast that he wanted to make sure he was being paid what he knew his participation was worth:

It sounds like the decision as to whether or not he would be a part of the film came down to the wire because Leslie Odom Jr. stood his ground:

Leslie Odom Jr. did his research, too, so he could be sure that he was being appropriately compensated for what would turn out to be one of the most buzzed-about movies of 2020:

For Leslie Odom Jr., it sounds like the bottom line ended up working out in his favor -- at least to the point that he was willing to sign on for the Hamilton movie. That’s good news for fans, both new and old alike, because it means we can enjoy his stunning performance for years to come. It’s available to stream now on Disney+.

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Lin-Manuel Miranda's Hamilton has been a pop culture sensation since it debuted on Broadway in 2015. But the fandom has grown immensely since Hamilton hit Disney+ as a filmed stage production starring the original principal cast. Now anyone with a subscription can be in the room where it happened, and every moment of the musical has been discussed and dissected since it premiered in early July. One of the questions surrounding Hamilton is why Leslie Odom Jr.'s Aaron Burr serves as the narrator, and now the Tony winning actor himself has shared his thoughts.

While Hamilton is very much about Alexander and Eliza, Leslie Odom Jr.'s Aaron Burr is the other main character. He's got the first line in the show's opening number, and narrates throughout the decades of storytelling. The actor himself was recently asked this very question, with Leslie Odom Jr. sharing his thoughts, saying:

Well, that adds an entirely new level to Hamilton. It looks like Leslie Odom Jr. has always believed that the show in some ways is his purgatory, with Aaron Burr forced to re-live his failing and missteps over and over again. And just like that the show has a narrator, and a second protagonist for the audience to follow through the infancy of America.

Leslie Odom Jr. shared his thoughts about Aaron Burr's role as Hamilton's narrator during a conversation with MSNBC. Odom's Tony winning performance as Burr is now immortalized thanks to the Disney+ movie, further elevating the star power of the cast. And given how dense Lin-Manuel Miranda's blockbuster musical is, there have been plenty of follow-up questions to the show's contents.

Hamilton is currently streaming exclusively on Disney+. You can use this link to sign up for the streaming service.

In the final moments of Hamilton's opening number, Aaron Burr admits "I'm the damn fool that shot him." The show's ending is teased early on, and clearly Leslie Odom Jr.'s signature character clearly regrets his fateful duel with Alexander. Now these lines make all the more sense, given how Odom approached the show as if it's purgatory.

Leslie Odom Jr. brought an extremely cerebral performance to Hamilton, which definitely showed in the Disney+ movie. The audience is cued into the character's unique perspective and sense of morality, and watch as he's shut out by Alexander time and time again throughout the years. The audience understands why the two eventually meet in the dueling ground, without either character ever becoming a villain.

One of the most tragic moments comes after Alexander is shot in "The World Was Wide Enough", and Aaron Burr laments about how history will paint him for his mistake. Perhaps this is the moment where the character finally understands what went wrong, with the finale ending his purgatory. There's no concrete answer, but shows how much conversation can still be had around Hamilton's contents.

Hamilton is currently streaming on Disney+. Be sure to check out our 2020 release to plan your next movie experience.

While I would not necessarily call Aaron Burr the “villain” of Hamilton, his opposition to the title character is a major element of the plot. That being said, if I was Leslie Odom Jr., who plays the former US Vice President in the blockbuster musical history lesson, I would want to follow that role with something emphatically heroic. The Marvel movies have always come in handy for that sort of treatment.

The Tony and Grammy-winning actor, who also moonlights as a musician unsurprisingly, is otherwise known for playing a suspect in the titular of crime of Kenneth Branagh’s Murder on the Orient Express remake, and as an Underground Railroad conductor in Harriet. Yet, the 39-year-old still has not reached leading man status, which could easily be arranged by one phone call from Kevin Feige, who should have no trouble getting ahold of Leslie Odom Jr., especially since Hamilton has essentially become part of the Disney family.

The question is who Leslie Odom Jr. would be the right candidate to portray on the big screen, either for the first time in the MCU or just the first time, period. I have six characters from the Marvel universe in mind.

Bedlam

The word "bedlam" refers to a person suffering from a confused or uproarious state, which is what Jesse Aaronson mutant's evil brother Christopher, nicknamed King Bedlam, was able to do to their parents, causing their death and forcing young Jesse into foster care. He would re-emerge as a superhero under an alias similar to his sibling after his ability to disrupt machinery and electrical equipment made him a subject of cruel experiments until M.U.S.E. (Mutant Underground Support Engine) came to his rescue. You might actually recognize Bedlam from Terry Crews' portrayal in Deadpool 2, in which the character met a bitter, premature end. This gives Leslie Odom Jr. the perfect opportunity to swoop in as the character for the X-Men official reintroduction in the MCU.

Silver Surfer

Say, speaking of Marvel comic book characters who deserve another chance in the MCU, 2007's Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer proved to, unfortunately, be a less-than-stellar sequel and big screen debut for the titular, shiny space explorer in the eyes of most fans and critics. Thus, it would be fun to see a proper origin story for Zenn-La native Norrin-Radd, who cruises to other planets on a board composed of the same silvery substance he is made of, in his own movie. This time, instead of giving two actors the role (last time, Doug Jones physically played him, while Laurence Fishburne spoke the dialogue), why not allow Leslie Odom Jr. to be both the voice and the body of the Silver Surfer, a la Josh Brolin as Thanos?

Cardiac

Instead of being composed of a metallic substance, Dr. Elias Wirtham, who first debuted in a 1990 Spider-Man comic, was able to develop an artificial skin made from vibranium to use as armor when fighting crime in honor of his deceased brother. Not to mention, he has an artificial heart capable of emitting massive amounts of power to both send concussive blasts through his staff, as well as keep him alive, hence the alias "Cardiac." I think it would be an honor for any actor, let alone Leslie Odom Jr., to be the first to play this character in an on-screen adaptation (having only received a blink-and-you-miss-it mention in the Netflix series The Defenders) not just for his complex, tragic backstory, but also for that kickass outfit.

The Thing

On the other hand, an even more effective method of protection than wearing an indestructible skin would be to actually have indestructible skin, much like The Thing. The merger of Fox with Disney gave fans hope that the Fantastic Four's exteriorly hard, but interiorly soft member would finally be given justice with an MCU (with all due respect to Michael Chiklis and Jamie Bell, who obviously were not calling the shots in their movies). I believe that Leslie Odom Jr. would be a great choice, not just for having the acting ability to nail the emotional depth needed for his tragic origin, but also because, in the World War II movie Red Tails, he played a pilot, which was Ben Grimm's occupation prior to becoming a superhero.

Rocket Racer

While I may have mentioned at the top of this article that it might be in Leslie Odom Jr.'s best interest to land a specifically heroic role following Aaron Burr in Hamilton, ask any actor, and a lot of them will tell you that playing a villain is more fun. With Rocket Racer, however, he could go either way, as the souped-up skateboard rider first appeared as an enemy to Spider-Man in 1977 before a stint in prison inspired him to become a reformed superhero who studies at the Avengers Academy. Of course, in either of those iterations, he is described as a child prodigy, which means, either way, that Odom's casting would require some major reinvention, which is practically Marvel Studios' specialty by now.

Robbie Robertson

One of the more satisfying character reinterpretations in the MCU was J.K. Simmons' reprisal of J. Jonah Jameson as a podcast host in Spider-Man: Far From Home. Someone who could use a similar treatment is Joseph "Robbie" Robertson, who never really got to have the more prominent presence he deserved in director Sam Raimi's Spider-Man trilogy, despite a heartfelt portrayal by Bill Nunn. It would be nice to see Tom Holland's next film as the We-Slinger give the Daily Bugle reporter, and eventual Editor-in-Chief, a bigger role, perhaps with Leslie Odom Jr. cast. Because after all, a more fitting role for the actor than a young adversary to Peter Parker would be somebody older who has always been known to have the young photographer's back

What do you think? Are these Marvel characters truly perfect for Leslie Odom Jr. to play in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, or would you say no to them? Let us know in the comments and be sure to check back for additional information and updates on the Hamilton star, as well as even more hypothetical comic book movie casting sessions, here on CinemaBlend.

Anyone who’s seen Hamilton - either on stage or on Disney+ - knows it’s part marathon, part sprint for the cast. With tons of high-energy musical numbers, it’s the kind of show that takes a lot out of performers, and one that can take its toll after a while. According to Emmy Raver-Lampman, Leslie Odom Jr. fought to help make sure the cast was taken care of, and that helped them all make sure Hamilton could continue to be a success.

Before she starred in Umbrella Academy, Emmy Raver-Lampman was an ensemble member and understudy in Hamilton. As a part of the original Broadway cast, she was a part of the show’s historic debut at the Richard Roger Theater -- and was well-versed in the unique toll that performing eight shows a week can have on an actor.

In addition to performing a full schedule, the success of Hamilton often meant the cast had other opportunities, like performing at the White House for Barack and Michelle Obama. While those moments were memorable, they also meant the cast rarely had a moment to rest. Emmy Raver-Lampman recently told Collider that Leslie Odom Jr. led the charge to make sure that the Hamilton cast didn’t get burned out. That included advocating for them behind the scenes:

Leslie Odom Jr. had an especially taxing role in Hamilton. As Aaron Burr, he was both narrator and villain and led many of the show’s most exhilarating (and probably exhausting) musical numbers. So it’s understandable why he would have wanted the cast to get the support they needed. Emmy Raver-Lampman told Collider that Broadway actors are, in many ways, athletes. So advocating for things like physical therapy and other provisions to make sure their bodies stayed intact probably made a huge difference.

The end result of all these efforts helped make Hamilton the legendary show it is today. Since it hit Disney+, it’s enjoyed a new wave of popularity, and it’s given the cast a chance to reflect on what the show means to them.

Leslie Odom Jr. himself has opened up about how special Hamilton is and what he thinks it means for the future. The role he played in making sure the artists involved had the support they needed could also be a part of Hamilton’s legacy, and one his castmates clearly won’t forget.

When he was starring as Aaron Burr in Hamilton, Leslie Odom Jr. had a pretty huge role. Not only does he serve as narrator, he also sings two of the Tony Award-winning musical’s most memorable songs. So it might be surprising that his favorite song from Hamilton isn’t “Wait For It” or “The Room Where It Happens.” In fact, it’s a song he wasn’t even a part of.

Since Hamilton first hit Broadway, it’s taken the world by storm. In the weeks since a filmed version starring the original cast hit Disney+, it’s seen a huge resurgence in popularity, as new fans begin to fall in love with Lin-Manuel Miranda’s innovative ode to Alexander Hamilton, America’s first treasury secretary. Leslie Odom Jr., who appears in Disney+ film, recently shared with Wired that he still has a vivid memory of the moments from the musical that captivated him the most early on:

One of the most talked about aspects of Hamilton has always been the way it reframes the American revolution and many of our most famous Founding Fathers as people of color. So it makes sense that Leslie Odom Jr. would have been struck by how revolutionary that was the first time he fully encountered it, too.

The actor has taken some time in the past few weeks to really unpack what being a part of Hamilton has meant for him. That means addressing some of the controversies surrounding how it tackles issues like slavery and what it means to have the musical widely available for fans all over the world to stream. It’s clear that the impact that “The Story of Tonight,” and Hamilton in general, has had on his life has been long-lasting.

“The Story of Tonight” is a song that holds a lot of meaning for many Hamilton fans, too because of what it represents to the musical’s story. It’s sung by Alexander Hamilton, Marquis de Lafayette, Hercules Mulligan and John Laurents. We hear it, in some form, three times in Hamilton: first, immediately following the big “I want” song, “My Shot.”

Later, it's heard as a reprise following Alexander and Eliza Hamilton’s wedding. Then we hear it once more, on a more somber note, when the titular character learns that one of his friends has passed away. In short, it does what a lot of Hamilton does -- spans a full range of emotions, from hope to heartbreak -- while pushing the story forward.

What Hamilton song left the biggest impression on you? Are you surprised by Leslie Odom Jr.’s answer? Let us know in the comments!

It’s been years since Leslie Odom Jr. played Aaron Burr, but his performance as Hamilton’s narrator/villain has recently taken on a new life. Since Disney+ began streaming a filmed version of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s musical, it’s seeing a surge in popularity -- and that clearly means a lot to the actor, who’s celebrating the new wave of success with a special message to fans both new and old.

Hamilton was big when it first hit the stage in 2015 -- one of the rare musicals to make a dent in pop culture outside of the Broadway bubble. It’s become a lot bigger since Disney’s streaming service offered up exclusive access to the film version of the Broadway show featuring the original cast, because people around the world were able to fully experience it for the first time. Even if you haven’t been online to see fans talking about it non-stop, a glimpse at the surge in sales of the soundtrack and downloads of the Disney+ app are enough to confirm its increase in popularity.

The Hamilton family has been engaged with fans online since the movie dropped, taking time to share their own stories and participate in live-streaming events. So they’ve definitely seen the love that fans are bestowing on both the musical and on them -- in fact, Leslie Odom Jr. told fans during an interview with Broadway.com how much he appreciates the response:

It seems like fans aren’t the only ones who’ve fallen down a Hamilton rabbit hole. While they’ve taken the time to acknowledge how the musical’s unique approach to American history might feel different today than it did a few years ago, they’ve also been able to have a bit of fun.

A lot of the cast members, even Lin-Manuel Miranda, have themselves found a new appreciation for Hamilton in the weeks since its Disney+ premiere. It’s given them time to look back on everything from their biggest on-stage flubs to the more, um, unique aspects of their performances.

Leslie Odom Jr. has also spoken about what it means to him to have his and his castmates’ Hamilton performances immortalized on film, especially since he didn’t get a chance to see anything on Broadway as a child. So knowing that they now have fans all over the world who have been inspired has to be especially exciting for him. Since Hamilton will be on Disney+ for the foreseeable future, it’s likely he and the rest of the cast will be able to hear about the impact they’ve made for years to come.

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There are hit Broadway shows, and then there's Hamilton. Lin-Manuel Miranda's hip hop tale of American history became pop culture sensation when it opened back in 2015, and swept the Tony Awards before winning a Grammy and Pulitzer Prize. Now Disney+ subscribers can be in the room where it happened thanks to the filmed stage version of Hamilton that's currently streaming. This new audience has resulted in some backlash on the show's contents, and now Aaron Burr (sir) Leslie Odom Jr. has addressed said feedback.

Hamilton's release on Disney+ inspired a huge spike in downloads for the application, and no doubt tons of views of the new movie. But this type of exposure has also opened the door for some criticism. Leslie Odom Jr. recounted one said encounter he had while appearing on Hamilton: History As Its Eye On You. The Tony Award winning actor was approached by one individual who took umbrage with Hamilton using people of color to tell the story of white men, claiming it actually wasn't a step forward for black and brown people. Odom's response addressed feedback on the show, saying:

Rather than taking offense, it looks like Leslie Odom Jr. has found a silver lining in Hamilton backlash that has arrived on the internet since it debuted on Disney+. He hopes the future musical theaters writers put together a show that's even more complicated and revolutionary than Hamilton. And in that way, they can have their own control over what's happening on stage.

Hamilton is currently streaming exclusively on Disney+. You can use this link to sign up for the new service, and see the show for yourself.

There have been a few points of criticism for Hamilton, some of which have been addressed by Lin-Manuel Miranda himself. Another point of contention is the depiction of slavery (or lack thereof) regarding Thomas Jefferson, George Washington, and even Alexander Hamilton. The conversation around Hamilton is showing no signs of slowing down, but Leslie Odom Jr. also expressed how revolutionary Hamilton was when it opened, and continues to be. As he explained on Hamilton: History Has Its Eye On You,

What a class act. It seems that the cast and crew of Hamilton are open to hear criticism on the show, and admit that not everything could fit in the show's already extremely dense 160-minute runtime. But there's also so much that Hamilton did right before debuting on Disney+, and continues to have an effect on conversation regarding the arts.

Hamilton is currently streaming in its entirety on Disney+. Be sure to check out our 2020 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.

The hot ticket over 4th of July weekend was indisputably a Disney+ account, as tons of audiences tuned into the filmed version of the most talked about Broadway show in recent memory, Hamilton. There’s multiple experiences the movie could elicit depending on the viewers’ history with it or lack thereof. If you were in the room where it happens when Lin-Manuel Miranda actually played Hamilton (first of all: how?) it must be like reliving a beautiful memory. If you saw the touring production or later cast, it serves as a great way to see the show in a new way. But hey, where’s my soundtrack listeners at?

Whether you were waiting for the prices to drop, to get picked for that insane lottery or it never quite reached your city at the right time, before this movie dropped Hamilton just wasn’t nearly as accessible. Myself included, many of us went into Hamilton knowing the songs from the musical but blind to the breathtaking visuals that happen on stage. Now that we’ve finally experienced it, let’s talk about what we took away from the play after having the lyrics in our ears for years.

How The Costumes Inform The Characters In Hamilton

First off, those Hamilton costumes!! Sure we’d seen stills of the various characters in their on-stage attire over the years or maybe with the Tony performance way back when. However, there’s a complete difference when we see how the wardrobe affects the presentation. The attention to detail in the wardrobe department is top notch, especially when it comes to having their dress reflect their changing ages or rotating roles. For one, Daveed Diggs’ second-act character of Thomas Jefferson wears a glorious purple getup inspired by Prince to show the Founding Father’s rock-star-like portrayal. And when Hamilton moves on to wearing green in the second act it symbolizes his turn to the first Secretary of Treasury.

Anthony Ramos Being The Official Hype Man Of Hamilton

Ahead of the actor’s leading role in Lin-Manuel’s first musical In The Heights which will have a grand big-screen treatment next summer, we were treated to Anthony Ramos’ role in Hamilton. Turns out he’s a huge standout in the show as John Laurens and Philip Hamilton. Ramos is one of the most energetic and charismatic presences of the cast, first as a close friend to Alexander and then as the son of his. He comes on strong as soon as he makes his way on the stage for the opening number, and now we’re infinitely more excited for his starring role In The Heights.

Jonathan Groff’s Spitting Image Of King George

An instant reaction to Hamilton that hit the internet as soon as the musical premiered on Disney+ was Jonathan Groff’s performance as King George. While we definitely weren’t expecting all that high-definition spitting from the Frozen actor, fans of the soundtrack had no idea just how incredible his entrances to sing “You’ll Be Back,” “What Comes Next” and “I Know Him” would be. I personally imagined Groff to perform the moments kind of cartoony and goofy, but he shows up as this stuffy, well-adorned king with moments of snarky comedic timing in between. He’s a subtly perfect touch to the play and somehow makes moments such as his background dancing fit right in to the show.

The Choreographed Time Rewind During Satisfied

Ahead of my Hamilton watch, you may have been just as excited as I was to gain some clarity on the love triangle between Alexander and two of the Schuyler Sisters as illustrated between soundtrack favorites “Helpless” and “Satisfied.” It’s easy to tell within the tracks one sister is heartbroken by the other’s relationship with Lin-Manuel Miranda’s leading role, but wow does the actual scene deliver. 

It expertly does something I’ve never seen staged before: rewinding time and shifting perspectives. It starts with Eliza’s moment of happiness as she falls for Hamilton with “Helpless” ending with her wedding. Then it cuts to Angelica’s toast in "Satisfied" where she thinks back to her own first moments with Hamilton. It's one of the most spine-chilling touches of the production!

Leslie Odom Jr’s Physical Performance Matches His Powerhouse Voice

Leslie Odom Jr’s vocal performance in songs such as “Wait For It” and “The Room Where It Happens” were already impressive for listeners of the soundtrack, but I feel as if I truly gained the scope of his talent now. It's as if we were appreciating Leslie Odom Jr with one hand tied behind our backs for years. As Hamilton’s disputed villain of Aaron Burr, there’s so much more he brings to the show that we’ll never get over. He’s much more human than we expected and watching their chemistry unfold is a highlight. Odom's show-stopping dance choreography in “The Room Where It Happens” where he leaps as a tablecloth is removed from under him is particularly memorable too.

The Covert Character Known As The Bullet

Another element of Hamilton we could not have appreciated in the soundtrack is one ensemble character known as “The Bullet.” At the end of the musical when Alexander is shot in his duel with Aaron Burr, you may have noticed Ariana DeBose’s character takes hold of the bullet as the moment pauses. With a closer look, DeBose is a prominent member of the ensemble throughout Hamilton. Before each character dies, “The Bullet” briefly interacts with them and has a part to play in what leads to their demise. For example, she talks to Philip Hamilton about where he finds the man that later leads to his death.

Eliza Hamilton’s Gasp Into The Fourth Wall

A final moment we didn’t take in until watching Hamilton on Disney+ was a gasp from Phillipa Soo's Eliza at the finale of the show. It’s not something the soundtrack captures and I’m personally thankful I had no idea the choice existed until experiencing the show, because the moment has a beautiful power to it after watching Eliza’s character arc play out. The gasp is ultimately up to one’s own interpretation, but many fans have theorized she is seeing the audience who now see her and Hamilton’s story and are in awe of how her actions paid off.

We loved Hamilton before via the music, but watching the show cements its status as a cultural phenomenon. I don’t know about you, but I find myself listening to the soundtrack even more now and with completely new ears to the context of the material. Sign up for a Disney+ account here and check out what else is coming to the streaming service this month.

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As you likely already know by now, Hamilton, the hit Broadway musical by Lin-Manuel Miranda, has landed on Disney+. And, pretty much everyone rushed to watch it. Yet, despite finally being seen by a totally new audience for the first time, it’s a little bittersweet for Tony Award winning Hamilton star Leslie Odom Jr.

Leslie Odom Jr., who plays Aaron Burr in Hamilton, recently sat down with The Philadelphia Inquirer to talk about the wildly popular musical. Though a lot of people will finally get to see him play the infamous role of Aaron Burr, Leslie Odom Jr. had mixed feelings about all of it. Here’s what he had to say:

Initially Disney planned to release Hamilton in theaters on October 2021, but since everyone is stuck at home due to current events, they decided to release it early on Disney+. While that meant Hamilton just got a new, giant audience, it also means cast and fans like Leslie Odom Jr., can’t really experience that in person with others. So for him, the excitement of Hamilton releasing was more about being an audience member than anything else. Here’s what he said later:

Most theater fans dream of seeing a Broadway play, but it’s not always possible financially or geographically. This was the case for Leslie Odom Jr. when he was growing up. So, being able to be in Hamilton means a lot to him personally. But, as he says, it also means a lot to be in the audience and praise his co-stars work.

Hamilton is available exclusively on Disney+. You can use this link to sign up for the new streaming service.

Leslie Odom Jr. skyrocketed to fame after his Tony and Grammy award-winning performance in Hamilton. He later appeared on a number of movies and TV shows, including The Good Wife, One Dollar, and The Murder on the Orient Express. He even released his second studio album in 2016 called Simply Christmas.

Of course, there’s been considerable praise by critics of the Disney+ Hamilton release. Many critics specifically praised Leslie Odom Jr.’s performance, saying the actor never allows his character to become the villain of the piece. Hopefully one day Leslie Odom Jr. will be able to witness the magic of Hamilton with friends and family in one place.

There are only a few Broadways shows in its historic history that have reached the towering heights Hamilton has seen. In fact, Hamilton's success around the world might truly be unprecedented. The multi-award-winning musical smash hit from Lin-Manuel Miranda is a highly-acclaimed, incredibly high-selling, Pulitzer Prize-winning musical smash. While the production has toured nationwide, people are finally able to get to a chance to see the musical for themselves now that Disney has released a filmed version of the original 2015-2016 Broadway production onto their streaming platform Disney+ on July 3, 2020. 

Though in the years since this hit musical's original Broadway run, the show's talented original Broadway cast has moved on to several exciting projects. Let's take a look at what they've done since their final bow.

Lin-Manuel Miranda (Alexander Hamilton)

As the writer of the book, music and lyrics, as well as the title star, of Hamilton, this incredibly successful musical is undoubtedly Lin-Manuel Miranda's baby. Having previously won the Tony Award for Best Musical with In the Heights, Miranda was already one of the most promising young music talents on Broadway, but Hamilton proved to be an unbelievable triumph, propelling the actor/writer into worldwide stardom. Miranda holds a Pulitzer Prize, an Emmy Award, three Tonys, three Grammys, a MacArthur Fellowship, and a Kennedy Center Honor to his name. If he gets an Oscar (and he already has a nomination), he'll officially be an EGOT. That's undeniably impressive for the 40-year-old superstar, and he's continuing his ongoing career ascension. Since stepping away from performing Hamilton regularly on Broadway, Miranda has kept himself busy with a wide variety of new and exciting projects.

As an actor, Lin-Manuel Miranda starred in Mary Poppins Returns, for which he was nominated for a Golden Globe award, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Curb Your Enthusiasm (as a variation of himself), Speech & Debate, His Dark Materials, Fosse/Verdon (which he helped executive produce), BoJack Horseman, and DuckTales. He also made an uncredited cameo in last year's Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. He appeared as a guest and host on Saturday Night Live a couple times in the last few years. Additionally, Miranda provided music for 2016's Moana, for which he received his aforementioned Oscar nomination. 

Miranda has also been working hard to provide relief for those suffering in Puerto Rico following the devastation of Hurricane Maria. In 2018, the performer did a three-week run of his award-winning show in Puerto Rico to provide relief funds. The engagement was sold out in a matter of hours.

Outside of his acting work, Lin-Manuel Miranda published Gmorning, Gnight!: Little Pep Talks For Me & You in 2018, featuring illustrations from Jonny Sun. Additionally, Miranda produced In the Heights, a movie adaptation of his musical of the same name, which was expected to be released this year, but was moved to June 2021 due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Miranda admits he's continuing to work on it. Additionally, Miranda will jump into the director's chair soon to make a Netflix adaptation of Jonathan Larson's autobiographical musical, Tick, Tick... Boom. He previously played the lead role when it appeared on stage.

Miranda will produce Disney's The Little Mermaid live-action remake, and he'll make new music with Alan Menken. He'll also executive produce and compose The Kingkiller Chronicle and will provide songs for Sony Pictures Animation's Vivo. He's also making a documentary with Norman Lear about actress Rita Moreno.

Phillipa Soo (Eliza Hamilton)

As Eliza Hamilton, Phillipa Soo played a prominent role as the female lead in Hamilton. She was nominated for Best Actress at the Tonys in 2016, and she continues to work hard on the stage and screen. As an actress, Soo starred in the CBS series, The Code, which aired for only one season. Shortly after Hamilton, Soo moved on to another Broadway production. Specifically, she appeared in Amelie, which played off and on Broadway in 2017, and The Parisian Woman, written by Beau Willimon (the creator of Netflix's House of Cards), which ran from 2017-2018. Recently, Soo appeared in Tumacho, which appeared for about a month off-broadway this year. She also provided voices for Moana and starred in Here and Now.

She'll next be seen in The Broken Heart Gallery. Soo also married actor Steven Pasquale (Rescue Me) in 2017.

Leslie Odom Jr. (Aaron Burr)

As Aaron Burr, the former Vice President who'd fatefully kill Alexander Hamilton (spoilers for those who fell asleep in history class!), Leslie Odom Jr. played a pivotal role in Hamilton. Sure enough, the accomplished theater actor found more fame since Hamilton's enormous success. He won Grammy and Tony Awards for his work in the sensational musical, and he's appeared in a number of movies and TV shows following his Broadway run, including The Good Wife, One Dollar, and Murder on the Orient Express. Most recently, Odom Jr. played another famous historical figure, William Still, in last year's Harriet, and he played a role in the post-apocalyptic romance movie, Only. As a musician, Odom Jr. released his second album in late 2016 with Simply Christmas. Also, this past November, he released his third album, titled Mr.

As a musician, Leslie Odom Jr. sang "America the Beautiful" during 2018's Super Bowl LII. In 2018, Odom Jr. released his first book, titled Failing Up: How to Take Risks, Aim Higher, and Never Stop Learning. He also became a father with the birth of his daughter, Lucille Ruby, in 2017.

As an actor, Odom Jr. will star in The Many Saints of Newark, Regina King's One Night in Miami, Sia's Music, and Needle in the Timestack. Odom Jr. also lends his voice to the AppleTV animated series, Central Park, and he starred in a comedy pilot alongside Kerry Washington.

Renée Elise Goldsberry (Angelica Schuyler)

As Angelica Schuyler, Renee Elise Goldsberry played one of the main characters in Hamilton. She won a Grammy for her work in the musical and as well as the Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical. An accomplished actress who appeared on the stage and screen in several noteworthy projects, including the original Broadway run of The Color Purple, as well as Rent and The Lion King, Goldsberry established herself before Hamilton's famous run. 

Prior to Hamilton, Goldsberry was seen in The Good Wife and One Life to Live, for which she received two Emmy nominations. Since Hamilton, she starred in the title role of HBO's The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks. She's also a series regular on Altered Carbon and starred in The House with a Clock on Its Walls and A24's Waves.

Christopher Jackson (George Washington)

As George Washington, the first president of these United States of America, Christopher Jackson had an important role in Hamilton. An accomplished actor and musician, notably taking over the role of Simba during The Lion King's extended run on Broadway, while also playing parts in After Midnight and In the Heights' original run, it was his Tony-nominated role in Hamilton that became his biggest claim to fame — even with The Lion King's lead role on his resume. While he previously appeared in Oz, Gossip Girl, and The Good Wife prior to Hamilton, while also composing for Sesame Street, the Broadway sensation continued to open doors. Following Hamilton, Jackson notably starred in a lead role on CBS' Bull and he appeared in Netflix's When They See Us. He also starred and sang in Moana.

Daveed Diggs (Marquis de Lafayette/Thomas Jefferson)

In the dual role of Marquis de Lafayette and Thomas Jefferson, Daveed Diggs gave an electrifying pair of performances during Hamilton's original run. The stage/screen actor walked away with Grammy and Tony Awards for his work in the acclaimed musical, and Diggs became one of the award-winning show's biggest successes. Outside of Hamilton, Diggs appeared in The Great Down, Black-ish and Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt. He also played parts in Wonder, Velvet Buzzsaw and Ferdinand. Most notably, Diggs co-wrote, produced and played the lead in the indie dramedy, Blindspotting. He was nominated for an Independent Spirit Award for this passion project. He also provided music for Zootopia and the short-lived series, The Mayor, the latter of which he also produced. As a musician, he worked with Lin-Manuel Miranda and Thomas Kail in the freestyle rap group, Freestyle Love Supreme, a.k.a. FLS.

Soon, Daveed Diggs lends his voice to the upcoming Pixar movie, Soul, and he'll be seen in The Starling, with Melissa McCarthy and Timothy Olyphant. He also plays a character in the AppleTV+ animated show, Central Park, and he did voice work for animated shows like Green Eggs & Ham, Bob's Burgers, and Star Wars Resistance. Additionally, Diggs plays one of the lead roles in the TNT series, Snowpiercer, based on the 2013 film of the same name. He's also set to voice Sebastian in Disney's live-action remake of The Little Mermaid.

Okieriete Onaodowan (Hercules Mulligan/James Madison)

In the dual role of Hercules Mulligan and James Madison, Okieriete Onaodowan played a key pair of roles in Hamilton. Having established himself as an actor of the stage and screen, Onaodowan continued to expand his resume after the show's incredible success. On TV, Onaodowan appeared in Girls, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, and The Get Down. He currently plays a main role in Station 19, a spin-off of Grey's Anatomy. Furthermore, on Broadway, Onaodowan appeared in Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812.

Anthony Ramos (John Laurens/Philip Hamilton)

In the dual role of John Laurens and Philip Hamilton, Anthony Ramos is a young actor with lots of talent who boosted his acting/music career tremendously through Hamilton. Since then, Ramos has appeared in A Star is Born, Godzilla: King of the Monsters, Will & Grace, Patti Cake$, Netflix's She's Gotta Have It, and, most recently, Trolls World Tour. He'll soon be seen in the Sundance film, Summertime, and he'll star in Honest Thief and in the lead role of In the Heights, which reconnects him with Lin-Manuel Miranda. He's also engaged to fellow Hamilton star Jasmine Cephas Jones.

Jonathan Groff (King George III)

As King George III, Jonathan Groff played one of the central antagonists in Hamilton during its original Broadway run. While several actors played the role during its off-broadway run, and several more took over during its continued presence on Broadway, Groff might be the actor people most commonly associate to this deliciously nasty role. Prior to Hamilton, Groff played the lead in Spring Awakening, and he received a Tony nomination for this performance. He was also known for voicing Kristoff in Frozen and he played the lead in HBO's underrated Looking, as well as roles in Boss and Glee. Since Hamilton, Groff starred in Netflix's Mindhunter and reprised his role as Kristoff in Frozen II. Additionally, in 2017, Groff appeared in 36 Questions, one of the first musical podcasts. Coming up, he's starring in The Matrix 4.

Jasmine Cephas Jones (Peggy Schuyler/Maria Reynolds)

In the dual roles of Peggy Schuyler and Maria Reynolds, Jasmine Cephas Jones played in the Grammy-winning cast of Hamilton. Since the show's incredibly successful run, she continues to work on the stage and screen. In theater, Jones recently appeared in the off-broadway production of Cyrano last year. On television, she was seen on HBO's Girls and in a reoccurring role on Mrs. Fletcher. She has also appeared in movies like Marriage Story, Blindspotting, and, most recently, The Photograph, and she's set to be seen in Honest Thief and One Night in Miami. She's also star in the TV series #Freerayshawn. Additionally, as mentioned earlier, Jones is engaged to fellow Hamilton star Anthony Ramos.

Who is your favorite Hamilton performer? Tell us in the comments.

If you grow up as a theater kid, you don’t just dream about being on Broadway -- you dream about seeing a Broadway play. While live theater is accessible to some, it’s not always financially or geographically feasible for everyone to make it to the Great White Way. Hamilton’s Leslie Odom Jr. knew that all too well, and that’s part of what makes the musical’s debut on Disney+ feel so meaningful to him.

Leslie Odom Jr. shot to stardom after his inspired performance as Alexander Hamilton’s friend-turned-foe-turned-murderer Aaron Burr in Lin-Manuel Miranda’s 2015 musical. It goes without saying that the chance to shape a role that will go on to live in Broadway infamy was probably a dream come true.

The one downside is that, up until this weekend, only a limited number of people were able to see him play Aaron Burr, since Leslie Odom Jr., like many original cast members, left Hamilton in 2016. Disney+’s Hamilton film has made it possible for millions of people all over the world to not just hear the OBC through the cast recording but to see them in action, too. Leslie Odom Jr. told Broadway World that, for him, that idea is especially meaningful:

Disney was originally going to release Hamilton in theaters in 2021. After the COVID-19 pandemic hit, though, they chose to bring it to their streaming service early, citing the opportunity to bring a message of hope and tenacity to the world during these unprecedented times.

The added benefit of making the live theater experience more accessible to viewers worldwide can’t be overlooked, though, either. Even going to the movies isn’t easy for everyone, so having the opportunity to watch Hamilton from home could be life-changing for some burgeoning theater fans.

Have you ever seen a Broadway play? Was Hamilton your first experience seeing a musical performed? Let us know in the comments!

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Hamilton has remained the most sought-out ticket on Broadway for the past five years. But there will never be anything like the era when the original cast took the stage eight times a week. Each of them has since gone on to make movies, star in television shows and record albums. As tons of people hit play on the Disney+ release this weekend, Frozen’s Josh Gad can see his longtime friend kill it on stage via the streaming service. Check out the actor’s sweet words about Leslie Odom Jr:

As Josh Gad wrote on Twitter, the actor who plays Aaron Burr in Hamilton has been his buddy since college. The former Book of Mormon star sounded emotional as he recorded a tidbit of Leslie Odom Jr singing his show-stopping number, “Wait For It,” with his family at home. The pair are both 38 years old and went to Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania at the same time to nab their degrees in fine arts before reaching the big leagues.

Aside from that, Josh Gad and Leslie Odom Jr starred together in 2017’s Murder on the Orient Express and the new AppleTV+ animated musical comedy Central Park. Josh Gad can also call Hamilton’s King George a friend since his Frozen co-star Jonathan Groff was part of the original cast, too. Since the movie dropped on Disney+ on Friday, viewers cannot stop talking about seeing the Kristoff actor spit in high definition. Check out Gad’s family enjoying “You’ll Be Back”:

Josh Gad joins a massive crowd of people who have been tuning into the Tony Award-winning show. Hamilton was trending on Twitter all day yesterday as fans watched, many for the first time ever. Everyone was talking about the show, including Lin-Manuel Miranda’s wife Vanessa Nadal, who revealed her reaction whenever her playwright husband smooches with an actress on stage. The movie was shot over three days back in 2016, a couple weeks before Miranda concluded his run as Alexander Hamilton.

Leslie Odom Jr. tuned into the show on Disney+ last night with his wife, Nicolette Robinson, enjoying the perks of at-home snacks. In some parallel universe, he’d be physically with his Hamilton family celebrating the release of the film. Take a look:

The worlds of Hollywood and Broadway are a lot smaller than they look when you think about how both Josh Gad and Leslie Odom Jr. rose from sharing the same college classes to having their own high-profile work available on Disney+. Aside from the show finally being available to more audiences, the talent of Hamilton’s original cast can be enjoyed by more people too. And if you haven't already, can sign up for a Disney+ account.

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Wait for it… wait for it… it’s almost Hamilton time! In just under a day, the filmed version of the original cast performing the iconic and award-winning musical is dropping on Disney+. For the first time, experiencing the musical won’t be an exclusive event for those who managed to score the near-impossible tickets,; Hamilton will be a shared event millions of people will be pressing play on the same day.

Ahead of Hamilton’s premiere, a number of celebrities showed their excitement for the show’s debut on streaming. Let’s start with none-other-than Draco Malfoy himself, Tom Felton:

In true Slytherin fashion, Tom Felton expressed his impatience for Hamilton to come out. Fortunately, he’ll only have to be patient for a few more hours. I would not have pegged the Harry Potter actor as a Hamilton fan, but then again, can anyone really deny the pure talent we’re about to witness? Lin-Manuel Miranda, Daveed Diggs, Anthony Ramos… the list goes on!

Musical theatre nerd Josh Gad is also super pumped for Hamilton too. The actor, who has voiced Olaf in the Frozen movies, is the former star of Book of Mormon on Broadway, and serves as quarantine’s nostalgia MC, is planning on spending a ton of time watching the popular show:

Celebrities are supporting the show left and right ahead of the premiere. Skylar Astin, one of the Pitch Perfect stars and actor from NBC’s Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist, gave a shoutout to the Hamilton cast, who recently appeared on The Tonight Show to sing “Helpless” from the show to promote the film. Check out Astin’s tweet:

Comedy actress and host of Busy Tonight, Busy Phillips, also showed her excitement for the production to hit Disney+ with this:

What’s especially exciting about Hamilton is it features the original cast who started the hype and have since gone on to do some incredible things since. The movie was shot over three days through two live performances and one rehearsal. As Lin-Manuel Miranda recently pointed out to us, it might be the “best rehearsed movie of all time” since the cast had been playing their roles for almost two years by the time the movie was immortalized on camera. Critics have already been kind, giving the film 100 percent on Rotten Tomatoes. CinemaBlend's own Sean O’Connell gave the film a perfect five stars in his review, saying the movie "impossibly surpasses the hype."

Jennifer Garner also took to social media to show her excitement for the musical by sharing this video of the cast paying tribute to A Chorus Line during its beginnings on the stage. Check it out:

And, of course, the cast is super hyped to see their show more accessible to audiences after years off the stage. Leslie Odom Jr., who plays Aaron Burr in Hamilton, echoed the excitement of one fan with this:

Yes! We’re counting down the hours. Hamilton hits Disney+ on Friday, July 3. You can sign up for subscription to the streaming service by using this link, and check out what else is coming to Disney+ this month here too.