Rising star Kelvin Harrison Jr. storms onto the screen in the historical biopic “Chevalier,” starring as violinist-composer Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges, the son of an African slave and French plantation owner who rose to the heights of French society in the 18th century. It’s a high-profile role for the 28-year-old actor who has been making his mark as a talented young star to watch in the past decade.
His first onscreen appearance was a small role in Steve McQueen’s Oscar-winning film “12 Years a Slave" (2013) (streaming on MGM+ or rent it elsewhere), and while he put in work over the next few years, Harrison’s breakout year was 2017, when he appeared in Dee Rees’ Netflix film “Mudbound,” about a Black soldier readjusting to the racism of rural Mississippi after World War II, and co-starred in the family horror-thriller “It Comes at Night,” opposite Joel Edgerton and Christopher Abbott (streaming on Showtime, Kanopy or rent).
“It Comes at Night” was Harrison’s first collaboration with filmmaker Trey Edward Shults, who also wrote and directed another breakout role for the young actor, with the edgy teen drama “Waves” in 2019. “Waves” starred Harrison as a star athlete pushed to the limit by his controlling father (Sterling K. Brown). “Bones and All” star Taylor Russell co-starred as his younger sister, who reckons with the family fallout after a shocking tragedy. Stream it on Tubi or rent it elsewhere.
Also in 2019, Harrison tackled his most challenging and complicated role yet, in Julius Onah’s “Luce.” Once again playing a star athlete and high school student, Harrison nails the uneasy balance between a high-performing student and the darkness that lingers underneath. When one of his teachers (Octavia Spencer) starts to glimpse that darkness, it ignites racial and gender-tinged controversy, only made more complex by Luce’s white adoptive parents (Naomi Watts and Tim Roth). Harrison’s performance is not to be missed in this film — stream it on HBO Max, Kanopy or rent it elsewhere.
Harrison is also a musician, having been raised in New Orleans with musician parents. His musical talent will no doubt serve him well in “Chevalier,” but he’s been incorporating that skill into other film roles as well. He played a musician in the charming music-industry set dramedy “The High Note” (2020) co-starring Dakota Johnson and Tracee Ellis Ross as a diva in the style of her famous mother, Diana Ross (streaming on Amazon Freevee or rent elsewhere).
He appeared as B.B. King, the only true friend to Austin Butler’s Elvis Presley, in Baz Luhrmann’s chopped 'n screwed fever dream biopic “Elvis” (HBO Max or rent). He also sang his heart out in the underrated and under-seen musical “Cyrano” (2022). Harrison stars as Christian in this lush, romantic epic directed by Joe Wright, adapted from Edmond Rostand’s 1897 play “Cyrano de Bergerac.” Peter Dinklage co-stars as Cyrano, with Haley Bennett as Roxanne. Stream it on Prime Video, Paramount+, MGM+ or rent elsewhere.
———
