The ‘Many Saints of Newark’ actor talks about his top-secret audition, working with David Chase, and bringing a Black gangster into the ‘Sopranos’ world
The Sixties have been good to Leslie Odom Jr. Earlier this year, the Hamilton alum was nominated for two Oscars for his work in the 1964-set One Night in Miami: one for his performance as legendary singer Sam Cooke, the other for co-writing the original song “Speak Now.” And now he has a key role in The Many Saints of Newark, the Sopranos prequel film that kicks off in 1967 Newark, New Jersey.
Odom plays Harold McBrayer, a small-time but ambitious numbers runner who works for the film’s main character, the charismatic gangster Dickie Moltisanti. While Harold starts out a cog in Dickie’s criminal machine, he soon resolves to build his own — and will stop at nothing to make it happen. Where Black characters on The Sopranos were few and far between, and usually presented from the point of view of a member of Tony’s crew, Harold is something new for this fictional universe: a person of color granted his own inner life and agenda separate from what the wiseguys want.
A few years back, the filmmakers drew a broad net to find Harold. Odom did have a Best Actor Tony, but it was still very early in Odom’s film career. He could not land the part without an audition. Well, he didn’t have to audition for many times. The process was shrouded in secrecy, so he was given scenes to record out of context, for a project whose title he didn’t even know.
“They kept saying, ‘Just tape one more time — they’re going to make the decision tomorrow,’” He recalls. “Having been around the business a while, it felt like, ‘Are they looking for a reason not to give me the job?’” But he was determined not to give up. “I was like, ‘I don’t know what the fuck this thing is, but every time I pick up these scenes, I’m inspired.’ The writing was bringing out good work in me. So that’s what drew me. If there was more writing like this behind getting the job, I wanted to walk toward that.”
Earlier this summer, Odom, 40, spoke about Many Saints from waterfront digs in Greece, where he was filming Rian Johnson’s Knives Out sequel — the latest sign that the former Aaron Burr is now a star on a global stage.
Joe Pugliese took photos of Leslie Odom Jr. Produced and edited by Shelby Gordon and Walaa Elsiddig. Ward Robinson, set design for Wooden Ladder. Joanna Pensinger is the makeup artist for The Wall Group. Hair by Kali Patrice. Styled by Avo Yormagyan.
Were you a fan of The Sopranos before landing your role in Many Saints?
Yes. But I hadn’t watched it top to bottom. I didn’t grow up in an HBO house. I couldn’t afford HBO when I first got out of college and stuff. Like so many others, the pandemic was my chance. Thank goodness HBO Max put their entire library online. It’s amazing. So satisfying — like a great novel.
How did the show play for you after you’d done the film and shared scenes with actors playing younger versions of some of those characters?
It was the most satisfying viewing experience I’ve ever had watching a show. People had to wait until the next week in order to see it again after its first season. I was able watch the entire season in just a week and half, then jump on to the next. I had the opportunity to go on podcasts, read about that season and do a deep dive. I know the last episode was tough for some people in its original run, but it’s a lot easier all these years later being able to listen to [Sopranos creator and Many Saints writer] David [Chase] talk about that final episode and listen to cast members talk about that.
What were your favorite characters?
I loved [Tony’s] nephew, Christopher. Bobby Bacala is my favorite. Holy shit, what an actor [Steve Schirripa is]! That guy’s arc — somebody that you completely think is in the margins, and then season, what, four or five, they give them that really tragic, beautiful storyline with his wife. That bench was so deep! Carmela I loved. Oh, and Annabella Sciorra. He comes in and takes control of the entire fucking show.
The Sopranos didn’t have many Black characters, and Tony and his crew were depicted as openly racist. Do you find that this gave you cause to pause when watching the show? Or did it simply reflect the reality of this group?
We’ve had years of watching Mob stories malign us in that way. So I’ve learned to look past that, if it’s [about] the truth of the meaning. Art is meant to reveal how people act in private. While they may be hurtful or lacerating or surprising, that’s the point of it. Scorsese or David do it, I always knew that I was in the capable hands of someone thoughtful and someone who was telling me the truth. If I was going to keep looking at this truth, it was my decision. I knew I could trust the creative; I’ve seen that throughout.
Did you know that the movie existed before Harold was offered the opportunity?
I’d heard that the film was happening. I wasn’t up for it in the original rounds of auditions. They needed someone fast, so I was called. I don’t even know that I knew I was auditioning for the Sopranos [movie]. They are very strict. They’re like the MCU. They don’t send you a script, don’t send you character names, scenarios are changed. Actors have to make decisions. Once you have seen it, you can start creating. They called me to tell me that they liked the tape I made but that they had some notes for them. They wanted me to tape another time with more notes. And I said, “Guys, I don’t mind taping again, but you’ve got to send me a script. I don’t know what I’m doing.” Then I got on the phone with [director] Alan [Taylor], and he helped clear up all of my questions.
Odom as Harold McBrayer in ‘The Many Saints of Newark.’
Warner Bros. Pictures/New Line Cinema
So you didn’t know anything at all?
I didn’t know who I was playing. There was this one scene that ended up in the movie, I’m in the bed with my girlfriend and I’m playing it a bit lighthearted, and Alan calls me and says, “I like what you’re doing, but remember, you just killed [someone] a few scenes before.” I said, “Alan, I don’t know any of that. That’s privileged information.”
What did you think of the idea of a Sopranos movie in the first place?
It was amazing. It was a way of prolonging the life of something people love so much. An origin story is a favorite of many people. And I knew if David was involved, it would be OK. To be honest, it sounded like just the kind of movie I’d love to be a part of, but at the time, I was very rarely given the chance to be a part of. I thought, “That’s gonna be way cool for Michael B. Jordan to do,” or some movie star to do. It’s taken me a second to believe in myself in this medium.
Did the experience live up the expectations when you were offered the role?
Absolutely. David is the best writer. Alan, I believe, directed his ass. When we were shooting, he would ask things of me that I didn’t understand — just some technical things — but I trusted him. And when I saw it all come together, I’m just so happy to be a part of it, and so proud.
David was famous for his attention to detail on The Sopranos, and his insistence that things be done in a very specific way to match his vision. You can see it here.
Yes, a little bit. He’s not a writer who’s interested in you changing his dialogue. He demands it word-for-word. That is only challenging because it’s rare. We have it in theater. In TV and film, it’s a rarer thing. This created some difficulties. Sometimes you can feel corset. But I often find in film, as I learn and grow, that if the actor is tense, the audience doesn’t always know why. No matter how high your tension, it can make an occasion more interesting. I accept the discomfort.
David and Lawrence Konner (his co-writer) are both white. Alan Taylor, the director is also white. You’re the most prominent Black character in it, and in all of The Sopranos. Were there ever times where you had to voice concerns that a moment or a line didn’t feel right to you?
I was with professionals. I’d occasionally have a question or a new idea. But more often than not, David wasn’t so much interested in my idea as he was in getting me to understand the reason he wrote it the way that he did. So, what are I going to do? I haven’t done enough films to think that I know everything. Nothing about it felt degrading or shameful. Outside of that, it was like, “Ah, shit, I’ll do it his way. I’ll be of service.”
Because of Covid, the movie was in the can for all of 2020, while George Floyd was killed and the Black Lives Matter protests were all over the news. Do you wonder if the movie will end up reflecting what you saw?
The best art is one that feels right for you. But we don’t have any control over that. This year’s been so crazy for so many reasons, I didn’t spend too much time thinking about how the movie was going to meet the moment. However, after seeing it, I can confirm that it’s a piece historical fiction that is as relevant today as it ever was.
Do you ever find it surreal to share a scene with John Magaro or Billy Magnussen? I’ve seen quite a bit of the show.
For sure. Seeing Billy over that stove [in Satriale’s] was totally surreal. It was really cool. I think Michael [Gandolfini] is extraordinary as Tony. Don’t you want five more of these? You just want to see him become the character he is.
You made this shortly before you did One Night in Miami. Although the characters are quite different, they all belong to the same era. Is there anything to be learned from switching between the two?
I was a better actor because of this. David and Alan helped me become a better actor. I got to take that to Regina King’s set, who’s one of the best actors working in our business today, and I left One Night in Miami feeling the same. I continue to strive to improve my skills.
Alan Sepinwall is Rolling Stone‘s chief TV critic and co-author of The Sopranos Sessions.