AUSTIN, Texas — From taking calls in his bathrobe before the Oscars to playing iconic figures in groundbreaking biopics, Kelvin Harrison Jr. has enjoyed a colorful career leading up to his latest film, “O’Dessa,” where we caught up with him at the premiere for a walk down memory lane.
In “O’Dessa,” a post-apocalyptic musical drama, he plays an eccentric musician and love interest of the title character, played by Sadie Sink.
With such a unique premise, On The Red Carpet had to ask, “What drew you to the project?”
“Knowing that Sadie was attached and the world. I was so excited about a world that reminded me of like, ‘Wizard of Oz’ and ‘Alice in Wonderland.’ It was kind of wacky and fantastical, but super intimate and sincere,” he explained.
As a biopic veteran, Harrison Jr. is used to portraying real, historical figures, having recently played Martin Luther King Jr. in “Genius: MLK/X,” B.B. King in “Elvis” and Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges in “Chevalier,” so his role in “O’Dessa” was a unique venture.
“To be able to create something from the feet up was exciting and delicious to me,” he said. “I loved those characters that used to go on the journey like the Cheshire Cat in ‘Alice and Wonderland’ or like, the Queen of Hearts or the Scarecrow.”
He described his character Euri as a cross between Edie Sedgwick, Lenny Kravitz and Prince, with the walk of supermodel Naomi Campbell.
“I’m telling you, it’s like off-brand Naomi Campbell, you know what I’m saying? But off-brand Naomi Campbell is still nice!”
During On The Red Carpet’s live Oscars preshow (which is broadcast live around the world), Harrison Jr. joined the interview in his bathrobe!
On The Red Carpet’s George Pennacchio has interviewed Harrison Jr. for multiple projects over the years, including “Mufasa: The Lion King,” but their first interview together in 2023 was one to remember.
During On The Red Carpet’s live Oscars preshow (which is broadcast around the world), Harrison Jr. joined the interview in his bathrobe!
“What’s up, George? I mean, I think this bathrobe is pretty sexy, if I do say so myself,” he joked during the interview.
At the “O’Dessa” premiere, Harrison Jr. gave us a little more insight into the moment.
“I do remember George being like, ‘We’ve never done this before,’ and I was like, ‘Aw s**.’ I was like, ‘I’m not me being in the bathrobe!’ But it was so cool, and it was so intimate, and it was just so honest to the moment. I was so excited to go to my first Oscars, and I was getting ready, so to be able to have that documented just reminds me of like, how beautiful this process is.”
You can watch “O’Dessa” when it premieres March 20 on Hulu.
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