Oscars 2021: Ranking The Nominated Performances From Worst To Best

Leslie Odom Jr. quickly became the frontrunner for a nomination amongst the four One Night in Miami standouts and his turn as singer Sam Cooke is a refined and deeply powerful performance that stands as a highlight of both the film and the year.

Of all the characters in One Night in Miami, Sam Cooke is the one that goes through the clearest arc as the character is challenged on his approach to the movements concerning racial equality and injustice. Odom Jr. fills his performance with resentment and rage and a burning frustration as Cooke holds a different worldview to that of Malcolm X.

This all culminates in the final song of the film, sung by Odom Jr., which manages to be both powerful and emotionally arresting. It is the best moment in the film and Odom Jr. nails it.

Odom Jr. is primarily known for his work on Hamilton, but this powerful performance and subsequent nomination should easily propel him into a mainstay of cinema to come.