Leslie Odom, Jr., who won a Tony for his portrayal of Aaron Burr in the Pulitzer Prize-winning Hamilton, will play a leading role in The Many Saints of Newark, David Chase’s movie prequel to TV series The Sopranos, according to Deadline. No word yet on exact details of his character.
The stage and screen star joins the previously announced Tony nominee Billy Magnussen, Corey Stoll, Alessandro Nivola (Broadway’s The Elephant Man), Jon Bernthal, Vera Farmiga, Ray Liotta, John Magaro, and Michael Gandolfini. The latter will step into the role of Tony Soprano, created by his father, the late James Gandolfini.
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Odom’s additional recent screen credits include an upcoming ABC comedy pilot (appearing alongside Tony nominee Hailey Kilgore) and the thriller Only, set to premiere at Tribeca Film Festival this spring.
The movie is set in 1967 Newark, New Jersey, against the backdrop of race riots incited by instances of police brutality against African-Americans. Alan Taylor, who has worked on The Sopranos and Game of Thrones, will direct a script by Chase and Lawrence Konner.
The Many Saints of Newark is scheduled to be released by New Line September 25, 2020.
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