'Chevalier' Digital Release Interview: Kelvin Harrison Jr.

Moviefone speaks with Kelvin Harrison Jr. about 'Chevalier's digital release. "I was really excited that this movie was getting made, when I first heard about it."

Debuting on digital June 16th is Searchlight Pictures’ universally acclaimed ‘Chevalier,’ which was directed by Stephen Williams (‘Soul Survivor’).

What is the plot of ‘Chevalier’?

‘Chevalier’ is inspired by the incredible true story of composer Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges. The illegitimate son of an African slave and a French plantation owner, Bologne (Kelvin Harrison Jr.) rises to improbable heights in French society as a celebrated violinist-composer and fencer, complete with an ill-fated love affair and a falling out with Marie Antoinette (Lucy Boynton) and her court.

Chevalier

"The true untold story."

PG-131 hr 44 minApr 7th, 2023

Showtimes & Tickets

Watch Chevalier Online

Who is in the cast of ‘Chevalier’?

‘Chevalier’ stars Kelvin Harrison Jr. (‘Elvis’) as Joseph Bologne, Samara Weaving (‘Snake Eyes: G.I. Joe Origins’) as Marie-Josephine, Lucy Boynton (‘Murder on the Orient Express’) as Marie Antoinette, Ronkẹ Adékoluẹjo (‘Been So Long’) as Nanon, Marton Csokas (‘The Last Duel’) as Marquis De Montalembert, Alex Fitzalan (‘Slender Man’) as Philippe, and Minnie Driver (‘Good Will Hunting’) as La Guimard.

Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with Kelvin Harrison Jr. in honor of 'Chevalier's digital release and talked about making the movie, his first reaction to the screenplay, shooting the amazing opening scene, Bologne’s relationship with Marie-Josephine, and working with director Stephen Williams.

Kelvin Harrison Jr. in the film 'Chevalier.'

You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interview.

Moviefone: To begin with, what was your first reaction to reading the screenplay, learning about this real-life figure, and what research did you do into Joseph Bologne’s life to prepare you for this role?

Kelvin Harrison Jr.: I was really excited that this movie was getting made, when I first heard about it. I was really intrigued by, at first it was the character because I didn't really know the man. I didn't even know that he was a real man. Then once I found out that he was, then the preparation, there was a lot. I had to do a lot of research on the history of Paris and Guadalupe, trade and economics, who was in power at the time, and just why was Maria Antoinette there, and what did she believe in and what was her relation to Joseph? What did the art scene look like? There's just a lot of specific little details to tackle before I could even get into building the man. But that was the beginning of it.

MF: There's a great featurette on the digital release that shows how the opening sequence was filmed. Director Steven Williams mentions both Jimi Hendrix and Prince, and the specific way they play their guitars, and that he was trying to recreate that with the way that Bologne plays his violin. Can you talk about that and shooting that opening sequence?

Kelvin Harrison Jr.: It's interesting, because you're trying to figure out how to make this thing that doesn't feel very contemporary and doesn't feel very cool, even in contemporary terms, feel like a rock thing. There was a lot of playing around with the movement coach, with actually making it look like there was some type of the same physicality or the poses of a rockstar. But then you have to throw a lot of it out the window, and then it just becomes about the feeling. What are the lines that (composer) Michael Abel was able to compose that gave an element of really showing a sense of showmanship? I think the thing is when you have a character like Joseph who is what's called a virtuoso, which is just the speed and agility, it's like people that sing riffs and runs. You're doing it to be like, "Look at my vocal availability," you know what I mean? It's not always necessary for the song, but you're doing it kind of to show what you can do, and that gives you the moment leaning into some of those slides, which is what guitarists do. That physicality of that has to be present in order to create the rockstar. So, yes, the Jimi Hendrix, Prince of it all, it was correlating the movement to the musicality.

Kelvin Harrison Jr. in the film CHEVALIER. Photo by Larry Horricks. Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures. © 2022 20th Century Studios All Rights Reserved.

Related Article: Movie Review: 'Chevalier'

MF: Can you also talk about the challenges of learning how to play the violin and fencing for this role?

Kelvin Harrison Jr.: I actually started learning how to fence from ‘Cyrano’ when I did that because Joe (Wright) originally had a big fencing number for me in the movie, or sword fighting number, and then we cut it. So, that was my pre-training. Then, when I got into it, they hired a proper fencing coach. I had to learn it. I don't even remember any of the terms anymore. But I used to do that for an hour or sometimes two hours a day for a couple of months. But it was mostly just learning the choreography of that particular sequence. But it was a lot of work. It felt like I was in college. You know what I mean? I just felt like I was taking a bunch of classes, and the day of the shoot was my test. I just had to study.

MF: Can you talk about Joseph’s relationship with Marie-Josephine and working on that relationship with Samara Weaving?

Kelvin Harrison Jr.: It's an interesting dynamic, Josephine and Joseph’s relationship, because I never interpreted it as if they were actually in love. I think Joseph learned. Lucy said this earlier in an interview. She was saying, “Marie Antoinette didn't necessarily want to be friends with Joseph because she wanted to be. She wanted to be in close proximity to him because it made her look good.” I think when you are in an environment like that, the other players in that community start to pick up on the same tactics. So, I think Joseph was doing the same thing. Marie-Josephine made him ultimately look good. Now, is it more complex? Is there a lust involved in that? Absolutely. Is there a sense of kinship in Marie Antoinette and Joseph's relationship? Absolutely. But ultimately, each of those characters wants something. Marie-Josephine wants an opportunity to pursue her dream and her craft. She feels like she's a bird in a cage. She wants something from Joseph. Joseph gives her an opportunity. She's willing to defy her husband's wishes to get that opportunity. So, what we're seeing is people having a commonality between them, and a bravery and a boldness that can only be tested in those circumstances. You almost get attracted to your own grit and your own tenacity. That's what me and Sam Weaving talked about. We just discussed those dynamics and what we had in common, and what we were trying to explore with those characters.

Kelvin Harrison Jr. and Lucy Boynton in the film 'Chevalier.'

MF: Can you talk about the way Joseph’s view of the world changes once his mother comes back into his life?

Kelvin Harrison Jr.: I think, Joseph, he sees everything as if this is the best it can get. "I'll accept where I'm at. I want more, but I don't have to necessarily feel appreciated, or feel loved, or feel a sense of community right now in my life." But his mom teaches him that you're worth so much more than you're giving yourself credit for, and you've bought into the game and the system that they play in this town. Actually, it's killing you. You're not elevating because of it, because you're so obsessed with a goalpost that won't give you happiness, won't give you community, and won't give you a sense of belonging. What he's learning is to redefine his sense of self and what his core beliefs are. It changes his whole sense of freedom and ownership. He stopped allowing these people to say, "We own you. You're only worth something if you can do A, B, and C." He's like, "I'm worth something because I say I am, and I believe I'm special, and I believe I'm interesting, and I want to share that with people that want to acknowledge it. All the people that are heartbroken in France right now because they aren't being acknowledged as well."

MF: Finally, what was your experience like collaborating with Stephen Williams on this project?

Kelvin Harrison Jr.: It was so much fun. Stephen, he's such a playful director. He really is Joseph in his own way. He's Joseph at the end of the movie, where he's like, "I'm not interested in trying to subscribe to however the blockbuster or whatever movie is supposed to be, or the period piece it's supposed to be. I'm going to make my own version of this, and I'm going to discover that with you and the rest of the artists that I choose to work with." It was really cool to just be like, "We can make up our own rules as we go," and as long as we were telling the truth and we were having a good time. So, I really appreciate him, and I think he made a really fun movie.

(L to R) Kelvin Harrison Jr. and Director Stephen Williams on the set of 'Chevalier.' Photo Credit: Larry Horricks. Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures. Copyright: ©20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.