Sam Cooke — One Night in Miami... Character Profile

About Sam Cooke

Soul singer who performs for a white audience in NYC and attends the Miami fight. Engages in a heated debate with Malcolm X about commercial viability versus protest music, defending his creative autonomy. Inspired by Bob Dylan, he later debuts A Change Is Gonna Come.

Character Facts

Played by

Leslie Odom Jr.

Appears in

One Night in Miami... (2020)

Role

Supporting

Relationships (3)

• Sam Cooke — Conflict Ideological Rival — Malcolm X (Kingsley Ben-Adir)

  Direct opponents in a debate over artistic responsibility versus economic survival.

• Sam Cooke — Social Peer Ally — Cassius Clay (Eli Goree)

  Fellow public figures finding common ground amid external pressure.

• Sam Cooke — Social Confidant — Jim Brown (Aldis Hodge)

  Trusted companion for sharing vulnerable creative insights away from tension.

Explore the full interactive character relationship map of One Night in Miami...

More characters from One Night in Miami...

• Malcolm X (Kingsley Ben-Adir)
• Cassius Clay (Eli Goree)
• Jim Brown (Aldis Hodge)
• Johnny Carson (Christopher Gorham)
• Betty X (Joaquina Kalukango)
• Mr. Carlton (Beau Bridges)
• Angelo Dundee (Michael Imperioli)
• Bundini Brown (Lawrence Gilliard Jr.)
• Brother Kareem (Lance Reddick)
• Jess Rand (Hunter Burke)
• Emily Carlton (Emily Bridges)
• Barbara Cooke (Nicolette Robinson)