Kelvin Harrison Jr.

Harrison was born on July 23, 1994, in New Orleans, Louisiana, to musicians Shirlita and Kelvin Harrison. He grew up in the Garden District and later moved to The Westbank.{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U4YGTO5_1Tw|title=COOLfeed Interviews with Actor: Kelvin Harrison Jr.|date=April 10, 2017 |via=YouTube|access-date=30 April 2017}} He studied studio engineering and marketing, before moving to Los Angeles, California to pursue acting, where he began taking acting classes. He is also a skilled musician, mainly playing jazz and gospel on the piano, trumpet, as well as singing. His father was trained by Ellis Marsalis and grew up with Harry Connick Jr. Harrison studied under Jason Marsalis, recorded with Delfeayo Marsalis, and met Wynton Marsalis.{{Cite web|title=Triple Threat: Kelvin Harrison Jr. is hitting the 'high note' of his career - Entertainer Magazine|url=https://entertainermag.com/blog/2020/05/29/triple-threat-kelvin-harrison-jr-is-hitting-the-high-note-of-his-career/|access-date=2021-10-12|website=entertainermag.com}}{{cite web|url=https://pitchengine.com/pitches/83897d0a-3bc1-4758-ac8f-b4cbf6cf0d03|title=Rising Actor Kelvin Harrison Jr. Shines Bright in Upcoming Reboot of Famed Historical Drama 'Roots'|work=Pitchengine.com|access-date=30 April 2017|archive-date=April 11, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210411000900/https://pitchengine.com/pitches/83897d0a-3bc1-4758-ac8f-b4cbf6cf0d03|url-status=dead}}

Harrison attended Isidore Newman School,{{cite web|url= https://www.nola.com/entertainment_life/movies_tv/his-time-new-orleans-actor-kelvin-harrison-jr-is-making-waves-and-waves-in-hollywood/article_a312e014-13ce-11ea-b9a9-efb253c47ada.amp.html |title= His time: New Orleans actor Kelvin Harrison Jr. is making waves (and 'Waves') in Hollywood. |date=December 4, 2019 |first=Mike|last=Scott|work=NOLA.com|access-date=April 22, 2023}} where he was one of the few black students in his class and struggled to fit in.{{cite web|url=https://www.bonappetit.com/story/kelvin-harrison-jr|title=Kelvin Harrison Jr. Is Ready to Go Inward|date=August 12, 2020|first=Martine|last=Thompson|work=Bon Appétit|access-date=December 30, 2020}} He originally went to Loyola University New Orleans to major in studio engineering as his father felt he would excel in music. Harrison ultimately transferred to the University of New Orleans for film, with the goal of writing and directing his own films.{{cite web|url=http://anthemmagazine.com/screen-test-kelvin-harrison-jr/|title=SCREEN TEST: KELVIN HARRISON JR.|date=9 June 2017|first=Kee|last=Change|access-date=30 December 2020}}

In 2012, Harrison was cast in Ender's Game, based on the 1985 novel. He was upgraded to day-player and interacted with actors such as Viola Davis, Harrison Ford, and Ben Kingsley. Harrison credits Davis with making him take acting more seriously. He then had a small role in 12 Years a Slave. Harrison would later appear in an episode of WGN America's Underground and the 2016 remake of Roots, both of which were produced in his home state of Louisiana. That same year, the actor had a small role in Nate Parker's The Birth of a Nation. Harrison was initially hesitant to participate in Roots, in part because it would be his fourth portrayal of a slave, and he did not have fond memories of watching the original as a child. In retrospect, Harrison realized just how different the projects were. In the meantime, Harrison landed a supporting role on Fox miniseries Shots Fired {{Cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2019/12/new-hollywood-podcast-kelvin-harrison-jr-waves-luce-diversity-inclusion-representation-1202805055/|title = New Hollywood Podcast: Rising Star Kelvin Harrison Jr. Talks Emotional Weight of 'Waves' and 'Luce'|website = Deadline Hollywood|date = December 10, 2019|last1=Ramos|first1=Dino-Ray|last2=N'Duka|first2=Amanda|access-date=January 1, 2022}} as well as a recurring role as Touie Dacey on Crackle's StartUp {{Cite web|url=https://www.theadvocate.com/baton_rouge/entertainment_life/movies_tv/article_8cf97a24-8e9a-11e7-85fa-ef9095d4c916.html|title='StartUp' role grows on New Orleans actor Kelvin Harrison Jr.|date=September 30, 2017|last=Bergeron|first=Judy|access-date=January 12, 2021}}

Harrison began the year with a small supporting role in the Netflix acquired Dee Rees' Mudbound, which opened at the Sundance Film Festival to critical acclaim.{{cite web|url=https://www.indiewire.com/2017/01/mudbound-dee-rees-underrepresented-artists-sundance-2017-1201771644/|title= 'Mudbound' Is a Major Step For Dee Rees, But Underrepresented Storytellers Remain — Sundance 2017|work= IndieWire|date= January 21, 2017|last=Winfrey|first=Graham|access-date=December 16, 2021}} Later that year, he played the role of Travis in Trey Edward Shults' 2017 psychological horror film It Comes at Night.{{Cite web|url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/it_comes_at_night|title = It Comes at Night|website = Rotten Tomatoes}} The film focuses on a family hiding in a forest as the Earth is taken over by a highly contagious disease. The film had its premiere at the Overlook Film Festival at Timberline Lodge in Oregon on April 29, 2017 and was theatrically released on June 9, 2017 in the United States by A24, was received positively by critics{{Cite web|url=https://www.indiewire.com/2017/04/it-comes-at-night-trey-edward-shults-overlook-film-festival-1201811046/|title='It Comes at Night': Trey Edward Shults' Horror Film Earns Rave Reviews at Overlook Film Festival|date=April 30, 2017|last=Nordine|first=Michael|access-date=January 1, 2021}} and grossed over $19 million worldwide.{{Cite web|url=https://www.the-numbers.com/movie/It-Comes-at-Night#tab=box-office|title=It Comes at Night (2017) - Financial Information|access-date=January 1, 2022}} Harrison received praise for his performance, getting nominated for Breakthrough Actor at the Gotham Awards that year.{{Cite web|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/lists/gotham-award-nominations-2017-list-full-1048297/|title = Gotham Awards: 'Get Out' Leads with Four Nominations|website = The Hollywood Reporter|date = October 19, 2017|last=Lewis|first=Hillary|access-date=January 1, 2022}} He has credited the role for giving him a reason to continue his acting career.

In 2018, Harrison notably starred in three films that premiered at the Sundance Film Festival, which were Monsters and Men, Assassination Nation & Monster.{{Cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/la-et-mn-sundance-kelvin-harrison-monster-20180122-story.html|title=Sundance breakout Kelvin Harrison Jr. found his form of activism through 'Monster' and 'Monsters and Men'|date=January 22, 2018|last=Anderson|first=Tre'vell|website=Los Angeles Times|access-date=January 1, 2022}} In Reinaldo Marcus Green's Monsters and Men, he portrays Zyrick, a gifted teenage baseball player that becomes politically awakened after seeing a video of a man murdered by the police. In Sam Levinson's Assassination Nation he has a smaller role as Mason, a friend of the female protagonists and in Anthony Mandler's Monster, based on the Walter Dean Myers novel of the same name,{{Cite web|url=https://www.screendaily.com/news/bron-to-co-produce-mandlers-monster/5110152.article?referrer=RSS|title=Bron to co-produce Mandler's Monster|date=October 7, 2016|website=Screendaily|last=Hazelton|first=John|access-date=January 3, 2022}} Harrison plays Steve Harmon, a seventeen-year-old honour student whose world comes crashing down around him when he is charged with felony murder. Assassination Nation and Monsters and Men both got releases in the same year while Monster acquired a distribution deal with Netflix in 2021.{{Cite web|url=https://www.indiewire.com/2021/05/monster-netflix-sundance-entertainment-studios-1234638302/|title=How 'Monster' Spent 3 Years Going from Muted Sundance Premiere to Netflix Original Hit|date=May 20, 2021|last=Lindahl|first=Chris|access-date=January 1, 2022}} He followed these up with supporting roles in the dramas Jinn{{Cite web|url=https://www.sundance.org/projects/monster|title=monster|access-date=January 2, 2022}} and JT LeRoy.{{Cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2017/08/kelvin-harrison-jr-courtney-love-james-jagger-jt-leroy-movie-1202140167/|title=Kelvin Harrison Jr., Courtney Love & James Jagger Board 'JT' Biopic|date=August 1, 2017|last=N'Duka|first=Amanda|access-date=January 2, 2022}}

2019 saw Harrison starring in two films that premiered at the Sundance Film Festival, social thriller Luce {{Cite web|url=https://www.flickeringmyth.com/2017/11/naomi-watts-octavia-spencer-and-tim-roth-set-for-luce/|title=Naomi Watts, Octavia Spencer and Tim Roth set for Luce|date=November 13, 2017|last=Collinson|first=Gary|access-date=January 3, 2022}} and psychological thriller The Wolf Hour,{{Cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2017/11/jennifer-ehle-kelvin-harrison-jr-emory-cohen-naomi-watt-the-wolf-hour-1202214987/|title=Jennifer Ehle, Kelvin Harrison Jr., Emory Cohen Join Naomi Watts In 'The Wolf Hour|date=November 28, 2017|last=N'Duka|first=Amanda|access-date=January 3, 2022}} both starring Naomi Watts. For his titular role in Julius Onah's Luce alongside Octavia Spencer and Tim Roth, Harrison received critical acclaim as the all-star high school athlete and accomplished public speaker born in war-torn Eritrea adopted in the United States. Justin Chang of the Los Angeles Times wrote, "Harrison's performance, at once slippery and surgically precise, compounds that ambiguity in ingenious fashion. He exhibits a quality that might have seemed like mere self-consciousness in a different actor's hands.{{Cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2019-07-31/luce-review-kelvin-harrison-jr-octavia-spencer|title=Review: Who is 'Luce'? Kelvin Harrison Jr. gives a compelling answer in a twisty race drama|date=July 31, 2019|website=Los Angeles Times|last=Chang|first=Justin|access-date=January 3, 2022}} Harrison was nominated for Best Male Lead at the Independent Spirit Awards for his performance in the film.{{Cite web|url=https://www.indiewire.com/2020/02/2020-independent-spirit-awards-nominations-1202191305/|title=2020 Independent Spirit Awards Nominees: 'Marriage Story,' 'Uncut Gems,' and More|date=February 6, 2020|website=IndieWire|last=Sharf|first=Zack|access-date=January 3, 2022}}

Harrison later played Jesse in Nabil Elderkin's directorial debut Gully.{{Cite web|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/charlie-plummer-kelvin-harrison-jr-jacob-latimore-star-gully-1093499/|title=Charlie Plummer, Kelvin Harrison Jr., Jacob Latimore to Star in 'Gully' (Exclusive)|date=March 9, 2019|website=The Hollywood Reporter|last=Ford|first=Rebecca|access-date=January 4, 2022}} The film had its world premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival on April 27, 2019 {{Cite web|url=https://tribecafilm.com/festival/archive/gully-2019|title=Gully|website=Tribeca Film Festival|access-date=January 4, 2022}} and eventually found a national theatrical release on June 4, 2021.{{Cite web|url=https://theplaylist.net/gully-trailer-20210520/|title='Gully' Trailer: Three Friends Try To Survive Their Violent Neighborhood In Nabil Elderkin's Drama|date=May 20, 2021|last=Barfield|first=Charles|access-date=January 4, 2022}} Harrison's major breakthrough of the year came with Waves, which premiered to critical acclaim at the Telluride Film Festival on August 30, 2019 and found him reuniting with It Comes at Night writer & director Trey Edward Shults.{{Cite web|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/lucas-hedges-sterling-k-brown-star-musical-film-waves-1124648/|title=Lucas Hedges, Sterling K. Brown, Kelvin Harrison Jr. and Taylor Russell will headline the cast of 'Waves,' a dramatic musical written and directed by Trey Edward Shults.|website=Deadline Hollywood|date=July 2, 2018|last=Kilday|first=Gregg|access-date= January 4, 2022}} In the film, Harrison plays Tyler Williams, a popular high school senior and competitive wrestler whose life goes into disarray after suffering a career-ending injury. Shults stated that he wrote and tailored the role for Harrison, wanting to work with him again after their previous collaboration.{{Cite web|url=https://www.gq.com/story/trey-edward-shults-waves-interview|title=How Waves Director Trey Edward Shults Made the Movie of This Moment|website=GQ|date=November 15, 2019|last=Cea|first=Max|access-date=January 4, 2022}} Harrison's performance in the film received rave reviews, with many critics favorably comparing and contrasting it to his performance in Luce.{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/movies/movie-reviews/waves-movie-review-904565/|title='Waves' Review: A Family, Two Stories and One Major Young Filmmaker|magazine=Rolling Stone|date=November 11, 2019|last=Travers|first=Peter|access-date=January 5, 2022}}{{Cite web|url=https://variety.com/2019/film/reviews/waves-review-2-1203319165/|title=Film Review: 'Waves'|date=August 30, 2019|last=Debruge|first=Peter|access-date=January 5, 2022}} IndieWire's Eric Kohn stated that the two performances pushed him forward as 'the preeminent face of disgruntled teenage life'.{{Cite web|url=https://www.indiewire.com/2019/08/waves-review-trey-shults-kelvin-harrison-jr-1202169932/|title='Waves' Review: Trey Shults' Dizzying Tearjerker Depicts How a 21st-Century Family Can Fall Apart|website=IndieWire|date=August 30, 2019|last=Kohn|first=Eric|access-date=January 10, 2022}} The film is notable for widening his international exposure, leading to a BAFTA Rising Star Award nomination.{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2020/jan/07/the-full-list-of-nominations-for-the-baftas-2020|title=The full list of nominations for the Baftas 2020|website=The Guardian|date=January 7, 2022|access-date=January 5, 2022}} He capped off the year with a supporting performance as musician Teddy Greene in the first season of Epix's Godfather of Harlem alongside Forest Whitaker.{{Cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2018/09/godfather-of-harlem-kelvin-harrison-jr-lucy-fry-cast-epix-drama-series-forest-whitaker-1202471681/|title='Godfather Of Harlem': Kelvin Harrison Jr. & Lucy Fry Cast In Epix Drama Series|website=Deadline Hollywood|date=September 26, 2018|last=Petski|first=Denise|access-date=January 5, 2022}}

The first half of 2020 saw Harrison venturing into more lighthearted and comedic roles, ranging from his studio debut in a smaller supporting role in Stella Meghie's romance film The Photograph{{Cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2019/03/the-photograph-kelvin-harrison-jr-chante-adams-jasmine-cephas-jones-ylan-noel-universal-movie-1202580989/|title='The Photograph': Kelvin Harrison Jr., Chante Adams, Jasmine Cephas Jones & Y'lan Noel Set For Uni's Romance Drama|website=Deadline Hollywood|date=March 22, 2019|last=N'Duka|first=Amanda|access-date=January 10, 2022}} to the male lead in Nisha Ganatra's musical comedy-drama The High Note.{{Cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2019/05/kelvin-harrison-jr-zoe-chao-dakota-johnson-tracee-ellis-ross-covers-focus-features-1202620222/|title=Kelvin Harrison Jr., Zoe Chao Join Dakota Johnson & Tracee Ellis Ross In Music-Centric Comedy 'Covers'|website=Deadline Hollywood|date=May 23, 2019|last=N'Duka|first=Amanda|access-date=January 10, 2022}} In the latter Harrison plays David Cliff, a singer-songwriter who acts as the love interest to Dakota Johnson's Maggie. To prepare for the film and its soundtrack, Harrison worked with a vocal coach for 45 minutes a day, to expand his range, and took guitar lessons.{{Cite web|url=https://variety.com/2020/film/news/kelvin-harrison-jr-high-note-euphoria-season-2-1234619599/|title=Kelvin Harrison Jr. on Finding His (Singing) Voice in 'The High Note' and Joining 'Euphoria' Season 2|website=Variety|date=May 29, 2020|last=Jackson|first=Angelique|access-date=January 10, 2022}} He ended the year with a portrayal of revolutionary socialist Fred Hampton in Aaron Sorkin's biographical ensemble courtroom drama The Trial of the Chicago 7,{{Cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2019/10/the-trial-of-the-chicago-7-kelvin-harrison-jr-aaron-sorkin-movie-1202759309/|title='The Trial Of The Chicago 7': Kelvin Harrison Jr Joins Aaron Sorkin-Helmed Feature|website=Deadline Hollywood|last=N'Duka|first=Amanda|date=October 14, 2019 |access-date=January 10, 2022}} It was released in selected theaters on September 25, 2020, and began streaming digitally on Netflix on October 16.{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2020/07/netflix-closes-50m-deal-for-aaron-sorkin-the-trial-of-chicago-7-1202974968/|title=Netflix Closes $50M+ Global Deal For Aaron Sorkin's 'The Trial Of The Chicago 7'|website=Deadline Hollywood|first=Andreas|last=Wiseman|date=July 1, 2020|access-date=July 1, 2020|archive-date=July 1, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200701171633/https://deadline.com/2020/07/netflix-closes-50m-deal-for-aaron-sorkin-the-trial-of-chicago-7-1202974968/|url-status=live}} The film was nominated for six Academy Awards{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2021/mar/15/the-full-list-of-2021-oscar-nominations|title=The full list of 2021 Oscar nominations|date=March 15, 2021|work=Guardian|access-date=March 16, 2021|archive-date=March 15, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210315191804/https://www.theguardian.com/film/2021/mar/15/the-full-list-of-2021-oscar-nominations|url-status=live}} and Harrison and the rest of the cast won the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture.{{cite web|title=SAG Award Nominations 2021: See the Full List|url=https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2021/02/sag-awards-2021-nominations-screen-actors-guild|access-date=January 5, 2021|date=February 4, 2021|website=Vanity Fair|archive-date=February 5, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210205170930/https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2021/02/sag-awards-2021-nominations-screen-actors-guild|url-status=live}}

In 2021, Harrison portrayed Christian in Joe Wright's Cyrano, a musical film adaptation of the Off-Broadway play by Erica Schmidt, itself based on the 1897 Edmond Rostand play Cyrano de Bergerac.{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2020/09/kelvin-harrison-jr-peter-dinklage-cyrano-musical-mgm-1234579764/|title=Kelvin Harrison Jr. Joins Peter Dinklage In 'Cyrano' Musical At MGM|last=N'Duka|first=Amanda|work=Deadline Hollywood|date=September 18, 2020|accessdate=September 18, 2020}} Harrison was slated to appear in the second season of HBO's Euphoria, which would have reunited him with Assassination Nation director Sam Levinson,{{cite web |last=Sneider |first=Jeff |title=Exclusive: 'Euphoria' Season 2 Adding Kelvin Harrison Jr. from 'Luce' and 'Waves' |url=https://collider.com/kelvin-harrison-jr-the-high-note-euphoria-season-2-interview/ |work=Collider |date=April 14, 2020 |access-date=May 29, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200603181049/https://collider.com/kelvin-harrison-jr-the-high-note-euphoria-season-2-interview/ |archive-date=June 3, 2020 |url-status=live}} but dropped out due to conflicting schedules attributed to the COVID-19 pandemic.{{Cite web|last=|first=|title=Kelvin Harrison Jr. No Longer Attached To 'Euphoria' Season 2|url=https://shadowandact.com/kelvin-harrison-jr-no-longer-attached-to-euphoria-season-2|access-date=May 22, 2021|website=Shadow and Act|language=en}}

Harrison portrayed the legendary blues guitarist B. B. King in Baz Luhrmann's 2022 biopic Elvis, about rock and roll icon Elvis Presley.{{cite web |last=N'Duka |first=Amanda |date=December 30, 2020 |title=Kelvin Harrison Jr. To Play Blues Icon B.B. King In Baz Luhrmann's 'Elvis' Project |url=https://deadline.com/2020/12/kelvin-harrison-jr-baz-luhrmanns-elvis-warner-bros-1234662417/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210109202311/https://deadline.com/2020/12/kelvin-harrison-jr-baz-luhrmanns-elvis-warner-bros-1234662417/ |archive-date=January 9, 2021 |access-date=January 19, 2021 |work=Deadline}} He then starred in the 2022 film Chevalier, directed by Stephen Williams, in which he portrayed Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges, the 18th-century Black French violin virtuoso and classical composer.{{cite web |title=Kelvin Harrison Jr. To Star In Searchlight's 'Chevalier de Saint-Georges' As The Musical Prodigy |url=https://deadline.com/2021/03/kelvin-harrison-jr-to-star-searchlight-chevalier-de-saint-georges-1234725503/ |last=Kroll |first=Justin |work=Deadline Hollywood |date=March 31, 2021 |access-date=April 2, 2021 |archive-date=April 1, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210401074133/https://deadline.com/2021/03/kelvin-harrison-jr-to-star-searchlight-chevalier-de-saint-georges-1234725503/ |url-status=live }} In August 2021, it was announced that Harrison will star in Mufasa: The Lion King, Barry Jenkins's follow-up to The Lion King, as the voice of young Scar.{{Cite web |url=https://deadline.com/2021/08/lion-king-prequel-cast-kelvin-harrison-jr-aaron-pierre-barry-jenkins-1234822447/|title='The Lion King' Prequel: Kelvin Harrison Jr. & Aaron Pierre To Lead Cast For Disney & Barry Jenkins |website=Deadline Hollywood|first=Andreas|last=Wiseman|date=August 26, 2021 |access-date=August 26, 2021}}

Upcoming projects

In January 2022, it was reported that Harrison will portray the artist Jean-Michel Basquiat in Samo Lives, a biopic that will reunite him with Luce director Julius Onah.{{Cite web|last=Jackson|first=Angelique|date=2022-01-05|title=Kelvin Harrison Jr. to Star in Jean-Michel Basquiat Biopic 'Samo Lives' (EXCLUSIVE)|url=https://variety.com/2022/film/news/kelvin-harrison-jr-jean-michel-basquiat-samo-lives-1235146921/|access-date=2022-01-08|website=Variety|language=en-US}}

• {{IMDb name|5123156}}

{{Black Reel Award for Outstanding Breakthrough Performance, Male}}

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Harrison, Kelvin Jr.}}

Category:1994 births

Category:Living people

Category:21st-century African-American male actors

Category:21st-century American male actors

Category:21st-century African-American musicians

Category:American male film actors

Category:American male television actors

Category:American male voice actors

Category:Loyola University New Orleans alumni

Category:Male actors from New Orleans

Category:Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture Screen Actors Guild Award winners

Category:University of New Orleans alumni