Leslie Odom Jr. on “Joyful, Generous” Energy on ‘Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery’ Set and Working With Rian Johnson

Leslie Odom Jr. spoke with The Hollywood Reporter on the red carpet of the ‘Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery’ premiere.

Transcript

00:00What did you think when you first got the call for this?

00:04What did I first think?

00:07I mean, I was just so, I really wanted to deliver for Ryan.

00:11He's so kind, and I felt the depth of his care for his cast when I watched that first film.

00:23You know, he tried to hold as many of them as possible in the frame as he could, right?

00:28Because he valued them.

00:30It was like, it was always two or three of them or more in every frame, you know, because he cared about them.

00:38And so I just wanted to bring, hopefully, something as rich and textured in the performance that would be worthy of that frame.

00:46What was that first day on set like with this cast and all of you and Grease?

00:51I don't know if I remember the first day on set, but I do remember the, you know, the general feeling on that set was just, it was so joyful.

00:58It was so joyful and generous and theater-like, which you know I love.

01:04And that really is top-down.

01:06That comes from Ryan.

01:07That comes from Daniel.

01:07You know, because they want it that way.

01:09They made it that way.

01:11So it was that way.

01:12And how do you see this film compared to the first one?

01:16Bigger.

01:17You know, in a lot of ways, the first one was a surprise to them, you know, the way people took to it as those things are.

01:26And I think Ryan, in his desire to delight, you know, was like, oh, oh, y'all like this?

01:34We can give you more of this, you know?

01:36So it's like, it's just bigger than I expect that part three will be bigger, you know?

01:42He's going to listen to that feedback loop after this one and deliver.

01:49And you popped up in Abbott Elementary recently.

01:51How did that all come about?

01:53I got an invitation.

01:55And I'm from Philadelphia.

01:57I'm a huge fan of Quinta and the message of the show, the themes of the show.

02:02I was raised in the public school system in Philadelphia.

02:07So it was a no-brainer.

02:08I've known Sheryl E. Ralph for 20 years.

02:11My first job in Los Angeles was singing behind Sheryl E. Ralph.

02:16So it was really the experience I wanted to have, I really have to say.

02:23To see Sheryl having this moment right now must be crazy for you.

02:26No one deserves it more.

02:28No one.

02:31Congratulations.

02:31Thank you so much.