Leslie Odom Jr. is taking the precautions necessary to keep his family safe after appearing on Ellen DeGeneres‘ talk show the day before she tested positive for COVID-19. Leslie, 39, said in a remote interview on Today with Hoda & Jenna that he’s currently quarantining separately from his wife, The Affair star Nicolette Robinson, and their three-year-old daughter, Lucy. Nicolette, whom the Hamilton star married in 2012, is currently pregnant with their second child, and safety is a must!
‘First and foremost, I hope Ellen is well, I haven’t spoken to her, obviously I hope she’s doing okay,” Leslie told hosts Hoda Kotb and Jenna Bush Hager on the December 18 broadcast. He explained that he, Nicolette, and Lucy are getting tested for COVID-19 every day for 10 days just to be sure they’re all well. “The virus can affect pregnant ladies differently, so anywhere, we’re doing our best. I’ve got my mask in the house. You know, I’m double-masking in the house,” he joked, holding up his protective gear.
Ellen, 62, took to Instagram on December 10 to share with fans that she had tested positive for coronavirus, and would be on hiatus from her talk show until after the holidays. “I want to let you all know that I tested positive for Covid-19,” Ellen wrote in a screenshot from her Notes app. “Fortunately, I’m feeling fine right now. Anyone who has been in close contact with me has been notified, and I am following all proper CDC guidelines. I’ll see you all again after the holidays. Please stay healthy and safe. Love, Ellen.”
The Ellen DeGeneres Show has been back in the studio since September after filming from home over the summer. She’s had a mixture of virtual interviews and celebrity guests appearing in-studio, as Leslie did on December 9 to perform “Last Christmas” and talk about adorable Lucy. Ellen is just one of dozens of celebrities who have been infected with COVID-19 since March 2020, including Tom Hanks, Sharon Osbourne, Kristen Stewart, and Robert Pattison.