Leslie Odom Jr. captured our hearts with his breakout performance as Aaron Burr in the hit musical “Hamilton,” and he’s held on to them ever since. This year, we’re ecstatic to announce Odom as the The Root 100's “Stage and Style” honoree for his outstanding contribution to the arts and fashion.
Odom will be gracing the Root 100 this year with his incredible presence, and we honestly can’t wait! (You can grab tickets here). For anyone wondering why he’s our “Stage and Style” honoree this year, here are the five things you should know.
1. Aaron Burr!!!
We promise you’ll learn more about Odom than his performance in “Hamilton.” But seriously, we still get chills from his award-winning performance as Aaron Burr in Hamilton. Odom won a Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical and a Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album for his performance.
2. His Fashion
The man can dress. Odom and his stylist, Avo Yermagyan, have been taking red carpets by storm time after time. We’ve never seen someone look so good in a suit!
3. His Acting In “One Night In Miami”
Odom isn’t just a stage star! He blew audiences away with his role as singer Sam Cooke in Regina King’s film “One Night in Miami.” He swept award nominations for his performance. He’s also acted and voice acted in countless critically acclaimed shows and movies, including “Harriet,” “Red Tails,” “Murder on the Orient Express” and “Central Park.”
4. His Musical Talents
Odom is an incredibly talented singer and songwriter. He was nominated for an Oscar and a Golden Globe for writing the film’s song, “Speak Now.” He’s also released several critically acclaimed albums. Odom recently released his latest album “When a Crooner Dies.”
5. His Epic Return to Broadway!
The Tony-Award winning actor was clearly destined for a life on the stage. Odom returned to Broadway to play Purlie Victorious Judson in the revival of the the satirical play “Purlie Victorious.” The critically acclaimed play captures the absurdity of racism and racial stereotypes.
6. His Range!
The man really can do it all. He’s got the voice of an angel, incredible songwriting talents, and award-winning acting chops.